Aroma of Indonesia
From the husband-and-wife team behind The Sambal, this Clarence Street restaurant spotlights Indonesia's rich and varied regional cuisines.
Overview
Indonesia might be one of Australia's closest neighbours, but our understanding of its cuisine often doesn't stretch far beyond nasi goreng and sate. And yet, the world's largest archipelago boasts one of the most diverse food cultures on the planet, shaped by the unique flora across its 17,000 islands, its pivotal role in centuries of spice trading — nutmeg, clove and pandan leaves are just some of the spices native to Indonesia — and subsequent influences from Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
This is the starting point for Aroma of Indonesia. The 44-seat Clarence Street venue, which bills itself as Sydney's first premium Indonesian restaurant, is on a mission to showcase regional dishes rarely seen outside Indonesia. Yes, there's nasi goreng and sate — but here, they share the spotlight with lesser-known specialties that read like a journey through the archipelago, from a Padang-style rendang made with 2GR Full Blood wagyu, to tongseng domba, a Central Javan lamb shank curry with charred cabbage and tomato.
Desserts nod to tradition with playful twists, like a pandan sago pudding with jackfruit and coconut, or a crème brûlée infused with the famously divisive durian. Cocktails follow a similar theme — signatures include the Aroma Island, a mix of coconut rum, purple ube, pineapple juice and condensed milk topped with a coconut aroma bubble, and the Toraja Negroni, made with house-infused coffee gin and a touch of gula aren (palm sugar from South Sulawesi).
Set within the Barrack Place precinct, Aroma of Indonesia is the latest venture from Indonesian-born, Sydney-trained chefs Nessiana Pamudji and Ferry Tshai, the husband-and-wife duo behind Kent Street fave The Sambal. With Aroma, they've channelled both their heritage and 15 years of combined experience in some of Sydney's top kitchens, including China Doll and Billy Kwong, into a menu that elevates Indonesian flavours without losing authenticity. Warm interiors inspired by Bali's Tegalalang Rice Terraces set the scene for an elevated yet inviting dining experience — one that gives Indonesian cuisine the stage it deserves.
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