Food suggestions for Ambon

[stepfen]

Hello,

I’ve just booked 1 week of diving with Blue Rose Divers in Ambon for later this month.

Underwater, I am sure my appetite will be fulfilled by critters’ spotting. But what about top side?

I’ve seen in other threads Ambon’s food mentioned as the best in Indonesia by @Luko and others. Anything more specific than this? I’ll be staying in Laha area (probably in BRD’s rooms). Are there any good eateries nearby? I usually don’t mind street food and I have a strong stomach, but during diving trips I prefer restaurants (just in case).

Thanks a lot in advance

 

[Luko]

Okay, you might be on period for that fantastic endemic fruit of Maluku that is called gandaria (usually feb is the season), it looks like a yellow cherry plum, it tastes in between like a mango and a starfruit, it is soooooo delicious and refreshing, probably my favorite fruit anywhere. Laha is the place in Ambon to buy them at roadside stalls.

Unfortunately you're on the wrong side of the bay for fooding, most of the good restaurants are inside Kota Ambon.
Typical of Maluku is the slightly smoked tuna that is served with eggplant soaking in kenari almond sauce, it's a delight. you may taste that at Ratu Gurih restaurant if I remember well (last time was 2013..)... but anyway fish is king in Ambon, you cant' go wrong with their ikan bakar rica rica (albeit spicy!).
Downtown Kota Ambon, Joas Cafe is an institution, they serve a really good blend of coffee with milk, probbaly spiced with cinnamon, in the afternoon you can buy house cooked snacks like breadfruit, jackfruit or banana fritters that go really well with their coffee.
If you are curious you can stroll Natsepa beach 30minutes east of the city, then order a rujak which is made of various fruit such as pineapple, jackfruit, papaya, rose apple... cucumber as well.. soaking in a salty spicy sauce. Quite surprizing, but good & spicy too.

 

[stepfen]

Thanks Luko. I hope there will be more guests willing to look around for food With more people going to the city for a nice(r) dinner makes sense.
Any other suggestions of course are welcome.
Thanks

 

[Patrickweill]

hello Stepfen,
There is a restaurant serving Ikan Bacar not far from Crescia hotel on laha side, I can point it out to you on a map if you give me a contact.
They are nice and you get to choose your fish before they grill it for you
Enjoy

 

[Patrickweill]

I found the site on googlemaps :
Google Maps
It is called Alam Hijau
They close quite early in the evenings

 

[matts1w]

I LOVE me some Ambon Rujak and a big rum and coke for cocktail time after diving.

 

[Wisnu]

There's another small restaurant not far from the mosque serve very tasty local food.
If you have a chance to visit the city, get the smoked cakalang fish, very fresh from the oven. Nothing better than steam white rice with smoked cakalang and sambal (chilly paste) colo-colo.

 

[Luko]

If you have a chance to visit the city, get the smoked cakalang fish, very fresh from the oven. Nothing better than steam white rice with smoked cakalang and sambal (chilly paste) colo-colo.

yes colo colo is the sambal kind i was trying to remember the name, I'm always confusing with rica rica from Manado;

 

[billt4sf]

yes colo colo is the sambal kind i was trying to remember the name, I'm always confusing with rica rica from Manado;

Nice to see you posting, Luko!

 

[Luko]

Nice to see you posting, Luko!

getting bored, hardly walking around my bed in a blue gown... but that's ok now, even though I dont have my morphine anymore.