Java — Restaurant in Waitematā

I was wanting to try it since it moved to K Rd as it was closer to work. I ended up going for a fairly late lunch but they were still open at 1600. The place was unsurprisingly empty but they were still serving people. I grabbed a table and went through the menu. They split the menu into sharing and not sharing sides. The sharing side had the entrees and larger platters while the non sharing had the smaller meal items. I was tossing up between one of the nasi campur items or the penyets. Although the nasi campur looked like a good dish to try a lot of different items, I ended up going with the bebek goreng penyet, the fried duck. I also grabbed an es soda gembira as a drink. The es soda gembira was interesting, quite sweet and almost like a rose syrup drink. Not what I expected but it was quite tasty. The bebek penyet was really delicious. The duck itself was really good but I think it was the sambal that turned everything up a notch or two. It was the right level for me since I could still feel the heat without it burning. The meal was delicious and so moreish. I definitely want to come by to try their nasi campur or maybe the sharing platters if I can find others to come with me next time. Really tasty food which is a bit different from the rest.

Edit: Tried the beef rendang fried rice and that was amazing. Nice wok hei and really interesting flavour. Tried the rijstaffel and it was smaller than I expected, serving 2 people...

Visited them on the 13th April 2022. Updated my review from four stars to two after they have changed location to K road.

############# Updated review #############

The standard is still the same but the portion got bigger and the price reflects that. But they DO NOT give free mild chilli sauce (the mild chilli sauce that comes in a small tiny bowl with the Ayam Penyet).

I've requested additional sauce (because of the bigger portion) and got told that if I wanted additional sauce, I have to pay (for the small bowl of sauce) an additional $6.

I don't mind paying for the new menu prices ($46 for two Ayam Penyet) I like the food and the taste is authentic. But if I had to pay an additional $6 for more mild chilli sauce in a small bowl (for the Ayam Penyet - because the complimentary chilli sauce is too spicy for me) then it's a turn off.

Like I mentioned before, the taste is authentic but would I return after this incident? Probably not.

############# Previous Review #############

One word: Sedap! Tried the Ayam Penyet and it's authentic. Taste is even better with lotsa sambal chilli. Will I return to eat? Yes definitely and I can recommend to my kawan...

Situated on bustling K’Road, JAVA effortlessly blends with the surroundings in terms of its decor and cool ambience. The atmosphere exudes genuine Indonesian vibes, with the little details found in their tablecloths, plates, and charming knick-knacks representing Indonesian culture throughout the restaurant.

The staff provided warm and helpful suggestions regarding their top dishes for an authentic culinary adventure. They were super easy to deal with.

Our meal consisted of the Sambal Platter, Fritter Platter, Risoles, Penyet Platter, and the Mie Goreng Gila. The food's presentation was quite pleasing, with the Fritter Platter and Risoles standing out as highlights due to their delightful taste and appealing texture. Regrettably, the other dishes were excessively salty and couldn't be finished, which was disappointing. This situation suggests a need for some food testing to pinpoint where improvements can be made. Additionally, the beverages failed to impress.

Overall, a few aspects related to the flavor of the food and drinks could benefit from attention to enhance the overall...