Teh Susu and Kopi Tubruk

Teh Susu and Kopi Tubruk

I took a risk ordering a teh susu during lunchtime at Mie Ayam Pinangsia. In most of the warungs in Jakarta, you'll get a blank stare when you try to order tea with milk. While "teh" in Malaysia would mean tea with milk by default, in Jakarta, no one drinks tea with milk. The usual drink is teh hangat, which is local tea served without sugar. It is "free" in most nasi padang restaurants.

I miss my Malaysian teh tarik a lot, so occassionally I would try my luck here by ordering a teh susu and hope they'll come up with some drinkable substitute. And today, It came as I had expected: a cup of milk white liquid with hardly any trace of tea. After so many disastrous attempts, I have to reluctantly conclude that Jakartans do not know how to make a cup of tea with milk. Even if you order Western-style tea, they often do not provide you with milk or cream. I guess I have to stick to my kopi tubruk, which is not a bad substitute for teh tarik.

Today is Saturday, so I'm not going to be philosophical and boring. I noticed that Italian Job, starring Mark Wahlberg is showing at Theater DJakarta, near my hotel. I had watched the original Italian Job, released in 1969, starring Michael Caine when I was a small kid and I still have vague recollections of it.

Not sure if I have the time to catch a movie this weekend but I don't want to miss this remake. As usual I have to finish of some work on a Saturday night (while the rest of the world parties the night away). *Sigh*

I think I'll need a strong cup of kopi tubruk to pull me through the night and to wash away any lingering memory of that terrible cup of teh susu this afternoon...