IDN: Angke Restaurant
Stunning deep-fried pockets filled with creamy mayonnaise shrimps!
Another eatery that has stood the test of time is Angke Restaurant, which is known to be one of the most sought-after places for wedding banquets in Jakarta, Indonesia. From its humble beginning of having only three dining tables, this particular restaurant whips up Hakka cuisine among others.
Another eatery that has stood the test of time is Angke Restaurant, which is known to be one of the most sought-after places for wedding banquets in Jakarta, Indonesia. From its humble beginning of having only three dining tables, this particular restaurant whips up Hakka cuisine among others.
To tell a bit of story that I've previously heard, Angke (紅河) is a river named such due to the 1740 Batavia massacre of the Chinese population, where a lot of bodies were thrown into the river and thus became blood red. "Enough of history!" Melon said, "Let's dig in!" :P
Appetiser
The pickled cucumber slices were really refreshing. Not only were they beautifully sweet and sour, but also addictively crunchy.
Salad Kombinasi (Small) Rp 150,000 (~S$15.20)
Taste: 8.5/10
I'd wanted to order the assorted cold appetiser platter, but the restaurant only serves a big portion that feeds up to ten people. As such, I had no choice but to stick to the mayonnaise shrimp and fruit salad with deep-fried mayonnaise shrimp pockets. While the former was fresh and sumptuous enough, it was the latter that gave me a mind-blowing experience: crispy on the outside, yet sweet and creamy on the inside.
Ayam Rebus Minyak Jahe (Half) Rp 90,000 (~S$9.10)
Taste: 8/10
As one of my all-time favourite Chinese dishes, the boiled chicken with sesame oil, ginger and fried garlic bits was good, but I suppose it wasn't as good as my mom's. The white meat was adequately fresh and firm, having shiny, gelatinous skin. The sesame oil used wasn't aromatic enough though, and I felt that the garlic bits could be crispier.
Kodok Goreng Mentega (Small) Rp 104,000 (~S$10.50)
Taste: 7/10
To tell another short story, I've been missing bullfrogs for the longest time ever, but the restaurant ran out of them. As such, I decided to go for the skinnier ordinary frogs, stir-fried with butter and the thinner version of worchestershire sauce that's commonly found in Indonesian. While the gravy was savoury, the frogs weren't that succulent.
Lindung Cah Fumak (Small) Rp 120,000 (~S$12.15)
Taste: 8.5/10
As I mentioned before in the review of what can be considered as the restaurant's competitor, I've got no idea what is fumak called in English. Anyway, Angke Restaurant served it crunchy and juicy. Comparing this dish to the one served at Sentral Restaurant, the former had more prominent Chinese red wine taste aroma, but the latter's fried eel was somewhat more succulent. In any case, both of them received my two thumbs up.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 8/10
Ambience: 6.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Overall: 7/10
Would anyone want to join me to have the assorted cold appetiser platter one day? Pika's advice: The restaurant has its own loyalty programme. The information written on the website is only in Indonesian though.
During the short visit, I made it a point to go to Masjid Istiqlal, which is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.
Directly facing the mosque is the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady. Harmony in place, isn't it?
Angke Restaurant
Jalan K. H. Zaenal Arifin
Komplek Ketapang Indah
Jakarta
Indonesia
(Daily: 10.00am - 3.00pm, 5.00pm - 10.00pm)
*Prices quoted are subject to 5% service charge and 10% VAT.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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