As hearty as it may be to some people, there’s no denying that bakmi has become a breakfast staple in Jakarta. It’s no wonder then how a number of bakmi places open their doors very early every day. Case in point is Bakmi Asui in Tanjung Duren, which starts serving peckish early birds from six in the morning.
For 19 years, the bakmi joint is a popular go-to breakfast spot in the neighbourhood, where it almost always overflowed with customers. True, finding a seat in this place requires tenacity and patience. Nevertheless, it is all made up by their swift service and of course, the star of the establishment: bakmi ayam (chicken noodle).
Similar to most noodle establishments, it’s all very casual and straightforward here, including not having any menu on sight. But the choices are easy — one just have to opt between chicken breast or thigh to go with their noodle, or whether they’d like to have meatballs on the side. Then a bountiful portion of thick, chewy noodle with long slices of boiled chicken arrives at your table in no time.
Though it’s always packed on most hours, it is best to visit during their early hours as they often close at 1.30pm once running out of supplies. Judging from the amount of customers flocking the place as well as how short their operating hours is, surely no more convincing is needed here. Especially, supported by the fact that they rely only on just one type of dish for almost two decades.