Wendy B.
Yelp
The *only* reason I stumbled over this cute little Indonesian cafe was because I was looking for Southern style oxtail. Well, this ain't it, but I suppose you could at least say Indonesia is to the south of us, and they do have an abundance of their own version of soul. I have little to no knowledge of their cuisine, but we have never let that stop us. We hopped in our car without a second thought to the 60 miles we would be adding to our odometer.
Stanny and Sebastián, the owners, are a hard-working, soft-spoken, friendly couple who immigrated from Indonesia to this country to discover the American Dream. They both went to Cal State Long Beach, where they majored in subjects that have absolutely nothing to do with restaurants. But lucky for you and me (if you are curious enough to try Kedai), you will be glad they chose to do this instead. Their culinary talents amaze me.
Oxtail soup (Sop Buntut). Imagine a lovely big bowl of unadulterated, beefy broth with carrots, potato, green onion, and two huge oxtail bones full of meat cooked so perfectly that Grandpa wouldn't need his choppers put in. Perfect for fussy eaters, this is also well suited for a chilly winter evening. A bowl of steamed white rice accompanies this dish, as well as some tasty, super thin crackers (padi oat) they make fresh in-house. It's a delightful combination that I knew would guarantee Mr B's happy mindset.
Beef Rendang (Rendang Sapi). Outstanding and so flavorful, this is described as a curry dish. But this is not like spicy hot Indian curries we know. The rich brown gravy, made of coconut milk along with a complex (but not spicy) combination of herbs and spices, creates an exciting dish. On one side of my plate were tender beef chunks, and on the other side, bites of tofu, tempeh, and omelet, all dressed in the same gravy. I did not realize that I was not eating all meat at first. The plate included my choice of steamed coconut rice or turmeric rice. I chose the turmeric style, which turned out to be a delicious, yellow coconut rice, topped with crispy fried onions. I loved every bite! This is also served with a freshly fried shrimp cracker about the size of a mini tortilla. Sensational, all of it.
We also tried a crispy, stuffed potato ball called Kroket. It came hot out of the fryer with a small cup of a creamy, pink, tangy-sweet sauce that I have no idea what it was. Yum!
I could not keep my eyeballs from staring greedily at all the other savory and sweet desserts and delicacies in the glass showcases. These, too, are all created from scratch in their tiny kitchen. I have no doubt I will be returning to snack on some of these along with a good coffee drink from their coffee bar.
The menu is small but so varied and unique. Not at all your typical cafe. They even have a couple of fun breakfast items I will definitely need to look into further. Ube-Banana or Peanut-Hazelnut pancakes anyone? They also make a shaved ice treat called Cendol (pronounced chen-dal) made with coconut milk, condensed milk, jackfruit, and colorful pandan jelly that is similar to Thai and Filipino iced desserts.
What a find! And not so far from where I live that I can't indulge over and over. You really must try this!