Blok M Restaurant

For some who have been tourists in Jakarta, Blok M would be associated with vivid memories - some of shopping sprees...some of excellent food... and some of (very wild) nightlife. In Melbourne, Blok M is one of the Indonesian restaurants that one must go to for a good dose of their cuisine.

The menu written on the gigantic blackboard is mostly in their language (Bahasa Indonesia), but in case you need translation, just get one of the laminated menus by the counter, where you get to order and pay for your food (either before or after eating, your choice). There is a good variety of fried rice (nasi - rice and goreng - fried), the usual Indonesian fare of sop buntot (oxtail soup), soto ayam (soto - soup, ayam-chicken), among others. It was unfortunate that tonight's serving of soto ayam (photo) was a bit salty that slightly overpowered the distinct taste of lemon grass and flavorful chicken, but the nasi goreng petai was spicy-hot and excellent.
(Petai is sometimes called 'stinky beans' because of its strong smell, they look like green broad beans but are a bit bitter)

There are no alcoholic drinks but you can wash it all down with hot or cold tea, softdrinks, es kelapa muda (young coconut) or the famous beverage Teh Botol ('teh' for tea and 'botol' for bottle - hence bottled tea), which is a sweet bottled jasmine tea, which, when served cold, can be really refreshing.

Blok M is at 176 Commercial Road, Prahran, and there is a Blok M Express at 380 Lt Bourke St.