The whole package

Almost every Chinese-Indonesian restaurant has two separate menus: one for inside the restaurant, and one for take-away. Take-away is one of the things the Chinese-Indonesian restaurants are famous for, and often the case, the food is packaged in the recognizable white plastic containers, wrapped in paper. Our bami has a similar fate.

The Chinese-Indonesian cuisine is well-known for being relatively cheap and serving large portions. When you order a container of bami, expect it to be so full that it almost bursts. The white containers in which the take-away is served is not necessarily of spectacular design: the containers are simple and efficient, and most importantly, they can be put into the microwave.

Nevertheless, the containers have become one of the most recognizable aspects of Chinese-Indonesian take-away.[Cf] On top of your bami, expect to find an egg and a thin slice of ham. It is this look that the Dutch are all the most familiar with.