Jakarta Bakmi Gang Kelinci: A 62,000 Rupiah Breakfast at 8:58 AM

On Jl. Kelinci Raya in central Jakarta, tucked in an alley behind Pasar Baru, this noodle shop displays a sign claiming it has held its spot since 1957. It's a place where you come…

Jakarta · Bakmi Gang Kelinci

On Jl. Kelinci Raya in central Jakarta, tucked in an alley behind Pasar Baru, this noodle shop displays a sign claiming it has held its spot since 1957. It's a place where you come to eat bakmi—Chinese-Indonesian noodles. I visited for breakfast this time. When I arrived just after 8 a.m., two men in the alley in front were hosing down the pavement. It was August, so the red and white Indonesian flag decorations hung under every eave, with a few motorcycles parked beneath them.

Inside: A Neighborhood Restaurant, Not a Tourist Spot

Opening the door, there's none of the nostalgic charm of an old-timer I might have expected. Fluorescent-lit pale green walls, pink plastic chair backs, white Formica tables. Artificial vines circle the ceiling, and two wall-mounted TVs hang on the walls. This is how older restaurants in Jakarta typically renovate—erasing the worn, replacing it with easy-to-clean materials.

The dining hall is wider than expected. Past two pillars inside, seating continues on, and even at this early hour there were several family tables with children. A scene of mothers feeding their kids noodles with strollers parked beside the tables. I seemed to be the only tourist. A HARGA PROMO combo menu sign on the wall caught my eye, and I zoomed in on the photo to see prices ranging from Rp 56K to Rp 164K. I couldn't read the exact menu names clearly from a distance, so I recommend checking in person.

A Bowl of Noodles—With a Fried Wonton Wrapper Served Whole on Top

What I ordered was bakmi topped with shiitake mushrooms and minced chicken. It comes in an orange melamine bowl, and at first I was puzzled because an entire hand-sized sheet of fried wonton wrapper lay flat across the noodles. You can see the traces of it puffing up in hot oil. You're supposed to break it apart by hand and mix it into the noodles. Best to do it quickly before it gets soggy.

The noodles are thin and springy egg noodles. The sauce has no broth—it's pooled at the bottom—so you have to flip and toss from the bottom up to distribute the seasoning evenly. Fried garlic crumbles sprinkled on top carry half the flavor. The shiitake is braised in soy sauce with a hint of sweetness; the bok choy is simply blanched. Honestly, this isn't a dish with high flavor intensity. If you're expecting something punchy, you might find it bland. But for a hassle-free breakfast bowl you can finish without guilt, there's nothing better.

The Broth That Comes with It—And the Restaurant's True Star

When you order bakmi, clear broth arrives in a small bowl. Inside floats a single gray beef meatball (bakso) and one boiled wonton, with finely shredded celery leaves scattered on top. From the way the oil sits in neat circles, this isn't a heavily simmered stock. It's clear and not overly salty. After mixing your noodles a few times, one spoonful of this broth cleanses your palate.

On the side, I ordered fried tofu rolls. They're made by wrapping minced meat inside thin tofu skin (tahu kulit) and deep-frying—five of them came on a white plate. The outside is paper-thin and shatters like glass, while the inside stays moist. You dip them in the red sauce on the side, which leans more toward a sweet-and-sour chili sauce than pure heat. The few strands of pickled carrot suggest they've mixed pickle brine into it. I expected fried food to feel heavy at breakfast, but the oil was so clean I ended up eating all five.

Each table has two condiment containers with lids on a stainless steel tray. Open them and you'll find one with pickled green peppers and one with orange sambal. The pickled green pepper is my favorite thing at this restaurant. Vinegar-pickled with heat that's nicely rounded, just a few slices on top of greasy fried food or bland noodles transforms the whole dish into something completely different. First-time visitors often overlook these containers, but don't—you'd be missing out.

Location and Bill—62,000 Rupiah Before 9 AM

The address is Jl. Kelinci Raya No. 1, Central Jakarta. It's a few minutes' walk from the Pasar Baru shopping street, but because you have to turn off the main road into an alley, if you call a Grab or Gojek, drivers often drop you on the main street. It's faster to assume the location is deeper in the alley than the map pin suggests and look for the sign.

I paid with QRIS. The receipt timestamp was 29 AUG 08:58, total Rp 62,000. That's one bowl of noodles, one plate of fried items, and a drink included. Roughly 6,000 Korean won. Compared to what franchise noodle shops charge in Jakarta malls for a single bowl, this isn't particularly cheap, but for two dishes at this price, it's not bad at all.

Here are a few things worth knowing before you go:

• Payment is card-only via QRIS. If you don't have an Indonesian account, bring a card or cash just in case.
• Following the notice posted by the register, if they don't give you a receipt, they won't charge you. Keeping it makes verifying the amount easy.
• Before 9 a.m., the dining hall was nearly empty. If you want to avoid the lunch rush, an early visit is better.
• If you're concerned about pork usage, it's best to ask staff before ordering. There were customers in headscarves eating, but I didn't verify the exact ingredients for each menu item.
• For exact operating hours and current prices, I recommend confirming in person. The combo prices in the menu photos may also change due to promotions.

This isn't a destination for a grand culinary experience. But if you're curious what people in Jakarta have been eating for breakfast for over 60 years, spending a bowl here before you tour Pasar Baru makes for a pretty compelling start to your day.