Ramadhan Special 2013: IndoChili

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Quite awhile back, I saw an old office buddy 'Like' a page on FB.
It was a makan place called 'IndoChili' which served authentic Indonesia fare. When I first messaged them to check on Halal certification status, they were still processing it. And a few weeks later, they got back to me with good news - IndoChili was finally certified Halal!

And finally, we got the chance to visit just in time for Ramadhan!

IndoChili is located a long Zion Road (just across the road from Great World City) and a really cozy place to have some good food and have a chill-out session with friends.

 

Such a cozy corner am I right? They also have normal dining tables and chairs if you're like (both indoor and outdoor) but this was actually really nice if you plan to relax and digest your food while chit-chatting with your friends and loved ones. (Those chairs are REALLY comfy by the way)

There were so many things to try on the menu! But alas, out stomachs could only handle so much so we chose a few dishes and will leave the rest for our next visit! :P

Kerupuk and Nuts (Complimentary)

Well they really got me in the mood to start eating when they served some complimentary Fish Kerupuk and Kerupuk Belinjau! But hey how about some real appetizers to get things going eh?

Welcoming Platter ($9.80)

This platter is actually a sampler of some of the appetizers you can actually order.
It comes with a couple of sticks of Sate Ayam Madura, Risoles and Perkedel (Potato Cutlets).
It's prefect if you wanna try a few different appetizers and also good for sharing with friends.

The potato cutlets were excellent. I know quite a number of you might be saying "It's just normal Bagedil what's the big deal?". Well believe you me, there's a big difference between a good potato cutlet and a not so good potato cutlet - and this one was a good potato cutlet.

Risoles

I'm not sure about you guys but I had never heard of Risoles (pronounced Ree-So-Leys) before our visit to IndoChili so I wasn't sure what exactly we were in for.

Apparently it's a kind of croquette which means you're gonna get a nice crunchy deep-fried potato layer on the outside and some delicious filling consisting of mainly chicken and veggies like carrots and celery in there.

It may be a savoury treat originating from Europe but the Indonesians have definitely made this particular deep-fried goody their own.

Definitely something new that you should try if you have not already done so!

But as delicious as the Perkedil and Risoles were, I simply could not wait to move to the item I was most looking forward to on the Welcoming platter...

Satay Ayam Madura

Indonesian-style Satay is something I definitely have come to enjoy.
There's something special about it... I know we all love Satay but this is something you MUST have.

At IndoChili, they charcoal-grill the chicken satay to tender perfection and it just rips right apart when you take a nice big bite. And if pairing it with the traditional Satay peanut gravy is not enough, they keep it 100% Indon-style with the addition of some sweet soy sauce!

One of the best and most authentic Indon-style Satay that my darling wife and I had was in Jakarta and this definitely brought back memories of that.

The Welcoming Platter comes with 2 skewers of the Satay Ayam Madura so the next time we go back, I'm definitely going to order the full plate of 5 skewers!!

Nasi Timbel ($11.80)

Here's another favourite which I'm sure those of you who have visited Indonesia would have seen being offered everywhere from restaurants to even road-side stalls.

It comes with banana leaf-wrapped white rice, ayam goreng (complete with kremes!), veggies (cucumber and tomato), a piece of salted fish (solid Indon touch!), tahu and tempeh plus a side of fiery sambal to complete this hearty dish.

The fried chicken was the bomb! Especially with the kremes (crunchy fried crumbs) which again bring back memories of eating in Jakarta and Bandung. This dish was really a one-stop for those of you looking something filling and satisfying. And by the way, the sambal was spicy but not too spicy (for those of you who might be a little worried).

Steamed White Rice for Nasi Timbel

Sayur Asem

Unwrap the banana leaf to uncover freshly steamed white rice which is fluffy and simply a delight.

The Nasi Timbel set also come with a nice bowl of Sayur Asem.
For those of you who have read my other reviews, you will know that I am a sucker for Sayur Asem and I'm surely gonna order it if it's on the menu. Luckily for me it came with my Nasi Timbel. Bonus!

The Sayur Asem was excellent and came with the usual goodies like young jackfruit and corn all bathing in the sweet-sour tamarind based broth. And what impressed me most was they include Biji Belinjo in their Sayur Asem. This is a traditional ingredient in Sayur Asem and some places simply neglect to include it but well done IndoChili!

No regrets at all having the Nasi Timbel!

Buntut Goreng Special ($16.00)

I'd actually never had Oxtail Stew before. It's not that I don't fancy it but I guess I just never really had the chance to try it. It's one of my Dad's favourite dishes so I figured this might be a good chance to try it.

A little something different though. This versions is the 'Goreng' (fried) version which sees the oxtail fried and served separately from the soup which they serve to you in a hotpot complete with flame to keep it nice and steamy for you! (As seen on the right)

The soup was tasty and reminded me of a really hearty beef broth with veggies like carrots all stewed to perfection.

But how would I find the actual Oxtail itself?
Hmmmmm....

OMG.
If this is Buntut Goreng then you have got to give me more!

I was okay to just settle for the tasty soup but the Oxtail itself way surpassed what I thought it was going to be like.
I'm sure the onions and sweet sauce played a big part but the Oxtail meat itself was so yummy!

It simply falls off the bones and I could do so with just a fork on my first taste. And for something that is supposedly fried, I didn't find it at all oily. In fact, the tenderness of the meat made me think that this might actually have been roasted in the oven for awhile at least.

Well, whatever they did to it - I approve!

But there is something I might point out...

The Buntut Goreng Special is served with a dish of sambal.
I mentioned earlier that the sambal served with the Nasi Timbel was not that spicy.. well this is a whole different story let me tell you!

I'd like to think that I'm quite a 'Hantu Chili' which means I can definitely handle spicy food (I take after my Mum - the ultimate 'Hantu Chili') but this sambal was way out of my league. Even my darling wife left it aside after a first taste. This sambal really packs a punch!

I'm sure those of you who love super spicy hot sambal will definitely enjoy this.
Maybe I should bring my Mum to test it :)

Sambal Mangga ($4.80)

And speaking of spicy...
We also ordered the Sambal Mangga and Sambal Goreng to accompany our dishes.
This was a nice Indonesian rendition of a mango salad. Definitely perks up your taste buds and gives you an appetite to keep eating I can tell you that.

Sambal Goreng Tahu Tempe ($7.80)

I know we are used to having a drier version of Sambal Goreng but the Indonesian-style includes a little more gravy so this goes really well if you're having a rice dish.

This is also a great choice if you're looking for a veggies-only dish!

Jus Alpukat ($6.80)

If you love Avacado Juice, this is the beverage of choice for you!
Delicious avocado and iced up and refreshing! And the best thing is that this not the watered-down type you might get at some places so this means this will probably last you for the whole meal.

And here's an interesting thing my darling wife spotted first.
Normally you'd get Avocado Juice topped off with some Gula Melaka (brown sugar syrup) to give it a hint of sweetness. Well, what you see above is... Chocolate syrup!

It's not conventional I know but it's actually not bad!
Well for those who still prefer the traditional Gula Melaka, don't worry you can still request for it when you place your order with the friendly staff. :)

Citron Soda ($4.80)

You guessed it! Some citrus (lemon and orange) syrup and fruit bits with soda water for a refreshing beverage to wash down all the yummy food!

They also had Jus Durian! Hmmm... maybe next time!

And you would think that after all that we would be full-up right?
Well we saw the desserts on the menu and couldn't bear to leave without sampling!

Es Cendol ($5.80)

My darling wife is a Cendol fanatic so we all know what she's gonna have am I right?

Pandan jelly, kidney beans, jackfruit, Gula Melaka and coconut milk all atop a bed of shaved ice...

I think we can tell by the look on her face that she's enjoying her Cendol! :)
And that was her first spoonful mind you.

Special mention about the shaved iced that was so finely shaved that it melts so smoothly when you devour a whole spoonful.
Simply delightful when it blends with the coconut miles and gula melaka.

If you like Cendol - try this!

Es Teler ($6.80)

Let me start by saying this - THIS WAS THE BOMB!

Finely shaved ice with jackfruit, avocado and coconut all covered with condensed milk!
Sinful maybe but definitely worth it I'm telling you. If you have a sweet tooth like me, this is perfect!
I finished every last thing in that dish.

I really saved the best for last on this one. I'm even going as far as to say that this is probably...
THE BEST DESSERT I'VE EVER HAD!

Adam's Verdict: 4.5/5

Maryah's Verdict: 4/5

There are still so many items on the menu that we are simply dying to try.
Rawon, Tahu Telur, Tumping Mini (which was sold out when we visited!) and assorted Ikan Bakar among other things.

This is a great place to come and enjoy great food. The staff is really friendly and the ambiance is just lovely.
Thanks to IndoChili for having us! We're definitely coming back!

IndoChili

54 Zion Road

www.indochili.com
www.facebook.com/IndoChili
Tel: 6445 1766 / 8168 4958

Operating Hours: 
11.30am til 10.30pm Daily

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***Special Ramadhan Promotion***

From now til 7 August 2013, enjoy a FREE Ramadhan Dessert when you visit IndoChili!!
(Limited serving per person while stocks last)

You will also receive a 10% discount vouched which you can use on your nest visit to IndoChili!
Make your reservations today at www.indochili.com

Check out The Halal Food Blog's FB page for more information on a special Ramadhan Contest where you stand a chance to win IndoChili dining vouchers!!

Ayam Penyet Ria

My wife brought me to this place back when we were dating.
Even then she already knew that the way to my heart was through my stomach!

And since that day, it seems that Ayam Penyet Ria has vastly expanded.
Besides the original store in Lucky Plaza, they now have a total of 5 branches! Wow they must be good!

Well how about some appetizers first?

Emping ($1.50)

This is really going to get your taste buds prepared for the full meal ahead.
A mix of Kerupuk Belinjau and Kerupuk Udang is a winner especially when you have it with the sambal that accompanies it. Good price for a good start!

And while we were looking over the menu, we saw the waiter carrying this basket of fried stuff.
No not the kerupuk lah. It was something that seemed very stringy. And then we saw the promo poster.
Automatically we knew we had to order it.

Fried Enoki Mushrooms (3.90)

And for the record, that looks absolutely NOTHING like the poster lah.

This is apparently a new item on the menu that I have no doubts will definitely appeal to a lot of people because, well, most people love Enoki mushrooms. And even though it would be considered a little pricey, it's still a must-try right?

Well let me save you all the trouble. Don't buy it. And if you do, hope you get a better batch.
I think we may have gotten the bottom of the mushroom barrel on that order.
When I say Enoki mushrooms, I'm thinking long stalks all bunched together and coated nicely with batter and just frying it long enough to get a crisp. As you can see from the picture above, nothing is bunched together and the mushrooms were fried for too long.

And I personally think they look like fried tadpoles.

Sayur Asam ($3.90)

I love Sayur Asam and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a good bowl of it nowadays.
The best I've ever had was long ago at Pondok Gurame (when they were still in Katong) but I have to say the Sayur Asam at Ria is actually damn nice.

At least I know where to go if I need my Sayur Asam fix.

And now on to the real food eh.

Nasi Ayam Penyet ($6.90)

My darling wife had the 'original' Nasi Ayam Penyet.
And staying true to tradition, it's served with a bowl of plain white rice and not the 'chicken rice' type deal.

Besides that, you also get fried tempeh, cucumber, cabbage and also some blanched kangkong.

And don't forget a nice big dollop of the famous Ria Sambal.
(which is free flow by the way)

As you can see, the chicken is still very tender while having a very nice and crispy exterior. Tasty and not at all dried out.

My darling wife is such a big fan of this place and it's very easy to see why. So far it's never failed to disappoint her and that means that they have a good consistent product which is a very good thing which is tough to come by nowadays especially with food chains that are expanding.

I mean come on, how may times have you gone to a different brand of your favourite makan place and you felt that the food seemed a little bit off-standard compared to your usual haunt?

Empal Penyet ($6.90)

Well, as usual, you know I've gots to have me some beef.
So I had the Empal Penyet which is basically one big piece of beef which has been fried and smashed (or should I say penyet-ed) for some yummy good times.

And I can safely say the words "big piece of beef" this time and I would be telling the truth.
We all remember the time we had 'Dapur Penyet' right?

Well this was nice and tender and well worth the money I tell you. Super!

And I know I mentioned it just now but I think it's only fair that I speak a little more about the sambal.

Do. Not. Mess. With. This. Sambal.

Okay so maybe you die-hard hantu chili will be able to take it with no issues. I'm actually not too bad myself and this was a really really tasty sambal but after awhile... HELP ME HELP ME MY MOUTH IS ON FIREEEEEEEE okay so maybe I'm exaggerating a little.

My wife keeps pairs it with the sweet soy sauce which they have and she keeps topping it up so you know it's got to be damn good right.

Adam's Verdict:
Empal Penyet 5/5 -- Emping 3/5 -- Enoki Mushrooms 1/5 -- Sayur Asam 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Ayam Penyet 5/5 -- Emping 5/5 -- Enoki Mushrooms 0/5

Oh and before I forget to mention... try the Soda Gembira (literally Happy Soda).
It's just Bandung with 7-Up. And it rocks.

Soda Gembira ($2.10)

And I know I said my darling wife and I have always gotten 100% satisfaction from Ria everytime we went.
But everytime we went, it was to the Lucky Plaza (4th floor) outlet.

They have another outlet on the 1st floor, one at Bedok Point, one at Far East Plaza and another at Jurong Point. I cannot vouch for all the other outlets I must say. But if they are as good at the Lucky Plaza one then you're gonna have a damn good meal.

Ayam Penyet Ria

Lucky Plaza
304 Orchard Road
#04-25

Operating Hours:
12.00pm til 9.00pm Daily