Indonesians, especially Jakartans, are becoming increasingly fond of eating out. This is clear not just from the profusion of food businesses but also from the more serious discussions about food that tend to take place. What Laksmi Pamuntjak writes in her book is indeed correct: the catering business is untouched by the monetary crisis.

Last year, when the Jakarta Good Food Guide 2001 was published, I immediately went to purchase it. Funnily