Sumatra Cafe - DARWIN CITY

If you like spicy, try the Steam Rice with Eggplant, Dry Beef and Beans or Tempeh (your choice). Ask for some fresh chilli and Kecap Manis. You're welcome.

Humid morning in Darwin and I needed a cold drink, on this occasion a couple of bottles of chilled water. Wish I had arrived later in the day, the aromas from the various foods in the bain marie were certainly enticing, reminders of our meals in Bali some three months earlier. Friendly service.

I 've never reviewed a restaurant or cafe in my home town of Darwin before but feel this one warrants it. The food is authentic Indo (Padang) fare and about as good as you 'll get outside the sprawling archipelago proper, directly to our geographical north. I have spent many years travelling to and from Indonesia and whenever I 'm home and craving some good Indonesian food this is my go to place. I have been eating here since it opened and before that at Sari Rasa, where the couple who now cook at Sumatra Cafe used to ply their trade. All in all almost twenty years worth, sometimes two three times a week. Not once and I can 't stress this enough, not ONCE have I had a bad meal. My favourite fried rice with curried beans, chilli chicken, dried chilli beef and topped with sambal telor (chilli egg) is nothing short of sensational. Place a dollop of their homemade sambal paste on your plate and enjoy ! The warung itself (for lack of a better word) is exceptionally clean, albeit somewhat sterile but you 're not here for the ambience, it 's all about the improbably delicious food. A reviewer pointed out the lack of 'warmth ' and aloofness of the gentleman who dishes up the food and in all fairness I can only concur. Despite me frequenting the place for many, many years he 's as cold as a polar bears bum to me too. I have somewhat affectionately nick named him 'Misery Guts '. But the food, oh the food !! From the aforementioned to the beef rendag and tofu it is simply fantastic, divine, exquisite. One would run out of superlatives to describe the food, that 's how good it all is. Needless to say I will continue to happily frequent this 'Warung ' tucked away off the Smith Street Mall in the city, for many a year to come selamat makan to all who enter.

Always get delicious tasty curries, fresh each day, consistently over the many years we have bought lunches here. Love the spicy chicken, bean, and eggplant dishes, and their chilli belacan sambal. Portions are generous and good value. Service is helpful and friendly.

Don 't get me wrong I 'm all for authentic and hearty food, but I 'm less likely to return when the service is nothing but cold and unfriendly. I hope the man running this shop with his wife can be just a bit nicer towards his customers, instead of saying what do you want? and then proceeds to slap food on the plate. Not the best indo food in Darwin, but still worth a try I guess?