Nob Hill resto allows diners a taste of Bali.

by Chelsea Lin

Touted in many circles as the best Indonesian restaurant in the city, it's worth pointing out that this no-frills Nob Hill spot is also one of SF's only Indonesian restaurants. Clearly taking advice from the Cost Plus school of design, the boxy corner dining room is sparingly decorated with beaded lamps and metal moon-shaped wall decorations. The real artwork, however, is on your plate: rich and vibrant red and yellow curries, blackened satay skewers, and greens in the form of sauteed spinach and flecks of lemongrass. Despite having impossibly hard to pronounce names like Tumis Kangkung Bawang Putih and Ayam Pangang Bumbu Rujak, the dishes here are legit, and worthy (whether there's competition or not) of the high praise.

09/24/08

almost the only one in town

by sfvisitor

Since the Jakarta Restaurant on Balboa closed, this is the only one worth going to. It is good, but the quality varies from visit to visit, and if you have been to many dozens of Indonesian restaurants from coast to coast and in Europe you probably won't be that thrilled. I can go randomly into nearly any neighborhood Indonesian place in The Netherlands and will almost always do better, and places like Tempo Doeloe and Sama Sebo in Amsterdam are light years' different (better). That said, I love Indonesian food and still go there regularly. The satay is good, the Keroepoek is a favorite, the peanut sauce is only average, but the service is always friendly.

It is only that there is no longer a decent alternative in San Francisco that keeps us going there.

09/04/08

A quick walk from Union Square

by stevewestin

OK.... I'd rather be in Bali. But since I am in San Francisco and CRAVING a good satay, I head to Borobudur. The staff is friendly and the food is good.

If you Love Thai and want to expand your horizons, I highly recommernd Borobudur.

Thank you

05/23/08

to die for, literally - open staple in my dish.

by mak2008

it's a two star for me because of two contradicting experiences: one, the food (up until i stopped going there altogether) is reliably good. i grew up in indonesia, so i appreciate the authentic yet american friendly nature of the menu. overall, always been a great experience - up until i went there and felt an open staple in my mouth. what offended me is actually not the staple itself, which could actually have seriously injured me if i hadn't found it just in time - but the way it was handled. when i pointed it out to the waiter, he did not even apologize, did not even seem to believe me. he proceeded to give me a new dish to replace the one contaminated with the staple, but considering the gravity of the manner i would have expected more apologetic and appropriately concerned attitude. it could have been my last meal; i have never returned since.

03/03/08

Best Indonesian Food In Cali

by atsugari

I went there and they treated us with great service and the food was incredibly delicious. We ended up ordering 2 appetizers and 3 main courses. The BBQ chicken was moist and smoky flavor my favorite. The dessert was fabolous, it was a great experience, I would definitely come back again next time I'm in town.

• Pros: Delicious food and ambience
• Cons: Parking

Editorial Review

by Contributor

Nob Hill locals get a taste of Southeast Asia at this authentic Indonesian restaurant.

03/26/07

Great Food, Great Service, definitely worth your money and time.

by jojo2912

This is one of my all time favorite restaurants in the bay area. I often bring friends to sample authentic indonesian food there, and I'd normally order the Rijstaffel so everyone could try varities of food.

Service is always great, people there are very helpful and friendly, especially when I organized a group dinner there last week. Everyone enjoyed the food, and for what we had, the price was definitely very reasonable.

My least favorite one is the Satay, since I am used to a much better one in Indonesia. The one they serve there tastes more like those you find in Thai Restaurant (I am a big fan of Thai food, just not the satay).

Don't forget to try the "pisang bakar" or grilled banana with shredded cheese and condensed milk for dessert. I know the combination sounds weird to most people, but trust me, it's worth trying.

• Pros: Definitely Great and Authentic Indonesian food.
• Cons: Parking.

01/09/07

great foods, great customer service

by rossieu

I have been in united states for many years and been craving indonesia cussine foods. and been trying many places but gotta tell ya THIS IS THE BEST FOOD EVER THE ONE THAT CLOSE TO ORIGINAL INDONESIA FOODS. the worker are friendly indeed.

10/12/06

One of the best Indonesian restaurants ever

by aling77

Compared with the Indonesian restaurant on the next block, Borobuder was like a little piece of heaven. Not only does it have a beautiful atmosphere, but the food was delicious and has kept me coming back. If you want food that is well worth every penny Borobudur is a must. (They also give discounts on the parking lot one block over.)

• Pros: Beautiful atmosphere, great food, friendly service
• Cons: still a bit hard finding parking, sometimes there is a line for a tables

09/21/06

Misses the mark even on standard Indonesian fare

by senatorsmith

I tried the two standards of Indonesian cuisine -- satay and nasi goreng. The chicken satay was among the poorest I have ever had anywhere. The chicken pieces tasted only of soy sauce and were extremely dry. The peanut sauce that came with it was neither appealing looking nor tasty. The nasi goreng had little Indonesian flair tasting exactly like the fried rice one can get at any Chinese restaurant and very oily at that. The restaurant itself looked appealing from outside but very diner-like inside with dated-looking booths.

• Pros: One of few Indonesian restuarants in town
• Cons: Misses mark even on standard fare like nasi goreng and satay