Tempting Banjarese Food

Exploring nighttime street food in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, is a pleasurable experience, with the city’s pulse spilling over onto the banks of the Martapura River.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Soto banjar is served at the Bang Amat Soto Depot, Banua Anyar Village, East Banjarmasin, Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan, Thursday (3/2/2022). A food stall on the banks of the Martapura River with the main menu of soto banjar is an option to enjoy culinary tourism in Banjarmasin..

The row of food stalls standing on the banks of the Martapura River in Banua Anyar subdistrict, Banjarmasin, were crowded one night with visitors who came one after another to enjoy typical Banjarese cuisine.

A wooden boat, locally known as kelotok, docked at a pier beside Jukung Julak stall on Saturday (22/1/2022) at around 8 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA). Dozens of people disembarked from the boat. They chose a table and ordered food and drinks at the stall.

Almost all tables were now full with guests. The menu listed various dishes ranging from soto banjar (traditional chicken soup with vegetables), grilled fish, pais ikan (steamed fish wrapped in banana leaf), seluang goreng (fried rasbora), fish eggs, buras betumis (rice dumpling), mandai (fermented cempedak), to sulur (caladium stalks). Snacks are also available, such as wadai lempeng pisang (banana pancake) and bingka (coconut cake). For drinks, there are a variety of flavored coffees and iced beverages.

Also read:

> Destination for Sea Food Lovers: Let’s Eat Fish

> Culinary Experience at Historic Buildings

Jukung Julak at night looks like a cafe where young people hang out. The incandescent lamps glowed yellow, lending a warm atmosphere.

“We want to eat after enjoying a river tour and the sunset. This stall was chosen because there is a boat pier and it is open until late at night,” said Donny (26), who led a tour group from Banjarbaru and Tanah Laut.

At night, not many stalls on the riverbanks are accessible to boat passengers. Around 200 meters from Jukung Julak is Batang Banyu, which offers a similar atmosphere and menu.

The prices at the food stalls are not very different. Soto banjar costs Rp 20,000-Rp 24,000 per portion. Diners can also order half a portion for Rp 15,000-Rp 18,000. It is delicious and appetizing.

Tourist destination

Muhammad Husnaini, who heads the Ceria Banua Anyar tourism awareness group (pokdarwis), said that the food stalls located on the riverbank had been again enlivened with visitors only recently. The area became deserted when the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread in 2020.

The situation was exacerbated by floods in early 2021. The two major disasters paralyzed the economic activities of the local community, which relied on the culinary business.

“Before the pandemic, Banua Anyar was a culinary tourism destination. From morning to night, the Banua Anyar culinary tourism area was almost never empty," said Muhammad.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Activities at the Soto Bang Amat Depot in Banua Anyar Village, East Banjarmasin, Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan, Sunday (23/1/2022)..

He added that there were 18 food stalls and cafes in Banua Anyar. They offered menus that contained not only typical Banjarese dishes and snacks, but also other national dishes like gudeg (jackfruit stewed with palm sugar and coconut milk) and higher-end selections like pizzas, steaks and barbecues.

“The stalls here offer delicious food and beautiful views of the river. They are open from morning till night. Some are open 24 hours," Muhammad said.

Access to the Banua Anyar culinary spot is also easy. Visitors can reach it either by way of Jl. Pangeran Hidayatullah or the Martapura River.

Pokdarwis spokesperson Iman Soekotjo (50) said that the Banua Anyar culinary spot gave visitors from outside Banjarmasin an option for trying out the local culinary delights.

“If you want to find breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just have coffee, just come to Banua Anyar. Everything is available," he said.

Banua Anyar village head Muhammad Saleh said culinary tourism was one of the mainstays of the village. The Banua Anyar culinary area was established under Banua Anyar Village Head Decree No. 11a/2020 dated 4 January 2020.

Also read:

> Medan Young People Drive Culinary Delights

With visitors to the culinary tourism spot growing in number, often causing traffic jams in the vicinity, the authorities are planning to improve road access to Banua Anyar.

"To help keep traffic smooth and give convenience to visitors and residents, this year the road will be widened. On Saturday and Sunday, the one-way traffic [policy] is applied," he said.

Visitors who finish enjoying the local culinary delights can choose to continue their tour of the region with a river tour, especially in the morning and evening. From the pier, visitors can embark on a river tour of the city, which includes the Lok Baintan Floating Market, Kembang Island, Bakut Island (Barito Bridge), and Bromo Bridge.

This article was translated by Musthofid