Oh how I miss them! And I’m not talking about the regular hot dog stand, or hamburger stand, or even falafel stand, though we do have them as well, but I’m talking about hundreds or more types of food that are being sold in every corner of the city of Jakarta around the clock! (yes,  you read right, most of these street food vendors adopt similar business operating time as 7-Eleven)

Chicken satay, noodles, dim sums, fried rice, omelet, soups, traditional food, international food, you name it, they will have it! On top of that, some of these vendors even travel around residential areas, so if you feel a bit peckish in the middle of the night, all you need to do is listen… and wait for that distinctive sound of wood knocking that most of these vendors use to advertise their products and services.

Once you decide which food vendor you opt for your meal, you can give your order straight away to the chef/cook/cashier/cart-pusher (the business is a one-man-show, mind you), and wait while your food is being prepared and cooked. When it’s ready, be prepared to taste the flavour of home-made-like food, freshly made from the (mobile) kitchen of the street vendor.