KATA KITA — Restaurant in Melbourne

If you are the business owner, I hope you read the whole review, if you are just trying to see if you should book a table here, then the short answer is you should. Good food and top tier service

One of the best food I've had in Melbourne for quite sometime. We had salted egg bao and grilled chicken sate to start with. My partner never liked salted egg but he loved the bao since the egg sauce was not overpowering and the chicken has a nice crunch; delicious sate sauce and tender chicken pieces for the chicken skewers.

For main, we tried nasi goreng squid ink and it did not disappoint, the subtle sweetness from the sweet ink in the fluffy rice, with a light drizzle of kewpie mayo on top creates a balanced palette, and the tempura-styled calamari ring added a nice contrast of texture to the dish.

We asked the waiter for a recommendation for another dish to share and he suggested the grandma's braised pork belly. It seemed to be something in between Vietnamese caramelised pork and pulled pork, with the smokey caramelised sauce and the meat melting in your mouth, paired perfectly with their fluffy white rice.

We also had Gado Gado, which is a "cooked salad" if you will of cabbage, green beans, corn, shredded carrots and Bok choy, boiled, topped with crunchy tofu, soybean cake, boiled eggs and crackers with a sweet peanut sauce, garnished with fried shallots. For someone who struggles to like salads and only eat them because they're healthy, this was amazing. Still gives you the freshness of a salad without the bland flavour or boring texture, and the sauce makes you forget this dish is actually healthy.

For drinks, we didn't want any alcoholic drink so we got the orange Yakult punch and lavender blue. Both very creative, refreshing and delicious drinks that also look pretty, although I prefer the orange Yakult punch. One thing I would say is I don't love the straw there since it's the type of paper straw that gets soaked quite easily, I had to ask for a second straw half way through my drink and at the end I just gave up and drank from the cup instead. The small straw also meant the peach pieces from my drink kept getting caught in the straw and I couldn't enjoy my drink properly

We had the Pandan Basque cheese cake and honey ginger creme brulee for dessert. Cheese cake with creamy and flavourful, and although the creme brulee is a fusion dish, it still gives me some type of nostalgia from the taste of ginger and honey

Our waiter for the night was Bayden, he was very helpful and always made sure we got everything we needed. He knew the food well and recommended some good dishes that did not disappoint, and even at the end when we went to pay and he was busy with another order, he still made sure to check on us to see if we enjoyed his recommendations. Even some other waiters and waitresses, they would come check on us every now and then even though it's not their table and always made us comfortable to ask for something.

The atmosphere was nice and cosy, music wasn't too loud to be distracting if you want to have a conversation, however I personally feel like the tables are a tiny bit close together, you can easily hear the conversation from the table next to you and vice versa.

All in all, even though the restaurant is on the pricier side, I'd say it is worth it considering the food and the service you get

Will come back to try...

Lunch @KataKita.au serving Indonesian fare, we ordered a number of dishes, some to share.

Kangkung goreng - stir fried water spinach, garlic, onion, shrimp paste The water spinach is delicious, juicy, nice hit of garlic and compliments the other dishes.

Salted egg chicken bao - Fried chicken, salted egg sauce, curry leaves I love bao and the bao was superb, nice crunchy chicken, though the sauce was more like a coconut curry and didn't balance with the ingredients in my opinion.

Nasi goreng, fried egg, chicken, garlic crackers The nasi goreng was superb, delicious flavour through the rice and soft pieces of chicken.

Babi guling - Balinese roast pork, crisp skin, lawar (coconut mixed vegetables) The roast suckling pig was a pleasant surprise, crunchy crackling, oozing flavour, a lovely hit of chilli and a different interpretation to roast pork.

Udang saus mentega - fried prawns in sweet and spicy butter sauce The prawns are large, meaty and well cooked. However that sauce stole the show and smothering that liquid gold over plain steamed rice and eating it could be a meal in itself. I'm not sure what is in the sauce but forget the prawns, just serve me a bowl of the sauce!

Visited again where Kata Kita have introduced an express menu and we asked if we could share, which we could, service is always excellent here.

Babi Guling - 8 hours roast Tasmanian pork belly, green beans, shallots, pork sate, garlic sambal, Jasmine rice. The slow cooked suckling pig is superb, oozing flavour and delicious along with the tasty skewered pork, crispy pork crackling, greens and rice.

Ayam Betutu Balinese roast chicken cooked in aromatic spices, served with sambal and Jasmine rice. I loved the roast chicken smothered in Balinese flavours and the little bowl of some kind of sambal packs a punch, heat, but is yum with the plain rice.

Smoked Fish Curry - seasonal smoked fish simmered in tumeric coconut curry, chilli, lemongrass, kaffir lime served with rice. The fish curry presents a delicious curry smothered over the plain rice but the fish itself, whilst tender, is far more...

This is by far the best babi guling experience I’ve had outside of Bali, and it completely exceeded my expectations! From the very first bite, you can tell that the chefs have nailed the balance of traditional Balinese flavors with a level of finesse that makes this dish absolutely unforgettable.

The pork skin was perfectly crisp, with that ideal crunch that babi guling lovers crave—none of that soggy texture that can sometimes ruin the experience. It was seasoned just right, with a deep, savory flavor that brought out the best in the crispy texture. The pork meat itself was incredibly tender and moist, melting in your mouth with every bite, while carrying that authentic blend of Balinese spices that transported me straight back to the island.

The accompaniments were equally impressive. The spicy sambal added just the right amount of heat, without overpowering the flavors of the pork, while the sautéed vegetables provided a fresh, vibrant contrast to the richness of the meat. The attention to detail was clear, as each element on the plate worked in harmony to create a balanced, satisfying meal that was rich, flavorful, and deeply comforting.

It’s hard to believe I found such an authentic Balinese dish here in Australia. Every component of the babi guling—down to the smallest garnish—stayed true to the traditional recipe while being presented with a modern touch. It’s the kind of dish that not only satisfies hunger but leaves you craving more the moment your plate is empty.

If you’re a fan of Bali’s legendary pork dish, this place is an absolute must-visit. And for those who haven’t yet tried babi guling, this is the perfect introduction to the dish—it’s as close to the real deal as you’ll get without hopping on a plane to Bali.

Now, the only thing that could make this experience even better? Please, please open a branch in Perth! The food scene there is craving more authentic Balinese flavors, and I’m confident that a Perth branch would be a massive hit. The quality, authenticity, and bold flavors you offer would make it an...