Indonesian Food Adventure

I'm happy I was able to fit another food adventure early on this week, just before the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I stopped by Upi Jaya in Woodside (Queens) to taste some Indonesian food.  I had Indonesian/South East Asian fusion food about a year ago at Kuta Satay House in the Lower East Side, but I heard that Upi Jaya serves strictly authentic Indonesian so I wanted to check it out.

Mixture of Satays at Kuta Satay House

Sate Ayam at Upi Jaya

I started off with the Sate Ayam, barbecue chicken skewers marinated in a peanut sauce.  Sate originated in Indonesia although now they are a common food in many South East Asian countries.  Sate is the preparation of meat on a stick cooked by grilling, also called Satay in other countries.  These sates had thick pieces of chicken breast on the skewers and were covered in peanut sauce; the meat itself didn't have much flavor, all the flavor was in the sauce covering the skewers.

Gado Gado at Upi Jaya

For the entree I had the Gado Gado, an Indonesian dish of steamed vegetables covered with Indonesia style crackers (Krupuk).  This was an interesting dish, the veggies were very soggy in the peanut sauce.  I really couldn't distinguish them, once I ate the green beans and the bean sprouts everything else just seemed to be a mystery.  Okay so this wasn't as yummy as I would've like but at least I tried it. 

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you get to celebrate with loved ones.  Let's all take time to be thankful for everything we have.  Until next time, Buen Provecho!

Upi Jaya
76-04 Woodside Avenue
Elmhurst, NY 11373
Phone: 718.458.1807
Closest Subway Stop: Jackson Heights (E, F, M, R), 74th Street/Broadway (7)

Kuta Satay House
65 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212.777.5882
Closest Subway Stop: Delancey Street/Essex Street (F, J, M, Z)