Kakilima (cart)
In a word: Bandung the run. (NOTE: This is the most awesome 'in a word' ever!)
The specs: #0540
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; mentions at Osmosis Online, Quomodocumque, Food Snob on Tuesday Nights, and 77 Square; no official web site, but: Facebook, Twitter.
Latest Kakilima news and reviews
JM ate the ayam bakar (barbecued chicken and peanut sauce).
Nichole ate the curry tofu special.
The bill was $12.75, or $6.38/person.
JM and Nichole gave Kakilima an A- (see our grading rubric).
Our second cart adventure met with success when we found Kakilima's natty green and brown cart right where it usually is, in front of St. Paul's on Library Mall. We grabbed and got going, unpacking and eating at an undisclosed location.
Nichole's curry tofu was about 3:2 tofu:vegetables, a mix of red and green bell peppers, onions, and a token mushroom here and there. Some toasted coconut on top added a textural contrast and a mellow coconut sauce tied it together.
JM's chicken smelled heavenly. There were big pieces of meat in a salty sauce that was strictly peanutty and not too sweet. The richness of the Indonesian flavors really shone through in each mostly tender bite.
Coke products were available at the cart, and a beverage is helpful since both of our dishes' sauces had been reduced to a near-paste. This is nice for slop-prevention on the run, but can feel dry after a few bites.
One word of advice - don't wait to dig in, as we did, since even a few minutes in a steamy container will mess with the crispness of the krupuk (shrimp-flavored puffs). The acar, a lightly pickled carrot and cucumber salad, was refreshing and brought smiles to our faces.
Not only one of the top two or three carts in town, but among the best options for lunch in the city. Note that this place gets crazy busy around 12, especially when students are in town. The wait can be excruciatingly long. The tofu with candlenut curry is a winner and don't forget to try his optional sauces in squeeze bottles by the forks and napkins.
Posted by: Timmy | May 23, 2010 at 08:40 PM
The add-on condiments are both great - the sweetish/soy thing in particular is fantastic - and go a long way to counteracting the paste-sauce experience you describe - though, to be fair, the dishes' sauces are thick even if eatern the moment you get 'em.
Love love LOVE Kakilima. Though don't wait too late in the day before going: the chicken in particular gets tougher by 1:30 or so...
Posted by: Kovalic | May 24, 2010 at 09:55 AM
I love the tofu in peanut sauce on mixed greens. I agree with Timmy that the line and wait can be unbearable if you go at peak times. If the line is too long, I generally get the mango rundown tofu at Jamerica.
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 24, 2010 at 11:16 AM