Vendors of "meals on wheels" can be found everywhere, although different food is sold at different times of the day. For very fast food, try the fried rice (nasi goreng), fried noodles (mie goreng) or anything that catches your eye. Cooked in front of you, the meals are generally palatable but, if not, at a maximum of c.Rp.5,000 you haven't lost anything except, possibly, your taste buds. Hint: if you don't like your food drowned in chilli sauce (sambal), just say Tidak pedas.

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This street and the alleys off Jalan Jaksa are Jakarta's backpackerland. There is plenty of choices and the best thing to do is to walk up and down checking out what's on offer. Should be able to get a clean, if basic, room for less than £7.

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Foods to look out for are sate (meat skewers), nasi goring istimewa (special fried rice - with chicken and prawns) and martabak telur (stuffed savoury pancakes). The greatest risk to one's stomach is from the drinks, ice and uncooked vegetables so newcomers should probably avoid these. Most stalls serve bottled or canned drinks. £1.50 is an expensive feed.

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