Savouring Pindang at a Floating Restaurant on the Musi River

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Pindang catfish dish at a floating restaurant on the banks of the Musi River in the 16 Ilir Market Area, Palembang, Friday (27/8/2021).

Palembang still preserves the culinary traditions of its river civilization, one being the delicious dish of pindang (seasoned fresh water fish) served on a boat anchored on the Musi River.

At lunch time, Sukana (35) and seven of his siblings came to the floating restaurant Mbok Sri, which rests on the banks of the Musi River in the Pasar 16 area of Palembang, South Sumatra, on Friday (27/8/2021). They had just returned from Lampung and were about to go back to their residence in Lubuk Linggau City, South Sumatra. But before continuing on their journey, they stopped for a moment to taste the city’s famous freshwater fish at the floating restaurant.

Inside the 7 by 2.5 meter restaurant, they ordered a variety of dishes, choosing fresh water fish such as patin (catfish), gabus (snakehead murrel) and toman (giant snakehead).

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It took just five minutes for the food to be served as the chef only needed to pour the spicy pindang sauce, mixed with a refreshing blend of pineapple and tomatoes, over the preboiled fish.

The delight of pindang fish is even more complete when accompanied with a basket of rice and a plate of fresh vegetables, not forgetting shrimp paste and chili sauce. The fish, cooked in a typical Palembang sauce, which is becoming increasingly difficult to find, is served by Buchori (59) and Sri (54), a husband and wife couple who own the floating restaurant.

In about 30 minutes, the dishes on the table were finished. "Eating here is like enjoying fish that has just been caught from the Musi River," said Sukana.

The sensation of eating pindang in a floating restaurant is rarely found in other cities. What is more, the price is inexpensive at around Rp 20,000 (US$1.40)-Rp 30,000 per portion.

Kompas

A floating restaurant on the banks of the Musi River in the 16 Ilir Market Area, Palembang, Friday (27/8/2021).

Mbok Sri opened in 2005 after the Palembang City administration, then headed by Eddy Santana, allowed restaurants to open on the Musi River. Mbok Sri’s opening was followed by three other floating restaurants providing similar dishes.

“Each restaurant has its own offering. The goal is for consumers to have choice,” said Buchori.

Buchori built the restaurant to continue the business of his father-in-law who previously opened a pindang food stall on land. Cooking activities are also handled by his wife Sri, who has 30 years’ experience in cooking pindang, the recipe passed down from generation to generation.

Before the pandemic, Sri could earn around Rp 4 million per day. "During the pandemic, our turnover has fallen by 60 percent," she said.

However, Sri is grateful that she can still sell. Because they maintain their unique flavour, there are still many people who take the time to eat at the floating stall.

In addition to the Pasar 16 area of Palembang, floating restaurants are also found near the courtyard of the Kuto Besak Fort (BKB). Here there are three boats used as floating restaurants. The food sold is simpler, a selection of pempek (fried fishball), tekwan (fish soup), and fried food.

Merry (45) is one of the owners of a floating restaurant who has been running her business on the banks of the Musi River for 11 years. “Before, I was selling on land. However, when there was an offer from the city administration to open a restaurant on the boat, I didn’t waste the opportunity,” said Merry.

Her prediction was right. Before the pandemic, hundreds of visitors stopped by to enjoy a variety of Palembang specialties on the boat at an affordable price.

She believed the concept of eating on a boat would provide a different experience for tourists. Her prediction was right. Before the pandemic, hundreds of visitors stopped by to enjoy a variety of Palembang specialties on the boat at an affordable price. Pempek is priced at Rp 1,000 per item, while the most expensive, kapal selam (fishball with egg inside, known as asubmarine), is only Rp 10,000 per portion.

KOMPAS/JOHANES GALUH BIMANTARA

Syaifullah (left) and Dea enjoy a meal at the floating restaurant on the side of Situ Bojongsari, Bojongsari, Depok, Thursday (21/3/2019).

From the business, she earns around Rp 4 million per day. On weekends, this can go up to Rp 5 million.

During the pandemic, even though the number of customers dropped drastically, she was able to survive. The experience of eating at floating restaurants is still sought after, both by Palembang residents and visitors from outside the area.

To maintain the restaurant, she replaces the boat at least every four years. The price of one boat can reach Rp 125 million per unit. "I hope that the pandemic will end soon and the economy will recover," she said.

River-oriented activity

Historian Muhammad Ikhsan from Sriwijaya University, said that floating restaurants in Palembang are one of many creations by small business owners to attract tourists wanting a different experience when enjoying culinary tourism. This phenomenon reflects the lifestyle of the people of Palembang, who both during the Palembang Sultanate and the Dutch colonial period made the river the center of their activities.

As an area known as the "floating city", the lives of Palembang people are very close to the river. Before the 1930s, there were still many migrants who lived on the river and built raft houses.

However, with the rapid development of infrastructure on land, these tradition have been rapidly declining.

Trading activities are also carried out on boats. In the past, every merchant peddled his or her wares to each house by rowing their boat, and until around 1970, there was still a floating market in the Muara Ogan area. However, with the rapid development of infrastructure on land, these tradition have been rapidly declining.

Head of the Palembang City Tourism Office, Isnaini Madani, said the existence of floating restaurants in Palembang had become one of the main tourist attractions in the city. Because of this, they continued to be preserved and organized, so when the Transportation Ministry began developing the banks of the Musi River, the Palembang City administration requested the floating restaurants be maintained.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Pindang catfish dish at a floating restaurant on the banks of the Musi River in the 16 Ilir Market Area, Palembang, Friday (27/8/2021).

A visit to Palembang is not complete unless you experience a typical culinary floating sensation, accompanied by the swaying of the Musi River waves.

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko).