Buntok, the quiet capital of Barito Selatan regency in Central Kalimantan, carries the soul of Dayak and Banjar culinary traditions in every dish. The local market, Pasar Buntok, is your first and most honest stop — vendors set up before sunrise, laying out freshwater fish pulled straight from the Barito River, alongside bundles of wild ferns, bamboo shoots, and aromatic local herbs. The river is the pantry here, and its generosity shapes almost every meal you'll encounter.

Don't leave without trying iwak patin masak habang, a rich catfish curry cooked in a deep red sauce of dried chilies and candlenut that manages to be bold without overwhelming. Equally beloved is juhu umbut rotan, a young rattan shoot soup that sounds challenging but tastes surprisingly delicate and earthy — a true Dayak heirloom dish rarely found outside the region. Small warung stalls tucked along Jalan Ahmad Yani serve these alongside steaming plates of nasi kuning and crispy amplang fish crackers for next to nothing.

For a sit-down experience, a handful of family-run restaurants near the town center offer a broader spread, sometimes including ayam panggang bumbu Banjar, grilled chicken glazed with a sweet-savory local spice paste. Evenings bring out the street food vendors near the riverbank, where grilled corn, martabak, and freshwater fish satay make for an unhurried, sociable dinner under warm lamplight. Eating in Buntok is less about fine dining and entirely about connection — to the river, the forest, and the people who have fed this land for generations.