How To: Timorese Restaurants
A Guide for Foreigners
Restaurant culture is different in every country. So it is in Timor Leste. There are many different ways to get food and I can only recommend trying all of them. However to avoid a big culture shock, this article will tell you everything you need to have a smooth but exciting experience.
Street food is very cheap here. You can get a satisfying meal for only 2 Dollars. The food booths often don’t look very official, so look out for a place with a few benches and containers with food. Grab a plate and take whatever you want out of the containers, just make sure to remember what you’ve eaten so you know what to pay afterwards. One thing every booth has is a hot sauce called ai-manas. Everyone has their own recipe for it. You can put it on any meal you eat for free, just be careful as it is spicy as hell.
Evening Food Market at the Beach
If you go to a more official restaurant, where they give you a menu, you choose and then they bring it to you, there are also a few things you might want to know before.
The Menu is not accurate
You cannot rely that anything on the menu is actually available, or that you really get what was described in it. They don’t always have all the ingredients available. It can help to always have a plan B when you are choosing your food.
Waiting Times
Most Timorese people have a very relaxed way of living, which also shows when you order a glass of water and you wait 20 minutes for it to come. While this is an extreme example, long waiting times can happen, so make sure to bring something that keeps you busy when waiting.
Vegetarian Food
Most Restaurants have some form of vegetarian or even vegan food available. Timor Leste is a good destination for all of you who might be be worrying about that. However, if you want to tell the staff that you for example want your pizza without ham, there might be some trouble with communication. Triple check that they have understood you.
Paying & Tipping
Card payment is only accepted in some restaurants, so it is better to have some cash with you. Tipping is not usual, but no one will complain if you wan’t to give extra money.
Of course, this doesn’t apply to all Timorese restaurants. All are different. You’ll have to stay flexible and just go with the flow. Timor Leste isn’t as organized as maybe Australia, you’ll have to adapt to that.
