It had been my intention to (only) write about these soup noodles from the Ayam Penyet Ria outlet in NEX Shopping mall.
But then I looked at these pictures, and realized, I felt like writing about the ayam penyet as well.
See, in recent months I've grown a bit more familiar with Indonesian food.
Not to say that I know about it much- I've barely scratched the surface. I would say- but to the very least I think I'm no longer as unnerved as I once used to.
It grows on you, the cuisine, even if you're someone (like me) who doesn't take chili.
Maybe it's how wholesome they've made out the cuisine to be.
Maybe it's how heartwarming their food is too.
It's not just the dishes that they serve on their menus.
It's also not just the super spicy sambal.
It's just that their food is so full of ingredients, so full of flavor, so full of taste.
I had come here this early evening thinking I'd just have ayam penyet- the smashed fried chicken- that I always have whenever I go for Indonesian food.
But then the selection of soups caught my eye.
And right away I wanted to try.
Having to decide which soup I wanted to have wasn't easy.
There were four.
The Sop Buntut- an oxtail soup, the Soto Ayam- chicken soto soup with either vermicelli or yellow noodles that you could choose from, the Bakso Ria- a beefball soup with either bee hoon or yellow noodles, and the Sop Sayur Asam.
I had actually considered choosing the Sop Sayur Asam.
I love vegetables cooked in soup.
What's more, this one had tamarind which I'd always wanted to try.
But then this evening I was tired, hungry, and I wanted meat, so I chose the Soto Ayam instead.
So good it was, I tell you.
I really liked it.
Not only did it taste exactly like a mee soto, complete with hard boiled egg, shredded chicken, noodles, everything, there was just so much chicken, so much vermicelli inside this one cute little bowl that all through the meal, I kept wondering just from this bowl there'd be how much more.
It's one thing to have a meal that tastes good.
It's another thing altogether to have a meal that feels like there's more than enough, that it's never going to end.
I wanted that feeling.
I needed it.
There'll be more dishes that I'll love to try next time I come.
Maybe I'll take the ayam penyet.
After all, it's not as if I don't like it.
I mean, there's nothing to not like when it comes to smashed fried chicken, especially when the piece of chicken is big, when the meat inside is tender (not dry) and full of flavor with a nice piece of perfectly fried crispy skin outside.
Sometimes I wonder if it is the mains, or the sides I like better.
Their sides here are actually pretty good.
They've got a bit of stir-fried vegetable, they've got triangles of deep fried tofu, then there's a piece of tempeh, some cucumber, and a whole spoonful's worth of sambal.
I don't take the cucumber.
I also don't take the sambal.
The rest, I eat, and I like, especially the tempeh.
I'm pretty sure I'll be heading back to Ayam Penyet Ria again for some of their other dishes.
This time I want to try the Bakso Ria soup- the one with the huge beefballs.
I also want to try some of their sides, like the Bakwan Jagung- fried corn fritters, the Kulit Ayam Crispy- deep fried chicken skin, and the Perkedel- the fried potato bergedil.
Maybe I'll get to try their Kepiting Soka Telur Asin- the salted egg soft shell crab, the Sayap Penyet- fried chicken wings, and the Ikan Dory Telur Asin- the salted egg dory fillet.
And definitely I'll be going for their desserts!
Their Jus Alpukat Opa- Grandpa's homemade avocado juice, and the Es Cendol Oma- Grandma's homemade ice chendol. :)