Eating in the street is one of the most interesting experience in Indonesia. Let's talk about the kaki lima first. The words kaki lima mean five feet. It does not refer to the dimensions of the cart, but sumply to the dimensions of 'feet' it uses. The feet of the vendor count for two. Then there are the two wheels of the cart, which adds up to four feet and finally the cart's support, used when it stops, is the fifth foot. In the streets of Indonesian cities and towns you will have an unlimited choice of food offered through kaki lima. The quality varies and it is recommended to start your discovery tour only when your stomach has got accustomed to some extent to Indonesian food. In general it is good to eat at stalls where the food is prepared on the spot and to stay away, for the time being at least, from uncooked food, such as salads. Another suggestion is to try stalls where it is crowded. It indicates that many people are positve about the food there. When you observe the preparation process with some attention to detail, you may notice that most cooks use MSG (mono sodium glutamate) a white taste enhancing powder liberally. When consumed regularly MSG can cause cancer and even forms of addiction. You may want to tell the cook not to use MSG and to stick to salt instead. The traditional, Chinese remedy to neutralize the side effects of MSG to drink green tea. MSG is sold under names Aji-no-moto and Sasa, but an entire section. That indicates the popularity of the chemical. Passing the shelves, find yourself some green tea to drink at home, because the kaki lima will not have it.
Food vendors, either making their rounds through the neighborhoods, rich and poor, or selling their products through a warung make a significant contribution to the (informal) economy. The number of these food vendors increased sharply during the economic crisis in 1998 and onwards. Many office and factory workers who had become unemployed as a result of the many layoffs, initially were kept alive through their networks of relatives and, sometimes,close neighbors. But sooner or later they had to find an economic activity to sustain themselves, simply because Indonesia has no welfare system for the unemployed. Many opted to enter the informal sector selling food, drinks or snacks. In Indonesia there is never a lack of demand for tasty food and refreshing drinks and the overwhelming majority of food vendors managed to stay afloat economically. On the other hand many city officials opine that the sight of rows and rows of warung and kaki lima are a soar to eye. In several cities successful or not so successful attempts have been made to regulate or curtail the PKL (penjual kaki lima: ambulant vendors who use a push cart).
Most warung are straightforwardly simple constructions. They have a long table with two benches on either side, and are protected from the sun by a tarpaulin. One or two kerosene burners on the ground mark the cooking area. There will be a big wok on each stove. An alternative is for a stationary kaki lima to be the cooking area. When you have found a warung that seems to hvae an interesting menu, simply enter through the open and of the tarpaulin and find yourself a place at the long table. At some very popular warung you even run the chance of having to queue for a few minutes. Usually the menu is posted on one of the poles that support the tarpaulin. Make your order, wait for the meal and when it is served, enjoy it. There is alwayss a choice of salt, MSG, chilly and soy sauce available.
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