Indonesia’s bold and aromatic flavours are like a holiday in your mouth
You’re not really living if you’ve never tried this nation’s rich and fragrant rendangs, crispy fried fish dishes and chilli-spiked sambals
A few weeks ago, I volunteered to organise a colleague’s leaving dinner — for me, it’s the only sure-fire way to ensure a memorable meal, not just another outing to a central London steakhouse where I’m sat facing a lacklustre grilled aubergine skewer in the spirit reluctant of halal-vegetarian compromise.
After my summer trip to Amsterdam, I’ve had an ongoing craving for the flavours of Indonesia and thought my workmates would enjoy it too. Toba, located a 10-minute walk from my office in the central London neighbourhood of St James’s, was the obvious option. Smart, sophisticated, halal and delicious, especially when paid for by the company. A safe bet, I presumed.
I was shocked when the entire party said they had never tried Indonesian cuisine. Not even satay? What about rendang? Are you really living if you’ve never sampled the tantalising array of sambal chilli sauces? I shouldn’t have been surprised, though. While London has several restaurants specialising in dishes from this nation of 17,000 islands, very few exist elsewhere in the rest of the UK.
Toba, however, proved a big hit and provided us with a meal good enough to make zealous converts of all my fellow diners. With a menu showcasing dishes from across Indonesia, we kicked off with assorted kerupuk — deep-fried crackers flavoured with onion, cassava, prawn — and emping, made from flattened sun-dried melinjo seeds, accompanied by a salty and spicy dipping sauce (£5). This simple starter set the tone for a feast of classics, executed with true excellence.
Ordering rendang (£22) was, of course, mandatory. Native to Padang in West Sumatra, this deeply aromatic, slow-cooked beef curry combining toasted coconut and a rich combination of spice is best served with fluffy rice to soak up the sauce. The meat fell apart and was infused with lemongrass, galangal, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and the birdseye chillis at the heart of so many Indonesian dishes.
Toba’s gulai kambing – another West Sumatran dish – (£30) features a lamb shank in a coconut milk curry spiced with cumin, fennel, nutmeg, lemongrass and caraway. The lamb fell off the bone and the deeply spiced curry sauce was pure liquid gold.
As a lover of both fish and heat, I had to try the Balinese ikan bakar jimbaran (£31) – grilled white fish marinated in a paste including onion, garlic, galangal, tamarind and coriander, served with a fiery Balinese sambal matah.
The dish came with a spice warning and did not disappoint. A single dab of the sambal was enough to power the whole plate. Meanwhile, the freshness of the ingredients felt like a holiday in my mouth — on a cold and wet January afternoon in London, I was instantly transported to the palm-lined beaches of Bali.
Toba is an upscale spot, perfect for special occasions, but it also serves up a terrific weekday lunch menu with two courses — fritters or satay to start and a choice of mains including rendang, ikan bakar jimbaran, nasi goreng and ayam geprek (a crispy, smashed fried chicken) — for just £24.
At the cheaper end of the spectrum, Java Fusion is a small family-owned restaurant in Acton, west London. It’s a local gem for people in the neighbourhood and an increasingly popular venue for expats from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia seeking a taste of home.
Prices are extremely reasonable, with the most expensive main coming in at just £12. The roti canai with chicken curry is £6 and I don’t think you can find a more satisfying and moreish meal for that price anywhere in the city.
The roti is perfect. Flaky layers of pastry, scrunched up to create a crisp yet fluffy carbohydrate of dreams are served alongside a curry that hits the back of your throat in the most warm and comforting of ways. The thick and flavoursome sauce is the star. I’d happily forgo the meat entirely.
Another standout dish is the deep-fried seabass topped with sambal. Its unctuous, gravy-like sauce of caramelised onions, garlic, ginger, tamarind, coriander, lemongrass, fragrant spices and fresh chillies is a sublime combination with the crispy skin and the flaky white flesh of the fish. At only £10, it’s ridiculous value too.
For readers outside of the capital, the pretty West Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge offers traditional Indonesian dishes every weekend, courtesy of the Dapur Nin pop-up. For some bonus local history, the kitchen from which it operates belongs to an independent socialist members’ cooperative, the Trades Club, housed in a building erected in 1924, when the town was a thriving centre of the textile industry.
Operating from 4pm to 9pm, Thursday to Sunday, the husband-and-wife team of Nining Lestari and Ian Rouston prepare and cook everything to order, so do not expect rapid-fire service. Their bold and authentic style of cooking has, however, drawn a loyal and enthusiastic following among local diners and Indonesian students from Manchester and Leeds.
Of the meat and poultry dishes, only the chicken was halal, so I opted for the chicken rendang (£11) — my first time trying this variation of the dish. The spiced coconut curry was perfectly balanced in heat and depth and came with a selection of steamed vegetables and extra sambal for added kick.
It tasted like something an aunt or friend’s mum would whip up for you, filled with warming goodness and homely familiarity. The freshly fried vegetable fritters (£4.50) comprised peas, carrots, courgettes and more, all meshed together in a crisp, airy batter.
This is high-quality and great value food, made with pride and care, served in a unique setting. If you live nearby or ever find yourself in this part of the world, I urge you to pay a visit.
