Pairing Rendang correctly — a note on Bintang beer

Most people overlook how much the right drink changes Rendang. I ordered it with Bintang beer and the complex from slow-cooked rendang elements of the dish sharpened considerably against the pairing. tempeh in particular became more prominent in a good way.

Indonesian cuisine spans over 17,000 islands with dramatically different regional traditions. The a Jakarta street food cart is where you learn these pairings — they evolved together. If you've been having Rendang with the wrong drink, try it correctly once. It's a genuinely different experience. The restaurant deserves credit for getting this right.