Taipei. Difficulty finding halal Indonesian food in Taiwan inspired Cilacap native Sri Purwanti to open her own restaurant in Taipei, a venture that has since grown into a business generating hundreds of millions of rupiah in monthly revenue.

Sri said the idea for Kedai Sri Rahayu emerged from her own experience after moving to Taiwan, where she struggled to find restaurants serving halal food.

As a Muslim, she saw an opportunity not only to meet her own needs but also to make Indonesian cuisine more accessible to fellow Indonesians living in Taiwan.

“It started because I am a Muslim myself, and when eating out, it was difficult to find halal food,” Sri said in Taipei on Sunday.

“I also wanted to make it easier for my friends to find Indonesian food wherever they go. When we miss Indonesian food, we know there is somewhere we can find it,” she added.

Over time, Kedai Sri Rahayu developed into a thriving culinary business.

Around 70% of the restaurant’s customers are Indonesians, including members of the diaspora and travelers, while the remaining 30% are customers from other countries.

Its signature dish is nasi liwet ayam serundeng, an Indonesian rice dish served with chicken and spiced toasted coconut.

“About 70% of our customers are Indonesians and 30% are from other countries. The most frequently ordered dish at the restaurant is nasi liwet ayam serundeng,” Sri said.

Sri also said Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) financial services have supported her business by making cross-border transactions easier while she operates abroad.

She said she has been a BRI customer for four years and began actively using its services in 2024.

“I’ve been a BRI customer for four years and started actively using the services in 2024,” Sri said.

Add as a preferred source on Google +