That $0.70 isn’t on discount or special occasion. That is the actual price of a noodle served with chicken and fried dumplings. As you can see from the queue, it’s pretty long and it doesn’t matter where you go, anywhere in Indonesia, the queue looks pretty much the same. This noodle shop has been a favorite ice breaker topic for me when I travel around because, who doesn’t know that noodle shop, unless they live under a rock. I often ask driver and ask them what makes the place to appealing and the answer varies. Some said because it’s cheap, another said because it suits local’s palette. The thing is, I never go to the noodle shop itself. I prefer to order it from the food app because again, the queue can get that long and there’s waiting time. So, coming to that shop, I was amazed of the price and wondered, “ How are they making profit?” I mean, it hasn’t been answered although I have hypothesis that they are essentially fast food chain except it’s more homemade Indonesian style. But there’s also another factor where they make profit from extra money as they priced it higher on the food app. Who knows?
Another thing that never fails to amaze me is that the noodles are delicious. It’s not like your regular Indonesian street food style noodle. It actually is pretty decent and similar to oil noodles. This noodle is also served with fried dumplings and chicken fillings with tiny chopped spring onions. I joked with my friend that I can literally live in this city for $3 a day eating at that noodle shop as it opens 24/7. My friend replied that I’d be at the hospital the next day. But really, if you can sustain yourself just by eating noodles, I am not kidding that you can live off around $3 /day and you can even get yourself a glass of ice with strawberries, peach, apple, milky and syrup for only $0.70 too. I would say though, that is the best meal combination and decent one that I could get for only $1.5. So far, the noodles from that place are the cheapest oil-noodles I’ve ever tried.
Food in this city is categorically cheap compared to many cities and provinces in Java. There are many local meals and delicacies under $1 that will get you through the day. It’s just the matter about your personal palate and your wallet too. For the locals, they certainly can live off these food but for an outsider like myself, I find it hard adjusting to the extra sweetness of everything in the city.