★★★★☆ This is a halal Indonesian restaurant serving a typical array of Indonesian food in a small commercial strip in the Asia neighborhood of Elmhurst. Indonesian food is a distinct cuisine, but is perhaps closest related to Thai (and of course Malaysian) cuisine. There are about 7 tables, seating 4-8 people each, and parties larger than 8 people would find this a bit too intimate. On-street parking can be tough to find and might requiring parking a few blocks away. The cars pack pretty tightly in this neighborhood, so you'll want to leave the 1988 Nissan 300ZX Turbo Shiro Special at home. This author tried the following; beef rendang ($4) -- a slightly dry, spicy cut of beef that's easy to shred and makes for a toothsome appetizer; excellent and a must-try sate ayam -- slices of barbecued boneless chicken in a sweetish peanut sauce; a classic Indonesian dish but pretty average here sate padang -- similar to the sate ayam, slices of barbecued beef in a sweetish peanut sauce; not quite as good as the sate ayam ayam rendang -- a tender bone-in chicken breast seasoned with a spicy, coconutty seasoning; can be ordered as a combo which is served with rice and bitter cassava leaves and a spicy "salsa" made from green peppers; very good overall Indonesian coffee -- an unfiltered hot sugary coffee mixed with what seems to be condensed milk; a delicious dessert in its own right Overall, Upi Jaya is very good and a great change of pace from the usual Middle Eastern/South Asian halal scene. Would definitely return to explore more of the menu. Posted on January 6, 2017