Nam Loong Seafood Restaurant

171, Russell Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000



This is a bad review that comes with warnings about the really bad racist service. It's really unfortunate for a place with potential. Attitude kills restaurants. With only 57 votes on Urbanspoon and only 77% likes, this place is still over-rated. Serving up Cantonese cuisine that has the potential to be quite good, it fails to differentiate itself from other similar restaurants close by in a positive manner. For me, it differentiates itself rather negatively.

The Place

Conveniently located on Russell Street in the city, this is an easily accessible restaurant by public transport. You can see the whole restaurant from the street level -  a basic set up with roundtables with pristine table cloth. There's not a lot of ambience though it is a pleasant enough place for a meal.

Things to do nearby: Set right in the middle of town, there's plenty to do around.

The Food
Serving the usual fare of Cantonese Cuisine - their food is ok thought nothing out of the ordinary. Their seafood is relatively fresh and most of the dishes are comparable to other Cantonese style offerings about town.

The Service
The service is what this review is really about. I dined there with 2 other friends, Robbie and Paula - Robbie being Caucasian and Paula being Eurasian. Our bill came to close to $75.

One of the things I noticed was that their service was a bit abrupt. However, I also noticed that they had brought out small bowls of soup to all the other tables that had exclusively Asian diners (do you know where this is going?). Being a soup lover, I asked "What are those soups and do we have to order them?" The waitress said to wait. She went away and then came back to say "It's $1.50 each!" Wow... every single table and every single person in that restaurant ordered their $1.50 soup except us. We finished our meal about the same time as many of the other tables - all of which got served plates of sliced oranges after their meal - except us. I didn't bother to ask how much the orange was.

I have even been told that they have a secret menu for Cantonese speakers though I do not know how true that is.

Overall
While it is true that the diners here are mostly Chinese, it's also clear that unless if you are with a Chinese dominant group that speaks Cantonese, it might not be an ideal place to dine. The bad service and double standards are completely reminiscent of the experience at C-Culture which was blatantly racist. I won't have a bar of it. So, I am never going back there again and no one I know is allowed to. Why would you when there are plenty of other places nearby which serves food just as good but with at least non-racist policies?

Cultural Moment
So, apparently racism in restaurants is quite a common thing. You just have to google 'racism' and 'restaurants' to see the range of articles and items on this all over the world. This is rather unfortunate - but in a day and age where there is so much competition and social media - hopefully not too many of these get away with their stupidity. Anyway - that's enough... I am looking forward to my next positive review.

Shanghai Village Dumpling

112-114, Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000



This place has become a bit of an institution in Melbourne for those looking for a quick, cheap and cheerful feed. Let's put it this way - this is not an upmarket cafe where you can hang out and have protracted conversation (unless if you are very drunk and don't really care). With a respectable score of 80% on Urbanspoon, this place is doing ok. The negative reviews tend to be about the bad service, other customers and the lack of ambience. To be honest - I have no sympathy (am I just in a mood?) - this is not the place for ambience and a quite sophisticated dinner. If you want that - take a 1 minute walk down Market Lane to HuTong Dumpling.

The Place
3 levels of chaos, customers packed together pretty closely, and kitschy outdated Chinese deco. That's what makes this place so lovable because it doesn't pretend to be anything other than a dumpling factory. Therefore, the punters you see queuing to get in are not going in for refined and sophisticated ambience - they are looking for something slightly above a fish market dining experience.

It's right in the city where there are plenty of options including other dumpling options but yet, continue to attract a wide range of clientale - all looking for a cheap eat.

Things to do nearby: It's set in Chinatown on Little Bourke... also, if you have never been - you should check out the Chinese Museum a short walk away.

The Food
Ok, first off, the menu - the menu (depending on which menu file you get, might have pages missing from it, or might not be in any order) - it's that kind of place, and you just roll with it.
Dumplings galore, of many different varieties. The idea is to order of few different ones, whether panfried, steamed or in a soup, and share with your friends. They also come with a variety of fillings, including combinations of meat, ranging from pork to beef to chicken to seafood. There are also vergetarian varieties (though more limited). One thing to note - dumplings are not always dumplings - ??? See the Cultural Moment section below for the range served here at Shanghai Village, and you'll never have to ask again.

Beyond dumplings - there is also a wide range of dishes you can order from the menu. The highlights include;

Vegetarian Fried Rice - something very enticing about their very simple fried rice with nothing more than eggs, broccoli, and lots of garlic. So yummy, to go with the saltier dumplings and various other dishes.

Fried Beans - are really tasty even for someone (like me) who doesn't like beans. My friends, Paul, Benji, Brad and Robbie call them 'crack beans' because they are that good.

Salt and Peper Calamari - always tasty but the quality of the calamari is inconsistent.

The Service
Hmm. Simply put - they are they to push through your order and ensure you leave in a timely manner when your meal is done. Beyond showing you to your table, providing a menu, taking your order, throwing the dishes at your table, and collecting money - they are not responsible for anything else.

You collect your own cutlery, serve yourself some complementary tea, shift your chairs about and manage your neighbouring diners (raucous or quiet) as best you can. I have seen punters expect some modicum of service here - and I have to say - that's really aiming high. One does not simply walk into Shanghai Village and expect service.

Overall
One last thing to say about this place - to compare it to the yumcha houses and up market places like HuTong is laughable. It would be like comparing Hungry Jacks or Maccas to a Wagyu burger served at a 5 star hotel, with musclin salad on the side, handcut chips, and a waitperson filling up your drinks. However, there are times when a fastfood joint burger might be more effective or needed than the any burger of the other variety. This is a Chinese fastfood joint - treat it as such and you will be so impressed like 80% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon.

Cultural Moment
Different dumplings have quite different names in Chinese. In the near future, I will provide pictures to go along with this section.

Guo Tie (literally Pan/Pot Sticker) refers mostly to dumplings that are panfried and parts of it has stuck to the hot surface. So, they tend to have thicker skins.
Shui Jiao (literally Soup/Water Dumplings) which tends to be served in a broth (of different varieties). These dumplings would have really slippery, delicate, and thinner skins. Mostly, these are filled with various combinations of seafood (prawns in particular) and pork.
Zheng Jiao (Steamed dumplings) refers to your steamed dumpplings which usually has meat and vege combination fillings. Of course, there are many varieties of this in the Yumcha places. However, the main Zheng Jiao are the steamed ones which are pretty chunky (unlike their delicate yumcha dimsum cousins). The vegetarian dumplings are best served steamed.
Yun Tun / Wan Ton are Cantonese style dumplings and usually smaller in size and may have egg based skin, rather than the rice flour based skins of the earlier described dumplings.

There are subtle differences in terms of which flavours work best with which style - so, here's to getting to know your own preferences and your dumplings.

Not served in Shanghai Village but available at other joints are the Baos (or buns) which some people call dumplings as well.

Red Emperor Chinese Restaurant

3, Southgate Avenue, Southbank, VIC 3006

http://www.redemperor.com.au/
Quite a low score of 78% on Urbanspoon for a supposed Chinese fine dining institution. I think the main reason is that for an establishment that purports to be a leader in Chinese cuisine, it's pretty average and the service is not quite fine dining either. It's got a great setting and has the trappings of  fine dining restaurant but that's about it.

A caveat here - I have only been there for dinner and therefore, this review does not include the yumcha offering... might have to do that sometime in the future.

The Place

You can't fault the place - it's a great venue and if you are lucky enough to sit on the balcony, it's a pretty good view of the Yarra, Flinders St Station and of the northbank of the city, framed by lovely plane trees. It's well set up with pristine table cloth and is not cramped at all like many other Chinese restaureants. Parking is as expected om Southbank, where you should expect to pay. This is close to Flinders Street Station and all the St Kilda Road Trams.

Things to do nearby: The Arts Precinct, Southbank, and Federation Square are all within 5 minutes walk.

The Food
The food is pretty average which is what makes it somewhat disappointing. Although there are a number of dishes from different regions of China, there is clearly a strong Cantonese influence in this kitchen. The dishes are also someone sweet which is common to cater to more of a Western taste.

The most disappointing dish is the Calamari with Spicy Salt and Pepper, there are plenty of other restaurants who serve much better calamari that are of the same range including Bokchoy Tang and Sharkfin House. At $32, this was really below standard.

This doesn't sound encouraging so far - but it's not all bad - the dishes are ok, just not outstanding or very memorable, but it's certainly not bad food (with the above exception). Perhaps, because I am paying so much more, I am really expecting something really special. However, I can pay the same and get somewhat better dishes (but of a different kind) at Bokchoy Tang, across the river.

The Service
The service is polite but not attentive for the fine dining restaurant. There are also not very communicative and somewhat aloof. For a fine dining restaurtant, I tend to expect a bit more interaction and knowledge about the items on the menu. Non of these were very forthcoming.  They just didn't do anything to make it a special ocassion for diners.

In addition, the wait staff would stand around and have a good old yarn amongst themselves, on the restaurant floor. It is better than average service for the Chinese restaurant but it is not fine dining service, other than the fact that they are all very well presented.

Overall
I am not not enamoured with this place. It would have been nice to have been impressed but I wasn't. Therefore, there is no real draw card for me. However, I might go back to try the yumcha to compare.

Cultural Moment
Ok - I am taking a risk here and this is just my opinion. Westernised Chinese food is not a bad thing. It can be quite tasty. There are some dishes that are particularly prone to westernisation probably because they are more popular amongst non-Chinese diners and are more similar to European dishes. In addition, Cantonese dishes are the ones most prone to this treatment simply because they are usually what the non-Chinese diner thinks about when they want "Chinese" - it's the same everywhere and this is partly due to the immigration of the Cantonese and their cuisine to all parts of the world in the 19th Century, more so than the Chinese from other regions. Therefore, Cantonese cuisine has spent the longest time overseas.  Here are some dishes that fall into this category;

Sang Choy Bow - really not very common in Asia but served everywhere from the lowest of Chinese restaurants to fine dining places like Red Emperor, in Australia. The sauteed pork/chicken/duck is undeniably Cantonese in style, with not a lot of spice, or heat. It is served with lettuce and seemingly healthier and small enough for an entree. The concept of an entree is not really common in Chinese dining... but when Chinese restaurants in Australia, Europe and North America first opened up and became popular more widely - they had to decide which dishes could be classified as an entree. Sang Choy Bow is an ideal candidate for an entree - together with Spring Rolls and Prawn Toast.

The twin fried 'goodness' of Spring Rolls and Prawn Toast that are popular in Australia are also of Cantonese Origins. There are many different types of spring rolls in China and SEAsia, from deep fried to non-fried, from vegetarian to non-vege and from the tiny ones to ones that could qualify as a meal in their own right. The ones that pass for generic Spring Roll in Australia, tends to be the small ones with lots of vege and definitely deep fried. The Prawn Toast, in my opinion, is probably the most Westernised dish - I mean, it won't even have existed if China had not met Europe. So, think about it... bread toast (triangular shaped)... the Chinese do not eat loaves of bread - at least not till Western cuisine was introduced to China - their 'bread' consisted of 'Bao' before that. Meanwhile, the Cantonese term for Prawn Toast is Ha To Si - Ha (being prawns), To Si (is actually derived from the word Toast - indeed a Chinese pronunciation of Toast). When introduced to Japan - this dish is now called Hatoshi.

The fruity dishes of Sweet and Sour Pork, and Lemon Chicken are also highly popular in Australia. Both tend to appeal to European tastes of mixing fruits with meat. Sweet and Sour Pork in some parts of China mainly consist of vinegar and sugar, rather than tomato sauce. Lemon Chicken is almost a derivative from Sweet and Sour Pork, just that it's for Chicken. In North America - they even have Orange Beef...

Beef and Blackbean is a popular dish too in Australia but the blackbean sauce that is popular here is probably the most tame and least spiced of the full range of 'douchi'/'daocheo'/'daocheong'  (Mandarian/Hokkien/Cantonese). Fermented beans in their various incarnations bring all sorts of different flavourings, from the subtle to the punchier pungent ones. The tame 'Blackbean' sauce that's highly popular is almost a drop in the ocean of douchi sauces. But it's still tasty :)

Probably - the most 'westernised' thing about Chinese cuisine in Australia is the treatment of the humble chicken. Chicken dishes in many parts of China and SEAsia are still served bones on, because it is truly believed that that way - the chicken tastes better and the juices are still mingled in with the sauces. In most Chinese restaurants in Australia - we tend to get either bits of the thight or the chicken breast with no bones.

Warung Agus Balinese Restaurant

305, Victoria Street, North Melbourne, VIC 3051


http://www.warungagus.com.au/
Scoring 88% on Urbanspoon, this is authentic Balinese food at its best and friendliness to match. It reminds me of what you might get in Ubud, a more cultured, understated, uninterupted meal of an excellent standard. Most importantly, the Babi Guling reminds me of the one served at Ibu Oka (more on that later). This is not a halal restaurant in case you are wondering - Bali might be part of Indonesia but there's a strong non-Muslim element to the culture - more on that later. This is quite an expensive place to eat and the portions are not big, but I think it's Oh! So worth it.

The Place
The ambience here is less Kuta and more Ubud (for those familiar with Bali). There's a certain rustic class and warmth to this eating place that can be quite communal but private at the same time. The deco is really well done and parking is not too bad.

Things to to nearby: Errol Street is around the corner and Queen Vic Market is not far off. Not much else other than that.

The Food
The food is good if expensive. Let's be honest, you can't compare value for money with actual Bali - anyone who does that is just silly - because we're NOT in the same country. I am going to start by focusing on the good stuff that's a must when I visit.

Krupuk Singkong - cassava crackers with their chilli sauces are really a great way to start off the meal though I know that 50% of the time, the table is tempted to order a second serve of this.
Babi Guling  - the traditional roast pork with crackle is as good as any, and definitely reminiscence of the Ibu Oka one in Ubud, with none of the risks of eating in a roadside stall seving hundreds of people. This pricy dish (and which dish is not pricy at Warung Agus?) is really well worth it.
Ayam Betutu - this traditional Balinese dish is not so traditional here because most restaurants in Bali would serve Bebek Betutu - bebek being duck and ayam being chicken. They actually use spatchcock here. I think the next time I go, I am going to ask them why? I suspect it's the ability to source small ducks consistently in Melbourne more than anything else. Nevertheles, the rich taste of spices and lemon grass is well worth a try. You'll have to order this one first because it takes a while to bake.
Sate Lilit Babi - Minced pork satay Balinese style is pretty authentic here. Yummy-, never enough of it.
Es Jus Jeruk Nipis - Fresh Lemon juice blended with ice and sweetened - really refreshing and terribly expensive but I really don't case - if one's happy to pay $6 for alcohol - this is MY alcohol.

A note for punters who are more familiar with general Indonesian cuisine about their Gado Gado and their Cumi Cumi. Their gado gado here is called Toge which is actually bean sprouts - and there's copious amount of it, and therefore, quite different to the general Indonesian style gado gado. I also do find that the Balinese usually do tend to prefer their veges more cooked and softer than in Java where veges are left quite crunchy. Cumi cumi are little babi octopi - and tends to me cooked to the point of crunchiness too. However, the Balinese tend to like theirs with a lot more sauce I think than the Javanese and not as sweet.

The Service
The service is really good here most times and they take time to explain the dishes when ordering and when the food is served. This is quite rare these days at many restaurants. When it's the family members serving the food - it's even better and there's a sense of pride in the restaurant and the food. That usually fills me with warmth and confidence, which is a great experience. I really like the service here.

Overall
This is a nice place to show off to friends and family you care about who like to try Balinese food, and are interested in spicy and tasty food. It's not a place I'd go to every week or month simply because it is quite expensive. However, it's a special place to go to once in a while and really enjoy the whole experience.

Cultural Moment
This may be unfair but I think that Ubud serves more authentic Balinese cuisine than your average Kuta restaurant which has a stronger Javanese influence. I am also entirely biased in my preference for Ubud, the cultural centre with less influence from international brands (aka Maccas, KFC, Billabong, etc). The food is also spicier, less sweet and I am more willing to try the little road side eateries here which are sometimes run out of the back of locals' homes. You can really taste the difference, compared to some of the restaurants that are really Javanese and/or Westernised. This is not to say that the Kuta restaurants do not serve good food - it's just different to cater to a different dominant clientale.

The tourists that like Ubud (like me) are usually not fans of Kuta and if they have to be close to the beach - would tend to stay in Seminyak. On the other hand, there are those who absolutely love Kuta who would find Ubud a bit naff or even, not very exciting. Each of these groups of tourists would tend to stay put in the town of choice and take a day trip into the other. There's also a third group of lesser known Bali tourists who travel up north to the Kintamani area and Gunong Batur where they might have a more immersive experience (though sourvenir pushers are pretty full on), or the northern Lovina Beach where they might live with local family run accommodation.

Simple Balinese Words include:
Warung: Eating Hut
Suk Semah : Thank you

The names :
First born - Wayan (Waah - yaan)
2nd born - Made (Maa - deh)
3rd born - Nyoman (Nyeo - maan)
4th born - Ketut (Keh - toot)

Old Kingdom

197, Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066

I am just going to put it out there - this is quite possibly the best Peking Duck in Australia and better than even some of the places in Asia. However, scoring a more than respectable 89% on Urbanspoon, the issue is that, this place is a bit of a one hit wonder. If you are not having duck - you might as well go to any suburban Chinese restaurant of the 70s in Aus. I think all my friends would agree with this broad assessment. Shout out to the Lamberts for introducing me to this gastronomical delight.

If you are going to have the duck (why won't you), you need to call in advance to book. The genral formula I follow is 1 duck for 2 - 3 persons, 2 ducks for 4 - 6, and 3 ducks for up to 9 people. There are 2 seatings at Old Kingdom, 6pm or 8pm.

By the way - it is really annoying to go to restaurants that purport to serve Peking Duck, but all it is is Cantonese Roast duck in a pancake - that is NOT Peking duck. You want real Peking Duck - come to Old Kingdom.

The Place
The restaurant probably hasn't  been refurbished since it was first opened. One does not go for the ambience or tasteful deco. The kindest thing some might say is that it's nostalgic and quirky. Although there are two floors, they will still squeeze as many people in as possible. So, it can get pretty noisy.

Things to do nearby: It's situated at the busy end of Smith Street and just round the corner (okay - 7 minutes walk) from Gertrude Street, and 12 - 14 minutes from Brunswick Street. However, in the evenings - lots of things are closed.

The Food
Like I said earlier - I have had other dishes here and they are sub-par. The duck on the other hand, is World standard quality. So, I am just going to talk about the duck. It's 3 courses.

Course 1 - The Peking Duck is brought out and carved with prodigous speed in front of you, the audience. The crepes, spring onions and cucumbers, and hoisin sauce are brought out too. If this is your first time, they'll instruct you on what to do. Basically, you have the best parts of the duck wrapped with cucumber, spring onion/scallion, and hoisin sauce in the crepe. It's most delicious. One piece of advice for first timers - don't be greedy with the sauce - a teaspoon will be adequate - try it first and if you really want more, then, go for it.

They will then leave the scrawny duck legs and wings for excited punters to pick on. This is not the place for people who believe in elegant eating, and only with utensils.

Course 2 - Peking duck meat (without skin because you've had all of that), is sauteed with garlic, spring onions, soy sauce and bean shoots. It's good to have this course with steamed rice and it's really quite delicious. Recently, they have introduced the option of having the dish with fried noodles. I have yet to try this.

Course 3 - is the least glamourous but also my favourite course because I like soups. This is more a duck broth, with bean curd, duck bones, and preserved Chinese vegetables, and black pepper. Palate cleansing and really quite refreshing.

Alright - if you are still hungry, maybe order a fried ice-cream. I have only had to do that once in the many many many times I have been there with many different groups of friends.

The Service
The service used to be really friendly and entertaining. Now, it's friendly and more matter of fact as they never seem to have enough servers. This is not surprising because, carving the duck is a skill that one does not acquire over night. Please do not expect a fine dining experience :), and you won't be disappointed.

Overall
I continue to be impressed and will continue to visit. It's really nice to know that one of the world's best Peking Duck restaurants is in my backyard and at a very affordable price. I have been to Quanjude in Beijing which is a household name associated with Peking Duck, and while the experience there is amazing - the duck here can stand proud in comparison.

Cultural Moment
Peking Ducks originated from Peking (Beijing) and is now popular across China. It's not your average run of the mill roasted or broasted duck. It's considered to be an imperial dish and is highly valued. The preparation is also substantially different to that of roast ducks. In particular, there is a step that involved pumping air between the skin and the fat and meat of the uncooked plucked washed duck (which is crucial for the crispy skin). Traditionally, the duck is carved in front of the diners and is served with steamed pancakes. The ones at Old Kingdom are served with very delicate crepes - it still does wonders.

This is a must try dish when one visits Beijing - but be prepared - ducks in China have a lot more fat than the ones in Melbourne.

Pho Dzung Tan Dinh Vietnamese Restaurant

208, Victoria Street, Richmond, VIC 3121

I have had a lot of Vietnamese phở in my time around Melbourne, Singapore and Vietnam. Pho Dzung in Richmond is very much near the apex in terms of taste. Scoring 88% on Urbanspoon means that they are pretty consistent too - the ocassional slips ups, I believe, occur when they get crowded, the soup becomes less steaming hot, and the waitstaff are a bit flustered.

There are a number of different branches of Pho Dzung around Melbourne but the one in Richmond is the best. This review is only about the Richmond branch. This place has a lot of competition along a busy restaurant/cafe street but still does well. In particular, it attracts a huge Vietnamese clientale.

The Place
Set on Victoria Street, Richmond, it can be a hassle to park but usually, you will be able to find something off Victoria Street (or just take the tram in). It's a basic Vietnamese Eating House with mirrors on both walls, making the place look bigger than it is and allowing you to ocassionally catch your own reflection munching away. When it gets really crazy busy, they will open up their second level upstairs and if you are lucky, you might get to sit on the balcony.

Other things to do nearby: Victoria Street Asian groceriesand Victoria Gardens is about 5 blocks up.

The Food
The menu is what you see on the board (in the shape of a pot) on the wall. Mainly, one goes to Pho Dzung for the phở or broken rice or spring rolls. That's about all they serve anyway. Basically, I go there for just the noodle soup - once really does not need anything else - when one sees the size of the bowls.

The options for the noodles are between different cuts of chicken or beef PLUS all the various gizzards, innards and yes - they use the word pizzle! Whatever combination you pick, you get a healthy serve of tasty soup, with a healthy amount of basil and bean shoots on the side to add as you like. My favourite is the Special Beef Combination, that has beef brisket, sliced beef, tendon, beef (with black pepper) sausage, beef balls (not what you think - this is actually made from beef pounded to smitherins and with flour added), with a few generous squeezes of lemon for I like tangy phở, and a bit of chilli.

This is truly good soup and one of the few places where I don't feel immensely thirsty an hour after my meal. This means that it's not as salty as some other places and maybe there's a lot less MSG. I'd like to think there's no MSG - but I am sure there's some. I will ask the next time I am there for the sake of the blog entry :). I hope I don't get barred from the restaurant!

The Service
The service is polite and quick. They are there to facilitate you getting your food - no real prolonged conversations should be expected because they don't even have to bring you a menu. No complaints so far, they usually get the orders right.

At the end of the meal, you just walk up to the counter, tell them which table you were sitting at and pay. Simple.

Overall
Probably the best Vietnamese Noodles east of Melbourne - If I lived closer - I'd probably be there at least once a week. I like - very much.

Cultural Moment
Phở is really quite a healthy dish and was popularised in Australia when the Vietnamese came to south after the years of conflict in Vietnam (to put it mildly). Most of them came from south Vietnam (Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City) where I have found the phở  AND the food generally to be a bit sweeter than similar dishes in the north. A local once told me that this was because since the 1920s, there were always more foreigners/westerners in the south, who prefered their food a bit sweeter - hence, tastebuds have changed over the decades. In the north, I find that  phở is somewhat 'earthier' and more herbal, than the south.

In addition, a differentiation between  phở in Vietnam and Melbourne is the use of lime versus lemon. Lime is a lot more subtle - while lemon really packs a punch. While I like both, dependi.ng on my mood - I do like my food quite tangy, so tend to go for the lemon of Melbourne. The following picture was my first ever phở in Hanoi... notice the noodles are softer than the south...and a lot more greens

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.