Bakmi Kepiting 78 has been a popular place for a long time. Order the bakmi kepiting special and you get more crab meat and the claw! Apart from bakmi, they also serve bihun, kuetiaw, nasi kari (interesting mixture of Indonesian spices in a Chinese dish). They also have sop chim kong kepiting, and es kopi Brazil. The service is super duper fast!

Imagine a stall employing over six people dedicated to frying bananas… and frying bananas only. Every day, people line up for this simplest of snacks, and the hawkers can't fry 'em up quick enough to keep up with the crowd. The pisang goreng is four slices of banana, pressed together and shaped intoa fan, Kalimantan style. Quite pricey at Rp 1000 each, but no one begrudges a cent.

This hawker offers flavourful fried rice served uniquely in bowl. The rice is dry with pieces of shredded chicken, cakwe and eggs here and there. The portions are quite generous, so make sure you're as hungry as a wolf when visiting the hawker.

Menadonese food is known for its hot spicy taste, regardless that the dishes have been modified for Jakartan taste buds. They fry their perkedel jagung to perfection. Have a smooth creamy klappertaart that people swear by. And don't forget to try their selection of cakes sold out front!

An excellent choice for those who like their beef broth clear and natural, with a light taste of beef stock . But for those who like a more robust sop buntut, better give this one a pass.

We love the fact that when we order a portion with 'no skin', they can deliver it true to our request. Big juicy chunks of skewered chicken grilled to perfection, lathered with sweet smooth peanut sauce. Unlike other satays, one portion of satay RSPP is very filling. Orders for house parties is acceptable, but they must be ordered days ahead with a down payment. These guys have very busy schedules!

Pick any dish blindfolded, and you'll still come out smilling. We recommend their nasi campur Bali for a small sample of everything. Their bi siap (chicken) tutu is subtle yet divine with its coriander touch, and the sate lilit is simply gorgeous. The truly daring will go for the bi siap matah with its spicy chilli and raw shallots. Those who have sweet tooth should definitely try the injin (sticky rice with shredded coconut) and pisang rai (steamed banana wrapped in flour, topped with shredded coconut). Top off our meal with the famous brem (rice wine) on the rocks.

Those of you who often visit Bali may already be die hard fans of Mr. Citra's pressure cooked chicken and bandeng. Now it's Hayam Wuruk's turn to take over Jakarta. For a restaurant that has only been operating for a few months, this place is already packed on weekends with crowds who come to their presto cooked chicken that is so tender to the bones. The crispy fried bandeng is their own creation, good for you grease lovers! And their tempe penyet is very tasty.

This business started with the owner offering traditional cakes door to door. Now the third generation runs the business and expanded to three branches. All kinds of traditional cakes from pastel (fritter filled with vegetables and egg) and lemper (sticky rice with meat filling) to carabikang (menado cakes) and talam (cassava and sweet potato cake), from jongkong, to bika ambon (Medan cake) and gemblong are available fresh from the oven. Superb service as you can order your favourite cakes in any quantity and they will be more than glad to deliver them right to your door.

We love their fresh and tender fish head curry. It's just simply steamed and drowned in thick curry gravy. They serve it up with the delightfully fresh sambal ganja (which is rumoured to contain marijuana!). Don't forget to try the fried quails too.