Multicultural LA offers a myriad of Southeast Asian cuisine. Thai food is by far the most popular with more than 1000 restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area. There is even Thai Town in West Hollywood with different eateries. The number of Indonesian themed restaurants in LA barely hits the 50 mark. Why is that?
Let’s look at some statistics: Indonesia is the 4th most populous country in the world with 273 million people and Thailand takes the 20th spot with 70 million people. In the US there are about 188,000 Indonesian people and 255,000 Thai people. The ratio of Indonesian people to Indonesian restaurants is low. There are barely 100+ Indonesian restaurants in the entire US, compared to 5.340+ Thai restaurants.
With approximately 6,000 populated islands and more than 300 ethnic groups, the food in Indonesia is extremely diverse, based on religion, region, culture and season. There is an infinite number of versions of home cooked indigenous dishes, with ethnic contributions of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Dutch, Portuguese, Arab, Muslim and Hindu etc. Popular is Javanese, Sumatran, Balinese. Compared to Thai, Indonesian cuisine is more complex, has stronger flavors, earthy, more fried, braised, heavy, spicy and served often at room temperature. Prominent ingredients are a large variety of herbs, use of similar local ingredients like citrus, coconut, palm sugar fermented fish/shrimp paste and sweet soy sauce.
Thai cuisine has 40 distinct ethnic groups with its own culture, varied by region; North, NorthEast and Southern. In the US Thai food has become the popular alternative to Chinese and is considered to be more domesticated to Western palates. Popular is the Bangkok-style cooking. Compared to Indonesian, Thai cuisine offers simpler flavors, showcases more clean, fresh herbs and flavors in heat levels, lighter curries, sweet salads and served from hot to cold – rarely room temperature. Prominent ingredients are fish sauce, coriander, lemon grass and coconut milk. Like Indonesian, Thai uses peanut sauce in recipes.
The main reason why Thai food is immensely popular in the US is due to Thai Government sponsorship aka Gastro diplomacy. The culinary campaign was launched in 2002. Thailand has intentionally bolstered the presence of Thai cuisine outside Thailand to increase its export and tourism revenues, as well as its prominence on the culture and diplomatic stages. In 2001, the Thai government established the Global Thai Restaurant Company, Ltd., in an effort to establish at least 3,000 Thai restaurants worldwide. Besides financial support in the form of loans, the government also arranged training for chefs.
Indonesia started their Gastro diplomacy campaign in 2012 where the Government acts as a consultant only. Despite that development, some Indonesian restaurants are struggling to survive and close their doors after being in business for a short while. Some of the older restaurants are closing because younger generations don’t often want to take over the business from their parents. Also some are failing to catch on with younger diners, who prefer fresher and more innovative foods.
In my view the following could help popularize Indonesian cuisine in the US:
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Attract Thai food lovers. There is crossover potential as Thai, like Indonesian cuisine, offers coconut based curries. Looking in the pantries of both cuisines we see a lot of shared ingredients: ginger, lemongrass, citrus, galangal, coconut products, basil, fish sauce/ shrimp paste, tamarind, sugar, chili paste hot & spicy, spice mix is a balance of acidity, sweet, aromatics and heat.
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Offer a top 10 menu of Indonesian specialties as part of the menu for the American market. Not a dumbed down version but more accessible, comprehensive and uniform. Not too intimidating or too complex. I would suggest: 1) Nasi Goreng, 2) Beef Rendang, 3) Mie Goreng, 4) Gado Gado, 5) Satay Ayam/Babi, 6) Soto Ayam, 7) Sayur Lodeh 8) Sambal Goreng Udang, 9) Siomay, 10) Nasi Uduk. Side order of Sambal, Acar and Krupuk.
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Get more support from Indonesian government or businesses – Gastro Diplomacy. Follow the Thai model; financial support, training for restauranteurs on how to best sell Indonesian fare.
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Explain the menu better in English. Offer a historical and cultural context of the dishes. For example, Americans associate satay with Thailand. Indonesia should reclaim the satay with peanut sauce which originates in Java and traveled up the peninsula to Thailand.
- Indonesian restauranteurs can learn from their Thai counterparts on how to be more business savvy and offer better service.
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Indonesians & the Indo Dutch people in the US should support each other. Unlike the Chinese-American people for example who eat out in Chinese restaurants, you do not see that many Indonesians eating out in Indonesian restaurants. Their response is often: Why pay when you can cook it at home better and cheaper?
- An excellent restaurant interior design can do a lot for the business: decor pieces and good lighting creates ambiance which is just as integral to the overall enjoyment.
Fortunately, new initiatives are brewing. Some contemporary restaurants have been in the spotlight, bringing flavors of Indonesia in a new style, for example Kasih in Los Angeles and WIN Grill and Gastrobar in Atlanta. Then there are local Pop-up restaurants like the Rijsttafel Club in LA. America is just waking up to the best kept secret in the culinary world.
©jeffkeasberry2020
