Kepiting Cak Gundul - Kelapa Gading

Curious of his name made us decide to visit this place. We heard from people that this name is well known in East Java region.

I can’t remember the place exactly, as far as I can remember it’s on Kelapa Hibrida Raya, Kelapa Gading. If you come from “Mall Kelapa Gading 3” take North destination and the resto. is located somewhere in the left side of the road, with large recognizable billboard. You can identify the place by their Kitchen that placed in front of the restaurant.

It’s a unique resto. since hardly sell “Crabs” as their prime menu. As common “Crabs menus” they have “Black Pepper Crab”, “Butter Crab”, “Oyster Sauce Crab”, “Padang Source Crab” and the unique one is “Curry Crab”. The only other thing that you may choose is the Crab Size it self, they have normal crabs (Small) up to super size (Papua Crabs) that may cost you more than Rp. 300.000. Minimum order is two Crabs. Plain Rice, “sambel lalap” and “Sayur Asem” is included on the package.

Since only two of us, we decided to choose two regular Crabs to cook with Butter Sauce, the result is ‘a bit sweet butter sauce’, it is not so spectacular as expected, perhaps next time we may order “Curry Sauce Crabs” that may be more unique compare to others.

From our opinion, “Saung Rasane” is still the best…………………………………….

"Pepes Bendungan Walahar"

As I mentioned before, one of our favorite dish is “Sundanese”, so here we are back to “Sundanese” food that is very popular in Kerawang. It’s called “Pepes”, it may made from several things like Carper Fish, Jambal Fish – some people call it “Bread Fish”, “Marinated Peda” Fish, Chicken, “Oncom or fermented soya”, even Mushroom.

Today we visit the most talked “pepes footstall” in Kerawang, east part of Jakarta. We drive from Jakarta through “Jakara – Cikampek” highway and exit in Kerawang Timur Gate, follow the road until you find a big junction with traffic light, turn left and go along the way up till you find another junction (the first junction) with “Texmaco” signboard. Follow the road until you find a river and turn left, go further down until the end of the road. You will find two Dams, first one is smaller and the other is the big one. You have to follow the road lead to on top of the Dam, it’s a narrow road which only able to handle one car at the time. But don’t worry, you’ll get help from local with a bit “appreciation” to them, about Rp. 1000,- / single pass. Then after you pass the bridge, you’ll find the place right in front of the end of the bridge.

There’s a Yellow sign board says “Rumah Makan Pepes Jambal H. Dirja”, they have a narrow space for car park in the front, but have plenty space inside, just bring your car down bellow, you will find Hugh backyard with several Gazebo or “Saung” scatter around the place in between of mango trees. It’s a nice place after all.

I manage to get a peek on their kitchen to see how they cook the Famous "Pepes" and it's quiet amazing to have a look on that. They have big firestone made from bricks and they burn their "Pepes" on top of it.

They will serve in “Full Heavy Metal way”, they will bring you all the kind of “Pepes” plus a plate of “Fried Prawn” that has to be purchase if you occupy the “Saung”, that’s the game rule. The additional dish you may order such as “Sayur asem” but “Lalap” is in the package. It’s a complete set of it, typical of “sundanese lalap”. The dish it self is very recommendable ……………”mak nyossshhh” said pak Bondan! And more over, you’ll be surprise when it comes to the bill ……………. You’ll leave the place with a wide happy smile ………..!!!

Crab Fiesta @ RM Prima Comal

Comal is a small town between Pekalongan and Pemalang, almost nothing special there except this town is located on the main “Pantura” that become primary economic road in Java Island.

But then ……………. There’s a place, a restaurant who has “Crabs” as their speciality somehow become very popular, part of the reason because it has it own “Crabs Farm” so that they always have a fresh and Prime Crabs as they use “Prima” for the their Brand Name.

If you drive from Jakarta to Semarang, it’s located in the right side. Somewhere a bit before you enter the City, you’ll find traffic Light on a Junction and you’ll see large Signboard with their name “Restaurant Prima – Specialis Kepiting”, turn right and follow the sign about 500m you’ll find the restaurant in the left side of the road.

Although it seems very small place from outside, it actually a huge place with spacious parking lot, they have main building as their primary restaurant and you’ll find large ponds fill up with lot of Crabs behind.

But if you want to have some short break after driving all the way down from Jakarta or the other way around, you may choose lot of “Saung” or “Gazebo” in the back yard. The unique of this place, they have several animals like “Bats”, “Fox”, and several numbers of “Birds” even “Giant Lizard”.

But there are not my main concerns but the Crabs did! We choose “Kepiting Special Prima” and “Kepiting masak Telor Asin” as our main dish, with other such as “Tumis Kangkung”, “Sayur Asem”, “Ikan Bakar” and some others. You have to wait about 30 minutes before the dish came up, but it is a worth thing …………….

The Crabs is very big, you will spend about 150-200 thousands rupiah for such crabs in Jakarta, and here just about 30 thousands only …………!!! Amazing! Very fresh and very tender and very delicious ……. I’m talking about Crab it self, not about the way that they cook, talking about the recipe “Rasane” in Jakarta still the best for me. But talking about a Crab Resto in a small town, it is a worth thing to try ………. Spend your time to visit this place if you may be able to.