The Soto Ayam I grew up eating — memory as a review

I grew up eating Soto Ayam and have strong opinions shaped by memory. The version here triggered that recognition in the first bite — the complex from slow-cooked rendang was right, coconut milk was handled the way it should be.

Indonesian cuisine spans over 17,000 islands with dramatically different regional traditions. Growing up it was always a Padang restaurant with displayed dishes, which shaped my reference point entirely. Bintang beer alongside it is the only way it makes sense to me. It's hard to be objective about food you have emotional history with, but objectively: this is very good.