All You Can Eat for $1?! Kopi Klotok (Secang, Central Java, Indonesia)

All you can eat for $1? Am I serious? It's less than $1 actually (Rp.8,500 to be exact). In the small towns of Indonesia, such things are still possible.
If you've never heard of the town Secang in Central Java, you're not the only one. I never heard of it either until this trip and even now it will just be that town we had to drive through to get to my mom's hometown (Magelang) from Semarang (the closest airport unaffected by the erupting Merapi volcano).

None of us were hungry after lunch but when we were told about the AYCE for Rp.8,500 at Kopi Klotok that's supposed to be good, all of us said "why not?" Turns out they had quite a few of traditional Javanese items even I haven't tried before, like this Buntil, made with coconut, anchovies, green chili, wrapped and steamed in papaya leaf.

Kopi Klotok doesn't advertise it as an all you can eat, but with "order and get free unlimited seconds." Most of the traditional dishes are served at room temperature. At Kopi Klotok they were out in these weaves baskets and they cook and refill them as needed.

A large, intricate wood carving.

So what are all the other stuff inside the wooden baskets?
Gereh layur (fried salted fish) - not sure what type of fish is used here.

Lodeh. They actually had three different types of lodeh, one made with young jackfruit (lodeh kluwih), one with eggplant (lodeh terong), and one with green chili and tempe (lodeh tempe sambal ijo).

Sego Megono

Tahu Bacem (tofu marinated in palm sugar and coconut water, a traditional dish from Central Java)

This area of central Java is also home to many coffee plantations, so my uncle ordered a Kopi tubruk. Kopi tubruk is a traditional Indonesian-style coffee preparation where coarse coffee grounds are simply boiled in water (cane sugar optional). The coffee grounds then just settle at the bottom of the glass, and the drink is not filtered further.

Kopi tubruk is traditionally enjoyed with jadah, a deep fried snack made with sticky rice and coconut (not included in the all-you-can-eat, but I think this order was only about $0.60).

Bottom line? Even for Indonesians, this price can't be beat and the food was, impressively, great!
If for some unknown reason you're in the area, refrain from buying your next can of coke and drop a buck here instead.

Just an interesting note: You can browse some antique tools on display, too. These are some old-school irons. You can lift the top and put hot coals inside. They were very heavy (thank goodness for plastic).