Mak Syukur
If you depart from Padang from PadangPanjang or on the way back to Padang, it's recommended to stop by at one of the local Sate restaurants: Mak Syukur or Saiyo. The sate is a similar to Sate Padang, but the cool temperature makes it nice to eat the spicy sauce. Sate is usually eaten with rice cubes, bull's rinds/cracklings, and the spicy sauce. Besides meat, they usually also serve other organs such as intestines, liver, etc.
Durian
Kayu tanam and sicincin are famous for their durian sellers so if you want to sample this famously smelly fruit the most engaging way, pooter past on a vesper after dark, you will see stalls along the side of the main highway lit up of an evening in high season and ask for one durian to be opened and "eaten in" with pulut or puluik in minangkabau dialect. eat it with your fingers with a friend.
Teh talua
And if you've chosen a more set up cafe stall ask for a teh talua. don't grimace - bitter black tea poured over whipped egg and sugar creates a custardy flavoured "cappuccino froth" on your tea. the best has a squeeze of lime. try desy's cafe in jl pasar baru i, in central padang behind the main market, but more specifically for navigating there, behind the balai kota town hall and police station "belakang benteng" is a really clear instruction to a driver. the tiny cafe is where police staff eat and desyeni the proprietor has a solid lineage of culinary expertise behind her. all food guaranteed clean and superb and absolutely local.
Pak Datuk
Padang-style food served in a Minangkabau style building. Excellent roti cane.
Soto Laris
Pasar Baru,padang Panjang