As the pride and joy of the locals, it comes as no surprise that there are so many eateries that specialise in Coto Makassar (Makassar beef soup) in the city of Makassar. Each shop has its own loyal following, including Coto Ranggong. This joint is a favourite of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono whenever he makes his way here.

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