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Krakatoa Indonesian Cuisine: Just Like Mom Made
Abe Moiz didn’t set out to become a restaurateur. The native of Lombok, an Indonesian island east of Bali, was longing for foods from home. In July 2014, he and partner John Anthony (below, left) opened up Krakatoa at the Yellow Green Farmers Market in Hollywood, serving traditional Indonesian dishes in a tranquil corner of the huge space. Moiz cooked from memory, working to recreate dishes like rendang sapi, slow-cooked spicy beef in savory sauce of coconut milk, garlic and kaffir lime. They picked up fresh produce from the market, brought in lime leaves from their home, and found Asian ingredients at Food Town in Davie.
“How could we get people to try Indonesian food? We didn’t want to Americanize it or create Indonesian fusion dishes,” recalls Anthony. “We passed out samples and did catering.” The strategy paid off. After cultivating a following at Yellow Green, they opened a second location – a full-fledged restaurant – in downtown Hollywood in October 2017.
Indonesian seasonings include garlic, candle nut, turmeric, coriander, galangal and cumin. In some recipes, like saif, they cook long and slow so they are absorbed in the sauce; other dishes, like sepat – grilled fish and shrimp – use fresh lime, candle nut, shallots and tomatoes in a bright sauce. For newcomers, the best dishes to try are the rendang, the sates – grilled skewers of lamb, chicken or shrimp served with a traditional peanut sauce – and the ayam geprek, spicy fried chicken with coriander and garlic served with spicy sambal sauce. Moiz and Anthony also recommend bala-bala, crispy vegetable fritters made with corn, garlic, celery, shallots and cabbage. For dessert, wingko babat is a pancake made with sticky rice flour and shredded coconut. “Most customers are open to trying something new,” says Anthony. “It tastes like homemade.”
Krakatoa Indonesian Cuisine
Downtown Hollywood: Wed.-Sun.; Yellow Green Farmers Market: Sat.-Sun.
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