2400 East Oltorf (map) Suite 14-15 Austin, TX 78741 512-443-5282 M-F              11:00am-10:00pm Sa                12:00pm-10:00pm Su                12:00pm-9:30pm Foodquest: October 2, 2005 Foodies: Slowdog, Ping, Chaoscreative Cost: $  Rating:

For many, the subject of Indonesian cuisine is somewhat of a mystery.   Like many Asian cuisines, rice provides a pivotal role at the dining table.  Vegetables dishes are often featured prominently, with fish and  meats more occasionally being served.  Entrees are savory and highly spiced to provide a strong accent to the rice.  Flavor is supposed to be the rule with Indonesian cuisine in which the spiciness of the food serves as a relief from the tropical climate. 

The appetizer sampler provides a good overview of the appetizers available at Java Noodles.  The Fried Tofu and Fried Tofu with Chicken stuffing are as the name implies, similar except for the chicken stuffing.  Rather than using an additional layer of coating, the tofu is fried directly to provide a light and crispy crust.  The flavor is mild with the sweet and tangy sauce providing a nice accent to the entree.  The soft tofu underneath the crispy outer layer provides a nice complement to the sauce.  The chicken stuffed version of the Fried Tofu however does not add much to the overall dish.  Rather, the chicken seems somewhat dry and detracts from the texture combination of the regular Fried Tofu.  The Shrimp Crackers have a strong seafood aroma and a distinct shrimp flavor.  The texture is akin to a thin peanut brittle and works well with the provided peanut sauce.  The Chicken Ragout are similar to breaded chicken cutlets.  Mildly seasoned with a light crisp crust, the Chicken Ragout is subtle in flavor and savoriness.

The Sayur Lodeh is beautifully colored with a rich golden yellow broth and brightly colored vegetables.  The soup is savory and at once flavorful with a warm rounded curry flavor that accents the natural flavors of the vegetables.  The texture of the chicken accentuates the spices of the soup and blends well with the flavor accents of the coconut.  The result is excellently balanced and stands out as the highlight of the meal.

The Mie Goreng or Indonesian fried egg noodles with chicken and shrimp is almost indistinguishable from the more familiar Lo Mein found in many Chinese restaurants.  I must admit that I was expecting something completely different in flavor.  The dish is presented with a nice savory balance of soy seasoning to accent the flavors of the meats.  The vegetables provide a sweetness that brings out the flavors of the meats as well as that of the egg noodles. 

The Kari Ayam or boneless white meat chicken with potatoes and yellow curry sauce is surprisingly mild in flavor.  Lightly seasoned and spiced, the curry flavor of the entree is subtle and allows the flavor of the potato to dominate the dish.  The jalapeno peppers in the dish do not seem to strongly enhance the seasonings of the dish and serve only as an undertone in the flavor.  Overall, the mild flavors of the dish lends itself to be eaten on its own rather than complemented with rice.

The Rendang Daging Padang is slow simmered to allow the thick cuts of beef to be tender and savory.  Traditionally, the spicy coconut sauce used to simmer the beef lends a strong spiciness and seasoning to the beef.  However, the dish does not offer any of the spiciness and flavor expected of the entree.  Rather, the strongest flavor of the dish is the strong savoriness of both the beef and sauce.  The seasoning of the entree is decidedly mild and does not provide a strong character to the dish. 

Fried bananas, thanks to the ubiquitous Chinese buffet, have become familiar as breaded slices of bananas.  The Java Noodle rendition wraps the bananas in a thin eggroll crust and deep fries them to golden brown.  The result is a crisp delicate exterior with a smooth warm interior.  The sweetness of the banana is tinged with a slight tanginess which is then balanced with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.  Overall, the dessert gives a lighter rendition of fried banana than that prepared in the more familiar manner. 

Overall, the entrees sampled at Java Noodles are adequately prepared but surprisingly mild.  Contrary to what is expected from Indonesian cuisine, none of the entrees are spicy or strongly seasoned.  With the exception of the Sayur Lodeh, the entrees mainly exhibit very mild flavoring that does not make much of an impression.  Compared to the fiery and extremely flavorful Rendang Daging Padang that I had years ago at Java Noodles, the current rendition is a pale shadow of itself.  I do wonder whether it is the clientele of the area or some other variable that has caused this overall shift in the level of spice and seasoning.  That, however, is a topic for another discussion...

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!