HOdown Indonesia/Malaysia: Coco, Edison

Regional Dining Discussions New Jersey
1

Hey guys,

I was watching some Korean travel food shows and they were talking about how there was a best food in the world poll and Indonesia took the top two spots. It looks like they were referring to this: http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/readers-choice-worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-012321/

Unfortunately there seem to be zero Indonesian restaurants in NJ but Coco in Edison serves some Indonesian and both of the top two dishes, Nasi Goreng and Rendang. I’ve been here once before and really enjoyed it. Anyone interested in a Hodown here?

Enjoy some tasty looking pics here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/coco-malaysian-and-thai-cuisine-edison

2

You know I’m game to try it…

3

I make a fair beef rendang - easy if you know which seasoning blend to buy ;o)

I would also be up for a trip to Coco.

4

Us too!! The menu looks great.

Missy

5

If we go, we should get a lot of the Deep Fried Flounder - according to the online menu it’s free.

6

Schedule permitting, MIchelle and I are in.

7

I would like to propose a lunch (late or early) on Saturday Oct 15th.

The Mrs will be away and she doesn’t mind missing this one.

8

Penang on Old Post Rd also serves Malaysian/Indonesian.

Food is just kind of ok, and service is indifferent to non-existent.

And yet it is really busy…

9

By the way, it’s easy to do bad Indonesian but not so easy to do good Indonesian food at home.

It is really a cuisine that is dependent on fresh ingredients.

For example to make a good Rendang you need fresh coconut, fresh galangal root and fresh lemon grass.

While it has gotten a little easier with the Thai explosion, outside of California it is still really hard to readily find fresh.

And canned is just not the same.

10

By the way, somewhat surprisingly there is a lot of decent Indonesian food in the Netherlands, where the Riis Tafel is popular.

The Riis Tafel is a colonial adaptation of the Nasi Padang banquet, which is also hugely popular in Singapore.

11

Not too surprising when you consider that Indonesia used to be in the Dutch East Indies…

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12

We’d be interested, but we can’t make it until 12:30 (or even better, 1:00).

13

We agree on the history, but if I said I was leaving for Amsterdam tomorrow it’s not very likely the first thing that springs to mind is “Oh, great Indonesian food.” :wink:

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14

On the other hand I know a lot of people who would be interested in the “special” brownies. :hushed:

15

I have practically no knowledge of Malay/Indonesian food, and I’ve been to each of these restaurants exactly once. I had a much better time at Coco which is why I suggested it for the HOdown. Have you tried Coco? Or have any general recommendations?

16

I believe Oct 15 works for me!

17

Coco is cool.

You just touched off some memory cells on the topic of Indonesian food, which I love.

It’s so good.

18

I’ve only been at an actual Indonesian restaurant once. It was in France and I was absolutely wasted. The appetizers were amazing. But I got mad at my girlfriend and stormed out of the restaurant. Biggest mistake of my life, everyone was telling how amazing the entrees were.

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19

I also have a problem with filters, but you’ve probably deduced that already.

It usually starts with a brain fart, and then things just bounce around for a while.

20

October 15 works for us too. The Sprout won’t be home but that just means more fish eyeballs for Joon.

Missy

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