Java: Indonesian Mart, Buford Highway Grocery Shop
Buford Highway is a culture of its own; an epitome of Atlanta’s melting pot. With that reference in mind, it’s a better way of understanding the island culture of Indonesia, which is located south of Thailand and north of Australia. Rooted from different cultures and colonization, Indonesian cuisine has a similar style to that of Malaysian tradition.
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Buford
Highway is a culture of its own; an epitome of
Atlanta’s melting pot. With that reference in mind,
it’s a better way of understanding the island culture of
Indonesia, which is located south of Thailand and north of Australia.
Rooted from different cultures and colonization, Indonesian
cuisine has a similar style to that of Malaysian tradition.
Java's Store Front.
Those of you who have already tried Malay and Indonesian
cuisine have surely already fallen in love with it.
Java is an authentic Atlanta-based mom and pop mart that
moved from its old Clairmont location to its new location closer to
Shallowford and Chamblee Tucker. And with it, loyal
Indonesian clientele have followed along with it.
1 X Marks The Spot.
Bali is probably the most prominent tourist location in
Indonesia and its waters have been described as the waters of Heavenly
descent for its glistening beauty. Memories of summers in
Jakarta as a child brings up memories of street vendors trolling around
with smoke carrying the rich aromas from seasoned corns and various
skewered meat; you can smell the scent from streets away as your taste
buds begin to salivate.
Just Add Water and It'll Take You Right to Bali.
On weekends, a friend of the owner cooks home-style
Indonesian classics that are popular among street vendors of Indonesia.
Rissole originates from French culture and transformed into
an Indonesian treat as it is similar to a potato croquette, covered in
breadcrumbs and deep fried to perfection. Holding various
savory treats inside such as minced meats to vegetables, it has this
wonderful contrast of texture from the crunchy batter on the outside to
the creamy starch of the potatoes and the rich filling within.
Fresh, Daily, and Homemade, A Perfect Trio.A special dessert is the Martabak which is kind of like a
crepe with a pancake texture. As the dough starts to form on
the fryer, you add some hazelnut chips which melts into the creamy body
of these delicious crepes, then you add cheddar cheese to the
chocolate, and finish it off with toasted, chopped peanuts.
When you fold the crepe over, the heat from its special
batter fuses all the ingredients together resulting in a decadent
combination of rich chocolate, a sharp bite from the cheddar, and a
delicious crunch from the nuts.
There
Can Never Be Enough Indomie.The old location had meals in to go containers that showcase
classic Indonesian rice dishes. But the great thing about the
new location is that the owner has expanded next door to include a
cafeteria-style layout Indonesian restaurant, which makes the food
extra fresh.
Canned
Goods Your Local Grocery Just Wont Have.Now most of us remember instant noodles as the meal to go to
while we were in college, but that’s because you
haven’t tried Indomie, the world’s largest
distributer of instant noodles. The various flavors are
genuinely Indonesian. Mi Goreng is the traditional flavor.
Mi means “Noodle” and Goreng means
“Fried,” thus the texture has a slight crisp about
it, and it has this aroma of soy sauce and sweet tang about it.
More
like Half Chip Half Cracker.A few favorites are the Satay and Rendang flavors.
The Satay is like the chicken satay you might have tried at
your local Thai restaurant with that addictive peanut butter sauce.
This flavor of instant noodles has an undertone of smokiness
and barbecue flavor to it, while the Rendang is more like a caramelized
curried beef scent. Try them all and try to determine which
your favorite is.
Indonesians like to dress up their instant noodles.
The best way to prepare this type of instant noodle is to
boil the noodles and strain. While it is still hot, put into
your serving bowl. The heat of the noodles will melt the
bumbu (powder) and chili or cabe (spice) packets that is included.
Pour the special flavor of your package, which is the one
that is not the black sauce in the middle (the Kecap Manis: Sweet
Ketchup). Mix it well, and then add the Kecap Manis (the
black sauce). Mix once more, and then add hard boiled eggs or
fried eggs to your noodles, and then top it with fried onions.
The
Perfect Indomie Classic.
Kecap
Manis an Indonesian Twist on Ketchup.
A
Challenge to Any Master Mixologist.
Easy
Classic Seasonings From All Over Southern Asian Cuisines.
Delicious,
Authentic Indonesian Pastry Desserts.If you make the yolk a little runny, the running yolk will
add a rich creaminess to the starch your noodles, and the lightly
salted fried onions adds a nice, subtle finishing crunch.
Kecap Manis is a staple item in Indonesian cooking.
Literally translated as “Ketchup Sweet,”
it has a similar resemblance to ketchup in its consistency, but is more
like syrup and relates more to a sweet soy sauce then ketchup.
Remember, a little goes a long way when it comes to Kecap
Manis!
In addition to authentic condiments that are difficult to
find in even the largest of Asian marts, they house many different
types of flavorings and spices called Bumbu (powder) boxes.
From Tom Yum flavorings to Balinese Fried Chicken packets,
it’s a simple and easy way to transform the most basic of
grocery ingredients to a remarkable meal.
For dessert, pick up some tropical canned fruits such as
jack fruit or young coconuts. Or try the different syrups
that they exhibit. These fruits are probably none you have
ever heard of, but their simplicity to utilize is astounding.
You can just put a few tablespoons of the syrup into ice cold
water and make yourself the perfect tropical summer beverage or use
them to flavor shaved ice or Granitas topped with various island fruits.
So next time you’re on Buford Highway, stop by
Java and take the island of Bali home with you.
Address: Java Indonesian Foodmart
5090 Buford Hwy
Ste 111
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 216-8616
Address: Java Indonesian Foodmart
5090 Buford Hwy
Ste 111
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 216-8616
Sam Gabel is a published author for Alyson Publishing’s anthology series, 2008, and achieved second place in AtalentScout National Screenwriting Competition, 2003. Preferring to write short stories, he is the winner the Pomegranate Words Short Story Contest, 2001. He currently lives in Atlanta.
