You’ve got to love a restaurant that hands out complimentary wedges of fresh orange at the end of a meal. You’ve got to love it even more when you’ve only just sat down for lunch and you get a plate of orange before ordering anything from the menu. I’m sure the young girl that gave it to us didn’t realise we were actually waiting for the menu, not the bill. A palate cleanse before the palate even needed cleansing.
Of all the Indonesian eateries along Anzac Parade this is one of a few that visitors can almost always expect to jostle with locals to get in for a taste of food as it is in Jakarta. Some may have to wait for a table or even share with a family but don’t despair as everyone is here for one reason. The food. Pinangsia is a place not to be judged by its no make-up interior as what they dish up here is fit for an Indonesian king that has a penchant for humble grub.
Service at this family-run noshery is swift to say the least. The few minutes given to browse the multi-page menu are over before someone is standing by the table holding an order pad. Feeling pressure much? I kind of knew what had to be tried and that was the famous bakso goreng, a tennis ball-sized dumpling that’s made of curious ground meat. It vaguely resembles choux pastry, it’s soft, a little pliable, riddled with air pockets and goes down a treat with a good squirt of kecap manis.
The mie ayam karet komplit is a moderately-sized bowl of egg noodles with chicken, bbq pork and a few sprouts and the deal is to add the other bowl of meatball soup to the mix and have yourself a slurping-good time. The golden bits of crispy fried wonton pastry are your glorified croutons.
My choice of soto betawi & nasi is another steaming bowl of goodness, this time laced with choice bits of beef cube, tripe and beef tendon, all bobbing about in a delicious coconut broth. There’s rice that comes with but I’m more interested in my medley of tidbits and crispy bitter nut crackers rafting across the surface.
A must-try sweetie is the martabak banga, a traditional pancake that resembles an over-sized soft crumpet. The ultimate filling choice has got to be peanut with chocolate and cheese. It’s supremely buttery, is loaded with sugar and the combination is so wrong that it’s right. Pinangsia, you rock.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
LOL @ plate of pre-meal oranges.
The bakso goreng looks great, especially for $1.50! And the martabak banga looks a must-try!
Wow – this food looks all so unique (and admittedly foreign to me). I thought the bakso goreng was a bread roll at first glace
Tina@foodboozeshoes recently posted..Darlinghurst small bars – 13b- Shady Pines Saloon- Pocket
Love love LOVE this place, never get to go there though as bf prefers Indo Rasa nearby.
I’m a huge fan of the ketoprak and those beef balls (bakso goreng) are awesome!
Lau@Corridorkitchen recently posted..The Shortlist- Darlington
Still yet to try Indonesian food. And you make oranges look so awesomely vibrant and delicious =p
angie recently posted..Restauracja Teatralna – Restaurant at The Polish Club Ashfield- Under New Management
lol @ the oranges
betty recently posted..Viennese brownies
Those bakso goreng look intriguing! I’ve only sampled Indo food a few years ago in Banda Ache (but it was banquet-style) so I would like to give this place a try.
Normally the places with very minimal decor or that are the most dingiest are the best places for food!
Phuoc’n Delicious recently posted..S’more slice
Did you notice all of the Indonesian diners all ordering the same thing?
My Indonesian friends have told me that the restaurants are normally only good for one speciality dish. Apparently the thing to do in Kensington is to go to one place for the chicken and then pop round the corner for the fish cakes. Sounds like quite a lot of walking to me!
Richard Elliot recently posted..Restaurant Review- Café Morso- Pyrmont
I prefer to eat my fruit before the meal so I think I’d be happy to get the free oranges as soon as I sit down
Gaby recently posted..Review- Pizza e Birra
Hahaa! I wonder if the young girl did a ‘whoopsss’ after realizing her boo-boo. And that martabak banga, i want!! Looks awfully similar as Malaysia’s apom balik but with chocolate and cheese.
maameemoomoo recently posted..Kuching- Sarawak
oh this used to be my hang out place! they have changed owners i think but i love the bakso goreng! We always get the bakso goreng from there! this was one of my favourites…
That all sounded fantastic. Love Indonesian food – especially sop buntut (oxtail soup) & satay ayam (chicken satay). We have a similar super tiny place in WA called Bintang Cafe in Victoria Park. Super cheap & cheerful eats.
I don’t eat a lot of Indonesian, but the bakso goreng has me caught my egg. Will need to check them out when I am in the area next.
Dumpling Girl recently posted..Japan City- Top Ryde