“Here you go, sir, your soda,” the waiter flashed a wide smile as he slid half a normal glass of lemon soda to the corner of the table. I, who had been watching a tax tutorial on YouTube, took off my earphones and delivered my go-to line, “Thank you, man, hehe.”
Right before my eyes, a vast expanse of teak forest stretched out, from the banks of the Progo River all the way to the edge of the ocean. This view would actually be far more stunning during the dry season, with its promise of blue skies. Unfortunately, I came to this café in February of all times, just to burn off the last of my remaining leave days.
Oh right, this place is called Acala — a simple burger joint nestled in the middle of the wilderness, right beside a gaping ravine. This restaurant is so remote that the waiter offered the WiFi password before the menu. And so remote, in fact, that without the ‘Acala’ signs along the road, I wouldn’t have been sure I was heading to the right place. Well, except to have some fun before “suffering” for the next 30 days.
***
“Here’s your order, sir — a Fatty Burger with wedges,” this time I had to move my tablet to the chair. Understandable, really — even though this was technically a day off, I was still trying to stay productive rather than sitting idle at my destination.
Now, there sat a glass of lemon soda and a tray holding a burger with a thick double patty cradling a fried egg. I deliberately ordered the biggest item on the menu since I hadn’t had breakfast yet. As a near-consistent intermittent fasting devotee who stops eating at 8 PM and picks back up at noon the next day, I’ve actually dropped 10 kg since I stopped commuting in Jakarta. I went with a burger simply because I was tired of rice — at least for now. And Acala, which had suddenly popped up in my Google Maps recommendations, became the destination.
But I had to focus on Coretax — the common preoccupation of the working class at the tail end of February. Even though the government hadn’t helped my finances one bit last year, leaving me unemployed for 4 months with zero income, I still tried to dutifully report my personal finances to this state full of bandits.
Back to the burger, sliced open with a knife — its taste was beyond doubt. This time, the visuals matched the flavor. The incredibly juicy, densely textured patty made for a somewhat messy lunch. Eating with both hands gripping the super soft bun sent meat juices dripping, savory goodness running between my fingers, alongside the slice cheese that had already melted. Every few bites, the tissue neatly wrapped around the cutlery had to be ready to clean up the mess I was making. Understandable, since I generally avoid UPF, but I’m still tolerant of it a few times a month. Burgers are something I rarely eat.
Every so often, the salad at the very bottom layer slipped onto the tray. Fresh and incredibly crisp. The sautéed onions on top were fragrant and aromatic. Every few bites, I dipped the burger — especially the patty — into the sauce that was probably meant for the wedges. Oh, but that’s what made the after taste of this burger linger in my throat, under my tongue, even hours after eating at Acala.
The lemon soda wrapped up that lunch. They really are a perfect pairing by Western standards: a burger with a super smoky patty, paired with a fizzy drink with every sip. There were actually a few coffee options available here, but unfortunately… “We’re out of beans, sir, hehe. It was really busy yesterday so we haven’t restocked yet.”
***
Well, it looks like I’ll be coming back to this ravine-side café. With a different agenda, of course, and not bogged down by taxes and all their tedious details.
