Upon arrival, my initial reaction was that Indonesian food was a lot like Filipino food with a spicier kick. There was an evident preference for frying things. Also, rice was a main part of the meal rather than a supplement to further fill you up.
Meals in Jakarta were spent primarily in the Kemang district, where my host is located. The neighborhood is full of restaurants, shops, bars and night clubs, though it appeared that many of them had gone out of business due to the number of boarded up store fronts. Kemang may not be the most charming district, but it is convenient. It once was an expat hot spot due to the affordability of nearby villas. My host informs me that most of the expats have left, but does not know where they moved to.
First meal was at a late-night Sundanese restaurant called Nasi Uduk Kebon Kacang, a short drive from the center of Kemang district. Sundanese food includes cities of Bogor, Bandung, and Sukabumi. It was about 02:00 and most other places were closed or closing. Most of the food is already prepared (mid-day) or cooked except for the final step. You choose what you like and they will bring it to your table. Accompanying snacks, nasi uduk or rice with coconut milk (originally from Jakarta) wrapped in a banana leaf, and bottled drinks laid on the table. We had some grilled chicken, a sort of dried or preserved beef, and tempe. This was really delicious and light. Apparently, it is made from a cultured and fermentation process that binds soybeans together into a cake which is then sliced and fried. The result is a crispy, firm exterior and soft interior. It has a light, nutty flavor. The best part is that it is healthy for you being high in protein and fiber. Anyway, at the end of the meal, you pay for what you eat. It is very straight forward. Just tell the server what you ate and they calculate the price accordingly.
Padang cuisine(from the Minangkabau people) is the capital of West Sumatra. Pulling up, Restoran Padang had a steady trickle of motobikes pulling up with patrons asking for their nasi padang wrapped up for take away. The server scoops up some rice on a plate lined with paper and the patron points out what they want from the prepared food. I chose singkong (cassava leaf) as the primary vegetable with sambal hijau, the chili sauce, and topped off with beef rendang. The cooked cassava leaf had a nice, fibery texture and had a fiery tingle from the sauce. There was also other green vegetables that were more bitter in flavor like they were pickled, but also equally very spicy. The beef was very tender, though slightly drier than expected, but the sauce left from the evaporated coconut milk and spices was incredibly savory. Now this is a way better "fast food" option.
The Kemang Food Festival on Jalan Kemang Raya is an open-air (though covered) food court with multiple food stands with Indonesian food, steak, Italian, American, and Japanese. I felt a bit adverse to this food hall, but my host insisted on eating here for the variety of choices. Sit down at one of the wooden picnic tables in the courtyard and dozens of servers representing each vendor will surround you while you peruse the thick binder of menus. They patiently wait for your order and only one lucky server will return to the respective kitchen with your order. Out of the big menu book, my host chose for me Soto Jakarta, a soup with the coconut milk, vegetables, and meat accompanied by a banana leaf packet of rice. The rice soaked up the soup beautifully. The soup was slightly sweet, yet very spicy and penetrated the flavor of the meat and vegetables, which were not overcooked. Yum.The foodie adventure in Indonesia is just beginning and we're only in Jakarta.
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