Kitchenesia.com - There are few people who have a little worry about warteg foods and its dining place. Specifically, they have said, warteg foods are unhygenic to the point it is common to see flies hovering over the dishes. The dining room doesn't help, neither.
But let's be honest, everyone still goes there, anyway. Even some claim their bodies have built up something akin to immunity to dirty meals.
Besides its inexpensiveness, warteg offers hearty foods that provide a sense of nostalgia to big-city dwellers. Not to sound too dramatic, but for people who are far away from home, warteg foods can heal metropolitans' homesickness.
Luckily some warteg establishments have listened to customers' needs. Facilities like non-smoking room and air conditioners become common in many new warteg eshtablishments. They are also rebranded into more relevant to youth, with uberhip concept reflected on casual design.
Convenient wartegs are flourishing, especially in big cities, thus people start to label it as "modern warteg". Some even call it as fancy. But we are calling it modern warteg instead to stay neutral.
Enter, Mbok Ndoro, who joins the bandwagon of "modern warteg". Mbok Ndoro has piqued my interest for being the busiest restaurant among dozens of food tenants at M Bloc Space. What makes it special? We're about to find out.
Foods that make everyone fat, but we're hooray for that
I was a little bit startled when the Mbok Ndoro claimed to have chef. It also offers full-course meal (appetizer, main course, dessert), besides its buffet menu. It is as if Mbok Ndoro attempts to convey "you can eat warteg foods fancily". Whether the message is delivered or not, we are about to find out.
Kicking off is Telur Dadar Si Mbok, the best-seller appetizer in Mbok Ndoro. Yes, you heard it right, an appetizer.
Remember the time when you beat egg too enthusiasticly and deep-fry it on high temperature oil? The fried egg will separate on wok, and it becomes thin and curly. That's actually what this food look like, and how this food is cook.
It looks like a failed food, but given the fact that it is one of the best seller foods in Mbok Ndoro, it is really astonishing. I expected it to be greasy and ultra-salty but it turned out otherwise. This is a typical snack everyone orders online for bedtime snacking, light but fulfilling.
Next is a greasy plate consisted of a fried chicken, fried glass noodles, crackers, a bowl of rice with sprinkle of fried shallots on top, and the signature oseng mercon. Much about the side dishes are okay, but oseng mercon definitely shines the most.
Mbok Ndoro's oseng mercon is made of a generous amount of diced chicken, flavored with a powerful sambal. The sambal doesn't work for everyone for it is really spicy and greasy. But for spicy food addict, this food is definitely for you.
It has a subtle salty taste, but in a good way. Then my tongue feels sweetness and spiciness simultaneously as it is chewed more. It leaves a dry aftertaste to my throat. So many senses are awakening for eating one side dish only.
The meat is thick and juicy. Perhaps it is the only acceptable part for everyone.
I feel like my stomach is going to explode. But hey, who can avoid plentiful noodles with paprika slices on tops and a sunny side up on the plate?
This is called Mie letheg (stir-fried tapioca noodles). It looks earthy brown, presumably from sweet soy sauce also adding sweet taste to it. You might find Mbok Ndoro's mie lethek tasteless. That's a common reaction, though, from someone who never tried the origional mie lethek before.
Yes, it is just a plain old plate of noodles and fried egg, but at the same time it is also an orgasmic hit of julienned vegetables and crunchy fried shallot.
The one real satisfaction is dessert: refreshing squared sticky rice and liquid brown sugar generously poured on it.
The brilliant part of this ketan bubuk is grated fried soybean as the topping. I have seen sticky rice combined with coconut milk, fruits, or even beef floss. This is the first time I witness soybean on top of sticky rice. And surprisingly, they combine well.
There are plenty options of beverages at Mbok Ndoro, but es pink (left) and es tape (right) attract my attention for they look really pretty. There is one thing similar in both beverages: their flavors are not one-dimensional way. Es pink gets its sweetness from milk and syrup. It is a carbonated drink, thus there is a small tingling sensation in every sip.
Es Tape has a hint of sourness for it is made of tape (fermented cassava), but the sugar in it balances its sourness.
Convenient atmosphere that make everyone wants to stay longer
Mbok Ndoro boosts casual concept from the facade. Stepping inside, it combines casual rustic concept with traditional ornaments like wicker lamp and rattan seats. For maximum comfort, this two-story restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining rooms. Overall, Mbak Ndoro is a laid-back eatery and has sort of loungey atmosphere. It is as if eating mother's cooking in my own house.
Talking about the food, Mbok Ndoro is rather "playing safe". But it is still a good place to eat occasionally, not daily.
