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| Imah Babaturan simple welcome sign |
Two weeks ago, I went to visit a small local diner located behind the hustle-bustle of Balubur Town Square Bandung called Imah Babaturan (Imah Babaturan is a Sundanese term to a friend's house). This time I tagged along my boyfriend cause we've been wanting to visit this place for quite a while. Obviously, it was his first time there but not mine. Yet, because I haven't been there for about six months (or more?), it felt like my first time all over again.
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| The welcome gate where you could read a brief of their history |
Imah Babaturan is located at Jalan Kebon Bibit No. 3 Bandung. They define themselves as an old-school coffee-shop (warung kopi) albeit they are more famous with their home-made cuisines. Various choices of simple and comfort foods you usually encounter at the top of dinner table at home are ready to be served starting from 7 in the morning every day. I should thank my friend Ulay because without her excessive Instagram-stories and rave about this place, I would never find this gem two years ago.
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| The indoor area is the area with white wall, separated by the sliding door with the outdoor area which is the one with blue wall |
The place is quite small for a diner but comfortable enough to shelter about 50 people at once. The shape of the building clearly shows us that it is a house turned into a business place. They use old-fashioned school chairs and benches that are mostly repainted in blue. Walls are painted in rustic style and some parts were left unpolished just like common warungs nearby our house. Not so picturesque and far from sophistication but this set-up really emphasized a modest feel as if I was literally visiting a friend's house. Divided into two parts, we could choose to be seated outdoor or indoor. I'd prefer outdoor area at any time unless heavy smokers flocking there (no offense but I have a terrible problem when breathing cigarettes' smokes). Indoor area is air-conditioned and restricted for non-smokers only. When rainy days come, the outdoor space is a perfect spot to indulge in the best dishes while enjoying the cold mist that goes down slowly outside (yes, I'm still a sucker for cold places).
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| Cashier guy looking so serious behind his 'bar' |
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| Spot this blackboard in the diner where you could see chef's recommendations |
Every dish is made promptly after you place the order. That's why in the middle of a lunch break or on the weekend when the diner is full, you have to be extra patient as every dish is made individually. This is not a fast-food chain so please bear with them. The most unique part of Imah Babaturan is because they have 2 kinds of main course menu which are the everyday menu and the weekly menu. The everyday menu consists of meals you could order every day because they are practically available throughout the year. On the other hand, they also have a weekly menu that consists of specific/curated dishes available only for the specific week. The weekly menu will change every week and will vary depending on the cooks and owners' choices.
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| Cumi Sambal Kemangi |
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| Bebek Bumbu Hitam that comes with chunks of bala |
We ordered Nasi Cumi Kemangi, Nasi Bebek Item, Tongseng Kambing, and Bala-Bala Sambal Kacang. More than plenty for two but we had no other choice cause everything is so tempting. My favorite is Nasi Cumi Kemangi which basically grilled squid cooked with sambal bawang and sprinkled with lots of fresh basil leaves. The squid was juicy and chewy at the same time. It was perfectly seasoned that I undoubtedly approve this meal as my personal super favorite in Imah Babaturan. It's delicious, savory, and also super hella spicy as every dish with sambal should be. D had his warm steamed ricewith Tongseng Kambing and Bebek Item along with a nice basic omelette. I could see he was struggling with the spicy sensation coming from the meals as he bathed in sweat all over his face. Eventually, he enjoyed them too of course with a help of kerupuk kaleng and perpetual glasses of ice tea hahaha. Note that most of the dishes are spicy but if you want, you could ask the chef to make it less spicy for you. What shouldn't be skipped too is everyone's favorite: Nasi Cumi Cabe Ijo which is steamed rice topped with a generous amount of squid cutlets cooked with green chili. This is also spicy but far below the spiciness index of Cumi Kemangi.
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| Temulawak Extract, Cold Brew Coffee, and Apple Cider in a beer-like bottle. The temulawak extract is sweet and will be best served chilled. |
If you feel like having something lighter, they also have Bala-Bala Sambal Kacang (vegetable fritter with peanut sauce), pisang/singkong/ubi goreng (banana/cassava/sweet potato fritter), or Ketan Susu (sticky rice with milk gravy) which is also great at taste.
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| Old camera display placed on a shelf inside the diner |
I always have an amazing dining experience here in Imah Babaturan. This is probably one of the best places to go when I crave something simple and warm. Oh, they're also available to order through ride-hailing apps like gofood and grabfood with limited choices of meals. Don't forget to give the driver extra tips or drinks cause I'm sure they will have to wait quite a long time.
Cheers,
R
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PS: If you're lucky, the Tabebuia tree in front of the diner will bloom with pinkish sakura-like flowers once a year. I once came there when the trees were on a full-bloom making it even prettier.
PSS: The krupuk kaleng (crackers inside the hanging tin) is free of charge. You could have as many kerupuk as you want.The most delicious one is the one inside the middle tin.
