Tak Kie Iced Coffee. Your visit to Tak Kie is not complete without trying this special beverage, the Iced Coffee, which has become a must-try item in this coffee stall. It’s quite possible that this iced coffee is simply the best one the whole country can offer, and it still remains a favorite since the first time Tak Kie opened, even to international tourists.

Almost a century old and still standing amongst the hustle and bustle of food traders in Gloria alley, Pancoran street, Jakarta, is where you can find Tak Kie. A small structure that is no bigger than 100 meters square, painted in white and decorated with stick-on menus, along with product adverts and the occasional buskers who attempt to entertain you. In another corner, you will find a poster of Demi Dewi, a movie that was launched in mid-2010, in which some of the scenes took place in Tak Kie. No air conditioners of any kind can be found here, except for the ceiling fans that are still functioning to fight the humidity of Jakarta. A humble display rack filled with mineral waters, bottled teas and several souvenirs from the state court are available for sale. Come lunch time, Tak Kie becomes busier, as if it does not stop serving meals after meals and drinks after drinks for its loyal patrons.

Tak Kie is a family business that has grown with its customers, and most of them have their own favorite spots they call dibs on. “In that corner over there, there’s a customer who has been sitting in the same chair since the 70s. Everyday, he comes at the same time and orders the same food and coffee, while observing the passers-by,” says A Ping, A Yauw’s sister in law, who helps serve the customers everyday.

Back in the 70s, Tak Kie opened until nine in the evening, and famous actors in the 60s and 70s like Tan Tjeng Bok or Fifi Young often hung out with their entourage in one of Tak Kie’s corners. Now, Tak Kie operates from seven in the morning to two in the afternoon, everyday, no days off. “There aren’t many patrons who come after two, but it’s much more crowded over there,” explains A Yauw, pointing at the food stalls in the opposite side of the narrow Gloria alleyway.

Tak Kie means… learning from the wisdom of others throughout your life. More or less, that’s what Tak Kie means when it was introduced by Liong Tjoen who started serving coffee on the side of the road at Glodok – back in the 20s – before he moved to the current location, in Gloria alleyway.

Back in the day, Tak Kie used traditional tools which consisted of special pots and a sieving instrument made of a piece of cloth that are popularly used at Kopi Tiam stalls (ed. a traditional breakfast and coffee shop found in Southeast Asia), but now they use a percolator (a type of pot used to brew coffee) and they stick to serving their coffee without the dregs. Tak Kie’s black coffee is served without sugar, so if you prefer your coffee sweet, you have to place a special order to the staff. Fans of Kopi Tiam will definitely recognize the taste of the coffee served in Tak Kie, with its distinctive aroma and flavour. The bitter taste from the coffee doesn’t attack nor numb your tongue like many other black cofee would, but it just leaves a clean after taste.

Their iced coffee? “A legend. Definitely something special that lasts for generations.” Says my pal Hendri Kurniawan from 1stespresso. Even Adi W. Taroepratjeka, an expert consultant in Food and Beverage industry calls it the best iced coffee in Indonesia. So it’s definitely not out of line for them to say that, and for anyone who has enjoyed Tak Kie’s iced coffee, knows their signature beverage well, as it has become a faithful companion to many of its fans.

A Yauw (61). Liong Tjoen’s third son who has been running the business since his childhood, in the 70s.

Tak Kie’s romantism has lasted through periods and its humbleness has remained as its strength, even though in the midst of Jakarta’s overwhelming modernization, this humble coffee shop still stands tall and proves its aptitude to survive. Our very own Roman Antico Caffee Greco in the concrete jungle of Jakarta that we all should pay homage to.

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Tak Kie : Caffè Greco di Djakarta

Usia hampir satu abad dan tetap bertahan di sempit dan hiruk pikuk para pedagang makanan gang Gloria di jalan Pancoran, Jakarta, di sinilah tempat warung kopi Tak Kie berada. Sebuah bangunan yang tak lebih dari 100 meter persegi dengan cat warna putih dan tempelan kertas sajian menu di sini beserta iklan produk hingga “pengamen gratis”. Di sudut lain terpampang poster film Demi Dewi yang dirilis pertengahan tahun 2010 yang salah satu lokasi pengambilan gambarnya di warung Tak Kie.  Tak ada pendingin udara, hanya kipas angin yang menggantung di langit-langit untuk mengusir gerahnya udara Jakarta . Rak pajang bersahaja diisi minuman mineral, teh botol dan ternyata beberapa suvenir Istana Negara dijual. Menjelang makan siang Tak Kie semakin sibuk dan seakan tak henti melayani para pengunjung setianya.

Tak Kie adalah bisnis keluarga yang tumbuh kembang bersama pelanggannya yang bahkan masing-masing punya tempat duduk dan meja yang sudah menetap. “Di pojok sana seorang pelanggan dari tahun 70an selalu menempati kursi yang sama. Setiap hari ia datang di jam yang sama dan memesan makanan dan kopi sambil duduk memperhatikan orang yang lalu lalang di depannya” kata A Ping, ipar A Yauw yang sehari-hari membantu melayani para pelanggan.

Di era tahun 70an Tak Kie buka hingga jam 9 malam, hingga aktor kawakan Tan Tjeng Bok atau Fifi Young yang populer di sepanjang tahun 60-70an sering kongkow bersama rekan mereka di salah satu pojok Tak Kie. Namun semakin tahun hingga saat ini, warung kopi ini hanya bisa beroperasi sampai jam 2 siang yang buka sejak jam 7 pagi tanpa hari libur. “Setelah jam 2 kurang banyak orang datang ke sini. Di depan sih rame” kata A Yau sambil menunjuk para pedagang makanan di gang sempit Gloria.

Untuk kopi, dulunya Tak Kie menggunakan teko khusus dan penyaring kain yang sering digunakan di kopi Tiam, tapi sekarang mereka menggunakan percolator dan tetap menyajikan kopi tanpa ampas. Kopi hitam Tak Kie disajikan dengan gula, jadi Anda harus memesan khusus kepada Mas nya bagi yang ingin menikmati tanpa zat pemanis. Penggemar kopi Tiam tentu akan mengenali dengan mudah rasa kopi di kedai seperti Tak Kie dengan aroma dan rasa yang khas. Rasa pahitnya tak menggigit atau membuat sepet di lidah, clean after taste, mungkin itu istilah yang pas nya.

Kopi es susu ? “Legendaris ! Sesuatu yang bisa bertahan lama pasti istimewa” kata sobat saya Hendri Kurniawan dari 1stespresso. Bahkan Adi W. Taroeperatjeka konsultan F&B menyebutnya sebagai kopi es terbaik di Indonesia. Tidak berlebihan tentunya dan siapapun yang pernah menikmati kopi es di sini  mengenal dengan baik signature beverage yang selalu setia menemani para penggemarnya.

Romantisme Tak Kie sudah menembus zaman dan kebersahajaannya justru yang menjadi kekuatan sebuah warung kopi yang walau terhimpit modernisasi kota Jakarta, tapi sudah membuktikan kemampuannya untuk tetap bertahan. Sebuah Antico Caffè Greco Roma di belantara Jakarta dan rasanya kita wajib bangga kepada mereka.

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