LEGENDARY BEEF TRIPE NOODLES IN JAKARTA!
I have been meaning to continue the Food Gem series in this rarely-ever-updated blog, but I haven’t been able to. One of the reasons is that I’m very selective in my recommendations. The food or place I recommend has to be amazingly, graciously good, fulfilling, and worth every penny. Another reason is simply that I haven’t had the time to write (Yes, I’ve been slacking off!).
The place we would like to feature today is called KEDAI BAKMI BABAT SENEN.
Beef tripe noodles, locally known as bakmi babat, are one of the most sought-after delicacies in Bandung. You can find oodles of noodle stalls in Bandung that serve beef tripe noodles, or just serving the tripe as an add-on or a side dish. Yet, the love for bakmi babat here in Jakarta still leaves much to be desired, as bakmi ayam (chicken noodles) still is the most favored type of noodles in town. However, if you take delight in the sui generis (unique) texture of beef tripe and the smashing marriage of springy egg noodles, chewy beef tripe, and delicious beef stock, you can check out Kedai Bakmi Babat Senen in Kramat, Central Jakarta.
Kedai Bakmi Babat Senen is an unassuming family-run noodle shop in Kramat, Senen, Central Jakarta, located just across the street from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) building. Since its establishment in 1972, the shop has opened a few branches across the city, maintaining their original bakmi babat and nasi campur (steamed rice with roasted pork and pork intestines in gravy) recipes for decades now. I have been frequenting the place for more than 25 years, and I think it’s about time I raved about this place since I truly believe it deserves more recognition from bakmi lovers in Jakarta.
The place might not be easily noticeable, but you can spot it from their newly painted green shopfront, with a huge sign that says the name of the shop. It is located exactly across from the Indonesian Red Cross building.
While they also serve nasi campur and some other noodle dishes, the star performer is, of course, the beef tripe noodles themselves. The noodles they use are slightly bigger and firmer, and there are three types of tripe that you can choose from: halus, jarit, and kembang.
Halus, as the name suggests, has the softest texture out of the three. It uses the flat beef tripe, also known as the rumen tripe. Kids love this one!
Jarit is undoubtedly the one that you have to try. It uses the book tripe, or the omasum tripe. The texture is chewier and spongier, and it’s somewhat crunchy. This type is also the one that is generally used by beef tripe noodle shops in Bandung.
Kembang means flowers. The shape of this type of tripe resembles a flower, hence the name. The texture is closer to that of calamari, but a little less rubbery. It has the firmest texture out of the three. I believe they use the honeycomb tripe for it. This is my second favorite type after the jarit.
Obviously the dish is not complete without the beef stock. The soup complements the noodles and the tripe so well that it perfectly erases any trace of gaminess that is often found in tripe if not cooked masterfully—it truly is an energizing dish. Pro tip: add a few extra dashes of white pepper to add an extra bite to it.
A bowl of bakmi babat is priced at Rp. 45,000. Not cheap, I know, and this is exactly one of the reasons why I was a bit reluctant to feature it. But, once you try you will see that every slurp is worth your every penny. XD
Kedai Bakmi Babat Senen
Jl. Kramat Raya No.118, Senen, Central Jakarta
(+62)21 3909640
Mon – Sun 10:00 – 22:00
It seems they have opened up branches in Kenari and Pasar Baru now, but you should definitely try the original place.
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