Don’t miss the opportunity to taste various legendary culinary specialties of Surabaya, from Rujak Cingur to Lontong Balap, which will rock your tongue.
Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, is not only famous for its history and role in the struggle for independence. The city nicknamed the City of Heroes also offers a culinary experience that should not be missed.
Different from other cities in East Java, such as Malang, which is famous for its natural tourism, Surabaya excels in terms of culinary tourism. If you visit Surabaya, make sure you try some of the legendary and still popular local foods. Here are 10 Typical Surabaya Culinary delights that you must try when you are in this city .
1. Rujak Cingur
For native Surabaya residents, Rujak Cingur has become an iconic daily food. This dish may look like a typical rujak with a mixture of various types of vegetables and fruits, but what makes it different is the presence of cingur, which is a cow’s nose that is cooked until tender.
Served with a distinctive petis sauce, rujak cingur provides a unique taste sensation that is appetizing. The spicy, sweet, and savory taste of the petis sauce, plus the chewy texture of the cingur, makes this dish a must-try.
2. Rawon
Rawon is a typical East Javanese soup dish, and Surabaya is the perfect place to enjoy it. The black rawon sauce comes from kluwek, producing a distinctive and unique taste.
The main filling is tender pieces of beef, served with warm white rice. The strong aroma and rich taste of rawon make it one of the culinary favorites that should not be missed when visiting Surabaya.
3. Lontong Balap
Lontong Balap is a legendary culinary that has been around for a long time and is still in demand today. This food consists of lontong, bean sprouts, tofu, and lentho, which are doused with savory and sweet sauce.
One of the stalls that is famous for its lontong balap is Warung Lontong Balap Garuda Pak Gendut. This dish is perfect to enjoy during the day, providing a light yet satisfying taste sensation.
4. Rice with Sambal
For spicy food lovers, Sego Sambel is the right choice. Literally meaning “rice sambal”, this dish serves white rice with spicy sambal and side dishes such as tempeh. fried, tofu, fish, chicken, or eggs.
Although it looks simple, sego sambel is famous for its very spicy and savory chili sauce, making many people addicted. Sego sambel is a food that is very suitable to be enjoyed at night when hunger strikes.
5. Lisidu Satay
Sate Lisidu is a typical Surabaya satay that has a flat shape and is grilled with a special technique so that the charcoal does not stick to the meat. This satay is made from free-range chicken combined with thick and delicious peanut sauce.
Served with lontong, sate lisidu provides a different taste from satay in general. It is said that the name lisidu comes from the vehicle license plate number L 1551 DU.
6. Mixed Tofu
Tahu Campur Surabaya is a dish that combines various ingredients such as fried tofu, beef, bean sprouts, yellow noodles, and a special savory sauce. Although mixed tofu dishes can be found in various regions in Java, the Surabaya version has its own uniqueness.
The mixture of broth rich in spices is the main attraction of mixed tofu, giving it a distinctive and delicious taste.
7. Clover Salad
Pecel Semanggi is a traditional food typical of Surabaya that is increasingly difficult to find, but remains a favorite for many people. This pecel is different from pecel in general because it uses clover leaves as the main ingredient.
This dish is usually served with crackers as a spoon and thick peanut sauce. The distinctive taste of pecel semanggi with the soft texture of clover leaves makes it a unique culinary dish that is worth trying.
8. Klopo Satay
In addition to lisidu satay, Klopo Satay is also one of the famous satay culinary in Surabaya. Different from ordinary satay, klopo satay is coated with grated coconut before being grilled, giving it a savory aroma and taste.
The cuts of meat used vary, from chicken to beef, and are served with lontong and delicious peanut sauce. The crunchy coconut texture adds a different sensation to this satay.
9. Tahu Tek
Tahu Tek is a typical Surabaya street dish that is famous for its deliciousness. The name tahu tek comes from the “tek-tek” sound made by the seller’s cart. This food consists of fried tofu, potatoes, rice cakes, and eggs drizzled with petis and peanut sauce.
Complete with prawn crackers and bean sprouts, tahu tek provides a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy taste in one plate.
10. Rice Noodles
Surabaya is also famous for its Lontong Mie dish, which is a combination of lontong and yellow noodles served with a savory shrimp sauce. Bean sprouts, tofu pieces, and lentho are added to give this dish an interesting texture.
The rich shrimp broth is the star of the lontong mie, providing a fresh and savory taste that is hard to resist. Surabaya is indeed a culinary paradise with a variety of mouth-watering food choices.
From traditional dishes such as Typical East Java Food like rujak cingur to the unique sate lisidu, this city offers a variety of unforgettable culinary experiences. So, make sure to try Surabaya’s culinary specialties when you visit the City of Heroes!