Ode to Indomie
Fans of Indomie noodle should check out this eatery which prepares it in different ways, writes Ewe Paik Leong
ONE wall of the hall in IndoBowl is festooned with artworks which, to me, don’t serve any purpose. The space is narrow so most tables are arranged in a single column. In the evening, a canopy stretches from the storefront to the road, so that more tables can be added. You queue, order, pay and take a number to display on your table.
The simplistic menu starts with Indomie (with ayam balado or ayam Madura, seafood, lamb, steak — both from Australia), rice, fried rice and sputters to a halt after beverages.
The sole dessert is es chendul and the only notable beverage is soda gembira .Surprisingly, there are also stir-fried broccoli and sambal eggplant as standalones. noodles with green sambal. A tangy twang almost twists my tongue, widening my eyes. The chilli heat is bearable this time.
On my second visit, I opt for nasi ayam Madura. Rice is partnered with a piece of chicken, a puddle of sauce, a sunny-side up egg and an unwelcome presence of storebought crackers.
The latter tastes plasticky and bland, and I would prefer emping (gnetum gnemon-nut cracker) instead. The rice is sticky and each grain clings to its neighbour, not fused to it.
When my gnashers tear off some flesh from the chicken, a citrusy whoosh from lemongrass and a murmur of earthysweetness from turmeric float to my nasal passages. I continue with more bites after drenching sauce on the chicken.
The sauce gives the chicken a dramatic heft with its savouriness. When the egg plays its part, the flavours slip from thrilling to comfort, and, finally, I’m back on terra firma when munching the cucumber slices.
Up next is Indomie ayam balado accompanied by red sambal, chicken and an egg.
Aware that the red sambal is fiery hot, I only mix half of the noodles with a little of it.
Once in my mouth, they’re shouting umami and fire, and I’m sent to seek solace in my es chendul, which only passes muster. Next, my tastebuds find comfort in the other half of the noodles covered with egg yolk. The grilled chicken is a tad dry.
My nasi goreng sate ayam shows that the kitchen delivers consistency but the elements of many dishes are formulaic: crackers and sunny-side up egg make too many appearances.
The ingredients of my nasi goreng have spent sufficient time on a hot griddle; thus, apart from having a zesty spicy punch, they are infused with sweet smokiness. The satay contrasts marvelously with the texture of the rice.
I finish off with Indomie kerang (cockles). This dish is like a good joke without a punchline. The trio of noodles, egg and sambal are as good as before but the cockles are dry, insipid and bouncy between my teeth. Many dishes push a lot of the right culinary buttons.