Classic Indonesian rendang is one of those dishes you don’t just eat—you experience. It’s not just food, it’s heritage. Rendang is a dry coconut curry, slow-cooked for hours, sometimes even days, until the meat is so tender it practically melts while the sauce clings to it like caramelized gold. Traditionally, it’s served on special occasions, but in Indonesia, you’ll see it proudly displayed in restaurants with tall stacks of plates in the window—an iconic sight, and yes, it all still follows health and food safety standards in its own beautifully organized chaos.

For me, rendang has always been something I’ve admired from afar. I’ve cooked it myself before—measuring out the spices, toasting the coconut, slowly coaxing out the flavors until the air itself smelled like a celebration. That in itself was pure joy. But there’s something different about seeking it out at the source, sitting down in a local restaurant where it’s made with generations of knowledge behind every bite.

So I walked in, ordered rendang, along with a couple of side dishes—because how could I resist?—and sat down with a cold Coca-Cola, the kind of pairing that feels so simple yet perfect in the heat of an Indonesian afternoon. The rendang arrived: tender beef cooked down in coconut milk, turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, and chilies, rich and glossy from hours of patient care. One bite and I understood why this dish is often listed among the greatest foods in the world. Sweet, spicy, smoky, and savory all at once—it was absolutely spectacular.

The side dishes only made it better. A spicy eggplant dish with just the right amount of heat balanced out the richness of the rendang, cutting through the intensity with freshness and bite. Every spoonful felt like its own small story.

I could eat rendang every day if I had the chance—though maybe my waistline would have a different opinion. Still, crossing it off my bucket list here, in its home country, made the experience even more meaningful. Rendang isn’t just something you eat and move on from—it’s something you savor, remember, and carry with you.