IndoChili (Zion Road)

IndoChili is an Indonesian restaurant at 54 Zion Road in River Valley, opposite Great World mall. It is run by Java Kitchen Group, which opened IndoChili in Singapore in 2012. The cooking is based on traditional Indonesian family recipes.

The restaurant says it makes its spice pastes from scratch with fresh ingredients and adds no MSG. It calls itself a family restaurant, and the staff aim to make you feel at home.

What to order

The menu is long. It is split into small plates, soups, rice sets, seafood, meat, vegetables and desserts. Good dishes to start with:

• Sate Ayam Madura: chicken skewers grilled over charcoal.
• Tahu Telor: a beancurd omelette with sweet peanut sauce, big enough to share.
• Sop Buntut: a hearty oxtail soup.
• Ayam Panggang: the house signature grilled chicken.
• Tumpeng Mini: a yellow rice set for one, with spiced chicken (ayam bumbu rujak), a potato fritter (perkedel) and pickles.
• Ikan Bakar Bali: grilled snapper cooked in the Balinese style.

Vegetable sides include kangkung (water spinach) and long beans cooked with chilli and shrimp paste. For dessert, try es cendol, made with pandan jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar. Drinks include fresh avocado juice and an iced coffee with durian.

Kueh lapis and party food

IndoChili also sells kueh lapis, the rich Indonesian layer cake, in a few versions. These include the original lapis legit, plum and durian versions, and kueh lapis Surabaya. For parties, the kitchen makes nasi tumpeng, a tall cone of yellow rice ringed with side dishes, in sizes for 10, 15 or 20 people. Order it at least a day ahead. Bento sets and delivery are also on offer.

The setting

The dining room has traditional Javanese furniture, which gives it a warm and homely feel. Space is limited, so at busy times some diners are seated outdoors. It works well for relaxed family meals and casual group dinners.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: reserve through the form on the website. For last-minute tables, call the restaurant instead.
• Dietary needs: the restaurant says it has vegetarian-friendly dishes and non-spicy versions of some favourites.
• Delivery: orders go through its online ordering page, and you can also message the team on WhatsApp.
• Getting there: Great World MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line is a short walk away.

Nearby

For a different meal in the area, try the Italian restaurant Rosso Vino at Robertson Quay, or Simply Peranakan Cuisine for Nyonya cooking. Browse more Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants, all restaurants in Orchard and River Valley or hotels in Orchard and River Valley. The full menu is on the IndoChili website.