Cafe Pendawa Lima is not super convenient for me to visit, but the sheer variety always includes new, interesting, and delicious finds. And the prices are right. If I spend an additional 45 minutes to go out of my way to bike down there after work, it will be worth it. Since my last post on Philly’s Indonesian neighborhood I’ve been back several times already. Below are some images of foods found there recently. I’d happily buy any of these dishes again, they were all very special. Again, these dishes are prepared at the Indonesia Restaurant on Snyder Ave, just boxed up and sold here.
“TAHU TEMPE PETE TELUR”. $5. Basically a sweet five spice stew with eggs and Tahu tempe. Also notice those huge stink beans (pete in Indonesian, satau สะตอ in Thai)
“AYAM SAMBAL PETE IJO”. $8. This was a very lean chicken, deep fried or roasted maybe, and then mixed with a delicious spicy sambal of green chiles. Fiery and delicious. Reminiscent of Northern Thai jaew, perfect for eating with sticky rice. This dish also used that pete bean
On the right (barely visible here, see next) a dry stewed beef, incredibly rich and salty. Almost like beef rendang that has been boiled dry. On the left of this plate is a jackfruit curry.
That same image from above. Beef looks dark but is in my shadow.
Indonesian sweet jasmine tea in drink boxes
Collard greens in a coconut curry sauce. Very nice. I should note this was only 1/4 of one $6 “NASI PADANG” pack
“BIHUN GORENG” $4. Definitely worth $4.
Oishi brand tea and basil seed drink (see below)
basil seed drink. This is made from the seeds of lemon basil, the little seeds become little slimy tadpoles. Quite nice.
More deep-fried things. There is such a variety. Here I selected a HUGE stuffed tofu. I cut it in half. What’s inside?
Oh, it’s another order of noodles.
Asian Markets of Philadelphia 