Authentic Indonesian at Simpang Asia

I had been introduced to Indonesian food a few years ago when my Indonesian co-workers would take us to eat at Ramayani, Simpang Asia, and Indo Cafe--all excellent Indonesian restaurants in the west side. Simpang Asia was by far their favorite and in fact one coworker described the food as being almost better than what he had back home in Java. Wow. I really can't think of a better argument in favor of a restaurant's authenticity. Both coworkers have since moved on to other endeavors, but my team's passion for Simpang Asia remains strong, and so we made the trip there for a recent team lunch to get our fix of authentic Indonesian fare.

Part grocery store and part restaurant, Simpang Asia is tucked away in a tiny Palms strip mall; it's one of those places that can drive you insane while looking for it. The restaurant has quite an extensive menu and can be intimidating for first-timers; I'm glad I had culinary guidance from my two former coworkers during the first few visits. Popular menu items include the Nasi Bungkus, Nasi Warteg, and Nasi Rames--all traditional dishes with chicken curry and noodles or rice. I've had these dishes many, many times and can attest to their greatness, but I was in the mood for oxtail soup for this trip and so that's exactly what I ordered:


Oxtail is the tail portion of a beef animal--not sure if ox is used here but generally it's from cattle. The tail is bony, gelatinous, and is extremely rich in beefy flavor. It's also quite messy to eat and I'm not even sure if there's a proper way to consume it. To really get at the meat, you have grab the tail with both hands and gnaw on it, taking turns with picking up the bowl to slurp the broth between bites. Now I do my honest part in being a civilized person---despite what you might have heard from my better half--so I used the provided utensils as much as I could to devour the meat . But quite honestly I just gave up after about five minutes and proceeded to go old-school on the tail. I certainly hope my coworkers didn't mind; but I really enjoyed my oxtail soup!

For $1 more you can fill your stomach with a generous portion of rice. The accompanying sauce is very spicy and adds great texture. A little of the sauce goes a long way.


One coworker went for the Nasi Rames--a combination of spicy chicken curry, tempeh, and beef rendang (slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and spices):


The meats are incredibly tender and full of intense flavors; a side of tempeh adds an interested texture to the mix. This is probably my favorite item at Simpang Asia.


Another coworker requested the very popular Nasi Warteg--turmeric-fried chicken, jack fruit curry, fried noodles, tempeh, tiny salted fish, and steamed rice. It's all wrapped in banana leaves:



I realize that this might not look appetizing, but trust me, it's absolutely delicious. This and the Nasi Rames above are served spicy by default, but you can request mild if you can't take the heat. These are both heavy dishes and can make for a sleepy afternoon; there's nothing wrong with that in my book.

And check out the Thai iced tea:

It's refreshing and if you like, pick up a case at the adjoining grocery store.

I must admit the oxtail soup was a bit off during this visit. The meat wasn't as plentiful and the broth was lacking some flavor as compared to past visits, but I nonetheless left very satisfied. Total price for soup and rice was $9. The service was, well, adequate; food was brought to our table and that's about the extent of the pleasantries. You're not here for royal service and a pristine dining environment; you're here for the food and Simpang Asia definitely delivers in that regard. We'll probably be back within the next few weeks.

Lastly, I invite you to check out this review on Simpang Asia from blogger Pandalicious. Enjoy!

Simpang Asia
10433 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024

This weekend I'll be making the German Chocolate Cake and of course I'll post a full write-up on the recipe.