Maruba Restaurant — Restaurant in North Sumatra

One of the best fish dishes I've ever had in my life! I ordered a traditional Batak dish – ikan arsik, a freshwater fish slowly simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce full of Batak spices. The fish was incredibly juicy and tender – it literally fell apart on the fork and melted in my mouth. It was served with long green beans and slices of local vegetables that soaked up the sauce beautifully.

The most surprising part was the tingling, slightly numbing sensation on my tongue while eating – almost like something minty or cooling, but without a mint taste. I suspect it came from andaliman, the famous Batak "magic spice" – similar to Sichuan pepper, but more citrusy and electric. Strange, but honestly a very enjoyable experience.

I also had a freshly squeezed pineapple juice – cold and refreshing. For dessert, I tried a pancake filled with pineapple. The pancake itself was great, but the pineapple chunks inside had a slightly fermented taste. I assume this happened because they were fresh and then reheated – just not to my personal liking, even though I normally love pineapple.

The staff were friendly and welcoming. I came late in the evening, so the place was peaceful, and the view over the bay was stunning – really added to the atmosphere. The only downside was some small insects buzzing around – it would help to have a repellent or citronella candle on the table.

Despite that, this was a truly memorable food experience. If you're anywhere near Lake Toba and want to try something authentic, flavorful, and local – this...

Tasty Batak food

N2°40.504' E98°51.481' Tucked between the Ambaroba hotel and Rodeo guesthouse on Jalal Lingkar Tuktuk in TukTuk, Maruba is definitely worth seeking out the talented owner's matchless Batak wedding food, like ikan arsik or sangsang, or go for the not so special occasion food like ikan naneura (raw fish marinated with candlestick, lime juice and spices, order 8 hours in advance) and napi napir.

In September 2023, we ordered ikan arsik, whole steamed tilapia lake fish stuffed with snake beans, batak onions and cooked with batak spices. It was hard work to remove all the bones, but the spiced lake fish tasted exquisite.

Maruba restaurant offers fresh batak dishes....

WOW! Im back after 3 years cuz Covid. Eating at Marubas this morning and as I said 3 years ago.... Best of the best. You won't be disappointed both selection and quality at a fair price. Ask for the breakfast special, not on the menu so secret special as seen in photo. Go for it!

WOW, just came back and had the Fish & Chips👍. Muy Bueno, absolutely delicious. Sorry no picture as I ate half before I thought about it. Fish was a perfect beer batter with vinegar, lemon and tartar sauce on side. Chips were homemade and specially treated so they were crunchy and not soft and droopy. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the...