It’s day two of our little Girls’ Trip to Bandung! In case you missed it, feel free to catch up on day one here. Day two is all about checking out the hip and happening places (do I sound old yet?) around Bandung, which my sister usually wouldn’t have the time to explore. This includes hitting up a lot of hangout and eating a lot of food. We would also be joined by my dear friend Iva, who just came for a visit from Germany. You might have seen her on the blog a lot—like here, here, here and here—because we’ve been friends for 14 years now. So excited to vacation with her again!
This morning I woke up in my sister’s bed where I slept the night before—squeezed in along with (of course) my sister and her shy cat, Kopi. Later on today, I would have to pack my stuff to move to a capsule hotel and spend the next two nights with Iva. My sister and I woke up rather early and hopped into the shower right away, to catch breakfast at a popular spot a little further into town. We quickly got ready and grabbed separate bike taxis—it was the quickest mode of transport.
It’s day two of our little Girls’ Trip to Bandung! In case you missed it, feel free to catch up on day one here. Day two is all about checking out the hip and happening places (do I sound old yet?) around Bandung, which my sister usually wouldn’t have the time to explore. This includes hitting up a lot of hangout and eating a lot of food. We would also be joined by my dear friend Iva, who just came for a visit from Germany. You might have seen her on the blog a lot—like here, here, here and here—because we’ve been friends for 14 years now. So excited to vacation with her again!
This morning I woke up in my sister’s bed where I slept the night before—squeezed in along with (of course) my sister and her shy cat, Kopi. Later on today, I would have to pack my stuff to move to a capsule hotel and spend the next two nights with Iva. My sister and I woke up rather early and hopped into the shower right away, to catch breakfast at a popular spot a little further into town. We quickly got ready and grabbed separate bike taxis—it was the quickest mode of transport.
📷 Fujifilm X-T100 with Fujinon Aspherical Superb EBC XC 15-45mm lens + ASUS ZenFone 10 50 MP f/1.9, 23.8 mm
Agenda 1: Breakfast under the Tree
Toko Bubur Dibawah Pohon Rindang
This place is probably one of the most sought after breakfast spots in Bandung. They serve Cantonese rice porridge with a wide selection of toppings to customise your own preferred bowl. The toppings include unexpected items, such as Saikoro beef, jelly ear mushrooms, onsen egg, shrimp and bone marrow. Of course, if you want it fuss-free, you can always just pick a pre-determined porridge from their menu. What attracted my sister and I most was their century egg—which is apparently pretty popular, because we were told it was sold out before my sister managed to snag the last piece. We both opted for the Saikoro porridge—since they ran out of chicken—and I chose the onsen egg for myself.
We had to stand in a significant line to get our food—so much so that some people paid others to stand in line for them, crazy!—but it moved pretty quickly and we got our food in almost no time at all. As we waited, we saw a lot of other food stalls around us—some people bought food from other stalls while waiting. We also couldn’t help but notice their instructional signages—citing the do’s and don’ts of dining here—in such a funny and quintessentially Chinese peranakan tone of voice. As a copywriter, I was very impressed by the strong branding of this seemingly grassroot place.
The place is actually open pretty early—from 6 AM everyday, but the staff has to get ready since 3 AM—which explains why a lot of stuff has sold out by the time we got there (around 9 AM on a Friday). It was definitely value for money, incredibly affordable but super filling. A 5-star recommendation from me.
Toko Bubur Dibawah Pohon Rindang
This place is probably one of the most sought after breakfast spots in Bandung. They serve Cantonese rice porridge with a wide selection of toppings to customise your own preferred bowl. The toppings include unexpected items, such as Saikoro beef, jelly ear mushrooms, onsen egg, shrimp and bone marrow. Of course, if you want it fuss-free, you can always just pick a pre-determined porridge from their menu. What attracted my sister and I most was their century egg—which is apparently pretty popular, because we were told it was sold out before my sister managed to snag the last piece. We both opted for the Saikoro porridge—since they ran out of chicken—and I chose the onsen egg for myself.
We had to stand in a significant line to get our food—so much so that some people paid others to stand in line for them, crazy!—but it moved pretty quickly and we got our food in almost no time at all. As we waited, we saw a lot of other food stalls around us—some people bought food from other stalls while waiting. We also couldn’t help but notice their instructional signages—citing the do’s and don’ts of dining here—in such a funny and quintessentially Chinese peranakan tone of voice. As a copywriter, I was very impressed by the strong branding of this seemingly grassroot place.
The place is actually open pretty early—from 6 AM everyday, but the staff has to get ready since 3 AM—which explains why a lot of stuff has sold out by the time we got there (around 9 AM on a Friday). It was definitely value for money, incredibly affordable but super filling. A 5-star recommendation from me.
Agenda 2: Post-Breakfast Snack
For the most part, I do enjoy walking in Bandung more than I would in Jakarta. Everywhere you look, trees tower over you here and provide such giant shades. It also helps that the town is located by the foot of a mountain—basically on a highland—so the air is relatively cooler here. Although, unfortunately, the infrastructure is less than adequate for pedestrians.
After getting so filled up by the rice porridge, the next stop I planned for us is apparently more food (LOL). It’s a pretty viral or popular baked goods located in the area. I was determined to try it while I was in town. Thankfully, it was close enough to reach on foot, but far enough for us to burn the calories we just consumed. So away we walked to this bakery.
After getting so filled up by the rice porridge, the next stop I planned for us is apparently more food (LOL). It’s a pretty viral or popular baked goods located in the area. I was determined to try it while I was in town. Thankfully, it was close enough to reach on foot, but far enough for us to burn the calories we just consumed. So away we walked to this bakery.
For the most part, I do enjoy walking in Bandung more than I would in Jakarta. Everywhere you look, trees tower over you here and provide such giant shades. It also helps that the town is located by the foot of a mountain—basically on a highland—so the air is relatively cooler here. Although, unfortunately, the infrastructure is less than adequate for pedestrians.
Tji Laki 9
Can you really call this place a bakery if it only serves one kind of baked goods? Not even one kind, literally only one baked goods—but in different toppings. Yes, Tji Laki 9 is a shop that sells only banana bread. However, you can choose from three different toppings: cheese, chocolate and peanut. On top of that, if you decide to dine in, your slice of banana bread will be topped with a homemade butter—again, three kinds to choose from: cinnamon, vanilla and strawberry. This butter is basically my whole reason for coming here: I wanted to know what that butter tasted like and how would it pair with the banana bread. You can also order the bread for takeaway, but the butter is exclusively dine-in only—as far as I know, anyway.
As soon as we got there, we were met with another line. Although it doesn’t seem to be longer, it did take longer to work through. Also, it was our luck that a tour group from (presumably) Jakarta, filled with mostly pre-middle-aged women, arrived right before we could get in line. They were pretty intrusive and, frankly, held up the line far longer than they needed to—changing their orders right at the cashier, making a commotion about finding seats, setting up a monopod for content 🤦🏻♀️ Kids, please never be like this group.
By the time we got our orders, however, everything just melted away. Who cared about the cringey older ladies? They were dead to us. My sister chose the Cheese Banana Bread with Cinnamon Butter, while I opted for Peanut Banana Bread with Vanilla Butter. They were both so heavenly! The bread held its structure well, yet somehow super soft. The butter was honestly pretty oily, yet it doesn’t grease up the bread or our mouth. It was all pure perfection. All of a sudden, the line was worth it. And such is the best feeling to have, no?
Wabi Sabi ID shirt (gifted) | thrifted skirt | Bobo Tokyo jacket (defect sale) | Roti eneng tote bag |
ASICS Unisex Gel-NYC | photos of me by Akita
Tji Laki 9
Can you really call this place a bakery if it only serves one kind of baked goods? Not even one kind, literally only one baked goods—but in different toppings. Yes, Tji Laki 9 is a shop that sells only banana bread. However, you can choose from three different toppings: cheese, chocolate and peanut. On top of that, if you decide to dine in, your slice of banana bread will be topped with a homemade butter—again, three kinds to choose from: cinnamon, vanilla and strawberry. This butter is basically my whole reason for coming here: I wanted to know what that butter tasted like and how would it pair with the banana bread. You can also order the bread for takeaway, but the butter is exclusively dine-in only—as far as I know, anyway.
As soon as we got there, we were met with another line. Although it doesn’t seem to be longer, it did take longer to work through. Also, it was our luck that a tour group from (presumably) Jakarta, filled with mostly pre-middle-aged women, arrived right before we could get in line. They were pretty intrusive and, frankly, held up the line far longer than they needed to—changing their orders right at the cashier, making a commotion about finding seats, setting up a monopod for content 🤦🏻♀️ Kids, please never be like this group.
By the time we got our orders, however, everything just melted away. Who cared about the cringey older ladies? They were dead to us. My sister chose the Cheese Banana Bread with Cinnamon Butter, while I opted for Peanut Banana Bread with Vanilla Butter. They were both so heavenly! The bread held its structure well, yet somehow super soft. The butter was honestly pretty oily, yet it doesn’t grease up the bread or our mouth. It was all pure perfection. All of a sudden, the line was worth it. And such is the best feeling to have, no?
Wabi Sabi ID shirt (gifted) | thrifted skirt | Bobo Tokyo jacket (defect sale) | Roti eneng tote bag | ASICS Unisex Gel-NYC | photos of me by Akita
Agenda 3: Catch Up over Coffee
After stuffing ourselves with back-to-back food, we decided to get back to my sister’s place to lie down. Around 1 PM, Iva was arriving at the train station, so we made our way to Makmur Jaya Coffee Roaster where we would be meeting with her.
This coffee shop came highly recommended by my sister, who’s been here but at another branch. The one we went to today was the Soka branch, which apparently, is their largest shop. From the name alone, I assumed the place would be pretty low-key and traditional in a way. So imagine my surprise when I arrived and saw that, while the building is clearly rather old, the interior was very modern and contemporary. Not only did they sell a selection of beverages (from coffee to matcha) and food (mostly pastries and cakes), they also offered various merchandise and knick knacks.
It was pretty fancy, not going to lie. As soon as I arrived, I was ushered inside where a lovely barista welcomed me and showed me to my seat. The place was pretty crowded, mostly by all the people queuing at the counter, but it was also massive so it didn’t feel too stuffed. My sister and Iva arrived later—and we all ordered coffee and some food. They were all pretty good, although I would say pretty pricey. We were tucked by the window in seats that were meant for nothing but chatting. The staff was very warm and friendly, which I find is such a Bandung thing. We stayed there just talking for maybe an hour—before Iva and I went to check in to our hotel.
Afterwards, we would all meet up again to check out my most anticipated spot.
After stuffing ourselves with back-to-back food, we decided to get back to my sister’s place to lie down. Around 1 PM, Iva was arriving at the train station, so we made our way to Makmur Jaya Coffee Roaster where we would be meeting with her.
This coffee shop came highly recommended by my sister, who’s been here but at another branch. The one we went to today was the Soka branch, which apparently, is their largest shop. From the name alone, I assumed the place would be pretty low-key and traditional in a way. So imagine my surprise when I arrived and saw that, while the building is clearly rather old, the interior was very modern and contemporary. Not only did they sell a selection of beverages (from coffee to matcha) and food (mostly pastries and cakes), they also offered various merchandise and knick knacks.
It was pretty fancy, not going to lie. As soon as I arrived, I was ushered inside where a lovely barista welcomed me and showed me to my seat. The place was pretty crowded, mostly by all the people queuing at the counter, but it was also massive so it didn’t feel too stuffed. My sister and Iva arrived later—and we all ordered coffee and some food. They were all pretty good, although I would say pretty pricey. We were tucked by the window in seats that were meant for nothing but chatting. The staff was very warm and friendly, which I find is such a Bandung thing. We stayed there just talking for maybe an hour—before Iva and I went to check in to our hotel.
Afterwards, we would all meet up again to check out my most anticipated spot.
Agenda 4: Hitting Up the Cool Spot
Grammars
Out of the places we’ve visited so far—and probably will visit later on—Grammars was the place I was most excited to visit. This is a Bandung native consignment store filled with well-designed knick knacks, music paraphernalia and eco conscious goods—featuring works from some local studios, artists and small businesses. There was also a photobooth stall by Photograms, which was pretty popular among young girls. The place was also, apparently, pet-friendly which is nice. It’s pretty famous even outside of Bandung. I found out about this place years ago and have been itching to visit ever since—super excited!
While I was here, I was determined to grab something from a local artist or studio—in particular, I was eyeing items from Tokotype because I’m such a huge fan—and bring it home. There were so many things to choose from that we roamed the area several times before my sister and I made up our minds—yes, she was also hooked. This is where we parted ways, as my sister went home for the day.
Grammars
Out of the places we’ve visited so far—and probably will visit later on—Grammars was the place I was most excited to visit. This is a Bandung native consignment store filled with well-designed knick knacks, music paraphernalia and eco conscious goods—featuring works from some local studios, artists and small businesses. There was also a photobooth stall by Photograms, which was pretty popular among young girls. The place was also, apparently, pet-friendly which is nice. It’s pretty famous even outside of Bandung. I found out about this place years ago and have been itching to visit ever since—super excited!
While I was here, I was determined to grab something from a local artist or studio—in particular, I was eyeing items from Tokotype because I’m such a huge fan—and bring it home. There were so many things to choose from that we roamed the area several times before my sister and I made up our minds—yes, she was also hooked. This is where we parted ways, as my sister went home for the day.
Early Dinner Break
Bakmilea
The sky was getting darker as the sun was setting. My sister was already on her way home. Iva and I decided to grab some food, as we were both getting kind of hungry. I think this one was found by Iva on Google Maps. It was very close by, so we decided to just walk to this quaint little noodle shop. There were apparently a lot of small shops lining the streets here, including Seroja Bake—which we stopped by and Iva bought a cassava cake.
The noodle shop was really super small, very cozy and lovely. The lady at the till was really friendly and helpful. We both chose the Bakmilea Ayam Pedas Gurih—and got a surprise discount!—which apparently came with a small bowl of wonton. We also ordered the Cakue Udang, which was really good. As for drinks, we opted for Lemon Tea and Freshly Squeezed Orange. We were pretty stuffed by the time we were done.
Bakmilea
The sky was getting darker as the sun was setting. My sister was already on her way home. Iva and I decided to grab some food, as we were both getting kind of hungry. I think this one was found by Iva on Google Maps. It was very close by, so we decided to just walk to this quaint little noodle shop. There were apparently a lot of small shops lining the streets here, including Seroja Bake—which we stopped by and Iva bought a cassava cake.
The noodle shop was really super small, very cozy and lovely. The lady at the till was really friendly and helpful. We both chose the Bakmilea Ayam Pedas Gurih—and got a surprise discount!—which apparently came with a small bowl of wonton. We also ordered the Cakue Udang, which was really good. As for drinks, we opted for Lemon Tea and Freshly Squeezed Orange. We were pretty stuffed by the time we were done.
Agenda 6: Liberal Books Galore
Toko Buku Pelagia
For our last stop for the day, Iva and I took an online taxi to this little bookstore I found online. Personally, I didn’t really know what to expect from the place—except that they sell books, of course. The bookstore was located in a little complex that looked almost abandoned, but there were a lot of people hanging around. The vibe was very grassroot with a strong community vibe. The store itself was clearly very liberal, very progressive, emanating a strong political activism vibe. There were three different shelf sections, although they weren’t clearly categorised. Even from the very first glance, you could tell that the books were very ideological or historical—dealing mostly with the sociopolitical landscape in Indonesia. There were also a lot of used books in various conditions you can buy or read on the spot.
Iva and I took our grand time roaming around the store, looking through the titles and trying to make up our minds on which to buy. Coincidentally, we both decided on the same book—Museum Teman Baik (published by POST Press), which is funny because it’s an indie publisher in Jakarta. Iva also got herself another book about the female perspective of marriage and relationship. As we were making our purchase, I noticed a sticker on the cash register that campaigned for the resolution of the Munir case in 2004. There was also a bulletin board filled with campaign posters urging for justice for the people and accountability among the government. Right on!
Toko Buku Pelagia
For our last stop for the day, Iva and I took an online taxi to this little bookstore I found online. Personally, I didn’t really know what to expect from the place—except that they sell books, of course. The bookstore was located in a little complex that looked almost abandoned, but there were a lot of people hanging around. The vibe was very grassroot with a strong community vibe. The store itself was clearly very liberal, very progressive, emanating a strong political activism vibe. There were three different shelf sections, although they weren’t clearly categorised. Even from the very first glance, you could tell that the books were very ideological or historical—dealing mostly with the sociopolitical landscape in Indonesia. There were also a lot of used books in various conditions you can buy or read on the spot.
Iva and I took our grand time roaming around the store, looking through the titles and trying to make up our minds on which to buy. Coincidentally, we both decided on the same book—Museum Teman Baik (published by POST Press), which is funny because it’s an indie publisher in Jakarta. Iva also got herself another book about the female perspective of marriage and relationship. As we were making our purchase, I noticed a sticker on the cash register that campaigned for the resolution of the Munir case in 2004. There was also a bulletin board filled with campaign posters urging for justice for the people and accountability among the government. Right on!
Somehow, we didn’t call it a night after this. We were both keen to explore Braga, and so we made our way on foot. We decided on a bar and restaurant to have a little girls’ night out for a couple hours. It was a great time to finally catch up on absolutely everything that’s happened with us this past few years. Somehow, even though we kept seeing each other every year after the pandemic, we almost never had a good chance to hash things out—especially on the major change in my life since before the pandemic. It wasn’t until 22.30 PM (if I’m not mistaken), did we finally decide to (again) walk back to our hotel and call it a night. What a day!
See you on Day 3 of this Bandung Girls’ Trip!
Somehow, we didn’t call it a night after this. We were both keen to explore Braga, and so we made our way on foot. We decided on a bar and restaurant to have a little girls’ night out for a couple hours. It was a great time to finally catch up on absolutely everything that’s happened with us this past few years. Somehow, even though we kept seeing each other every year after the pandemic, we almost never had a good chance to hash things out—especially on the major change in my life since before the pandemic. It wasn’t until 22.30 PM (if I’m not mistaken), did we finally decide to (again) walk back to our hotel and call it a night. What a day!
See you on Day 3 of this Bandung Girls’ Trip!