The Satanic Sauces

Jakarta's galloping gourmet goes on another incognito quest for good places to eat, seeking out the rich diverse foods of the Indonesian archipelago. This time, he goes for the cuisine of Central Java.

April 30, 2013

An old crone looms out of the shadows, a solitary buck-tooth protruding from her mouth. Despite her elderly visage, she's quite sprightly, dancing a jig in her simple Javanese garb. Not even the politest person would call her beautiful. Yet every day she attracts hundreds of people to a franchise of restaurants serving Central Java cuisine. The woman is Mbah Jingkrak ('Grandmother Jumping for Joy'), an unashamedly unpretentious Indonesian mascot, wh

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