Ayam Bakar Rica
Despite offering a variety of fish and seafood choices, it is its Ayam Bakar (grilled chicken) that has made more waves in the city of Makassar. “Its Ayam Bakar Rica (spicy grilled chicken) is the best in town and is the pick of the masses,” says my local driver. “It is very spicy; I reckon you will have a hard time trying to finish even a piece.”

His description of the dish made me even more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed; I could not wait to have a go at this renowned Ayam Bakar. Thankfully, the place where I was staying at was not too far from the eatery. A five-minute drive was all it took for me to get there. Due to its rather small size, the crowd of customers inside made it look even more packed that it was. Service was fast and efficient, though, helped largely by its great number of waiting staff on its payroll.

Also Read:
Fresh and Succulent Grilled Chicken in Tebet
Hot and Mouth-Watering Nasi Bebek You Should Try

I did not need to think twice on what to order. I opted for its Ayam Bakar Rica, along with a couple of glasses of iced tea just to be on the safe side. Not long after, it arrived on my table in all its glory. Its appearance made my mouth water, with the red-coloured mixture of chilli and tomato harmonising gorgeously with the golden-like hue of the grilled chicken.

A Refreshing Spicy Sensation
My first bite brought about a refreshingly spicy flavour spraying throughout my mouth and on to my taste buds. And then the tender and juicy meat – fantastically cooked and seasoned, if I may add – gave off a sensation unlike any other.

After a few spoonfuls, I could not help but notice the amount of sweat that was covering my face. My local driver was spot-on when he said this was one fiery dish, but not as hot as I thought it would be. Its spiciness was perfect for my liking. Definitely one of those dishes that will linger in the mind once you sampled it.

Jl. Arief Rate, Mangkura,
Makassar
Open daily from 8am-12am
Rp.40,000/US$3 per person

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An old eatery that is loved by many
Coto Ranggong has been around for quite a while now. Founded in 1965, it is not too spacious and could only hold to about 20 customers. There are signs of wear and tear on the building that makes it look a bit dilapidated in some way. Perhaps it is due to the location of the kitchen that is placed in the forepart of the eatery.

I arrived at Coto Ranggong at around 9am, and luckily, it was not packed at the time. A friend of mine who is a local informed me beforehand that it tends to be crowded during breakfast time. Phew. I was free to choose where I wanted to sit, despite the limited choices available. I ordered its Coto with a mixture of beef and beef lungs, although there were other choices on offer, such as beef liver and beef tripe.

Traditional cooking methods
As my food was being prepared, I bided my time by taking a look at its kitchen. The shop still uses a traditional wood-fired oven that causes the walls and ceiling of the place to go dark in colour due to the smoke that comes out of it. It is quite interesting to see food being made traditionally in a world where almost every aspect of our lives, including cooking, involves advanced technology.

Not long after, my food was ready. Served in a small bowl, the soup looked rather familiar – bearing a striking resemblance to a type of Coto Makassar that I have seen before. Without a moment of hesitation, I dove straight in. A slurp of its soup revealed a flavour that ignited beautiful memories of my childhood; when I first had a taste of this dish. The beef and beef lungs were tender in texture, adding a different kind of deliciousness to every bite.

Also Read: A tasty bowl of Coto Makassar in Jakarta

Leaving aside the sentimental bond that I experienced from it, this shop’s Coto Makassar delivers a strong and unique flavour. Its well-cooked soup and the flavoursome beef and beef lungs showcase the main reason why this place has managed to carry on and is much loved by many for decades.

This article is available at The Jakarta Post: Coto Ranggong, A delicious eatery that harks back to the past

Jl. Ranggong No. 13,
Makassar
Open daily from 6am-5.30pm
Rp.30,000/US$2.30 per person

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Nasi Kuning Riburane is one of the most successful Nasi Kuning eatery in town. Founded in 1980, it used to be located within the vicinity of the RRI Makassar office area, whose employees used to form the bulk of the joint’s customer base. Its delicious menu saw the place gaining more followers and news of its Nasi Kuning spread like wildfire to the point where even visitors from out of town started to stop by and sample its signature dish.

With the increasing number of punters it was facing, the owner of Nasi Kuning Riburane opted to relocate to a more spacious venue. However, rather than opening a new place, the owner decided to work together with another shop and it now occupies the foremost part of said joint. Although it always opens at 5am, its closing time would vary depending on the amount of Nasi Kuning it has left. Normally, it would run out of Nasi Kuning by 12pm.

In the early morning, a long queue could be seen waiting for their chance to devour its Nasi Kuning. Composition-wise, the Nasi Kuning here has a lot going for it, which includes Empal (fried beef), Rendang Sapi (spicy beef simmered in coconut milk), Paru Goreng (fried lungs), Telur (egg), and Sayur Labu Siam (chayote cooked in coconut milk). The hefty price you would have to pay is understandable, considering the smorgasbord of side dishes accompanying its Nasi Kuning.

Both the Empal and Rendang Sapi are very tender in texture and delicious; the former offering a hint of sweetness in its taste akin to those you could find in Jakarta. The Nasi Kuning is impeccably cooked, lending a velvety touch that would caress one’s palate when devoured. And then there is the provided sambal that is simultaneously tasty and very spicy – the perfect appetite booster to help you in finishing off your Nasi Kuning.

You can also read this article at The Jakarta Post: Introducing Makassar’s famous Nasi Kuning Riburane

Jl. Riburane No. 11,
Makassar
Open daily from 5am-12pm (will close earlier when out of supplies)
Rp.35,000/US$2.65 for a small portion
Rp.40,000/US$3 for a large portion

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Besides the already famous duo Coto (beef soup) and Konro (beef rib soup), Makassar is also renowned for its Es Pisang Ijo. I certainly did not to want to waste such an opportunity, so I went straight to Warung Bravo. Rather small in size, the joint is housed in a shoplot on Jalan Andalas and has a capacity of around 15 to 20 customers.

Its unassuming, run-of- the-mill restaurant-like appearance belies its cosy environment – perfect for putting your feet up while indulging yourselves with the local treats on offer, which include Nasi Campur (mixed rice), Nasi Goreng (fried rice), Mie Pangsit (wonton noodles), Soto Ayam (chicken soup), Sate (satay) and Rawon (black nut beef soup). However, its specialities remain its Es Pisang Ijo and Es Pallubutung (shaved ice with banana) – and I ordered them both.

The two desserts are quite similar in appearance. The difference lies in the banana used. Es Pallubutung features plain banana, while the banana that you find in an Es Pisang Ijo is wrapped in green-coloured flour dough. Both are served with Bubur Sumsum (rice pudding) and a splash of sweet syrup in one bowl. The use of plantain banana that has yet to fully ripen lends a rather solid texture to the proceedings.

Its Bubur Sumsum was top notch; I could feel its velvety texture and a hint of savouriness dancing on my palate. The syrup – Warung Bravo utilises local Makassar syrup – brought a unique sweet flavour with a very distinct aroma to the party. You will not encounter such a sensational combination between savoury and sweet anywhere else.

Open every day from 8am to 10pm, one of the employees there informed me that Warung Bravo has another branch in Makassar that was launched not too long ago.

You can also read this article on The Jakarta Post: The one ‘warung’ not to miss when visiting Makassar

Jl. Andalas, Makassar
T: 0411 361 5180
Open daily from 8am-10pm
Rp.40,000/US$3 per person

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