"Batagor," like "brunch," is a portmanteau.
To paraphrase Humpty Dumpty (courtesy of Lewis Carroll): Like the luggage, there are multiple meanings packed up into one word. To unpack "breakfast" and "lunch" is child's play, but only speakers of Indonesian will easily untangle "bakso tahu goreng," "meatball tofu fried." In the case of batagor ($6.50), the protein is usually fish, combined with tapioca flour as well as tofu, so they're softer than, say, the Thai fish cakes called tod mun pla. More protein is packed into the dish via a hardboiled egg, gently fried like the batagor, and a heavy peanut sauce.
Also shown: two plates of nasi campur (at lunch, $6.50 each), "rice mixed," or perhaps we can say accessorized, with a variety of items. The first features beef rendang, slow-cooked with coconut milk and spices (and also shown in closeup); the second features ayam goreng rica, "traditional Indonesian fried chicken with spicy sauce." My dining buddy and I asked for dark meat, natch.
Mie Jakarta
86-20 Whitney Ave. (Broadway-43rd Ave.), Elmhurst, Queens
718-606-8025
Closed Wednesday
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