Java Colonial Cafe

Mmmmm «tahu tek tek» sooo good if you like thicker dark shrimp sauce and mix it wt spices serve with fried mini tofu, bean sproud, fried potatoes yeap. so hit it guyz…

Once you find it its Great!
It’s in the Wing Paht plaza at 1122 Washington St.
You have to actually go into the Hung Vuong supermarket, turning right before the cashiers. Its around the corner with sever other shops that have no outside entrance.
As other reviewers pointed out, its not fancy, but does have that family run atmosphere that makes owner operated ethnic restaurants a delightful authentic experience. The dishes were flavorful with a subtle uniqueness that distinguished it,
Good food — Reasonable prices — Casual attire
No credit cards, so bring cash

We stopped by for dinner, but they close at 8, so plan accordingly. Also, the restaurant is in the shopping plaza area, so it’s not the easiest place to find. I thought the place was okay, with nothing that set it apart from Sky Café or Indonesia Restaurant.

+ superb food.
im indonesian, and my family & i occasionally drive up here from DC to eat here. & i know lots of other indonesians do too.
satays/​sates and sotos here are famous.
service is not as fast as i’d like, but i know it takes time to marinate the food perfectly. indonesian food requires a lot of SPICES and that’s no surprise for delicious food…
— …just not the décor /​ambience /​location…

I love this place. It’s low on atmosphere but really high on good, flavorful, reasonably priced food. My favorite is the Beef Rendang (beef slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices). This isn’t on their menu, but they often have it so just ask. Also like the chicken tumeric soup. And the chicken satay. In fact, pretty much everything I’ve had there is really great. One warning — the food tends towards the spicy so be prepared! I’ve usually eaten there and the service is warm and welcoming, although the wait staff may struggle with their english. You’ll probably have to ask for the check at the end of the meal but they are usually quick about this. I’ve eaten there three times so far and will definitely go back for more… and more… and more.

Java Colonial Café is located inside the asian mall on Washington Ave in South Philadelphia. It’s an Indonesian Café similar to Hardena /​Waroeng Surabaya
Visited a while back and though the food was good, we ordered to-​go: Nasi Padang (Rice & beef with coconut sauce– 6.50) and some Sop Buntut (Oxtail soup– 8.00) Service was pretty fast, we ordered from the menu and the food was ready shortly thereafter. It’s A-​OK in my book.