Kafe Betawi, Plaza EX - Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta

During my trip to Jakarta early this year, what me and my girls wanted was to have the Indonesian food experience to the maximum, meaning to say, no fast food, no western food, we just want to go all out for Indonesian food.

While in Plaza Indonesia, we walked and shop around until we go quite hungry… not knowing what or where to go, we decided to just go with the first Indonesian food outlet we come across, and Kafe Betawi was the mutual choice.

The menu has extensive choices,  all nicely illustrated and so freaking tempting.. if can, I would want to order all of them! We were spoilt with the selections, we couldn’t really decide.. And from the menu, I’ve learnt a lot of Indonesian language as well… like carrot is known as wortel, orange juice is jus jeruk, avocado is apulkat, soursop is sirsak, tomato is tomat and many more…

And this is Just Apulkat (Avocado Juice) with some chocolate syrup..  IDR 20,000 (Around MYR7.00)

Pineapple Juice, also IDR 20,000 (Around MYR7.00).. very thick juice.. i think it’s blended instead of juiced with the juicer… filled with fibre! haha… we ordered some other drink but no photos… Fruit juices are basically the same price, and even on beverage itself, they have a huge selection.

This is like complimentary appetizer in a jar on every table… something like pickled mixed vegetable… not sure if this is called atjar tjampoer mentah (acar campur mentah).. but it’s carrot, cucumber cubes, with scallions, cabbage, chili, garlic in vinegar… indeed very appetizing.. we nearly finish the whole jar…

Pickled crunchy mixed vegetables..

A jar of chili sauce… taste a bit like the chicken rice chili sauce…

Nasi Uduk Ayam Paha @ IDR 31000 (Around MYR11.00)

It’s coconut infused fragrant rice with traditional fried chicken (Choices of thigh or breast meat) with few side dishes/condiments and peanut sauce.

Served with condiments like Emping Melinjo (Padi Oat Crackers) also known as kerupuk (keropok), fried omelette slices, cucumber slices and if I’m not mistaken with tempe as well.

Nasi Uduk Semur Daging@ IDR 31000 (Around MYR11.00) Semur = Stew

It’s coconut infused fragrant rice with traditionally cooked beef stew. Served with few condiments such as Emping Melinjo (Padi Oat Crackers) also known as kerupuk (keropok), stewed potato and beancurd (tempe) piece, cucumber slices, fried vermicelli   and peanut sauce.

Soto Mie @ IDR 26000 (Around MYR9.20)

Soto Mie is basically clear beef noodle soup. It comes with tomatoes, beef, Emping Melinjo (Padi Oat Crackers) also known as kerupuk (keropok) and other ingredients I’m not sure with… haha.. Soto = Soup

Mie Tek Tek @ IDR 26000 (Around MYR9.20).  It’s a street style fried noodles. Served with Emping Melinjo (Padi Oat Crackers) and prawn crackers also known as kerupuk (keropok), Hard boiled egg slices, chicken shreds, vegetables and topped with fragrant fried shallots. It’s with a little gravy, slightly spicy, otherwise, quite similar to our Penang Hokkien char.

Gado-gado @ IDR 22000 (Around MYR 7.80). It is cooked vevetables with sweet peanut sauce and also crackers.

This is our favourite. We all love it! I have had gado-gado here in Malaysia but this is the best I’ve had so far. Perhaps the ones here are usually from buffet spread and you have to mix yourself. But this is great. The peanut sauce is good. I’m sure there are better ones in Indonesia but I’ve only eaten this so far.. haha.. I’ve had Indonesia salad at my friend’s in law during her wedding day this round, it taste quite the same like gado-gado, dressed in peanut sauce but maybe different vegetables… so they call it Indonesian salad. I guess the key ingredient is the sweet peanut sauce itself.

How did we fare Kafe Betawi? We all agreed that food is good, selections are great, servings are quite big, value for money, ambiance is good, and service is not bad too.  

Kafe Betawi
Plaza EX – Plaza Indonesia,
Jalan MH Thamrin,
10350 Jakarta Pusat,
Indonesia

They have many branches across Jakarta, info  here. They have a website but nothing much there though.