Eat in Medan (Indonesia) Pt.1-4

This is a long list of food to eat in my hometown, Medan. FYI, Medan is a heavy Chinese-populated city in Indonesia, so there will be a lot of Chinese food (some are non-halal), Indo-influence Chinese food, North Sumateran ethnic food and Indonesian food in general. 

Part 1: The Local Delicacy

1. Bakso Ayam Cianjur (Chicken Meatball Noodle Soup) @Jl. Sumatera Intersect Jl. Madong Lubis (near Rumah Makan A Hiang)

This is noodle soup with chicken meatball. The soup is very rich in Indonesian spices like clove, cinnamon and candlenuts and nutmeg. Normally they have variety of side dishes such as stuffed bean curd puff, spicy chicken gizzard and liver, spicy clam satay, etc.

 

2. Nasi Soto Pak Haji (Soto Rice) @Jl. Sumatera Intersect Jl. Tapanuli

Soto is a very rich yellow soup with chicken, beef or even prawn. Normally it's served with rice, also sometimes with mee hoon (vermicelli). The condiments are kicap manis (dark sweet sauce) mixed with red onion and lime juice.

 

3. Kari Bihun (Chicken Curry Vermicelli) @Jl. Beruang Intersect Jl. Madong Lubis (also near Rumah Makan A Hiang)

The chicken curry broth is sweet and light which I like.

4. Mie Kangkung Belacan (Shrimp Paste Stir-Fried Noodle) @Pasar Ramai Jl. Thamrin

A stir-fried yellow noodle in belacan (fermented shrimp paste) with egg, prawns and kangkung(water spinach).

5. Indomie Tumis (Stir-fried Indomie) @Jl. Suasa Intersect Jl. Asia

Besides the stir-fried Indomie (local instant noodle), they also have fried rice, typical Indo street food.

6. Nasi Sayur (Rice with mixed vegetables) @Tip Top Jl. Ahmad Yani

This is a very typical Indonesian food. Normally, nasi sayur is plate of rice with some braised jackfruit and cabbage in coconut sauce, long beans with sambal tauco (spicy fermented bean) and some fried peanuts and anchovies. And we can choose side dishes to go along with it such as fried chicken, fried fish, beef rendang (spicy slow-cooked beef), fried bean curd, fried tempe (another product of soy bean), etc. Besides the local food, this restaurant also offers variety of western food such as steak, chicken chop and variety of cakes and ice cream dessert.

7. Nasi Sayur (Rice with mixed vegetables) @Kalasan, Kuala Namu Airport

This is another nasi sayur that I had with corn fritters, which is soo good... I had this in the Kuala Namu Airport on my way back to Kuala Lumpur but actually this restaurant chain has a lot of other branches. You can easily find one in Sun Plaza.

8. Baso A An (Beefball Noodle) @Jl. Singa

I love this beef noodle, the soup is so clear yet so full of flavour. I like with the beef balls and mix of everything including the organs.

9. Bihun Bebek (Duck Vermicelli Noodle) @Jl. Kalimantan

This duck noodle is very fragrant with lots of chinese herbs, cilantro and fried garlic.

10. Mie Hock Seng (mix pork noodle) @Jl. Bangka - Non Halal

There are more than 10 items put together in this noodle dish (pork, fish cakes, fish balls, prawn balls, crab meat, fish meat, prawn, oyster, egg, chicken gizzard, vegetables) and all are homemade. It's one of the legendary noodle shops in Medan.

11. Bakmie Khek (pork noodle) @Jl. Selat Panjang - Non Halal

This is similar type of noodle as Mie Hock Seng. It's been there for 10-20 years at least, also one of the legendary shops in Medan. Along this Selat Panjang Street, there are a lot of other food stalls, selling noodles, rice, cakes and desserts. Other foods I like to eat from here are: Hainanese Chicken Rice, Mie Tiong Sim (kind of wonton noodle) and porridge.

12. Char Siew Rice Asan (Sweet Roasted Pork) @Jl. Sun Yat Sen - Non Halal

This is another legendary food in Medan. They are very popular and not cheap as well.

13. Saksang Asan (Roasted Pork) @Jl. Asia - Non Halal

Although both names above are same but they are totally different owners. Saksang is a roasted pork. Normally the roasted pork is served with pork blood sauce and green chilli with lime and dark sweet soya sauce. But in this restaurant, after the pork is grilled, they stir-fry it with onion and garlic, or with green chillies. This is one of the North Sumateran ethnic (Batak) dishes that is adapted to Chinese style.

14. Saksang Onma Tabo @Jl. Bukit Barisan - Non Halal

This is another saksang restaurant that serves saksang in a more authentic way. They have pork cooked in pork blood sauce, cassava leave cooked in coconut milk and variety of saksang - roasted or fried. 

Part 2: Seafood & Grill

1. Marco Seafood @Cemara Asri Jl. Cemara Boulevard

This is open-air eating place with a lot of seating. They serve grilled seafood with their home made chilli sauce and other condiments.

 

 

2. Lembur Kuring @Jl. Amir Hamzah

This also, has a huge seating space. Normally, people come here in a big group with friends or families. Lots of seafood, whole fish, prawn, cuttlefish cooked in Indonesian style, such as sweet and sour sauce, sambal tauco (spicy fermented bean) or sambal petai (spicy stinky beans). The last two are my favourites.

 

 

3. Sondoro Seafood @Jl. Karantina

A lot of live seafood and fish which we can pick. We can decide on the cooking method and flavour that we want.

 

 

Part 3: Family Restaurant 

Below are the Chinese/family restaurants that we go quite regularly, especially the first 3.

1. Delima @Jl. Hindu - Non Halal

2. Grand Duck King @Cambridge City Square Jl. S. Parman - Non Halal

 

 

3. Taipan @Capital Building Jl. Putri Hijau

 

 

 

4. Paradise Dynasty @Centerpoint Mall Jl. Jawa - Non Halal

 

 

5. Jade Dragon @Aston Hotel Jl. Balai Kota

 

 

6. Jade @JW Marriott Hotel Jl. Putri Hijau

 

 

 

7. Sawasdee @Jl. Mutatuli - Thai food

 

 

Part 4: Dim Sum & Steamboat

Below are the dim sum and steamboat restaurants, most of them are halal.

1. Nelayan @Sun Plaza Jl. Zainul Arifin

2. X.O Suki @Sun Plaza Jl. Zainul Arifin

 

 

3. Dimsum & Sangwo Ayong @Jl. Babura Lama

To be continued... click here