Gift Ideas for Filipinos in Jakarta

I’ve meant to write this post for a while. Guess what we usually ask our Filipino friends to bring us when they come to visit us in Jakarta? Everything can be found in a supermarket like Rustans Fresh.

Another possible title for this post was “things to buy in the Philippines before going to Jakarta.” Or “Rustans Fresh Supermarket Finds” since we usually buy from Rustans Supermarket Rockwell. The best thing about it is that they box it up for us and tie it up. All I need to do is put our name on the box and our loot is ready for check-in without the hassle of having to pack it myself! (Sometimes we bring a heavy duty box from Office Warehouse if we want to buy more stuff)

The corned beef available in Jakarta looks more like pate or regurgitated stuff so Pinoy corned beef is like gold here. Tuna is also different and the spicy ones are way to hot for my taste buds. Gotta love my Century Tuna in Hot and Spicy!

There is a similar snack here, but not nearly as salty and garlicky as pinoy cornick.

The mangos in Jakarta are like what we call Indian Mangos back home. So this Mango-snob (who only used to eat fresh sweet mangos and never ever dried) is now treasuring dried mangoes from the Philippines. My husband’s boss brought us some Belgian chocolate mango strips from the Philippines and I will love her forever for it. #OMG it’s so good!

I know they have the ubiquitous Indomie instant mie goreng here but nothing replaces my Lucky Me Instant Pancit Canton in Calamansi / chilimansi flavor. 

Since there is only one Filipino restaurant here, pinoys love these mixes to recreate some Filipino dishes. We love chicken tocino for breakfast!

The usual thing I ask from friends is Graham Crackers which CANNOT be found in Jakarta. Trust me I’ve tried. I use it to make desserts like No-bake blueberry cheesecake and banana cream pie.Sweet treats like polvoron (Goldilocks and HOP) and Chef Tony’s  Popcorn are always a hit here. 

Knorr Seasoning is liquid gold saved for special breakfast -silog meals. They have Maggi seasoning here but it’s not the same.  

Other edibles that we’ve asked my MIL to bring us here are:

• Purefoods Tenderjuicy Hotdog (frozen and wrapped in newspaper) because the beefdogs are just not the same and the American equivalents are shockingly expensive
• Chorizo from Spain
• Tuyo they have this hear, but I haven’t found one that I wasn’t allergic to. This has to be checked in and wrapped really, really well

I also love bringing Human Nature Products like the sunflower beauty oil here.

I have stocks and stocks of Allercon Dust Mites Spray here. Jakarta is a dusty city and wherever there is dust, dust mites are surely at hand. For someone who is severely allergic to dust mites, this is heaven-sent.

For spirits you can bring 1 bottle of alcohol into Jakarta per person. It’s really cheap in the Philippines and super yummy. We love…

• Tanduay Rum
• Paradise Mango Rum Liqueur
• Boracay Rum in coconut flavor

*Note: Please be careful of the quantities you bring because customs in Indonesia is infamous. 

Hope this has given you ideas for your next trip back to Jakarta if you are going as an expat or visiting friends. I’d love to hear what other pinoys bring to Jakarta when coming from the Philippines! Do drop me a line!

 

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