Blok M Express

380 Little Bourke St., Melbourne, VIC 3000

Looking for an Indonesian place in the shopping precinct of Swanston Street, Elizabeth Street and Bourke Street is not easy. There are not many, but in amongst all the Malaysian, Chinese, Cantonese, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants are 2 Indonesian place. One is Nelayan which is easy to find on Swanston Street. The other is Blok M Express which is on the way to Hardware Lane, and easily forgotten. However, it has a pretty good rating on Urbanspoon and definitely worth a look for lunch or early dinner.

The Place
It's a pretty squeezy set up because of the way they have set out the tables and chairs. There's not a lot of room to move and it can get uncomfortable when there's a crowd. However, the new layout with the counter in the back has alleviated some of this problem - though they continue to keep the diners very close to each other. It is also a rather tired place and needs a good clean, I think. It's not a great place for kids because of the layout, and parking in Little Bourke - good luck with that. It is however, a good place for a quick lunch.

Things to do Nearby: You are in the middle of the shopping area of the CBD - heaps to do.

The Food
So, this is where they shine. Most of their dishes are really quite good. Firstly, for an Indonesian place - the food here is not very chilli hot. For lovers of really spicy food, you might be a bit disappointed. For those of us who do like chilli but not at crazy levels, this is pretty good.

If you are vegetarian, I think you might struggle here a bit beyond your basic gado gado, tofu and tempe.

The highlights for me here include:
The twin soups, Soto Ayam (Chicken soup) and Sup Buntut (Oxtail Soup - pictured right) which are clear soups, with similar bases. They do tend to be slightly greasy because that's how these soups are but if you like a tiny bit of spice in your soup, shallots and spring onions, these are must tries.  Sometimes, the oxtail here is a bit oily but that's oxtail for you. They also do a Fried Oxtail dish which is really yummy for oxtail lovers.Note the lack of vegetables - it's pretty much garnish, won't you say?

They also do good whole barbequed  fish (either bakar or belado). Bakar is just plain barbequed fish while Belado comes with a slather of chilli sambal sauce which is rather spicy, savoury and a bit sweet. Good balance of flavours there. They also have Ayam Rica-Rica, a great Indonesian chilli sauce slathered chicken which I haven't tried yet but will do so in the next visit (and update here).

I am not a fan of the satays here primarily because I am not a fan of Indonesian styled satays with their peanut sauce poured over the satay sticks and also a good dollop of ketchup manis (sweet sauce) - just not my thing, but you might like it.

Cute right? It's based on the 3-wheeled taxies in Jakarta - Bajaj

The Service
They are always friendly, though the food doesn't usually come out at the same time for each table. I wish they could get that right. With the change in layout - counter at the back - newbies might not know what to do. Generally, you should just walk up to the counter and grab a menu, and order there. If you are not sure what you want and need to peruse the menu for a while, you'd also want to claim a table (if it's crowded) while deciding on your dishes.

Overall
Whenever I feel like Indonesian in the Bourke Street Mall area - and not the bainmarie type food, I'd go to Blok M. It's pretty good and usually reliable. The only thing that turns me off is when it gets really crowded, then I don't really want to be there because of the seating configuration.

Cultural Moment
Blok M is supposed to be a hip and happening place in the business and shopping area in Jakarta. It's also where there is both general and dodgy nightlife. From the research I have done - it's supposed to be the place to be especially during the day but traffic is really bad. I haven't been there yet but will be there in November - I promise to update this when I have done that :)... so - watch this space.

Minang Nasi Padang (Indonesian Restaurant)

Pelham St And Swanston St, Carlton,VIC 3053

This is a tiny Indonesian cafe that serves Nasi Padang, which is basically rice and a variety of Indonesian dishes from the bain-marie. This is the traditional way for serving nasi padang (which will be discussed in detail in the cultural moment section). However, Minang's offerings are relatively humble in that there's usually only about 8 - 10 choices of dishes whereas some places in Southeast Asia can have up to 25 choices. Not surprising as it's likely more popular in that region than in Melbourne. This restaurant started operations on Swanston Street (across from Nelayan, which was their main competitor) but never attracted much of a crowd. This seems to have changed since they moved to their current location, even though they now have Norsiah's Kitchen as their competitor around the corner. Admittedly, Norsiah serves quite a different style of food to Nelayan, which was more similar to Minang's - perhaps, that's why they have both successfully carved out their own territory and clientale.

The Place
This place is tiny and really squishy. It's an eat and run space or many choose the takeaway option. It's also not particularly comfortable here and other than keeping the place clean, there's not much further effort in maintaining an atmosphere for diners. Sometimes, small groups of students would dine here and have a chat but most people just leave as quickly as they come.

Things to do Nearby: This is very close to Lygon Street.

The Food
The food here is relatively yummy depending on what you choose. One thing I have to say. The food is authentic and it's what you would expect from good nasi padang cafes. However, that doesn't mean that the dishes would suit everyone. They always rotate their dishes unlike some of the other places that serve food from the bainmarie in the CBD. There's always variety and some days, you might find there are a number of dishes you want to try while other days, you might not be so sure.

The meals are usually $6.50 for three choices from the bainmarie on top of rice. It's pretty simple and basic. Yes, the serves are not big but it's $6.50. Very few places charge that sort of price.

On this day - none of the vegetables appealed to me

They will always have a range of curries, proteins, stirfry vegetables, something deep dried, and nuts! I love their roasted peanuts.

The Service
The service is unfailingly friendly and basic. They serve you food from the bain-marie, you pay and that's it. However, it is always very pleasing as they are always very friendly, and happy to explain what the dishes are. Also, given the limited seating, they are very good at clearing up very quickly after diners have left, so it's usually pretty clean.

Overall
If I am looking for a quick meal by myself, this is the perfect place. The servings are usually a bit small  but enough if I am not looking for too heavy a meal in the middle of the day.
Cultural Moment
Nasi Padang refers to the West Sumatran Indonesian cuisine. In fact, Padang is the capital of West Sumatra. This traces to the cuisine of the Minangkabau people of the region, influenced by Indian and Middle Eastern elements. Interestingly, even though they have come under Dutch administration for a number of years, this does not seem to have had a huge impact on their cuisine.

In terms of the food itself, there's quite a bit of coconut milk. Stur fries, and deep fried dishes are common. One of my impressions of this cuisine is that a lot of the dishes come in hues of orange, yellow and red - representing chillies and spices like tumeric, but also ginger and galangal.

Bali Bagus

85 Franklin St, Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://www.facebook.com/balibagus.onfranklin
This is cheaper Balinese food compared to the famous Warung Agus and Wantilan Bali. However, it's not just Balinese food despite the name - there's a fare whack of other Indonesian offerings on the menu. So, to begin with, this is a cafe - not a restaurant, and a bit of a student hangout. It's really good value for money and there's a good variety of dishes, so there's likely to be something for everyone. You basically order your food at the counter, and they bring it out to you. Grab your utensils and water and then wait for the food to come to you. It's also listed as a Halal restaurant though it does serve Bintang Beer.

The Place

This is a cafe with some nods of Balinese art work but it really is still just an eating hall with not a lot of atmosphere unless at lunch time, when there are lots of students around creating the buzz. It is relatively clean but there's nothing to write ome about. What I do like about it is that they don't try to squish the diners together and there's plenty of space here, even for big prams. Parking really depends on the day of the week but it can be a bit of a challenge on Franklin Street with shoppers and visitors to Queen Vic Market.

Things to do Nearby: Queen Vic Market is pretty close by (5 minute walk) and Melbourne Central is 7 minutes in the other direction.

The Food

There's a range of dishes here that's very appealing for those who like Indonesian spices. It's not a place that serves really hot chilli dishes but rely on a balance of spices and sauces. Like many Indonesian places, they do like their food to be a bit on the sweet side. So, even the spiced dishes have a level of sweetness to it.

The highlights for me have included the Iga Konro Bakar (Grilled Beef Ribs with Peanut Sauce, pictured above) is just beautiful (even though it comes with absolutely no veges). If you are into ribs, you need to try this but it's strictly and unapologetically carnivorous. The really basic but aromatic beef soup is also really tasty if you like that style of plain soups. Some people might like the satay sauce to be a bit crunchier but in this case, the smooth sauce works very well.



Fried Bakso as a side - 'surimi' meat balls - not pretty - and not that great

They also do good Stewed Sweet Beef Rendang, not as savoury and spicy like what I am used to but is certainly yummy to have as well with rice. I have also had the Mie Goreng Bali here which is pretty nice and reminds me of the ones served on the beaches of Legian in Bali (only twice the size).

Sambal Goreng Udang (Stirfried Prawns with Chilli Sauce)

Ayam Goreng Bumbu Bali (Fried Chicken with Balinese Sauce - a bit sweet for me)

So, in short, they do serve a range of Javanese and Balinese dishes including various 'Penyet' dishes. Penyet basically refers to 'flattened' and grilled proteins, very popular in parts of Indonesia.

The Service

Friendly counter service, supported by a quick efficient kitchen, that just gets the orders right. They keep the place clean and serve the food but don't really engage with diners. So, don't expect too much conversation. They tend to leave you to it.

Overall

What a great place for a quick value meal with a difference. Many of the dishes are under $10. There's really not a lot to complain about. Don't expect the restaurant quality food of the upmarket Balinese restaurants but expect hawker style Indonesian food and you will be fine. Finally and seriously - people complain about the lack of engaged service, sides, presentation and perfection. I don't know, for $10, I am happy that they are polite and smile at you when you order, I don't expect much more than that - maybe I have low standards.

Cultural Moment

Halal food is not easy to find in Melbourne but is actually more common that you think. The easiest way of course is to check out one of the two websites that list the places that do sell Halal food. The best thing though is also to verify with the outlets directly.

The two sites are;

Halal Melbourne (not an easy to navigate interface)

Halal Square (that covers all cities of Austalia)

Halal Square also includes bakeries, butchers, catering and a whole range of cuisines. I hope that that's a good resource for some of you out there.

Es Teler 77 (Indonesian Cafe)

164, Cardigan St, Carlton, VIC 3053

http://www.esteler77.com
Es Teler is a Halal restaurant and has been around for a long time, starting in Indonesia and now in Malaysia, Singapore and Melbourne. They must be doing something right. They started as a simple no frills Warung and have pretty much maintained the no-frills down to earth eatery feel. Being in Cardigan St., it attracts a healthy number of students from the Uni of Melbourne and RMIT University. A large number of the diners are from Indonesia attesting to the authenticity, taste and price of the place. However, this is no fine dining space... so, please don't expect any posh service.

The Place
This is a very bright cafeteria style eating hall is a just a big space with tables that are moveable. There are big mirrors that make the place look bigger than it really is. There is not a lot of deco other than big pictures of some of the dishes in one section of the wall, and some murals above the mirrors. Sometimes, when they are understaffed - clearing of tables fall a bit behind making the place look a bit messy. The seats are also getting tired and its showing clear wear and tear (to put it mildly).

Parking varies here as it is on Cardigan Street and sometimes, if you are lucky, there's plenty of spots unless if it's the weekend evenings.

Things to do Nearby: This is near Lygon Street.

The Food

Bihun Goreng

This is basic street side Indonesian hawker food. You can expect Nasi Goreng, Mee Goreng, Bihun Goreng, Soto, Nasi Uduk. They do spiciness to the max if you like it that way. You just have to request it but be careful what you wish for. The flavours are authentic with one modification, they are not as greasy as your average eatery in Indonesia. While that is a good thing, sometimes, the various fried noodles and rice can get dry if you don't eat it quick enough. Most of the dishes are really quite nice and they do good Oxtail (Buntut) too!

For me, I always like to order their Bihun Goreng Kambing (Fried Rice Vermicelli with Goat). It's not something you can get everywhere and it's really quite tasty. However, it's a dish you have to eat quickly because it's not that nice cold and dry. it looks like a basic dish but it's really tasty for lunch.

Mee Goreng

The Service
Basically, you order at the counter, pay and wait for them to bring the food out to you. It's as basic as that. You can help yourself to the water or tea (if there's any left). It's one step short of a self-service restaurant. They are never rude but neither are actually quite friendly when it's not crazy busy. It's a basic transaction. When it gets really busy, they get really harried and the place gets a bit chaotic. Also, don't expect the dishes to come out at the same time though they are getting better at having most of the dishes come out around the same time. The best news is, they are never rude.

Overall
I prefer to go during the non-peak hours when they have more time to pay attention to the customers, and cleaning of the tables. Lunch times are generally pretty crazy. This is not generally a place to loiter around, it's an eat and go place.

Cultural Moment
Indonesian desserts of the coconut milk and ice variety comes in different forms. Es means Ice. It's simple really. The following are some of the popular ones;
Es Teler was actually invented by the founder of Es Teler 77, it has a combination of coconut milk, avocado, grass jelly, pandan, jackfruit, young coconut and condensed milk.
Es Campur is more generic (Campur means mixed) and can include a variety of fruits and jellies (all very colourful) and chendol or sago and of course a good dollop of coconut milk, condensed milk.
Es Doger is a Bandung variation, that includes 'bandung' which has pink rose syrup in the mix plus all the other fruity and jelly goodies, including tapioca pearls.
Es Chendol is probably the one that translates most succesfully to neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, Burma and Thailand and primarily consists of coconut milk and the mung bean, rice flour and tapioca mix jelly (worm like looking) and includes palm sugar.
All yummy and very very sweet.

Wantilan Bali

571 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, VIC 3122

http://www.wantilanbali.com.au/

The restaurant has a relatively high score and is one of few authentic Balinese restaurants in Melbourne that appeals to a broad audience. It's always gratifying when a high score from Urbanspoon translates into a pleasant experience. The clientale is a healthy mix of Westerners, Asians and Indonesians. While the food here is authentic, it's not as intense as many of the places in Bali itself and is lighter than the offerings of Bali

The Place

This is a clean and tastefully decorated restaurant, with a contemporary sensibility and some nods to Balinese sculptures and works of art. It actually looks better than the pictures on their website. At night, it's really got a rather nice ambience. Sound insulation is not great especially when it gets crowded. Parking is never great in the area and on street parking can be limited.

Thing to do nearby: The shops of Burwood Road in Hawthorn East are worth exploring. This is close to Swinburne University too.

The Food

There are some really good choices here with a range of predominantly Balinese offerings. Having had many of the following dishes in Bali, I find the flavours here a whole lot more subtle, less spicy and chilli hot, though still tasty in their own way. I got to sample the following dishes.

Mixed Sweet Potato and Potato Chips - what a great side dish - these thin crispy tasty chips are seriously good, with a light dipping sauce. If they sold these in bags... I would be chomping on it now.

Cumi

Cumi Mebase Manis - light tangy calamari salad that's a good side more than a main for me. The calamari is tender, sweet and fresh.

Betutu Siap

Betutu Siap - this is one of the 2 most famous Balinese dishes. Betutu (which is a slow cooked in spices) is eaten in many places and usually involved duck or chicken. Here, this dish, while moist and tender, is less spicy than the offerings of Bali. Nevertheless, it remains tasty and great with steamed rice.

Be Celeng Guling - more commonly known as Babi Guling, this is served here almost like pulled pork, wiht broken up crackling. While tasty, the pork is not as tender as some other places. However, the subtle spices here work and it's less greasy than most places. Wish there was more crackling (who doesn't?).

Mixed Ribs

Pork and Beef Ribs - These are probably more Javanese than Balinese - but so what, they are so good. Melts in your mouth, balance of sweet and savoury, and smokey. The slight disappointment is the chilli paste that comes with it here - it was more of a chilli jam, rather than a hot sambal oelek that would have been better with this dish.

Gado-Gado

Gado-Gado - Again, a main from Java, this is dish hinges on its peanut sauce. They do it well here and while some people like crunchy nuts in theirs, the one here is somewhat smoother but tastier than most places.

Lawar Gadang - This was a hit on the night as a fresh simple salad. Lawar is a major part of Balinese cuisine in its various forms. It's also one of the only ways I would eat snake beans because it is chopped up to beats. This one has a kick here.

Mie Goreng - Of course, nothing beats having mie goreng on the beaches of Bali, served by the little warungs, stir fried fresh. The Mie Goreng here is served with crumbed prawns and satay - perfect for those who are not into food that's too chilli hot.

The Service

Bubuh Injin

The Service here is courteous and friendly. While it is a bit slow, I prefer to call it a casual pace. It is certainly not rushed. The dishes all came at once and for a group that was sharing dishes - this meant everyone had to try and eat everything at once. The concept of dishes coming out at the same time, is good if the diners are not sharing, so everyone can start their meal together. However, if diners are sharing, it's probably better if dishes come out sequentially to give everyone to savour each dish before moving to the next. If they can get this right, that would be great.

Overall

I won't mind coming again. Here's where the comparison with my other favourite Balinese place in Melbourne - Warung Agus begins. The food in Wantilan Bali is less punchy, spicy and hot than Warung Agus. What it has is a subtle balance of flavours especially with the various salads. It is also definitely cheaper than Warung Agus. Whether you prefer Wantilan Bali or Warung Agus, really depends on how punchy you like your food.

Cultural Moment

There are many Balinese highlights for me. There are some places I would still go to, even though I have been before, just because the experience is beautiful, spiritual, rich and meditative. The really special places for me are;

Ulu Watu which is just  beautiful at sunset and dusk. Temples clinging to the side of the cliff by the sea, this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.

Tanah Lot the temple by the sea, is beautiful too and you usually have to battle with other tourists for the best views.

Tirta Empul is where Kings and the public bathed in the holy waters by the Hindu Temple. Still used today, if you are gamed enough to join everyone there.

Gunung Kawi, where legend says the carvings were done overnight. It's a beautiful walk through the rice fields, though walking back up the valley after the visit is great for fitness. While this is relatively run down, the temple and carvings continue to be impressive if you are a history fan.

Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi are near to Ubud, where you might stop off for Ibu Oka's Babi Guling.

Ulu Watu is close to some seafood places by the sea, most of which are great.

Kedai Satay

186 King Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

This is a simple eatery that does not present itself as anything other than a basic cafe where you have to order at the counter, with staff who have a pretty casual attitude (much like many places in Indonesia), and then wait patiently for the food to come. The food ranges from really yummy to really average depending on what you order. I do like it and will go again and again (though I know that it doesn't always serve the healthiest meals).  

The Place

A basic eatery with tables close together across two levels. Limited outside seating is also available, and is usually crowded around lunch time. Set on King's Street, there's no easy parking (unless you pay) but for those who work in the area, it seems to be quite a hit. It can get pretty cold here and is not the most child friendly venue as there's limited space. It's a relatively clear restaurant and kitchen (which is obvious to all customers).   Things to do Nearby: It's near the Bourke Street corner of King Street. Flagstaff Garden is a short walk away and Etihad Stadium is down the road.  

The Food

It serves traditional Indonesian hawker style dishes, with some really notable highlights and some really average dishes. On the whole, it's more hit than miss (unless if you are a health freak - then by all means - move along very quickly).



Grilled Beef Ribs



Grilled Beef Ribs and Grilled Lamb Ribs - without doubt, these are the stars of Kedai Satay. Lip smacking, greasy, tasty grilled ribs with a side of coleslaw, on steamed rice. It has a touch of spice, peanut sauce and is inclined towards sweetness (that the Indonesians love so much - more on this later). Now that I have tried many of the dishes - these are the ones I will go back to... not just me, but Robbie craves this too.

 

Soto Ayam and Soto Betawi - These iconic Indonesian soups are traditionally pretty greasy (ie, there's usually a visible layer of hot tasty oil floating on the soup). The ones here are no exceptions but not as greasy as some I have seen. What they do here though can be pretty spectacularly chilli hot (especially the Soto Betawi). If you are in between business meetings, I'd advise against ordering these. They will burn your tongue and if you are like me, my collar was really wet by the time I was done.

 

The Satay here - the cafe's namesake is pretty average and for those not used to Indonesian satays, they tend to drench it in peanut sauce rather than have a side dipping sauce. This is also tampered with the dark sweet soy.   They have recently introduce a range of Penyets (smashed meats - sounds worse than it tastes) which I am looking forward to trying. Will update this blog once I have sampled them.


Nasi Udok (There wasn't much left by the time Adeline was done)

The Service
You order at the counter, they bring the food to you. It's a casual and friendly place. There's very little attitude here and they do what they have to do in a friendly manner. As some reviewers on Urbanspoon have pointed out, sometimes, the staff has her baby in arm (while taking your order) - so cute (and baby is currently 7 months if you were wondering).  

Overall
Like I said earlier, I would go again because it does serve tasty food. Once you know what you like, that's what you'd go there for. Of course, like any place, there will be some dishes that are not well done, so it'd be ridiculous to base a whole review on one dish. Overall, this is definitely one to recommend.  

Cultural Moment
From my childhood days, Indonesian food has intrigued me. It seems like Malay food, which I am more familiar with, yet, it's just not the same. Many of the dishes seem even to have similar origins and yet, there are distinct differences.

From my perspective, here are the major differences that might help you decide which you would prefer at different points;
Spices - While both cultures like their spices, I think that Malay dishes are much punchier and rich, while Indonesian spices are much more subtle. Perhaps the punchier Malay dishes are due to Indian influences which are less obvious in Indonesia, where a balance of spices are go way back.

Sweet Soy (Kecap Manis) and Tamarind (Assam) - Okay, Indonesians love their Kecap Manis like Aussies love their vegemite... well, even MORE so because they put it in their satays, their springrolls, their tahu telor (deepfried beancurd with eggs), and just generally as a dipping sauce. We don't do that with vegemite! Sweet soy is virtually missing from Malay cuisine, so Malay satays, springrolls and tahu telors are quite different and tends to be much more savoury. Malay cuisine on the other hand features Assam more prominently, clearly the influence of Thai culture, which is more tangy.

Raw Vegetables - Other than the ocassional raw tomato, cucumber (sometimes, more of a garnish), there's not a whole lot of raw vegetables dishes in Malay cuisine. Indonesian cuisine on the other hand features a number of dishes with raw vegetables, like karedok (think Gado Gado but with raw vegies), lawar (which is more Balinese), and they also serve lots more raw vegetables as sides.

Gravy - In my mind, Malay cuisine serves up a lot more sauce and thick gravy than Indonesian dishes. It's just an impression but most iconic Indonesian dishes are drier than famous Malay dishes. Even when Indonesian dishes have lots of gravy, it tends towards the more watery kind, while Malay dishes are much thicker.

Some people think that Malay cuisine is hotter but this means they haven't tried the killer sambals of Indonesian cuisine. I think that while Malay dishes integrate their chillies into the dishes directly, many Indonesian dishes have the chillies on the side as a requisite, so that punters can add as much or as little as they like.

This is my limited perspective on the main differences. Would be happy to hear if you have different opinions or anything to add.

By the way, 'Kedai' means Shop.

Garage Cafe (Indonesian East Javanese)

221, Berkeley Street, Carlton, VIC 3053

http://www.garagecafe.com.au/

This quirky licensed cafe set in a garage is a place I go sometimes for lunch meetings. However, while the food is ok - it's not always value for money and the service, while friendly, is never timely. Like the setting - the place is full of contradictions. It could do better but after all these years, still doesn't seem to have hit the right balance.

The Place

It's a garage! Big space for cars and a quarter of it fitted out as a dining space. Probably quite apt given that it is surrounded by car parks and car servicing centres and garages. However, if you are there for a meal - it's not everybody's cup of tea. It also gets ridiculously cold in winter because the heaters struggle to cope with such a big space and relatively warm in summer because the hot air doesn't have anywhere to go.

Thing to do nearby: It's a 10 - 12 minute walk to Queen Vic market in one direction and to Lygon Street in another. It is also close of The University of Melbourne.

The Food
While affordable, I don't really think you get value for money here. It's mid-range for what it's offering which is actually a pretty basic meal by and large. One word of warning... if you are a vegetable lover or vegetarian, this is seriously not the place to be. They put no focus on their vegetables at all - when you see their menu - it will say the meal is served with cabbage (one leaf), tommato (couple of slices) and cucumber (couple of slices) - they don't even call it a salad, because it's not. The Gado-Gado here is usually slightly more overdone that most places and might also not suit the Aussie tastebud. Also, in line with my other reviews - I won't order the Thai style dishes here - since it is a Javanese Restaurant - unless if you like Javanese style Thai food...

Having said that, there are a few highlights here;

Chicken Opor (pictured right) - this is the real highlight here. It's a lighlty spiced coconut milk based chicken stew East Javanese style. Really yummy and heartwarming especially in colder climes. Not spicy at all and really nicely balanced sauces - just wished there was more chicken in the serve.

Garage Full Penyet - which consists of rice, served with fried chicken and assorted meatballs and beancurd, and aforementioned vegies, can be nice. However, some would consider it a bit to dry as there's basically no sauce to go with this other than the really hot chilli sambal.

Mie Komplit - this is not bad and quite a generous serving of noodles. Ocassionally, it needs more sauce and meat, and the wontons need to be less well done. Consistency can be an issue.Some might find it a bit salty. Ok - this really doesn't sound like a recommendation does it? Well - let's say that 7/10 times, they get it right.

The most ridiculous thing here is their lemon lime bitters - costs something like $4.50!!!

The Service
The service is unfailingly polite and friendly. However, I suspect that because there never enough staff here, it is never timely unless if you are one of only 2 groups eating. if you are in a hurry... you need to forget this place and come back when you have a long meeting to get through. They are always apologetic in line with their friendliness but it doesn't always make up for the time it takes to serve up the food (especially if you are really hungry). If you are dining by yourself, bring a book.

Overall
Yet - I still go there even though it doesn't rate all that highly. It has the few dishes that I like that's served well and they are friendly. If the mood takes me for Chicken Opor and I am nearby, I would go there, knowing full well I might have to wait a while

Cultural Moment
Javanese cuisine includes a number of key dishes that might might have been given broader Indonesian/Malaysian names reflecting the dishes they resemble the most. These include:
Opor - a lightly spiced coconut milk braised dish (usually chicken or beef, ocassionally duck or beancurd) - Garage calls it a curry.
Pecel - A sauce for salads with peanuts, chilli, tamarind, palm sugar, also used in Gado Gado
Rawon - a thick black sauce/soup with buak keluak (a Southeast Asian nut - poisonous when fresh and has to be pre-treated ) spices, candlenuts, usually with beef. Buah Keluak is also used in Peranakan cooking. Garage serves this occasionally as a Special Dish.
Soto - a clear soup that can include almost any meats and combinations of vegetables - really home cooking style soup, usually found with a top thin layer of oil (where the taste is too).
Bakso - any one of the variety of meatballs. Indonenian meatballs are unlike the European style (Swedish or Italian) meatballs. It's not made from mince - more from paste of pulverised processed meat and tapioca flour, giving it a texture prized amongst Indonesians. Bakso, can range from the simple ones such as the ones made from beef, or fish, or pork to the more intricate ones, stuffed with seafood, or other meats, or even eggs. Baksos are served in soups, with rice or with many different types of noodles. It's an important part of the non-vegetarian's staple in this region. It can be deepfried, or cooked in soups.

Nelayan Indonesian Restaurant

265, Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Scoring 82% likes on Urbanspoon, this is a no fuss place that serves up good basic Indonesian fare. It is worth noting that Nelayan is also Halal-certified.

The Place
This is not a huge place and is set up almost like a canteen, with most of the food being served from the bain-marie. You order your food up front, pay for it, grab your utensils and off you go to find a table. It's the same thing if you are looking for an ala carte meal - order and pay first, then wait for them to bring it to you. It's not a place to have a long yarn and there's not a whole lot of space between tables. You could watch people walk by on Swanston St as you enjoy your meal.

Ok, this is going to be a strange thing to say but I don't like their chairs! They need to replace them, many are clearly quite unstable and I have visions of crashing on to the floor in the middle of a meal - freaks me out. You can also help yourself you water and very watered down tea, but they are just sitting on the tray by the fridge where people are queing up for food... hmm.

Other things to do close by: It's on Swanston Street near Lonsdale. QV, Bourke Street Mall, and Melb Central are all close by, and so is Chinatown.

The Food
This place serves basic authentic Indonesian fare that's quite simple and delicious. There are a number of different dishes that are quite good for food from a bain-marie. Their ala-carte menu is not bad too.
However, the main highlight is:

Beef Rendang  which is probably one of the best rendang in Australia. I can't speak highly enough of it. It pretty much melts in your mouth and has a rich sauce - I am salivating just thinking about it. My friend Scott loves it too!

The Service

Cheap and Efficient. No fuss, no demands. The problem is consistency - some of the servers give you lots while others are a bit miserly - it's all luck of the draw.

Overall

This is a good place to go to if you are in a hurry and want some light spicy Indonesian food that's really quick. A great place for a quick meal under $10.00 (if you dare to risk the chairs).

Cultural Moment

This is quite a good place to check out what the local Indonesian community is up to. There are all sorts of posters and notices from the Indonesian Community and Student groups, advertising everything from Career Fares to Indonesian Church gatherings.