If you Google “best Indonesian restaurant in Singapore”, you’ll find that IndoChili features in most listicles dedicated to this topic—including our own. This fact can be attributed to its authentic and affordable Indonesian fare, which has won it several awards and a 4.5-star Google reviews score.
IndoChili has had this reputation for several years now. In a bid to find out if it still holds up in 2024, we dropped by the restaurant to try some of its most celebrated dishes.
We started with the Tumpeng Mini ($17.80++), which, as the name suggests, is a miniature version of the much larger Nasi Tumpeng ($200++). For the uninitiated, nasi tumpeng is a ceremonial dish that features a massive cone of rice surrounded by many dishes, all of which can feed at least 10 people. The Tumpeng Mini, meanwhile, is suitable for one person.
With a cone-shaped pile of nasi kuning in the centre, the tumpeng mini is joined by ingredients such as ayam bumbu rujak, begedil, peanuts, keropok, pickles, and sambal chilli. All these elements combined for a dish that was complex, hearty, and oh-so-tasty.
Special mention goes to the ayam bumbu rujak, a chicken dish cooked with a reddish spice blend of chilli, tamarind, shallots and more. This imbued the juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken with plenty of fragrance and a piquant flavour. Have it with a spoonful of fragrant yellow rice and a bit of the house-made sambal for maximum effect.
My only complaint was that the yellow rice could’ve been a little more fluffy and moist. I enjoyed its aroma and taste, but texturally it wasn’t that impressive.
The Tumpeng Mini is such a wholesome dish that you can probably order it on its own and come away thoroughly sated. But should you want some side dishes for sharing, IndoChilli has plenty of excellent options, such as the Tahu Telor ($14.80++).
This tofu omelette dish was downright addictive. Its crispy-on-the-outside batter, silky-soft beancurd, and wonderfully savoury peanut sauce made for an amazing combination. Best of all, the portion here was quite sizeable—good for at least two people.
We had room for one more side dish, and that was the Sate Ayam Madura ($14.80++).
If you’re more used to local satay, know that each chicken skewer here was chunkier and arguably smokier than those at your average satay stall. The moreish and aromatic peanut sauce that the sate was drenched in elevated the dish even further.
Decked in traditional Javanese furnishing, IndoChili’s interiors are both evocative and comforting, making it a great environment for enjoying legit Indonesian fare. However, the restaurant isn’t particularly spacious, so if the restaurant is crowded that day, you may have to sit in the outdoor dining area.
IndoChili is an eight-minute walk from Great World MRT Station.
IndoChili still holds up in 2024. Its Indonesian dishes are expertly crafted, authentic, and relatively affordable. So if you’re looking for an Indonesian restaurant, you can’t go wrong with IndoChili.
For a legit Indonesian cafe, read our THREE. by Garamika review. For great eats in Bali, read our best restaurants in Bali guide.
Address: 54 Zion Road, Singapore 247779
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 9:30pm
Website
IndoChili is a halal-certified eatery.
Photos taken by Daryl Lim.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.
Summary
Pros
– Authentic and delicious Indonesian eats
– Tumpeng Mini was an exciting, complex dish to have
– Tahu Telor and Sate Ayam Madura were great sides
Cons
– Yellow rice (nasi kuning) was a little lacking
Recommended dishes: Tumpeng Mini ($17.80++), Tahu Telor ($14.80++), Sate Ayam Madura ($14.80++)
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 3pm, 5pm to 9:30pm
Address: 54 Zion Road, Singapore 247779
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