The authentic Asli brings Indonesian cuisine to Budapest

Up in Óbuda, Kolosy tér is becoming more and more colourful as far as gastronomy is concerned. Now the Asli Indonesian Restaurant introduces the authentic cuisine of this multi-cultural hub of the exotic East.

With 17,000 islands, 250 languages and three major religions, Indonesia is one of the most diverse countries in the world, its multi-cultural cuisine influenced by Dutch colonists, Islam, Buddhism and sundry races over the centuries.

Its gastronomy was relatively unknown in Hungary – until now. By the stop for the 17, 19 and 41 trams, the Asli Indonesian Restaurant sits in a house redolent of the 1990s. First impressions hardly shout ‘Bali’ – the entrance is tucked in the back left-hand corner, and the interior of this humble bar from the 1980s has changed little since. You’ll be dining in a cellar with weak WiFi but this allows you to keep the food as the focus. You won’t be disappointed.

The Asli (‘Authentic’) is hosted by Indonesian couple, Lidia and Glenn. They came to Budapest for a few years as tourists and fell in love with the city. “I don't know how true this is for tourists from other Asian countries,” says Lidia, “but we Indonesians are very attached to our own cuisine. We try anything, but if we do not eat Indonesian food on any given day, it is as if we haven’t eaten. My husband fell in love with Budapest at first sight, the river, the bridges, the atmosphere, but we couldn’t find an Indonesian restaurant anywhere. After we went home, we spent a long time researching what we needed to do to open a restaurant here. Finally, we opened in early November.”

Glenn also worked as a chef in Indonesia, while Lidia handles the place. “It is still very difficult to get authentic Indonesian ingredients in Hungary, even though there are so many different Asian cuisines," he says. "And we decided that when we have our own restaurant, we will try to present Indonesian cuisine in the most authentic way possible."

This is a pleasant task when you look at how many different cultures and religions are mixed in the country. “Javanese are mostly Muslim, they don't eat pork, mainly chicken, and a lot of raw vegetables with sauces. Sulawesi is strongly influenced by the Dutch colonial era and there is a substantial Christian minority, so all kinds of meat are consumed. In Bali, beef is avoided for religious reasons, and in western Indonesia, the food is much spicier than in the east,” says Lidia.

One of the principles of Asli is to bring East and West, together, to be enjoyed not only by expat Indonesians but also by Hungarians keen to sample Indonesian gastronomy. This they do it in a very professional way. The menu isn’t shaped by European tastes, as seen at many Asian restaurants – they choose the most traditional way, not only with the dishes but also with the ingredients. What is made from goat meat in Indonesia is created with beef in Asli, nor do they use that it cheap trick of using cheap chicken.

Indonesia does not follow the holy trinity of soup-main-dessert: the soups are dense and eaten as a stand-alone dish. Served at the same time is the communal main – usually curry, thanks to top-quality, succulent meat – and everyone dips into the rice.

It’s not typical to have dessert after a meal, it’s more street food. If the couple has made any compromise at all, it’s in the order of the dishes. Of course, guests may choose a variety of exciting and exotic dishes exactly how they wish. Lidia even smiles at herself sitting over a main course instead of sharing it.

In this spirit, we started with oxtail soup, sup buntut (2,300 HUF), nothing like the traditional Hungarian ones you’d find elsewhere in Óbuda. The Indonesian version comes with a bony beef tail from which you can scrape off any remaining meat, accompanied by carrots, tomatoes and potatoes. There’s no horseradish to go with it, but Glenn’s homemade Indonesian spicy condiments, in different varieties. This is strongly recommended because it goes very well with the dish concerned. Crisps made from dried bean purée, a bit like natural popcorn, are ideal alongside the soup.

Goulai kambing (2,500 HUF) is a juicy meat dish made from butter-soft goat meat in a light curry-paste-and-onion sauce. Lesser-known in Hungary, goat is a widespread source of meat in Indonesia. Rendang (2,400 HUF) is one of the national dishes of Indonesia, quite similar to Hungarian stew in texture, but its flavour is very intense as it is based on a lot of spices.

Lodeh (2,000 HUF), available in vegan or chicken versions, a mildly hot dish not unlike Thai curry, with an amazingly rich taste that even those wary of exotic cuisine will love. The main dishes come with rice, the aforementioned spices upon request, as well as acar, cooling, vinegary Indonesian pickles.