Bandung Bargun

I love Bandung. Despite its strip mall location, stepping through the door is like a quick trip to Amsterdam. Despite being Madison’s only Indonesian restaurant, the food is always fresh and way out shines much of the genre, too often heavy on meat and over cooked.

For 5 bucks, tax included, they are featuring a pad Thai dinner special with you choice of tofu, chicken or beef ($2 more for shrimp). I always opt for the tofu since it more traditional. Bandung's preparation of the classic rice noodle dish is a little sweeter than the Thai version—more like a barbecue sauce. For $1 extra you can add an order (2) lumpia, Indonesian-style egg rolls.

There are some restrictions. This special price (a $4.95 savings) is only available on Thursday and you need to preorder by 2 p.m. that day—either call 255-6910 or email bandungrestaurant@gmail.com. Cash or check only and pick-up or delivery between 5 and 6 p.m. I can live with that.

RESTAURANT UPDATE

Yet another Indian restaurant is opening on the square: Flavors of India (on Mifflin near State). Plaka (410 E. Wilson St., formerly Cleveland’s Diner) FINALLY opens tomorrow (July 22) for breakfast and lunch. It will be another few weeks before they start serving dinner. Great Deal: Woofs (114 King Street) Monday thru Friday Happy Hour… sit outside and enjoy full-size, half-price drinks from 4 to 7 p.m. Another real deal is Madison Magazine Restaurant Week which begins this Sunday, July 27. If you’ve never participated in a past Restaurant Week, you’ve definitely missed some great menus at ridiculously low prices. More info about this even can be found here.