Kecombrang Sparkling: a torch ginger flower soda
Torch ginger usually ends up in sambal. At Huit Cafe in Banyuwangi it becomes a fresh soda, and it is the drink guests recommend most.
Updated
Read the Google Maps reviews of Huit Cafe and one drink keeps coming up: the kecombrang soda. On the menu it is called Kecombrang Pass Sparkling, and it costs Rp25,000.
What is kecombrang?
Kecombrang is the pink flower bud of torch ginger, a plant in the ginger family. In Indonesian kitchens it is usually sliced thin into sambal, vegetable salads with peanut sauce, or fish dishes. It smells floral and tastes bright and sour, a little like citrus.
Why it works as a soda
That sour, floral character feels light once it meets cold soda. The result is fresh, not too sweet, and hard to compare with anything else. Plenty of guests order it out of curiosity and then order it again.
Other sparkling drinks
- Pinelime Sparkling, Rp18,000
- Ginger Sparkling, Rp18,000
- Honey Lemon Sparkling, Rp18,000
- Spice Kemangi Sparkling (spiced lemon basil), Rp18,000
- Green Apple Lemongrass Sparkling, Rp20,000
None of the sparkling drinks contain coffee, so they are a safe choice at night. They go well with Tempe Mendoan (battered tempeh) or Nasi Sambal Cakalang (rice with spicy skipjack tuna).