Polydish city guide
Best Kolak (food) in San Francisco
“Palm sugar, coconut milk, and pandanus leaf form the aromatic foundation—then add banana, pumpkin, or jackfruit to your taste.”
What the real thing tastes like
Kolak (or kolek) is an Indonesian sweet dessert based on palm sugar or coconut sugar, coconut milk, and pandanus leaf (P. amaryllifolius). A variation in which banana is added, is called kolak pisang or banana kolak. Other variations may add ingredients such as pumpkins, sweet potatoes, jackfruit, plantains, cassava, rice balls, tapioca pearls, and kolang-kaling (aren palm fruit). It is usually served warm or at room temperature, but some prefer it cold. In Indonesia, kolak is a popular iftar dish, locally known as takjil (sugary snacks and drinks consumed to break the fast) during the holy month of Ramadan, and is also a popular street food.
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Kolak is an Indonesian sweet soup that finds its character in the interplay of palm sugar's deep molasses notes, coconut milk's creamy richness, and pandanus leaf's subtle floral whisper. The base is simple, but the dish becomes a canvas: banana transforms it into kolak pisang, while pumpkin, sweet potato, jackfruit, tapioca pearls, and aren palm fruit each offer their own texture and sweetness. Served warm or chilled, it's the kind of dish that tastes different depending on temperature and ingredient, yet always carries that signature coconut-sugar warmth.
Order it here when it has
- adaptable base welcomes many ingredients
- popular iftar drink for Ramadan
- served at multiple temperatures
- street food staple
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