Kata Kita Modern Indonesian Dining
Kata Kita is Indonesian dining taken to an elevated level, sourcing the best of ingredients, adding a dash of fusion, and offering customers bold flavours in generous dishes, perfectly presented and cooked. With the rallying cries of Ayo Makan (Let’s Eat!) and Selamat Makan (Enjoy your meal!) Kata Kita, situated at 266 La Trobe Street Melbourne, is an Indonesian restaurant offering a riff on classic home cooked Indonesian food that amplifies the fresh flavours and aromatics that the archipelago is famous for. We were invited along to sample the dishes and take in the modern ambience.
But first cocktails.
Because of its diverse geography, typology and ethnicities Indonesian cuisine has been difficult to define beyond Satay Ayam and Gado Gado. But the richness, nuance and freshness of pure flavour has always propelled truly great Indonesian food forward into a rapidly growing and appreciative international audience.
With classic dishes such as Ayam Satay and Babi Guling as a departure point, the Kata Kita new winter menu is evolving and transcending preconceived notions of what Indonesian food is about in Australia.
Kata Kita elevates Indonesian dining and is a fun and dynamic foodie experience in Melbourne. In these times it is also an affordable and rewarding option for a date night, catch ups and groups.
We (David and Zoe) ordered -
Grilled tiger prawns - grilled to perfection with a delicious spicy sauce
Nasi Campur Babi Guling - chefs from Bali who know this dish cooking up farm to table Tasmania sweeter style free range pork belly - Sambal adds amazing depth - crispy crackling off cuts marinated bring amazing taste & texture
Grilled Pomfret - fish from Northern Australia grilled and marinated to perfection, and turmeric paste and glaze of soy sauce enhances this melt in your mouth dish
O’Connor short ribs - high class quality meat- sous vide 12 hrs for tender beef - advent of peanut sauce - broth from bones etc served on the side is another highlight
Crispy Chinese broccoli was a surprisingly simple and addictive dish - if this is about “eat your greens” then I’m in!
Honey Ginger Crème Brulee dessert - brilliant rendition of a classic with Indonesian expression
Dadar Gulung Crepe - taste and texture triumph
Sambal Margerita and Pandang Punch were outstanding and unique cocktails.
Plus the coffee is good!
With an emphasis on feasting, Kata Kita’s new winter menu is fixated on creating the best experience and interaction that a customer can have at the restaurant.
Owners, mother and son duo, Lie and Dion Sanusi, have been busy sourcing the best local producers and developing the exciting new Kata Kita menu. With many of their chefs from Bali, Balinese cuisine in particular plays a feature role.
With the new winter menu, entrée dishes are a prelude of what’s to come. A salted egg bao is an appropriate starter, with fried chicken, salted egg sauce and curry leaves on a steamed bao. Semarang Spring Rolls, Peranakan style, are filled with shrimp, chicken, egg, onions, bamboo shoots and are plated with a home-made sambal dipping sauce.
Other new notable winter menu additions include Ayam Betutu – a slow cooked, sous vide Balinese style chicken, smoked in a banana leaf, served with Sambal; Matah, cooked served with Kecombrang Rice (rice cooked red ginger lily and piquant aromatic spices) is a favourite of Dion and Lie’s.
As is the Squid Ink Nasi Goreng, a sexy urban take on a classic Nasi Goreng this ‘back in black’ dish is served with fried calamari and adjoined with zesty lime leaf, lemongrass and garlic aioli.
Taking time and care to work collaboratively with artisan producers, Kata Kita support local producers including a boutique Tasmanian piggery to provide pasture raised sweet pork for their signature Babi Guling and Macedon Ranges cornfed duck for their lean and tasty duck.
The most popular, people’s choice menu item is the Babi Guling. Kata Kita’s Babi Guling is a resounding must try dish at Kata Kita. A succulent free range, slow roast pork belly that is flavoured and served with green bean coconut lawar, shallot and garlic sambal.
Love duck? Kata Kita’s famous bebek dish, KK Fried Duck served with Kecombrang Rice, shallots, chilli sambal and anchovy is a delicious diversion for duck lovers.
For dessert, Pandan or Ketan Hitam Basque Cheesecakes and endeavour to make the most of exotic tropical flavours. As do other desserts such as the Cendol Durian Sundae, a creamy icy concoction of house made Pandan Cendol, durian, rice pudding, palm sugar and coconut gelato.
Don’t have time for feasting but are hungry for a fast flavour hit at lunch? Then go the quick Nasi Campur menu, a self-styled luncheon adventure with a choice of either 2 or 3 dishes at $18.50 or $20 respectively.
Enticements include a protein of choice, Fried Turmeric Chicken, Beef Randang then add greens and sambal to taste!
Having met the owners, the passion for contemporary and authentic Indonesian dining at Kata Kita is unmistakable. And Baden at front of house is one of the best hospitality specialists going around.
An exploration of this new Kata Kita winter menu demonstrates that Dion and Lie love their unique Indonesian flavours as they propel a hybrid of Indo house cooking and Australian fusion into an exciting new, delicious adventure.
Tuesday – Thursday:
11:30AM – 3.30PM Lunch
5:30PM – 9:30PM Dinner
Friday – Sunday
11:30AM – 9:30PM