TIMES SINGAPORE, MALANG – The city of Malang doesn’t just spoil visitors with its beautiful landscapes, but also with its growing variety of culinary delights. From traditional East Javanese dishes to specialties from other regions, you can find almost anything here. One of them is nasi gandul, a legendary dish from Pati, Central Java.

Nasi gandul is famous for its golden-brown broth—a perfect blend of sweet and savory—served with various cuts of beef offal. Presented on a plate lined with banana leaves, the aroma of spices hits you the moment it’s placed on your table.

Its unique flavor sets nasi gandul apart from most Malang dishes, which typically lean toward bold, savory-spicy profiles like rawon or bakso. In Malang, nasi gandul has become easier to find, one popular spot being Resto Gandul Pati Bu Tutik in the Sawojajar Mas area.

From behind the serving counter, Agus a native of Pati who has been living in Malang—keeps the authentic taste of his hometown alive through the restaurant he has run for eight years.

The wide variety of side dishes is sure to ignite visitors' appetites.  (FOTO: Hilmi Amirul Huda/Times Indonesia)

“For me, this restaurant is not just a business, but a way to preserve and introduce Pati’s culinary tradition,” Agus told TIMES Indonesia in mid-September 2025.

The name gandul comes from the way it’s served. The rice, toppings, and broth are placed on a banana-leaf-lined plate, and when scooped, the dish appears to “hang” rather than sit flat on the plate.

The toppings are varied—koyor (beef tendon), babat (tripe), usus (intestine), paru (lung), limpa (spleen), tongue, and beef slices. Everything is cut into bite-sized pieces, drenched in hot broth, finished with sweet soy sauce, and sprinkled with crispy fried red onions. This experience is even more enjoyable when eaten with bacem eggs or crispy fried tempeh.

More than just a meal, nasi gandul becomes a comforting reminder of home for people from Pati who now live in Malang.

At the same time, its presence enriches Malang’s culinary landscape. Each bite offers both nostalgia and a new experience for food lovers looking to explore flavors beyond East Java’s traditional menu.

If you’re searching for a culinary experience that stands out in Malang, a warm plate of nasi gandul might be exactly what you need—sweet, savory, comforting, and full of tradition. (*)

Reporter: Hilmi Amirul Huda