IO – Have you ever thought about enjoying a cup of delicious coffee while your eyes are pleased by hilly green scenery? You can feel it all at Taruko Café in Bukittinggi Café located in West Sumatra; you could say that my first visit there was a coincidence, since I was invited to a friend’s wedding and to roam about a bit while in West Sumatra I decided to quickly escape to the Bukittinggi area. Once there I asked about the location of the famous Taruko Café & Resto. It seems that it is quite far from the city, maybe around 15 to 20 minutes. The road to this place turned out to be quite magical for me. To get there, which is right at the bottom of the valley which still part of Ngarai Sianok and Tabiang Takuruang cluster, our vehicle must climb down cobbled streets, from top to bottom and slightly winding. The views to the right and left made my eyes feel very fresh. Even the road to get there made us happy imagining what we would find there; that’s a short statement expressed from my heart.
The car I was riding stopped on a small road that lined with other visitors’ cars. If we entering the café, the interior takes the form of an open room using wood so that the wind could enter to blow freely. At that time it was crowded with visitors; in the right corner there was acoustic live music that added a pleasant harmony. 360 degrees around this cafe there is a layered green landscape and I was very fascinated by the beauty, which I’ve never met in other regions. Since it was already noon, it was time for me to get into the worship of enjoying a glass of coffee.
I ordered Taruko Coffee, which turned out to be a typical black brewed dense coffee steeping of traditional Indonesian society. Immediately as if returning to childhood, a cup of brewed coffee with a view of a village created déjà vu, which certainly made me homesick for home. Aside from Taruko Coffee, there are several other coffee menus, ranging from black coffee to espresso base. But I didn’t see any manual brew menu here. Maybe Taruko Café & Resto is more like a cafe than a coffee shop. Not only coffee: I also ordered one plate full of fresh fruits. It was because of the cool and fresh natural atmosphere, I also wanted fresh intake for my stomach. However, for those of you who want to order a main meal, they also provide Indonesian specialties such as gado-gado and also Minang special foods such as, Dendeng Batokok Rice. Not only that, for those of you who are expats, a pasta food menu, even pizza is available at this café – really a complete menu they have.
Although the place is quite crowded with tourists, Taruko Café & Resto is apparently not a place where the food and drinks are so expensive. All prices are standard and reasonable for me. In fact, it’s rather cheap, in my opinion, if I think of a package of sights that it gave to visitors who come to this cafe. In essence, Taruko Café & Resto is a culinary and coffee destination that you should not miss if you stop by Bukittinggi. When else can you eat and drink with a scene that makes your heart happy, your lungs relieved and also your stomach happy? I just want to return again because I feel unsatisfied lingering at the first visit. (Aldo)