When I was in Yogyakarta, I got badly ill. I think my stomach was not used to Indonesian bacteria anymore 🦠. So, we went to eat homemade pork meatball soup at Bakso Ito.
Bakso Ito is a famous pork meatball soup eatery since the old time. We ordered hunceng kuah (pork intestine soup with noodle), bakwan campur (mixed meatballs), and bakwan goreng (fried meatballs).
The bakwan (meatball) was very tender and properly seasoned. There was a subtle taste of white peppercorns in the broth which made it very warming in the belly. If you order bakwan campur, you can get several types of items in a bowl: meatballs, fried meatballs, intestines. The intestine was clean and not tough at all. The fried meatballs were also very crunchy yet soft inside. They are also delicious when dipped in the broth.
What I think quite funny is the name of the place itself. In Indonesia we have two kinds of meatballs: bakso and bakwan. They are similar, yet very different – different texture and way of serving. The term “bak” means meat and it derived from Hokkienese language. Bakso is often made by chopping meat with the blunt side of the knife and it usually contains more flour than meat. It doesn’t have to be shaped completely round. Bakwan on the other hand, is made with more meat than flour, and it is always round in shape. Furthermore, while bakso has more savory broth and is served with yellow noodle, blue vermicelli, celery leaves, and fried shallots; bakwan has lighter broth and is served with chives. Based on the meatball appearance and broth profile, I would say Bakso Ito’s meatball is more bakwan; while the way of serving is close to bakso because it has noodles in it. So, I conclude that their meatball is a bakso-bakwan hybrid😂.
The price per bowl is not as cheap as in other places (around IDR 20000-40000 or EUR 1.5-2.5), but the taste and quality are excellent. That is enough reason of why this place has survived since 1983.
Bakso Ito
Jl. Maratam 59
Yogyakarta
Opening hours: 09.30-21.30 everyday