Worth visiting Medan for the gastronomy?

atoopi

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Hey, I am going for 1 month trip around N. Sumatra, with Medan as the final stop. Thought to just skip it and go straight to airport from Lake Toba (if there is a connection)? Anyways, this post is just to get your advice on the best, tastiest, value dishes, food joints, names and locations. Please let me know what you think of my collection so far and maybe suggest your own, especially if you live there or visited recently.

It seems like the easiest place to walk around going from place to place is around Merdeka Park and the train station as a centre

* Rumah Makan Sinar Pagi

* Rumah Makan Soto Medan

* Soto Kesawan is a narrow warung on Jalan Ahmad Yani for roti canai

* Jalan Selat Panjang and Jalan Semarang (both food areas).

* Apek's Coffee House, Jalan Hindu. Historic coffee house with excellent Lintong Coffee. Serves roti srikaya (kaya toast). Contains stalls with Indian roti cane bread and martabaq. Malay fried rice outside.

* Bollywood Food Centre, Jl. Muara Takus No 7 (behind Sun Plaza), This is nice place for real, homely Indian food? Really?

* Cahaya Baru Indian Restaurant, Jalan Teuku Cik Ditiro. The only restaurant in Medan which serves a wide range of authentic North-Indian cuisine? Especially the endless choices of delicious vegetarian and curry dishes?

* Nasi Goreng Surya Nice and Spicy Jl. Pattimura.

* Aniang Vegetarian rice dishes Jl. Sumatra no. 101.

* Durian Pelawi Jln. Sunggal no. 52.

* Omerta Koffie.

* TheBites Brownies Komplek Multatuli Block CC 46

* Hamdan, Medan Maimun.

* Lontong Sayur Kak Lin, Jalan Teuku Cik Ditiro. Serving tasty and cheap lontong sayur (rice cakes in hot vegetables curry)

* Dr Mansyur Avenue. Near USU, this avenue is a hangout place for young people, lined with new cafes and restaurants serving great food at student prices.

* The whole Jalan Majapahit on Petisah area (across Cambridge City Square) got lot of stores selling home made cakes and juices where you can shop selectively. Most stores also allow sampling before buying. Try the local specialty bika ambon (spongy-texture cake with pandan flavor) or marquisa (passion fruit) juice. Bolu Meranti, Jl. Kruing, Petisah. The home-made roll cakes with variety of tastes, such as cheese, blueberry, mocca. The most famous roll cakes in town. This info is about a year old.

* Dewi Plaza Bakery, Jl. Lampung No.8B. One of the best cake shops in Medan. (also info from a year ago )

* Medan Home Dairy. They have European-style "best natural yogurt in Indonesia". Located at TASBI Complex. They are producing many kinds of goat and cow milk cheeses, as well. For the goat milk products they are using fresh, pasteurised (twice) organic goat milk.

* Zuki Bakery, Jl. S.Parman No.103. Bika Ambon, spekoek, prunes, roll cake (Bolu Gulung), breads. They bake items fresh every day and also make their own syrups, including marquisa syrup, terong belanda syrup and kietnah syrup. (info from a year ago).

* Samera Cafe (previously Corner Cafe Raya), Jl. Sipisopiso (next to Mesjid Raya - The Grand Mosque). Right in the heart of Medan's backpacker area not sure if any relevant food available here.

* Kripik durian, from Medan.

* Martabak Yurich Restaurant.

* Putu Bambu desert.

I am also interested in getting a massage.

* Quan Spa, JW Marriott Hotel 17th floor, full 5-star hotel spa facilities, with a one hour massage from Rp250,000 for 1-hour massage.

* Zengarden, Jalan S No. 22/272 Parman. Located in the heart of Medan. Rp150,000-280,000/hour.

* Eucalyptus Spa. There are two branches of Eucalyptus Spa in the city, one at the Travellers Suite hotel. Prices there are lower, from Rp120,000 for 1 hour.

That's it - thanks for reading. Let me know your suggestions. Oh, and I forgot to say looking for vegetable-based food only. No egg, no seafood. Thanks.
 
Don't forget that the dishes of the 'cake' places you mention, so also the famous Bika Ambon, contain eggs! With Durian pancakes you're safe.

Being a vegetarian/vegan doesn't make it any easier since many yummie dishes (esp. Batak) are based on Babi or Ikan. So that leaves the multitude of Chinese restos. And even if they advertise with vegetarian friendly options, whether the dishes are vegetable or soup, they often use (chicken or beef) broth. So besides the 'real' vegetarians as Aniang, Indian might be your best choice.

Durian is obviously famous and nice but it's somewhat seasonal. It starts now and will last the rainy season.
 
* Eucalyptus Spa. There are two branches of Eucalyptus Spa in the city, one at the Travellers Suite hotel. Prices there are lower, from Rp120,000 for 1 hour.

This is a "plus plus" spa.

Thanks, how come you the only person replying to my questions?

Not many of us in Medan and even less of us are vegan.
 
This thread seems like a promo for medan ,very strange :oops::rolleyes:
 

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