Side notes: Family-run place, so if you're going to go here with a bigger group, call early to make…read moresure they have the dishes you want. Would recommend the Bakwan, the Empal Goreng, and the Sayur Santen the most, with the Talor Tahu and various Bakwan being very tasty. Rating is for the area (in Queens, this would be an upper 3 as being a milder but tasty Indonesian spot, but worse than Sky/Awang.)
I have been to this small family-run Indonesian restaurant a handful of times since my old review back in 2022, and over the many years, I have found some dishes I have loved more than others, of course.
From the small plates, I would recommend, as before, the Bakwan for $9, consisting of crispy corn fritters cooked pancake style with scallion. The texture of the dish is wonderful, and the dipping sauces, whether they be the sweet chili sauce or the peanut sauce, work well to help with the slight oiliness.
The sate is also pretty tasty. Of the multiple types, the Chicken Satay was the most recent one we had (which is cheaper at $11,) but I think the beef one (for a buck more) is better. We also had the larger Sate Madura a previous time, which was also very tasty.
Another tasty dish is the Talor Tahu for $18, listed as a seasoned egg omelete with bean curd, mushrooms, and veggies glazed with Indonesian soy sauce and shallots. The price might look high for a vegetarian dish, but it is quite large, and the mixture of vegetables adds a nice mix of textures, including a good amount of crunch. The sauce is nice as well, adding a slightly sweet flavor, and goes nicely with the soft omelete.
One of the most recent dishes I tried here is one of the best, which was the Empal Goreng for $21, listed as sliced beef marinated in sweet Javanese spices pan fried topped with Indonesian soy sauce. There was plenty of beef, which was cut thin and cooked beautifully, with the flavors reminding me a little bit of lemongrass dishes from Vietnamese spots, outside of it also having a slightly spicy kick. There was otherwise some lettuce, and the dish was served with some achar/acar, an Indonesian (and insert ASEAN country here) mix of pickled vegetables including cucumber, carrots, and onions.
My other favorite dish here is a vegetarian dish, which is the Sayur Santen for $18, listed as lightly battered broccoli and cauliflower in Indonesian herbs cooked in spiced coconut milk topped with bean curd and carrots. There is a nice mix of textures, with the batter indeed, as listed, being very light, with the cauliflower and broccoli still retaining some crunch. My favorite part of the dish is the bean curd, which absorbs the delicious slightly sweet, and lightly spicy coconut milk.
Another group of dishes that tend to be good are the various Belado, a pepper mixture with various spices that is somewhat similar to a sambal. This is available with Ikan, or crispy fish, for $20, or with Terong, or crispy eggplant and tofu, for $18. The crispy fish was a bit less spicy the most recent time, while the vegetables retained most of the kick from previous dinners, so I slightly preferred the vegetables.
If there was one part of the menu to stay away from, it would unfortunately be the various kare, or curry. The Beef Rendang for $21, or pieces of beef simmered for hours in coconut milk and spices, is just alright, being a bit too soupy for my style (as I generally prefer drier rendang in general,) with the spices being a bit too light, whether it is the coconut milk or chili. The same can be said for the $19 Kare Ayam, which is also a bit too mild for my liking. From previous memory, I would also not recommend the Ayam Goreng, or their spiced fried chicken as it's a bit dry.
The Nasi Goreng, for a variety of prices depending on protein, is also just OK. The dish listed as Indonesian fried rice with protein, scrambled egg, and protein was $18 in our case, for a chicken/ayam version. The portion was plentiful, but it partially lacked the wok hei I associate with this dish. The egg is nice, and there was enough chicken, but it was also a bit too plain.
Speaking of light dishes, they have given us the Pandan Coconut Pudding for $7 a handful of times. This is a lightly flavored pudding with a very mild floral (from the pandan) and coconut flavor. Due to the texture and the light coconut sweetness, it reminds me a bit more of some kue you can find in some spots, such as Lady Wong and otherwise. It's a decent final bite.
Outside of one particular part of the menu, I have liked this place every time I've been here. The food in general is pretty consistent, outside of maybe the spice level in a dish or two, but this is more expected in a casual spot such as this one. I'll go back again, probably in another few months, and sample more of their dishes. The rating is for the area, as it would be closer to a 4 in Queens, but I would still go back.