It's the first week of the exam fortnight, so the routine has been different. Despite not having any lectures, I've somehow not seemed to have much extra time. Preparation for a conference on Monday, preparation for the next half-semester, and attempts to do more Indonesian study have siphoned off a lot of hours.

But it has been a really good food week...

-- Checked out a new Prawirotaman venue when we met up with a friend on Monday evening. Kedai Kebun. They have some interesting murals, plus a rickety but cool and pleasant terrace. There's an extensive menu, from which we picked a light and tasty chicken and tofu salad for me, and a nicely different tempe concoction for Nigel.

-- We've discovered that a good way to make a supermarket shop more palatable is to call in for lunch at Just-Ai first. A nasi goreng and an avocado juice in their lush garden definitely makes traipsing the aisles a more mellow experience.

-- Our food court at work really serves up some pretty nice stuff. We're lucky. One of my favourites is the ayam bakar and kecap, which comes in a nice little foil package, and is served with nasi bakar and a great sambal.

-- Had lunch at a different warung on the way home one rainy lunch-time, and met the lovely family that own it. Granddad is 100 years old, and has an older brother who still rides a bicycle. Excellent nasi goreng (ticked all the boxes: spicy, plentiful, and cheap) so we'll definitely be back.

-- Tried a different breakfast venue this morning, and had mung bean porridge with black sticky rice. Archetypal comfort food -- warm, sweet, and filling.

-- And later today we had another great lunch at Omahe Mbok Giyem. I really like their menu, which is not extensive, but offers really interesting, different dishes. I had "nasi petir" (thunderbolt rice). This consisted of steamed rice surrounded by vegetables in a tangy sauce, and a cabbage leaf full of a spicy tempe and vege mix. Complementing all that were little egg rolls, raw vegetables, and kerupuk. A really great combination of tastes. Loved it. And to drink, es timun serut, which is an iced drink made of cucumber and lime. Hard to think of anything more refreshing.