This sparkling-clean, bare-walled restaurant is filled with travellers out for a taste of local food, but who come back for Martin, the charismatic owner and self-appointed 'captain of the boat'. He'll colourfully explain the short, whiteboard-scrawled menu cooked by his wife as jazz plays in the background.
The ayam goreng (fried chicken) uses free-range village chickens, marinated, tenderised then fried. Empal is the Javanese answer to brisket – a hunk of tender, spiced fried beef. Both come with a mound of addictive serundeng (spiced, grated coconut) on top.