We are just 5 weeks from our departure for Indonesia. We will have 5 nights in Yogya, and are looking for recommendations for interesting places to eat, Indonesian food preferred. We are staying at the Phoenix.

I was hoping someone would respond as I'd like some suggestions as well! Restaurants in Jakarta and Bali -- Indonesian, Western, other Asian, and a mix of all three -- have improved dramatically in the past 5 years in ambiance and sophistication as well as in food, and I would think that the trend would eventually extend to Central Java. But. . .I'm still waiting.

Most of the restaurants recommended in on-line sites are actually Chinese or other Asian like Thai or Vietnamese, and although they can be quite good, they may not be what you're looking for.

Finding authentic Indonesian food -- especially authentic Javanese -- in a pleasant, not necessarily fancy, clean atmosphere remains a challenge. Open air pavilions in the rice paddies are also quite popular: high marks on atmosphere, soso on food.

If you familiarize yourself with the elements of Indonesian cooking you could at least take charge of the ordering in local restaurants. Often, Indonesians will recommend what they think we Westerners will like and we end up with a lot of deep fry and a lot of nasi goreng.

Local favorites like the intensely flavored soups and stews can be very, very good but it's hard to find a comfortable restaurant that's somewhere between a hotel coffee shop and a streetside warung.

Thanks for your words of wisdom, marmot. I'm hoping that someone who has been there recently will have a recommendation or two. You are right, I'm not really looking for Chinese or Thai.

Sad to say the best meal I had on my last trip was a tofu dish at a roadside stall on the highway from Borobodur to Magelang. Honorable mentions to an Italian restaurant in Solo (Solo Mio?) and a grotty Soto Madura stall on the main road between Prambanan and Yogya. As for Yogya itself, I don't remember one single restaurant, and I think I even ended up with fast food at Malioboro Mall more than once.

Kathie; We were so tired after 10 hours each day that a pizza from room service at the Hyatt (12USD) was great. If you are using Wiedy as your guide you can be very honest and direct with him and he will not lead you astray. We did have dinner just one night out at a clean "hole in the wall" right outside the Hyatt. The do a good job with fish. I forgot the name but as you come out the entrance it is immediately on your right. The Hyatt is 10-12 from the Phoenix and a taxi is $2.50-$3USD at the most.Tips not expected.

Thanks, Michael for your frank appraisal of the restaurant situation.

Stan, we are using Wiedy, I've been in correspondence with him for weeks and we have everything settled now. He was able to get us better prices on the Phoenix and the Majapahit, but not the Tugu.

I'll report back if we find any great eating places.

I hate to say it, but we had every dinner at the Phoenix. I do remember a roadside stall or two (or maybe it was a market vendor) for lunch...but the food at the hotel was pretty dang good.

...and I was slightly obsessed with Soto Ayam at the time and I remember the Phoenix made a killer bowl of it.

Sorry--wish I could be more help in this department.

Actually, it is very helpful to know that the food at the Phoenix is good. Thanks!

There is a nice place called Tiga Nona right across from The Phoenix. It was very good. And I believe we ate at the same place right outside the Hyatt that Stankase is talking about, although I don't remember it as being a hole in the wall - it was pleasant and large enough that my husband's company booked it for a big dinner meeting. Spicy and tasty.