Offbeat Snack Called Makaroni Ngehe

Let’s say third time the charm. We've been talking about this place since Ruth first passed by the kiosk in Sultan Iskandar Muda, South Jakarta and finally got some to share as an office snack.

The always busy kiosk

Ruth: There’s Makaroni Ngehe in between Gandaria City and Pondok Indah Mall
Fiona: Whatttt???
Ruth: It’s the brand name... I didn't swear on a macaroni dish.
Fiona: Oh...

Well, “ngehe” in Indonesian slank is a pretty bad swearing word. Haha. Browsing on its history, the kiosk we found was the third branch. The brand, started by a college student on a mission to pay for college fee without asking his parents for money, already has two kiosks in West Jakarta. Supposedly closer to our office, but we didn't know where.

It took an extra courage to stop by because we have to park illegally on the sidewalk. The parking is just for motorcycle and it’s usually full. Once we arrived to take a peek, we see a bunch of dried and crunchy macaroni as well as the boiled ones. The system is you ask for which macaroni type you want and the flavor you prefer. You can also choose how spicy you want them to be. The waiter then mix the macaroni and the flavor in a box before stuffing them in a small plastic bag. One bag costs Rp5k. No wonder they’re full with customers. It’s like childhood snack with an upgrade.

Ruth: I’m buying Makaroni Ngehe.
Fiona: Get me some. Bring them to the office, I want to try.
Ruth: Okay, I’m buying one of each type.

Tasted like those MSG-filled snack. Definitely not for those with clean eating hash tag on Instagram. But it makes a good office munch. We can ask for extra chili powder, or separate the powder all together to customized how much MSG we wants on the macaroni. While the dry one can last for days, the soft boiled ones has to be eaten right away. Bringing them to the office, we found a fan who can't stop munching the snack. 

Pick your favorite... but keep it in moderation.