During my very short visit back in Yogyakarta, I was hoping that we could have a special treat there before heading back home to Jakarta. And yes, it’s not just a wishful thinking as my in-laws of my in-laws family took us for a breakfast at a seemingly very busy place with its famous Soto Lamongan!
The looks of Soto Lamongan Daging Sapi owned by Cak Ngun and Cak Sodik may look not like a permanent establishment but it does occupy a large portion of the land and draws many hungry visitors since early morning. Luckily we got ourselves VIP seats just aside the serving station where a guy busy putting in all the soupy goodness into prepared bowls filled with shredded white cabbage and bean sprouts and his friends distributing all the ready soto to customers.
What doesn’t feel like real Soto Lamongan is probably the use of chunks of beef on the soup instead of chicken and most of all, there’s neither cellophane noodles nor koya (shrimp kerupuk with garlic smashed into powdery form). This presentation has become an argument between me and my expert foodie friend but then again if you take a look at how busy this hawker is, then I guess there’s no need to argue.
Taste-wise it’s pretty good as the soup is quite flavorful and most of the beef are tender. Seconds are recommended if you don’t mind getting yourself a bit sweaty from both the hotness of the soup and the weather. Already prepared on the dining tables are fried tahu and tempe for your sides apart from other types of kerupuk available there. Be mindful that plenty of flies flying around so it’s best to clear away from those tempe and tahu.
I had my share of second portion and quite fulfilled but still I feel that this doesn’t represent the traditional Yogyakarta culinary selections as Soto Lamongan is originated from the city of Lamongan just around an hour journey from Surabaya far in the east. Well, perhaps next time I’ll visit again this lovely city and get myself the best of it!
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Must eat: Soto daging sapi
Price: IDR 8,000
Address: Jalan Veteran – Yogyakarta, DI Yogyakarta – Indonesia
Opening hours: TBA
RIAN FARISA 
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