Jakarta, Please Stick to Foods Ending in a Consonant

If you are unfamiliar with Indonesian food and would like to experience a veritable potpourri of offerings, or know the score well enough to discern which street vendor introduced you to the euphemism I like to call human spray, the city that best fits my descriptions must be Jakarta. As I’ve mentioned before, one reason for its bountiful assortment of cuisines is due to Indonesia’s vast size– Achenese, Papuan, Balinese, and Manadonese, these are just a few of many regional possibilities for good eats.

I am more than willing to eat makanan Indonesia (Indonesian food) just about everyday, but in the event you’re jonesing (craving) for something international, outside of Japanese, Korean or Chinese, and hotel buffet, it’s a bit more difficult to find something of good quality. This is all just one bule‘s (foreigner’s) opinion, but I think outside of the aforementioned cuisines, and a couple of Italian joints, you might as well invest in a 3D printer for the chicken tikka, potable water or chocolate shake (the shake I ordered was served without sugar in the drink, but with liquid sugar on the side) stuck in your mind. (Link thanks to pcmag.com) That’s a bit harsh, and the scene has improved (that is, if you don’t like foods that end in consonants such empal, rendang daging, tutut, velg, or ketoprak) substantially since my first visit in 2005. OK, so velg isn’t a food (nor would you want it to be), but at least it ends in a consonant. It actually means “rim.”

Improved on many fronts? That’s probable. But on the pizza front? Well, based on this google map’d scene by Jalan New Delhi (New Delhi Street), I think even Chicago would get my vote…