Thanks to Mama’s Drive-By Kitchen, I got to try two dishes from Rosemead’s Medan Kitchen without leaving West LA. But now that I’ve gotten a taste of what this new Indonesian spot is cooking up, I plan to get over to the SGV to try more of the menu as soon as possible. Both the nasi bungkus and nasi padang came wrapped in a banana leaf satchel, which insulates the fragrant brick of protein-loaded rice inside. If I had to pick, I’d prioritize the bungkus, with turmeric rice, tender beef rendang, boiled egg, fried chicken, and spicy potato with anchovy and peanuts. The dish is sweet, salty, crunchy, and most importantly, funky, and I don’t understand why any engaged couple in their right mind wouldn’t add this banana leaf-wrapped present to their wedding registry.

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