Warteg Fortuna

Warteg Fortuna - 51-24 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens (Indonesian) 718-898-2554
The size of a (small) backyard shack, Warteg is right off the 7 train, at the 52nd street stop. Its claim to fame is a small number of traditional Indonesian meals for $3.00 and less. And the proprietress is a really nice person.

Bali Nusa Indah

Bali Nusa Indah - 651 9th Ave, Ste. 145 (cross on 45th) (Indonesian)
The only /Indonesian place in mid-town west. The staff is sweet, and they have Murtabak and Otak, Otak, which are only available there and at Eastanah (see below). But I doubt it's authentic. The food I've had here is bland, and I wouldn't rely on it as a mainstay or a place to learn about real Indonesian.

Minangasli

Minangasli - 86-10 Whitney Avenue, Elmhurst, NY (Indonesian)
Located in Elmhurst Queens, a small Indonesian cafeteria - decorated even more sparsely than neighboring Upi Jaya. The menus are similiar, with Minangasli offering renditions of Ketoprak Jakarta, Lontong Sayur - and colorful drinks from Es Teler to Durian Juice (!). Prices are comparable (and equallly comfortable), running around $7.00 per dish. As comparisons go, the atmosphere of Upi Jaya runs more to my style, based on welcome warmth and ambiance. As for flavor? Neither restaurant seemed overly spicy -- a shame in my book -- but still a nice option, given the alternatives in Manhattan.

Eastanah

Eastanah - 212 Lafayette Street (Malaysian/Indonesian)
The Malaysian restaurant in Soho (the cross street is Spring). Its best selling points are that it has Murtabak and Otak Otak, which are only available elsewhere at Bali Nusa. The staff is very pleasant, but it tends to be a bit on the expensive side, and I begin to wonder how authentic it is, out in Soho. With Chinatown so close, why go unless for these two items?

Upi Jaya

Upi Jaya - 76-04 Woodside Avenue (Indonesian)
An unpretentious, tasty Indonesian restaurant - located in the foodie heaven known as Queens.

Granted, the neighborhood offers quite a bit of culinary competition, covering enough Asian ground to warrant a geography lesson. The temptation to stop is great, for the drive brings a foodie past several formidable alternatives - from Tibetan Yak to Sripraphai's northern Isaan competitor, Zabb Thai. But the goal tonight was Upi Jaya - and I'm glad I persevered.

Like many of the best Queens restaurants, the space in Upi Jaya is small, but neatly decorated. The service is warm and cheerful - and the menu makes the trip worthwhile. For alongside classics such as Rendang Daging and Opor Ayam are items that you just can't find in Manhattan....including Ketoprak (vermicelli rice, with bean sprouts, tofu and a peanut gravy) and Lontong Sayur (a curry vegetable dish, served over compressed cubes of glutinous rice.)

Then there's the drink/dessert menu, offering items never dreamed of in Max Brenner's philosophy. Thankfully going past the standard Americanized offerings of ice cream, Upi Jaya serves sweets such as Kueh Ku and Lupis (glutinous rice patties with ground coconut and palm sugar.) A full selection of sweet drinks finishes the night, from Es Teler to Es Pokat (a thick avocado shake, blended with chocolate, sugar and condensed milk.) The food could have been spicier - but the sweets were just right.

As was the price - $15.00 for the cost of dinner, dessert, and an Es Pokat. I think I've found a new favorite (and yet another reason to move to Queens.)

Udon's Corp

Udon's Corp - Thai and Indonesian Grocery - 81A Bayard (Thai)
One of the few places to get Thai items. Here you can find frozen galangal, and several premade Thai delicacies such as Kanom or Noew Tud for the very reasonable price of $1.50 at the register. They have a particularly good snack - taro root with sugar and coconut milk, wrapped in sticky rice and banana leaf. I wish I knew what it was called. Worth a stop! (He'll have you buying everything in the store.)