A hidden Indonesian food paradise is found inside this N.J. market

New Jersey’s culinary landscape is enriched with flavors from all over the world, but there are only a few places home to authentic Indonesian food — a curious scarcity considering Indonesia is the fourth-most populated country on Earth (after China, India and the U.S.).

On the corner of Main Street and West Walnut Street in Metuchen you’ll find Dita’s Market, a family-owned business in Metuchen that opened in November 2022.

Not only does the store sell popular Indonesian grocery products but at the back of the shop you’ll find classic dishes from the Southeast Asian country.

Julia Wenur, the market’s manager and daughter of the owners, Nita Sumarauw and Denny Assa, told NJ Advance Media that it’s been a lifelong dream for her parents to own a store and restaurant.

“My mom’s passion has always been cooking. My grandmother owned a store back in Indonesia and she taught both my mom and aunt how to cook when they lived there,” said Wenur. “And when they came to America more than 30 years ago, she just brought that passion here.”

Indonesian cuisine is heavily influenced by other cultures like the Dutch, Chinese, Indian and Middle East. And while most countries only have single national dish, Indonesia has five – rendang (braised beef), soto (chicken soup), sate (Indonesian kebab), nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) and gado-gado (Indonesian salad with spicy peanut sauce). Common ingredients include fresh coconut, palm sugar lemongrass, lime leaves and a variety of spices, according to Wenur.

In the market, dishes are displayed buffet-style behind the counter with about six options offered daily. Guests can expect hearty entrees like rendang, sapi garo (spicy beef and potato) and ayam woku (spiced lemongrass chicken) while also having the option of ordering vegetable dishes such as tempe orek (stir-fried tempeh) and two other options that rotate daily.

A single whiff of these succulent dishes transported me right to Indonesia and had me hooked within the first few bites. Not only can you taste the homemade freshness but the smack of spicy from the sapi garo, savory and tender from the rendang and tempe orek plus the tangy ayam woku —an unforgettable sensation on the palate.

The flavor is elevated further with their assorted rices: nasi kuning (yellow turmeric rice), nasi pandan (pandan coconut rice) and nasi uduk (coconut rice) – subtlety complimenting the robust main dishes.

Customers can get any of these meals for a combination deal: a choice of rice with two entrees for $11.99 or a choice of rice with three sides for $13.99, which is a steal for what you’re getting both in quality and quantity. And if you have a passion for heat, grab a side of their fiery sambal ijo.

For the ultimate experience, I would opt in for the nasi campur, translating to mixed rice in Indonesian. Starting at $14, it’s a beautiful display of a choice of rice with three entrees and served on a banana leaf. Any additional entree is $2 to $3 extra.

But wait there’s more! Dita’s Market also offers goods for those with a sweet tooth. They sell an assortment of desserts but the ones that stuck out to me were their kue lumpur which is a kabocha and sweet potato mud cake and the klapertart, a coconut custard with raisins.

Sumarauw explained that all of the food she makes for the market are family recipes with roots from their home island of Manado, a capital city in the Northern Sulawesi province of Indonesia. Dita’s Market also maintains a huge catering menu.

Though the dine-in space is very limited, the family is hoping to expand to a bigger location soon with a primary focus on the restaurant aspect of the market.

Once that happens, I’ll be first in line.

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni and on Instagram. Find NJ.com on Facebook.