5. Indo Java
Arguably the most famous spot in Little Indonesia, Indo Java is a small market packed with all sorts of Indonesian produce, meats, prepared foods, and packaged goods. The restaurant is owned by Anastasia Dewi Tjahjadi, who left Indonesia in 1998 and opened Indo Java in 2007. Navigating the narrow aisles may be challenging, as every nook and cranny is filled with goods. The shop offers everything from sambals to sweet pastries in plastic containers to dozens of noodle soup packages.
Perhaps Indo Java is most known for the one-table eatery Warung Selasa, a neighborhood favorite that operates every Tuesday in Little Indonesia. Once each week, Tjahjadi cooks up her favorite Indonesian dishes for customers who camp out in the back of the restaurant munching on dishes like nasi bebek goreng, or fried duck leg with rice. Over the past few weeks, Warung Selasa has served up beef ball soup, coconut beef and tripe soup, vegetable rice cakes, and pecel (vegetables in a peanut sauce with spicy tofu and egg). The kitchen in the back can only fit one person (if that), making this one of the most intimate restaurant experiences in the city.