In Indonesia, there are Indomie specialty restaurants and small shops that cater to the tastes of starving college kids. restaurants like ‘warunk upnormal’ will be 24/7 or open super late, and they’ll put anything into any Indomie. It’s a tradition. I love it.

You can also order ‘Internet’ or ‘intersay’:

- Internet: TeluR-korNET (INdomie with Fried Egg and Corned Beef)
- INTERSAY which is Indomie-TeluR-SAYur (Indomie with Fried Egg and Vegetables)

(the same way ‘nasi goreng’ is ‘nasgor’)

This podcast episode talks about how Indonesia fell in love with Indomie: https://indepthcreative.com/podcasts/2020/11/12/making-of-a-national-food-culture

Largely because of food insecurity and the ‘threat’ of communism’: American foreign policy sent wheat exports but rice-eating Indonesia didn’t want any of it, someone took the instant noodle idea and added Indonesian spices and flavors, figured out distribution (huge in a country of 17 000 islands) and now we have delicious Indomie

S4 E1: Making of a National Food Culture (Part 1)

How did instant noodles become a staple food for Indonesians? How did Indomie become Indonesia’s most iconic brand?

^{Shawn Corrigan (In-depth Creative)}

Sometimes when I post these things, American foodies are surprised. Why do countries with amazing food cultures (like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan) also love instant noodles, junk food and fast food?

The answer is: instant noodles, junk food and fast food taste better outside America and are of better quality. I will legitimately fit in a McDonalds meal in between great street food in Malaysia. This is always surprising to Americans