Kopi Es Tak Kie, Jakarta

Legendary. That’s the only word I found best describe Kopi Es Tak Kie. This old traditional coffee shop has been serving great coffee since 1927. And it’s been run from one generation to another.

I walked slowly at the alley just to make sure I didn’t miss this coffee shop. A hidden gem in Gang Gloria, Glodok Pancoran area, the Chinatown of Jakarta.

You know, it’s not usual for us, teens (wait, what? teens you say?) to seek for coffee in this kind of place. I mean, it’s packed with the oldies (sorry!). And this neighborhood is a place you normally buy some Chinese traditional medicine, or cheap electronics components, or… porky meals. It really is not a cool place to hang out with your friends, trust me.

What’s unique about this place is that it only offers 3 kind of meals : Nasi Campur Babi (rice with several porks), Nasi Tim Ayam (Steamed Chicken Rice), and Bakmi (Noodles). And oops, I think I miss something. Some said they also serve pie-oh (turtle soup) as well. But.. you know I don’t eat turtle, I think it’s cruel eating ’em while there are a lot of chicken out there. So, no thanks.

About the coffee. Forget about the fancy cappuccino, or hazelnut latte, flat white. Forget about them all. Here, your coffee will be either hot coffee, or iced coffee. With or without milk. And THAT’S IT!

But you know, there’s a different sensation eating our here rather than in a new fancy restaurant out there. In fact, these days, new restaurant doesn’t really excite me as much. Most of them have a great concept, a great space, but… nothing exceptional about the meal. And they over charged us! But again, I said most of them, there are some which are serious about the foods though.

Anyway, here’s what we had.

Nasi Campur Babi (Mix Rice with Pork)

You know, Nasi Campur is one of my favorite dish of all time. It usually served with Hainanese rice. But I don’t know why they serve it with steamed rice instead here. It would taste ten times better with Hainanese rice, though. There’s also a bowl of hot broth that comes with this plate of goodness. A nice complement!

The meats itself are so tender. There are roasted pork, sausages, I don’t know what else. But there are several type of them. My favorite is the one with fat and crispy edges – don’t know how to call it.

Nasi Tim Ayam (Chicken Steam Rice)

I like this Chicken Steamed Rice better than the Nasi Campur! It’s basically rice cooked with chicken broth, steamed chicken with soy sauce, and a lot of celery on top. It tasted LIKE NO OTHER. Never had Steamed Chicken Rice this good! (Sorry mom, someone beat your chicken rice).

Hot Coffee (No Milk)

I was surprised when this cup of coffee arrived at our table. It’s like I can smell the strong flavor from where I sit. Just like how it smell, it also tasted bold, rich, sweet, but it has a hint of bitterness at the end of my sip. Goodness in every sip, every single sip.

Ice Coffee with Milk and Without Milk

Now this is the famous Ice Milk Coffee. It’s one of the most favorite menu here. People come and go at day, when it’s terribly hot just to grab a cup of sweet ice coffee. And you know why the iced coffee tasted so good here? It’s because they brew it early in the morning, around 4 am. And then they let the coffee cool down completely before adding ice cubes to it. That way, the ice doesn’t change the flavor of the coffee.

For iced coffee, I like the one with milk. And so does Fred.

Overall, WE LOVE this place. It’s traditional, it’s hidden somewhere at the alley. It serves great food and excellent coffee. And it’s cheap! The coffee costs you around IDR 12k (without milk) and DR 13k (with milk).

Anyway, we also took a walk at the neighborhoods. We walked to the market, to the temple. And after that, we came back for iced coffee.

This will not be our last visit, I swear! Anyone want to join us for a cup of coffee, or maybe two?

Kopi Es Tak Kie
Gang Gloria
Jalan Pintu Besar Selatan III No 4 – 6, Glodok, West Jakarta
+62 21 6928296
Business Hours: 6.30 am to 2 pm daily

Sharon’s Favorite : Steamed Chicken Rice, Hot Black Coffee, Iced Milk Coffee.

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SHARON LOH
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