Koko Bogana from Indonesia

Koko Bogana

Koko Bogana. Get a fresh perspective on your island. Koko Bogana may be small, and obscure, and miles away from the beating drums of the upscale bigwigs peddling authenticity in billions-of-rupiah designer houses. That said, it has fashioned itself into the ultimate world-in-one-package destination. The setting is serene enough to win over the most jaded of tastes — and those dainty mixed rice pouches wrapped in banana leaves: they miss nary a beat.

Nasi Bogana heads the list of 12, and it deserves its pride of place with its beautiful melding of marbled egg, sautéed chilli tempe, shredded gravy chicken, sweet shredded meat and coconut, chicken liver and gizzard in spicy sambal sauce and long bean stir-fry. But try the others too, for they are just as savoury, if not in some cases revelatory: the nasi Kulo, which is a bit like nasi Bali, with blanched raw vegetables topped with grated coconut and palm sugar, sun-dried meat, slices of lemon grass chicken, anchovy-topped peanut brittle, and chilli prawns and potatoes; or the really flavoursome nasi Rembang, which fuses red rice with sambal egg, crusty deep fried prawn satay, sautéed tempe and French beans, sun-dried meat, spicy shredded fish, green chilli sambal and sweet basil.

Koko Bogana is also a shrine to the oft-forgotten Javanese treasure that is the jajan pasar (market place sweets), listing 51 varieties with some Dutch staples thrown in. The two shaded tables in the patio are the cutest spots to dine, though the sound and sight of Pasar Santa traffic may not be your idea of respiring.  

Jl. Cipaku I no. 2
Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta Selatan

Indonesia
Tel. 720 3754

Price range: Around Rp 55,000 for 2 (with drinks)
(mixed rice pockets between Rp 12,500 and Rp 22,500;
jajan pasar between Rp 3,000 and Rp 15,000)
Operating hours: 09:00 – 18:00
Dress code: casual
Alcohol: N/A
Cash only
Reviewed: January 2008

Source: VIVAnews.com