Friendly Menu Indonesian Warung In Mecca For Hajj Pilgrims, There Are Bakwan, Meatballs And Tempe Mendoan

Condition of Indonesian Warung at Al Kiswah Towers Hotel Makkah, Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (ANTARA/HO)

JAKARTA - Warung Indonesia is here in Mecca. This stall helps bring traditional Indonesian products and snacks closer to the pilgrims in the city.

Warung Indonesia is present in one of the largest lodging complexes for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in Mecca, precisely at Al Kiswah Towers Hotel Makkah, said the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah in a statement received in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, June 27.

The Indonesian stall is managed by a Saudi Arabian diaspora. The goal is not only to pursue profit but to help the congregation and at the same time introduce various Indonesian food and beverage products that have been circulating in the Saudi Arabian market.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah said that with the presence of Warung Indonesia, Indonesian pilgrims do not need to be confused if they lack taste in routine dishes provided by catering companies for Hajj pilgrims.

"Especially when the body's condition is not friendly and the appetite is disturbed. Conditions like this often trigger a sense of longing for snacks such as meatballs, instant noodles, and traditional snacks that they usually find in the country," said the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah.

Al Kiswah Towers Hotel Makkah was deliberately chosen as the location for Warung Indonesia because it has a large enough guest capacity. The hotel, which is about 1.8 kilometers from the Grand Mosque, consists of several buildings (towers), each with a capacity of 5,000 worshipers.

The Indonesian Consul General in Jeddah, Eko Hartono, when he visited Warung Indonesia, had a chance to taste meatball dishes and other light meals. In the shop, traditional Indonesian snacks are also served, such as bakwan, steamed sponge cake, flower shake, tempe mendoan, tofu and various other snacks.

There are also various packaged food and beverage products at Warung Indonesia, including instant noodles, tea and coffee, to light drugs from Indonesia at relatively cheaper prices because they are supplied directly by importers.

"So pilgrims don't have to bother going out of the hotel, going to a shop or pharmacy. Aches, pains or colds, just stop by at Warung Indonesia," said Consul General Eko when inspecting the stall.

"This initiative, apart from being a promotional event, is also a breakthrough to absorb our products in the Saudi Arabian market," said the Indonesian Consul General in Jeddah.

Consul General Eko added that the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah will continue to seek to take advantage of all opportunities, including the hajj season, to expand the circulation of Indonesian products, as well as promote Indonesian cuisine in Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi Arabian citizen named Asim Garout was trusted to manage the stall because apart from being fluent in Indonesian, the former manager of a number of five-star hotels in the holy city of Mecca currently manages a number of restaurants serving Indonesian cuisine.

Asim said Warung Indonesia was opened in four towers to make it easier for pilgrims to get what they were looking for.