Es Oyen

I don’t know for sure what’s “oyen” means since i believe it’s not Javanese, my local language. Why am I writing about this beverage? Because the seller selss across my workplace and I can observe him from my window where I sit now, because the ice is nice, and because I know the seller.

The man sitting is the owner, Pak Imam

Es Oyen 46 is the booth name. 46 is taken from Valentino Rossi’s bike number. The seller, Pak Imam adores Rossi so much. Or maybe he used “46” because he wants to grow his business as fast as Rossi drives the bike.  He sells his product, es (ice) oyen on the side of the road. As you can see in the picture below, his small booth is so simple, it stands between the auto service centre and a laundry place.

He has some plastic jars, 5 jars. The syrup jar, the coconut milk jar, the shredded young coconut jar, the melon chops jar, and the pearl-sago jar. He takes few spoon of each ingredients, add with carnation milk, shredded ice and voila…a bowl of es oyen is ready to be served.
A bowl of es oyen is only IDR 2,500. It’s the cheapest in the neighborhood and the most important thing, it is the nicest. He also uses fresh and good quality ingredients that make his eyes yum.

Summer is the perfect time for him to sell his ice. Within less than 5 hours he can finish all the jars. But, as any other ice seller, rainy season is not his company. Rain can makes him stranded until the sun set.

Pak Imam, the seller used to be a successful kerosene seller. He’s a big dealer. Since the government regulation that converts the use of kerosene for house consumption to LPG, the man’s business was getting slow and in the end he’s out of business. He tried to earn money by selling es oyen. I think he started selling ice in 2009 or early 2010. And he used to study in the English course where I work now. He loves English and he likes learning English. He’s a married man with 2 children, a girl and a boy. I admire his spirit and of course I admire his es oyen :D

Post a Comment

0 Comments

advertise