Nusantara @Tivoli Arcade

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

Nusantara Indonesian Cuisine within the bowels of the Tivoli Arcade in Melbourne's CBD is a hidden little gem.  It is literally a hole in the wall set up.  All the cooking is done off premises at I suspect, a restaurant also called Nusantara in Caulfield. There are other eateries within Tivoli Arcade but they get hardly any business.  Whereas the Nusantara has a steady stream of takeaway orders and eat in.  The 'eat in' is actually on stools and tables set up just in front of the actual hole in the wall.  Whilst it is no frills, it has a loyal following. 

Here's how it works.  Lunch service starts around 12pm.  Don't bother coming earlier because the place would be boarded up.  I have also learnt that if you left it too late ie after 1.30pm, they might have sold out.  So the best time to come here is between 12pm - 1pm.  Each day, there are eight to ten dishes to choose from.  For $10, you get to pick three dishes served with rice and a 'teh kopat' (Indonesian iced jasmine tea).  It is such good value for money and you get a very substantial serve.  There is no menu as they cook whatever is seasonal. 

Clockwise from top: sambal egg and eggplant, 'soybean cake' with string beans, chicken rolls

Today I got the following: 

1. Eggplant sambal with egg.  Love eggplant in any formation.  The egg was hardboiled then deep fried.  Just how I like it.  I would never be bothered to go through so much trouble for an egg if I had to make it myself.  Not too spicy - a good thing. 
2. Chicken roll.  Chicken mince and veggies wrapped in beancurd and deep fried.  Seriously, what's there not to like?  It had a fragrant lemongrass flavour. 
3. Soybean cake?  Ok, that is not the official name.  The guy serving it just called it soybeans.  It was a stack of soybeans pressed into a cake shape then diced.  It tasted like tempeh.  Stir fried in soy sauce with string beans.  It was nice but not as more-ish as the eggplant sambal or the chicken rolls. 

The deets:

Location:
Nusantara Indonesian Cuisine
Shop 27, 235 - 251 Bourke St (within Tivoli Arcade)
Melbourne, VIC
ph: 03 9571 5402

Costs:
$10 for a fine meal inclusive of drink.  Such good value for money. 

Ambience:
Very casual.  Some stools and tables outside the hole in the wall.  Takeaway available. 

Nom Again:
Yes, I'm a regular!



Until next time,
Nom Seeker, Glutt