The Story Behind Lontong Balap, a Traditional Food from Surabaya

TIMESINDONESIA, JAKARTA – Lontong Balap is a traditional food from Surabaya. It has a unique name, which is lontong (compressed rice cake) and balap (race). So does it means the lontong is having a race or the seller is racing when serving the customers?

Well, let's take a look at it first.

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Lontong balap as its name consists of lontong it self, bean sprouts, fried tofu, and a soup base which has been seasoned with a shrimp paste.

According a story taken from TravelKompas, as Mr. Sisno's grandfather told him that long time ago when most of the lontong balap man were still seeking their food on bicycle, they mostly pedalling their bicycle in rush along with other lontong balap man to their post on Jalan Semarang. "So that's why they call it a race," Mr. Sisno a lontong balap stall owner said.

Meanwhile, according to wikipedia the story is about those lontong balap man who at that time were still walking and carrying the food on a bamboo baskets and hung them on their shoulder, they were rush to walk to their post near the Wonokromo market in order to meet their customers.

Not only one of them, but there are also dozens of lontong balap man half walking or running to the last post. This then what makes people call them as balap (racing).

Nowadays, there are still lots of lontong balap man in Surabaya, the amount is growing and growing every year following the population growth in Surabaya itself. Some of them even still bring it on bycycle.

After knowing the story behind the Lontong Balap name, surely you will imagine how its name was made while you enjoying the food. So, don't forget to try the lontong balap when you visit Surabaya.

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