Bogor has a serious sweet-and-sour streak, and it is one of the most fun corners of the local food scene. From the tangy crunch of asinan to a rainbow bowl of es doger and the city's beloved talas (taro), this is the stuff of afternoon cravings and the oleh-oleh (souvenir) bags everyone brings back to Jakarta.
Asinan Bogor, the signature
Asinan Bogor is the dish the city is famous for, a bright, tangy salad in a sweet-sour-spicy dressing, sharpened with vinegar and chilli and finished with crunchy peanuts and kerupuk. It comes two ways: asinan sayur, pickled vegetables, and asinan buah, fresh fruit. Both are refreshing, cheap, and completely addictive on a warm afternoon.
Es doger and cold treats
When the day heats up, Bogor cools down with ice. Es doger is the classic, a pink coconut-milk shaved ice loaded with fermented cassava, black sticky rice, jelly and fruit. Its cousins are everywhere: es cendol, es campur, es cincau. Look for a busy cart, order it not-too-sweet if you like, and drink it before the ice melts.
The taro city
Bogor and taro (talas) go together, and the tuber turns up sweet in cakes, chips and the famous lapis talas, a soft layered sponge in gentle purple that is the default souvenir cake. It is everywhere for a reason: it travels well and it is genuinely good with an afternoon tea.
What to bring home
Bogor is a city built for oleh-oleh, and the sweet side makes the best gifts. Stock up before you leave.
- Lapis talas, the soft purple taro layer cake
- Roti unyil, bite-sized bread rolls sold by the boxful
- Asinan, packed to travel for the same-day journey home
- Talas chips and other crunchy tuber snacks
- Local dodol and traditional sweets for longer keeping
A box of roti unyil and a tub of asinan is the standard Bogor goodbye. Do not board the train home without them.
Getting there from HEBE
The famous asinan and cake shops are central and an easy ride from HEBE Hostel, and es carts are on nearly every busy corner. Grab an asinan for now and a cake box for the road, and you will have tasted the sweetest side of the rain city.