One might just pass Bakmi Tiga Marga without realising. The establishment, situated in a serene suburban area of Permata Hijau, looks just like any other houses in the residential complex. The structure is simple and modest, and just like its homemade noodles, that might just be the point.
The three owners, Leonard Theosabrata, Andry Suriaputra and Ferrie Woen, brought the recipes of their chicken and pork noodles from their own kitchen, done and dusted to get the perfect familiar flavours that so many noodle lovers reminisce over: rich in flavours and fresh with no preservatives.
The thin and soft-textured noodles, served in white bowls one often encounters at street food stalls, are hidden beneath the crumbs of chicken and pork toppings. Pour spoonfuls of the accompanying broth, and your noodles will burst in familiar flavours that you crave from homemade bakmi. Go all out with the side dishes like the fried meatballs, dumplings, and swikiau to share with your party. Finally, there’s no better way than to wash it all down with liang tea or cold soy milk for a sweet meal.
And just as simple as their star dish, the eatery adopts the same simple unfussed aesthetics. Yellow-walled interiors paired with rustic furnishings with touches of vintage artworks undoubtedly scream that throwback into the 80s old school Hong Kong.
While bakmi joints have increasingly popped up around South Jakarta, not many have embraced the pork-only options in the area. And as much as it is about honouring simple goodness like a good bowl of noodles, the existence of Bakmi Tiga Marga also acts as a communal hub where restaurant-goers range from joggers after Car Free Day to the residents in the neighbourhood looking for a hearty meal.