I was in my final evening in Bandung before returning to Jakarta the next morning. I wanted to find a small authentic Indonesian restaurant where I can have my dinner. I walked out from my hotel and strolled on the streets, looking at the shops and eateries. Nothing special caught my eyes till I saw a billboard on the pavement.

The word Warung Cepot caught my eyes. It wasn’t just a billboard, in fact there were couple of them promoting this place. I looked at the exterior of the restaurant. It was a small wooden house with attap (covered with coconut leaves) roof. As you approached the entrance of the restaurant, you can see a cepot (puppet) like figurine that resembled a chef. Small fountains and wooden carvings will greet you as you enter the restaurant.

The interior of Warung Cepot is totally made of wood, brick and stones. Even the tables and chairs are made of traditional hard wood. It has the feel of an authentic Indonesian restaurant. The waiters’ uniform is that of a traditional Javanese costume. On display are cepots ( puppet) that are traditional Javanese; displayed with a backdrop of a beautiful batik cloth.

The food that is offered here is Sudanese food. By the way, Sunda is an ethnic group in Java. It is in fact the second largest ethnic group in Indonesia. If you are not sure what to order, you could looked at the menu or asked the waiter for a recommendation. However, take note that the waiters there do not speak good English.

I decided to order the followings: – Nasi Cepot, Tahu Korowot, Nasi Sangrai, Ice Cincau Hijau ( a sweet cold beverage) and Jus Alpukat (Avocado Juice). There are so many variety of food in the menu, which I love to try but I am not a big eater. The waiter gave us complimentary Indonesian crackers and tea to start off our dinner. The cracker is dry and crispy and if you liked to have more, just take more, it is on the table. The warm tea is light and warm, just similar to Jasmine tea. If you enjoy eating the crackers, you can order some as takeaways.

When the food arrived, it came in quite a generous portion. I loved the fried rice that was served together with eggs, vegetables and crackers. But the real highlight of the evening was the Tahu Korowot. It is basically bean cake that is stuffed with many delicious fillings. It is crispy (deep fried) on the exterior but soft and warm inside. You can taste the yam, mushrooms, prawns and vegetables – it is simply delicious. Dip it on the chilli sauce and it taste even more heavenly. Sundanese food unique feature is the use of spices and chilli or chilli sauces. However, don’t have idea that the food is hot and spicy, it is not. If you loved coffee, try some authentic Javanese coffee. It is not the same Java coffee that you get from Starbucks or Coffee Bean. It is THE original Javanese coffee.

It was an enjoyable dinner and I loved to come back to this restaurant if I am in Bandung again. The location of this restaurant is at 96, Jl. Pasir Kaliki, Bandung.

For more information and photos on Warung Cepot, Bandung and Indonesia, visit our website at – Indonesiapics.com