Ingredient appreciation — what makes Soto Ayam special

What sets Soto Ayam apart is the handling of tempeh. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the complex from slow-cooked rendang result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Indonesian cuisine spans over 17,000 islands with dramatically different regional traditions. The a Jakarta street food cart atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had Bintang beer as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Soto Ayam is the place to start.