Taking the street for 'lesehan' dining

Taking the street for 'lesehan' dining

Once-fat wallets, crammed with crisp Rp 50,000 bills, a
string of credit cards and receipts from previous extravagant
dining experiences, have gone on an impromptu diet.

The leather has lost its luster and the sorry assortment of Rp
1,000 and Rp 5,000 notes contained within sees little daylight
these days.

Owners talk sorrowfully about the thin and gaunt appearance of
their former great shopping companion, wondering aloud where they
can find obat dompet, a cure for what ails their wallet.

Restaurants with expensive decor and equally unaffordable
cuisine -- not to mention those nebulous taxes that may cause you
and your pocketbook to flatline -- hold little attraction for
those strapped for cash.

Which is why we found ourselves sitting cross-legged outside
Bank PSP on Jl. Panglima Polim Raya in Blok M, eating lesehan
style.

In these tough times, Epicurus likes to think of this
Yogyakarta social mainstay as alfresco dining, with all the
colorful condiments of Jakarta's street life thrown in at no
extra cost.

The food is straight from the kitchens of Yogyakarta, or
rather made in an authentic representation right here, serving up
renowned nasi gudeg (rice and young jackfruit cooked in coconut
milk) and krecek (fatty beef skin) among its offerings.

And, yes, the es jeruk (iced orange juice) is made the
traditional Javanese way -- with about three dessert spoonfuls of
sugar.

Lesehan Gudeg "Jogja" has become somewhat of an institution
among the capital's musicians and pubgoers, who crave a midnight
snack or steaming cups of teh poci, served in a clay teapot, to
water down their alcohol intake.

Those who enjoy burning the candle at both ends swear that
this food stall makes the best sop buntut (oxtail soup) around.

Epicurus holds that the abundance of tomato, shallots and
pepper in this soup -- and there is still some meat on the bones
-- makes it close to unbeatable.

So what this humble eatery lacks in furnishings and decor, it
makes up for in atmosphere and character.

It is not unusual to share a mat with the members of
Rastafara, a well-known Jakarta reggae band, or occasionally
catch a glimpse of Gigi's members in matching black T-shirts.

When Epicurus once arrived unfashionably early, before 9 p.m.,
there was no one in sight.

But it did not take long before the culinary delights of this
sidewalk food stall -- staffed by four or five youngsters who
look no older than high school age -- arrived on board an old
Toyota hardtop.

Lesehan dining is synonymous with Yogyakarta and the city's
main drag, Jl. Malioboro, which comes alive with food stalls
after 9 p.m. after the souvenir vendors have packed up. Locals
sit around strumming on guitars and taking in the night life
until the wee hours.

For the uninitiated, the only rule is to remove all foot
apparel (forget any inhibitions about odor) before stepping onto
the plastic and bamboo mats which substitute for chairs.

And while Jakarta diners sip on one of the nine drink
selections or munch on their choice from the similar number of
food varieties, there is the additional draw of a cute, young lad
who will polish your shoes.

Occasionally a group of buskers who play traditional Javanese
songs or a man plucking the kecapi harp pass by, melding the
sights and sounds of Central Java.

Those who enjoy people-watching may still be a bit
disappointed. Patrons themselves can start to feel a bit like
exhibits in a museum when the passing traffic slows to a crawl,
and motorists tend to find you more interesting than the nodding
pooch on the dashboard.

At times, the pollution can be too much, hanging thick in the
air like satay smoke. And there will undoubtedly be those trying
to set a new urban speed record on their motorcycles.

But this outlet for lesehan embraces you like an extended
family; eat there just a few times and you already feel like a
regular.

And Epicurus doubts there are many places left in this
sprawling capital that still offer hearty helpings of food and
drink for about Rp 6,000 (don't even think about trying to
convert that to dollars). It all tastes good, and it is also
immensely kind to your beleaguered pocketbook.

-- Epicurus