Oftentimes a warung with good food and a loyal following tends to fly under the radar. You will not find it inside a shopping mall, nor will it be in the form of a fancy restaurant. It may only be a small warung with limited seats on one corner of a main road or hidden behind a forest of trees. If you know how to reach it, you will be rewarded with a “culinary treasure” worth finding for.

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And that was exactly what I got when I popped around Warung Sate Solo Pak Agus. The majority of the locals call it Warung Tongseng Danau Pangkalan Jati because it is located right in front of the lake in Pangkalan Jati in Cinere, while some have dubbed it Tongseng Pura for its close proximity to Pura Amerta Jati. According to owner Pak Agus, he has run the place for about 19 years now. Four years ago, his warung was situated opposite Cinere Mall. He relocated his business to its current location following a mass eviction of the area.

In general, its customers comprise people who became regulars after they were brought here by a friend or relative. Due to its slightly secreted whereabouts, you might not notice it even as you pass by the place. However, this unassuming warung has managed to thrive amidst the emergence of many other similar shops in the area – a testimony to the quality of its menu.

I ordered a plate of Sate Ayam (chicken satay) and Tongseng Ayam (chicken stew in curry soup with vegetables) for that evening. Although not too big in size, the bowl was filled to the brim with the Tongseng. The aroma that emanated from the vapours that rose from the hot Tongseng soup was enticing. It was savoury and packed with spices that were not too zesty to the palate. Its Sate Ayam, however, was sublime. Its meat was thick without any trace of chicken skin or fat. You could also choose to have it with either peanut sauce or sweet soy sauce – or both. Uniquely, it is served not only with peanut sauce but also slices of cabbage and Acar (pickled vegetables).

Jl. Ulin Raya No.11,
Komp. TNI AL Pangkalan Jati, Cinere,
Depok, West Java
T: 0812 102 2118
Open daily from 11am-9pm
Rp40.000/US$3 per person