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Jakarta. During Ramadan, most restaurants in Jakarta are fond of offering Middle Eastern fare, like baba ghanoush, falafel, pita bread, tabouleh and baklava.

While this may be a welcome change, there are others who continually long for local dishes such as gado-gado (steamed vegetables with peanut sauce), nasi uduk (rice cooked with coconut milk) and pecel lele (deep-fried catfish) with the requisite heaping of sambal.

For a taste of Indonesian street food, JW Marriott Hotel in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, is providing a convenient, busker-free setting for breaking the fast. The five-star hotel has set up an all-you-can-eat, market-style buka puasa (breaking the fast) through Sept. 5.

But forget about waiters in black uniforms and bow ties. The atmosphere here is lively and casual. Some diners were even spotted eating nasi uduk and fried chicken with their hands in the traditional Indonesian fashion.

The hotel has recreated the market scene at its Meeting Center Terrace. There, one can find stalls with individual specialties that change on a daily basis.

There is also the option of al fresco dining, which is proving to be popular. To break my fast, I started with kolak, usually made of boiled bananas or sweet potatoes in palm sugar syrup, mixed with coconut milk and pandan leaves.

But instead of the usual coconut milk for its topping, I opted for durian sauce. The fragrance of the king of fruits dispersed and quickly flavored my meal, leaving a nice aftertaste.

After resting my stomach for a while, I ordered a half portion of nasi uduk with a slice of tofu and tempeh (fermented soybean cake), but did not have the fried chicken. The nasi uduk was savory, just the way it should be.

The presentation was also authentic with no unnecessary garnish.

Two of my friends who came with me to the fast-breaking were excited by the variety of street food on offer. “I’m tired of the creamy stuff usually associated with buka puasa,” one of my friends said. “This is what my Indonesian palate likes.”

Some dishes proved to be more popular than others. These included es buah (mixed fresh fruit with crushed ice and syrup), buah potong (sliced fruit stall) and the old-time favorite bakso (meatball soup).

Then there was gorengan. These flour-coated deep-fried snacks included banana, tofu, cassava, bakwan (fritters) and vegetables dipped in batter.

So if the Marriott is taking such great pains to recreate outdoor market-style dining, from the carts to the food to the tableware, what makes the experience special?

“It’s the togetherness with friends and family during Ramadan that you may not find every day,” said Yohanes Hutauruk, a marketing and communications officer at the hotel.

“Here, you can be yourself, eat the way you want. Most importantly, we feed you well. All our food here is MSG [monosodium glutamate] free. That is what makes us different.”