It’s rare to find a restaurant this polished so close to a major train station. Tumble out of Melbourne Central and into a high-ceilinged dining room given a tropical lift by gorgeous greenery. The vibe continues in rambutan martinis and thousand-layer crepes that bring together pandan,sesame cream and coconut in one almighty wedge.

Dishes hailing from all over Indonesia are brought to the table by affable waitstaff – one even happens to be a robot. Hulking beef short rib collapses in a dark and sweet peanut sauce,accompanied by cassia and star anise broth.

Fluffy rice topped with dried anchovies and slices of torch ginger flower hides surprising complexity. Kingfish collar is light on the advertised smoke but big on oceanic flavour,which seeps into coconut and turmeric gravy enriched by lime leaf.

Continue thisseries

Melbourne CBD

Up next

Kenangan

Crowd onto the communal table for bright takes on regional specialties.

Korchi City

For those seeking a late-night,out-of-country experience.

Previous

Kafeneion

A window into Melbourne’s heart.

See all stories