As someone who was born and bred in Manado, North Sulawesi, I have to say I’m very familiar with the culinary delights from the island of Java – especially when you can get them anywhere, even back in my hometown. My favourite out of all is Bakmi Jawa (Javanese noodles), which I always had at least once a week when I was still a troublemaking young ‘un. Ironically, however, since I upped sticks to Jakarta, I have yet to find a bowl of Bakmi Jawa that could satisfy my taste buds. So when I was sent to scour through Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta for culinary delights, I took it as an opportunity to sample the dish from where it originated from. Here are four Bakmi Jawa joints that impressed me the most.

Bakmi Jawa Pak Gareng

An unassuming shop that is located on a narrow street in the heart of Semarang, Bakmi Jawa Pak Gareng is a popular haunt for celebrities – judging from the framed photographs that adorn its walls. Go for its Bakmi Godog (noodles soup) and Bakmi Goreng (fried noodles) to get the best out of this eatery.

Jl. Wotgandul Dalam No. 171,
Semarang
T: 024 356 0708
Open daily from 10am-11.30pm
Price: Rp.25,000/US$1.80 per person

Warung Bakmi Pak H. Dul

A roadside warung that is only open at night, its Bakmi Godog stands head and shoulders above all its counterparts in the region. On top of that, Warung Bakmi Pak H. Dul is apparently President Joko Widodo’s favourite Bakmi Jawa spot in Solo, so it has pedigree to match its peerless flavour.

Jl. Ronggowarsito,
Solo
Open daily from 5pm-12am
Price: Rp.20,000/US$1.50 per person

Bakmi Pak Pele

All the Bakmi Jawa items in Bakmi Pak Pele’s menu taste magical, despite their relatively small portions and the lengthy waiting time for their preparation. I managed to devour a plate of its mixture of Mie and Bihun Goreng (fried noodles and rice vermicelli) and it was definitely worth the wait.

Pagelaran Keraton, Alun-Alun Utara,
Yogyakarta
Open daily from 5.30pm-12am
Price: Rp.25,000/US$1.80 per person

Bakmi Jawa Pak Hadi

Established in 1995, Bakmi Jawa Pak Hadi is one of the top-rated Bakmi Jawa shops in Yogyakarta so don’t be surprised to find the place full to capacity. What makes its Bakmi Godog unique is that it uses duck eggs for its mixture instead of the usual chicken eggs.

Jl. C. Simanjuntak No. 1, inside SPBU Terban,
Yogyakarta
Open daily from 5.30pm-11pm
Price: Rp.25,000/US$1.80