Sendok Garpu

One of Brisbane's oldest Indonesian restaurants, Sendok Garpu, which for many years had its home in Indooroopilly, can be found in a laneway just off Elizabeth Street in Brisbane CBD.

The split-level, casual eatery offers some of the most authentic Indonesian food in Brisbane, derived from various regions of the southeast Asian nation, including soups, street food, rice dishes, wok-fried dishes and delicious desserts, plus plenty of plant-based options.

Entrees range from Roti Kari (fresh roti served with curry sauce) and Kakwan Jagung (corn fritters with peanut sauce) to Pastel (chicken, veggies and glass noodles wrapped in crispy puff pastry) and the highly-recommended Rendang Sapi Kentang (potato topped with spicy beef rendang). 

Indonesian street food on offer includes soups like Bakso Kuah Ikan (fish balls served in clear broth) and Bakwan Malang (beef balls, seafood, tofu, fish cake, fried wonton and glass noodles in broth), as well as the popular Indonesian salad Gado Gado (steamed vegetables with diced tempeh, tofu and boiled egg, served with homestyle peanut sauce).

For something more substantial there are rice dishes including Sendok Garpu's famous Beef Rendang with jasmine rice, Javanese slow-cooked Maryland chicken with coconut rice, and Nasi Bebek Goreng Ubud - quarter Ubud-style crispy duck served with steamed green leafs, shredded cucumber, sambal (chilli sauce) and steamed rice.  

From the wok, there's Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice with scrambled egg and choysam, served with garlic crackers) and Mie Goreng (wok-fried egg noodles with scrambled egg and choysam). Both these dishes are also available as plant-based options.

Other plant-based dishes include vegetable fritters or battered tofu served with house made peanut sauce, Nasi Uduk Komplit (coconut rice in banana leaf served with salad, corn fritters, crispy tempeh and chilli eggplant) and Rendang Nangka - made with a family recipe, this spicy jackfruit curry is cooked to perfection. 

And to finish, there are traditional Indonesian desserts such as Es Cendol (homemade pandan rice flower jelly with coconut cream and coconut sugar syrup).

By Deb Lidster

The menu may have changed since our visit.

Still hungry for more suggestions on where to eat out in Brisbane, head to our comprehensive Eat & Drink section HERE! Happy grazing!