Lumpia Bebek.
If a good mid-priced Malay restaurant is not all that common, an Indonesian one is even rarer.
Most of the time, you’ll find roadside stalls selling Malay or Indonesian dishes to go with rice, and while the food may be good, they’re not exactly suitable for sit-down dinners.
Iga Bakar Nasi Bakul. — Photos: CHING YEE SING
As such, it was a welcome sight when Betawi Indonesian Cuisine made its debut in the neighbourhood of Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
We started lunch with Lumpia Bebek and Lumpia Sayur, served with a peanut dip and tangy sambal. The lumpia bebek (duck popiah – RM12) was fairly tasty. I bit into a fine, crispy skin that had shredded duck stewed Sumatran style, as well as shredded cabbage and carrot, though more meat would have been nice. Lumpia sayur (vegetable popiah – RM9) was similar, minus the meat, lifted up by a nutty, fragrant dip.
We couldn’t resist ordering Tahu Telor (RM15), listed as an appetiser on the menu. Betawi’s version, though, was different from what we had expected. Instead of a large, fluffy deep-fried beancurd filled with vegetables, drizzled with a sweet sauce as we knew it, it was a very firm beancurd piled on with vegetables, sitting on a sweet spiced sauce. It was a house-made beancurd, we were told. Looking past the “meaty” beancurd, we liked the sauce.
Ikan Bobor Bayam.
It was obvious to us what Ikan Terbang Betawi (deep-fried fish) would be like on the menu, so we opted for Ikan Bobor Bayam (RM40) instead. This was fried tilapia fish fillet with coconut milk and spinach, topped with sambal matah (Balinese raw sambal) and crispy sweet potato. I enjoyed this unusual fish dish – the golden fried fish fillet sat on a lightly sweet and spiced coconut sauce, with chilli heat from the sambal matah. Crispy thin slices of purple and yellow sweet potato were piled on top of the fish, which were great for snacking, dipped into the sambal and the lovely lemak (creamy rich) sauce.
Iga Bakar Nasi Bakul (RM80) had nasi uduk (steamed rice in coconut milk) topped with braised beef ribs and a layer of sambal and cherry tomatoes, presented in a basket lined with banana leaves. The dark, glistening ribs had been marinated in kicap manis (sweet soy sauce) and spices before braising. The perky sambal and lime juice gave the finishing touch to the rice. The sticky caramelised meat that fell off the bone tasted wonderful with the sambal and rice. There was more than enough rice for the five of us, even though it was recommended as a sharing portion for just two to three people.
Pucuk Pakis Kalio (RM15) was an unusual vegetable dish. It had both deep-fried pucuk paku and sauteed paku in a soupy Indonesian rendang sauce, topped with fried shallots. Paku had never tasted more delicious cooked in this style.
Indonesian Panna Cotta.
We also got to try four different types of sambal that were served to us – Terasi, Balado Hijau, Sambal Gorek and Sambal Mbeq, each with its own level of chilli heat and nuances. Each of them had different flavour notes and was delicous.
Betawi has an extensive drinks menu, ranging from Bir Pletok (non-alcoholic) to Es Capuchino Cincau and Jus Alpukat (avocado smoothie). The traditional Indonesian drink of Bir Pletok − a mix of ginger, pandan and lemongrass − was pleasantly spiced and lightly sweet.
The very pink and creamy Soda Mangga Naga with mango, dragonfruit, ice-cream and sago was pleasing too.
Betawi has an extensive drinks menu.
I once enjoyed the jelly-like som som, made by an Indonesian chef at a private dinner. At Betawi, the Indonesian Panna Cotta was different − a smooth rice jelly bathed in Gula Jawa − topped with pomegranate, mango and slivers of strawberry.
Betawi is an interesting introduction to Indonesian food that may be familiar to our Malaysian taste buds, yet quite different in terms of nuances and spices.
Opinions expressed here are the writer’s own and food at her own expense.
Betawi Indonesian Cuisine
No.31, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 3
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
Kuala Lumpur.
017-419 1210.
Business hours:
Tues-Sun: 11.30pm-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
Mondays: Closed.
