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Mirjana Jovetic

The Indonesian Restaurant

25 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay

Tel: 2577 9981

Open:  noon-midnight

Laminex tables, vinyl chairs, black-suited waiters as antiquated as the decor and an authentic menu with (almost) authentic 1960s prices ...  retro lovers could do no better than the gourmet time travel experience offered by The Indonesian Restaurant. It was a first-class seat in a journey  back to 1968, when Chang Tin-lok  and his wife, Lee Chau-chen,  first opened their doors.

Thirty-five years later, the  couple have   passed on their aprons to their sons, and The Indonesian Restaurant has been propelled  into the 21st century.  A stunning refurbishment has transformed the place into a dark wood and dimly lit den attended  by the sharp-suited sons and their suitably smart staff.

It would be easy to bemoan the passing of an old favourite, but in this case there's no need. Traditionalists and  evolutionists will be equally impressed.  Despite the facelift, the  philosophy is the same. Sure,  the tall bottles of beer have  been replaced by  more elegant, smaller ones, but the chef hasn't changed and the food remains  a true taste of  Indonesia. More importantly, the prices,  although higher, are still  acceptable.

On a recent visit,  seven of us feasted on recommendations from the  staff. We tucked into two rijsttafel  appetiser platters ($45 each), deep-fried chicken ($90), repeat serves of beef rendang ($68 each), mixed vegetables ($65), two serves of nasi goreng ($55 each), spicy  fish in banana leaf ($85), two portions of grilled king prawns on skewers ($75), and a serve of moreish tofu and vegetables with peanut sauce ($58).

Each dish was a joy for its fresh, home-made  flavours  that invoked  Indonesian trips and meals in the archipelago. The beauty of the food is that, regardless of how fancy the crockery or environment, it's unpretentious and honest.

Topped off  by a sublime mango with black sticky rice ($33) and a filling banana and sweet potato dessert ($33), the meal was  made to share.

The cost of dinner for seven, with three bottles of Sanctuary sauvignon blanc ($330 each),  six Tsing Tao beers ($30 each) and a coffee ($25) came to $2,315 ($330 a head).



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