Bistro offers real taste of Malaysian, plus great sweets

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta

Ask people what they know about Malaysia and most will talk about its infamous Petronas Tower -- the so-termed Twin Towers of Asia. Little will they say about the country's cuisine as many claim that it is the same as that of Indonesia, ignoring that it tastes surprisingly different.

In Jakarta, where a variety of restaurants is mushrooming, Penang Bistro is one of the few that provide diners with the assorted tastes of Malaysian food.

Located in Jl. Pakubuwono, South Jakarta, Penang Bistro offers diners a variety of Malaysian food from appetizers such as roti canai (Indian-style crispy pancake with chicken curry dipping sauce) and Malaysian beef satay (with chef's special dipping sauce) to main courses such as claypot prawn curry (braised prawn in curry broth), Penang asam fish head (fish head stew served in Penang sour broth), sotong goreng (deep-fried crispy cuttlefish with honey sauce), mango chicken (deep-fried chicken thigh seasoned with mango sauce) and chicken kailan (sauteed kailan with chicken meat and mushroom).

For those who have eaten roti canai in its original country before, they might find the one offers by the house too crispy. However, the dipping sauce tastes perfect with a combination of mild curry and just a hint of spicy flavor.

Malaysian beef satay may sound commonplace to diners as satay is common hawker food here. Yet, although some diners may normally find the meat too dry, others may want to try to take a bite on the house beef satay just to sample its tenderness. Again, the dipping sauce -- more red than brown -- gives diners a combination of light, yet rich textures.

Dubbed by the House as among the top five favorite foods, some diners who are used to eating juicy cuttlefish may find sotong goreng overly crispy and dry. Diners who dislike honey may find its sweet and sour honey sauce a bit overpowering.

The claypot prawn curry and Penang asam fish head, however, may become seafood lovers' must-have favorites as they taste superbly delicious.

Served in a reddish curry broth, claypot prawn curry may look like nothing but a common spicy curry with prawn. But once diners taste it, they will find the savory broth soothing as the sweetness of the braised prawn makes the spicy curry taste very mild.

For fish eaters, Penang asam fish head may be just the solution to their never-ending search of the perfect taste of juicy, succulent fish meat.

Served in aluminum foil, the delectable fish in its entirety -- not just its head -- will allow diners to experience the pleasure of spicy and slightly sour tastes in combination.

Once diners finish their main course, they are advised to leave some room for dessert as all that curry and sourness may tempt them to seek a pool of sweetness.

Those with a sweet tooth can opt for either ice kacang (red beans, sweet corn and nutmeg topped with shaved ice and rose syrup) or durian cendol (green pea flour stripes and sweet red beans topped with shaved ice and durian).

Even for those who dislike durian, they may be astounded by this cendol as it contains enough sweetness -- not too much, not too little -- with a mild durian aroma that makes the dessert worth trying.

At around Rp 200,000 (US$21.27) for a five-course meal, the restaurant is certainly worth a try for Malaysian food fanatics as it offers both taste and ambience at a reasonable price.

Penang Bistro Jl. Pakubuwono 6 No. 2 Jakarta Selatan tel. 7260303 Open Monday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.