393 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
Ph: 9554 - 6119
owner@EkaRiaRestaurant.com
website: ekariarestaurant.com
Everyone has one of these restaurants... they feel comfortable, the food is awesome and it is really well priced. Well if you don't, you should. The decor doesn't have to be fantastic, but it does have to be clean with nice atmosphere.
Whilst living in the eastern suburbs we developed an addiction for Indonesian food (yes, it becomes a serious addictionthat requires at least fortnightly medicating). We would go to Kingsford and take our pick of the many Indonesian restaurants, although they were all good they where not all equal in our tastes. So when we moved we needed somewhere new to fulfill our cravings. Well we did, and boy are we satisfied I mean look at that food... and yes it really is that good.
The food here is fantastic... this is what we ordered: Empek Empek is an egg stuffed fishcake in a spicy sauce and noodles. Gado Gado mixed steamed vegetables with a spicy peanut sauce. Beef Rendang, slowly cooked beef in a chilli and coconut. Ayam bakar marinated and bbqed chicken. Petai Goreng fried stink beans. Sambal terasi chilli and shrimp paste sauce. Nasi Goreng, Indonesian fried rice. All of this for less than $40! (enough for 4) There Empal goreng is good too.
The Stinkbeans sound kind of scary, well they did to me at first, but they have a really good flavour, the smell is different but not bad. I want to try the Nasi Petai Goreng next time.
The Ayam bakar here is awesome, we have even managed to get my Auntie seriously addicted.... muah ha haha haha :) I love it with the Sambal terasi, I always ask for some more.. mmm definately the best way to have chicken. Their Ayam goreng (fried chicken is really good too, but then you dont get the bbq flavour). If it just casey and I, I get a bowl of sour vegtable soup and a ayam bakar dada... heaven!
So if you are in Sydney and want to try some awesome Indonesian or have a hankering for the best chicken in town then get yourself to my favourite little Indonesian restaurant in Marrickville.
*NOTE* IT IS NOT OPEN ON THURSDAYS! (But I really wish it was)
21 comments:
Oh, I know exactly the type of restaurant you mean. For me, it's Isobune in Oakland, and Kashmir here in Knoxville.
I think that these restaurants can be the real gems out there.. if just case and I go we can have dinner for $14 which is unbeleivably cheap for the quality of food.... tell me why do I cook?
wow - the ayam bakar looks incredibly delicious. As for the petai goreng, back here in Singapore, we normally fry it together with sambal belacan (a spicy chilli cum dried shrimp paste).
Hi Eatzycath :)
They have the best Ayam bakar I have had in sydney... and only $4 for a quarter of chicken (I know that is expensive for singapore... but it is good value here)
I think I am going to buy some forzen petai and give it a try. I was scared.. but excited the first time that I had it but I really like it. I think sambal belacan and terasi are pretty close to the same thing??
Hi Clare,
Thanks a lot! You're so lucky to be able to get this kind of Indonesian food in Australia. Here in Hawaii, there is only one Indonesian restaurant that I know of, and it's really not all that good.
I'm glad you enjoyed the food, and now, I think I need to make some Indonesian food for myself.
BTW...you should e-mail your review to the restaurant. I think they might link it on their site.
Hi Reid
I think that we are really lucky, Kingsford has a really big indonesian community,which is awesome cause I get to eat lots of good indo food!
Great idea... I will send them an email...
If you want some good recipes.. I have a couple of awesome books, just let me know what you want to make, ok?
Thanks Amy :) I am so glad that you liked it!
Well I sent them an email...
Ag
This place rocks you should go really soon.... I hope you like it! :)
What a neat post Clare. Now I want some Indonesian food! (Why do I go food blogging when I'm hungry? Why?) There really aren't any ethnic restaurants around here (let's just say I haven't eaten Chinese since leaving San Francisco Bay Area), but I still have yummy memories of visiting a friend whose family was transferred to Jakarta while we were in high school. Oh, sure it was nice to have a driver and a maid, but the best part was their Indonesian cook. She was fabulous! My favorite dish (which I have no idea how to spell) was lumpia. Kind of like little spring rolls. She would make a huge platter of them. In Bali we would have the Black Rice Pudding at Poppy's restaurant sometimes twice a day. Awesome and like nothing I've ever had. My friend's mom actually made it for us back in the States and it was delish, but there was something about enjoying it outdoors in a tropical jungle paradise. . . Thanks for this little trip down memory lane. Wow, now I'm really hungry! :)
Hi Farmgirl
I am so glad that my post brought back such good memories for you! I ate at poppy's when I was in Bali too lol :)
hi clare
Hey, this is the restaurant you been telling me about. I am so glad you post about it so I know what sorta food we can expect there. And wow this is really good value!! I think ShinChan would love the nasi goreng there :)
Hi Pinkcocoa :)
Yep this is the restaruant that I was telling you about :) It is not only good value but REALLY tasty! They also have a special nasi goreng.. but I havent had that yet. Better than making ur house smell like terasi ;)lol
It sounds yummy - I used to eat a lot of indonesian and malaysian food in london when i was a veggie in the 80s then it seemd to get taken over by sushi and stuff when that becae trendy.
I dont think there is any Indonesian food of note in SF
Hi Sam
Most of the indonesian restaurants in Sydney are at the cheaper end of the dining spectrum. There was a good indonesian seafood restaurant but very sadly it had problems after the bali bombing incident and closed. I hope the same thing doesnt happen with shappelle corby/bali 9 mess we have going on here and cause the loss of anymore good indonesian restaurants... *sigh*
That is so sad that there are no indonesian restaurants in SF :( I think I am going to have to make (practise) some more indonesian food so that I can put the recipes up.
Does anyone have any requests for dishes they would like the recipes for?
Hi Clare,
great collection of pictures, it looks great! and stinkbeans? sounds very intriguing :) I dont think Ive ever had indonesian food, but you've definitely got me wanting to try some!
Hi Michele! You should try some, I wonder if there are any indonesian restaurants in Heidelberg or Paris?
Probably not...
Oh my, you got me started on this. I love love beef rendang so much so that I've been scouring the cookbooks in our library for a good recipe.
I'm intrigued with that stink beans. Did they really print that on the menu?
Hi Clare! Thanks for submitting this yummy post to Omnivoribus Australis. I intend on visiting this resto and get a taste for good Indonesian cuisine myself! Thanks again :)
I love that orange tray/bowl
Anthony The little one? It was just perfect for the sauce.... mmm nsambal terasi
Hi I’d like to congratulate you on your cute+funky site~! What a coincidence the restaurant happens to be owned by my ex-boyfriends family! And trust me they do work real hard for what they’ve achieved today! And I’m thankful that you’re a happy customer. Btw I blog about locations I’ve visited myself. here’s my site, a little something to keep you entertained. “Although it’s not as professional as yours” hope you enjoy! www.munchymoni.blogdrive.com =)
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