Bukittinggi’s Iconic Ayam Pop Named After 1970s Pop Music

KBRN, Bukittinggi: Ayam Pop, a signature chicken dish from West Sumatra, has achieved immense popularity across Indonesia, becoming one of the most favored items in traditional Padang restaurants.

The dish traces its origins to the Family Benteng Indah Restaurant, a humble eatery near Fort de Kock. While no formal documents record the recipe’s inception, oral tradition and accounts from heirs confirm that the restaurant pioneered the dish.

The 470-square-meter restaurant is located close to the Fort de Kock tourist attraction in Bukittinggi.

“Yes, we were the first to invent it in Indonesia. Now, thank God, it is already known globally, and I am the second generation,” said Yulbray Pili, current owner of Family Benteng Indah Restaurant, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

Yulbray’s father, Mak As Mangkuto, began the chicken business near the State Railway Company (PJKA) Station in 1947. The business thrived and relocated to Fort de Kock in 1975.

The Family Benteng Indah Restaurant in Bukittinggi was crowded with visitors on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (Photo: RRI/Prafysta Dyah)

Initially, the dish had no formal name, prompting customers to repeatedly ask what it was called. In 1975, Yulbray gave it the name Ayam Pop, inspired by the pop music genre that dominated the 1970s.

“The name Ayam Pop was actually accidental. Everyone kept asking what kind of chicken this was, so I spontaneously answered it was Ayam Pop, because pop music was popular at the time. The name stuck until now,” he explained.

During the interview, Yulbray served Ayam Pop alongside chili sauce, dendeng (dried beef), rendang, fried lung (paru), boiled cassava leaves, and other dishes. He noted that Ayam Pop is best enjoyed with cassava leaves and chili sauce at a moderate level of spiciness.

The dish is typically dipped into chili sauce, paired with cassava leaves, and eaten with warm rice.

“Ayam Pop’s partner is the lado, or chili sauce. The next partner is cassava leaves, that’s the original pairing, followed by dendeng,” Yulbray said.

Ayam Pop from Bukittinggi is distinguished by its tender texture and clean white color, achieved through a multi-stage boiling process. Yulbray ensures the flavor remains authentic, adhering strictly to the recipe and process taught by his father.

He personally oversees the kitchen to maintain the spice blend and cooking method.

“From my parents’ generation until now, we have preserved the exact spice blend. Ayam Pop is available everywhere, but none can match it because we hold the original recipe,” he asserted.

The restaurant continues to attract thousands of customers, including domestic and foreign tourists. It operates only one branch, located beside Sovia Lama, offering scenic views of Mount Singgalang and Sianok Canyon.

The dish’s soft texture and rich flavor are the main reasons visitors return. Andi, a resident of Pekanbaru, Riau, said his family always stops at Yulbray’s restaurant when visiting Bukittinggi.

“My family and I have been here several times. The meat is tender, delicious, and the price is affordable,” he said. (Annaila Azzahra/Lasti Martina)