Awang Kitchen is a culinary haven that brings the vibrant and diverse flavors of Indonesia straight to the heart of Elmhurst. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with an inviting ambiance and a menu that pays homage to the rich culinary heritage of Indonesia. Their dedication to preserving traditional recipes is unmistakable, with each dish crafted to perfection and bursting with authentic flavors. The Nasi Goreng, Indonesia's iconic fried rice dish, is a standout with its perfectly balanced spices and toppings, creating a dish that feels both comforting and indulgent. Equally impressive is the Beef Rendang, a slow-cooked dish that's rich, tender, and packed with the bold, complex flavors of traditional Indonesian spices. Every bite feels like a journey through Jakarta's bustling food streets, capturing the essence of Indonesia's culinary artistry. What truly sets Awang Kitchen apart is their unwavering commitment to authenticity and quality. The use of fresh ingredients and meticulous attention to detail ensure that every dish stays true to its roots, offering diners a genuine taste of Indonesia. Whether you're a longtime fan of Indonesian cuisine or a first-time explorer of these flavors, Awang Kitchen promises an unforgettable dining experience. This is more than just a restaurant--it's a gateway to the heart and soul of Indonesian cooking.

What a wonderful find: the staff couldn't be more welcoming, excited to learn that it was our first visit to an Indonesian restaurant and making suggestions that would allow us to try different flavors and levels of heat. The fried stuffed tofu and goat satay were favorites. Traffic and parking in this congested area can be daunting...but well worth the effort!

I'd rate Awang Kitchen three and a half stars. This was my reintroduction to Indonesian food. I've only been to one other Indonesian restaurant about five years ago and it has closed since, so I've been interested to return to the neighborhood to try this spot. It's a welcoming, casual, mom & pop atmosphere. I presumed we were welcomed by the owner operator who has two bulletin boards filled with pictures of himself with customers. He proceeded to have dinner at a nearby table, so it definitely felt like you were eating in his dining room. Seemed like most of the customers knew him or each other. Playlist is surprisingly filled with hip hop hits. We shared the Indonesian platter. It's a set up commonly seen in south and southeast Asian restaurants. The portion size was certainly good for two. The waitress recommended getting another dish, so we ordered the goat satay; however, the extra dish was not necessary. The platter came with six dishes and a big bowl of rice as well as a large rice cracker. The first and most memorable dish that I tried was the fried beef tongue in a pepper sauce. The tongue was fried pretty crisply, so I'm not sure I would have quickly identified it as tongue. The pepper sauce reminded me a lot of cheesy and pepper Bhutanese dishes. Next, I tried the clam satay. I preferred it to the goat satay that we ordered separately. Both came with a side salad or sauce with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Third, I tried what I believe to be fish cakes. Crispy and mild. Certainly the most palatable for picky eaters. After that, I tried the salad with lettuce, cucumbers, bean sprouts, and a half boiled egg with a peanut sauce. It came with two soups which my wife seemed to enjoy the most, so I ended up trying those two last. One was a chicken soup with glass noodles. The other was a coconut curry soup with vegetables. We were pretty full after all the food, but we figured we'd try the ice teler dessert which was included. It's shaved ice topped with assorted jellies, avocado, beans, and what I would (second) best describe as a bubblegum syrup. Service was attentive and the food came out quickly. There was one single occupancy restroom. It was spacious, handicap accessible, and had a built on badette.

Made the trek from the city to Elmhurst to eat some Indonesian food. It's was pretty good. My partner and I orders enough food to feed a family. We particularly enjoyed the people and the grilled short rib with soup. It was tasty, but too far away to go frequently.

Our favorite place for authentic Indonesian food. The grilled pompano is the best in the city. The sauce is so savory and the fish is grilled to perfection and is juicy and tender. The salty fish fried rice is also really good. The umami of the salted fish makes for a fantastic fried rice especially with their spicy sauce.

If you're craving an authentic Indonesian cuisine, you need to check out Awang Kitchen! I've been coming to this spot for a long time, and it never disappoints. The food is genuinely authentic and so flavorful. Why I Love Awang Kitchen: * Extensive Menu: They offer a wide range of traditional and homey Indonesian dishes, so there's something for everyone! * Generous Portions: The food here is not only delicious but also extremely affordable with generous portions. * Friendly Service: The staff are super friendly and always make you feel welcome. * Laid-Back Atmosphere: The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, perfect for a cozy meal with friends or family. Featuring: -Stuffed Fried Tofu -Fried Tapioca Cake -Crunchy Fried Chicken -Fried Calamari salty egg sauce -Chicken noodle water spinach Hot plate -Ice Teler -Avocado Milkshakes Follow @spinx17 for more NYC food recs!

4.5/5 but rounding up to 5 Stars! Awang Kitchen has been on my list of "places to go" for the longest time! I finally made it there, and seriously, cannot wait to go back. This may be my favorite Indonesian restaurant! They have an incredibly extensive menu; offering some dishes that I've never seen in other Indonesian restaurants. Even though there was 10 of us, we "only" got to try 8 dishes. There's just so much one can eat, right?! Hahaha But that's ok, even more reason for a return trip. All of the dishes that we tried were incredibly flavorful and distinct to each dish. The sole disappointing dish was the Omelet; compared to our other dishes, this Omelet seemed bland. Here are the 8 dishes we tried tonight: MENU (shared by 5ppl): - Cilok Goreng (tapioca cake balls) 15pcs/$7.50: I've never had this before! These were pretty good. Loved the peanut sauce. - Sate Young Goat 5 skewers/$17: we originally wanted to try the Clam Skewers but they were sold out tonight; in lieu, we ordered the young goat skewers. They were terrific, and came with mini-rice cakes and a spicy sauce on the side. This sauce was outstanding! - Gado Gado (mixed veg w.peanut sauce) $13: basic salad w.Veg, Tofu & Rice cakes, topped with a delicious peanut sauce. - Sayir Gulai Nangka (curry jackfruit) $6.00: this was rather disappointing since the portion size was tiny. It came in a little teacup sized bowl. The flavors were very mild and unmemorable. - Telor Dadar Bawang Cabe (omelet w.garlic, onion & chili) $6.00: compared to our other dishes, this omelet seemed bland. I wouldn't order this again. - Beef Rendang (beef w.spicy coconut milk) $24: This dish was bursting with flavor and just delicious. My only complaint is that this came with 4 big chunks of beef. This dish would have been outstanding had the pieces of beef been smaller; absorbing more of the delicious flavors and sauce. - Udang Goreng Sauce Telor Asin (shrimp & salted egg) $24: Absolute perfection. The shrimp was nice and crispy, without being overcooked. This dish was so addictive! - Tongseng Kambing (curry young goat) $17: this was a very small portion for the price but pretty good nonetheless. - Rice $3/Bowl: None of the entrees come with rice, so you have to order the rice separately. (Note that they do have "over rice" dishes if you don't want a full-sized entree). Service & Hospitality were very good. My only complaint is that all of our dishes came out at the same time (even though I asked them to space out the serving of the 8 dishes). It was a little overwhelming, and we ran out of room to place the dishes on our table. But service was very warm and friendly. There was a little confusion with the check, as we were paying cash, and there was no cash total; just a credit card total, which includes a credit card fee. Also, they charged tax on the combined credit card total. Tax and their "suggested tip" should be based only on our menu items; excluding the credit card fee. (Why would you charge us tax on a credit card fee; and why would we pay you tip for this credit card fee and the taxes?). Anyway, this confusing check forced us to recalculate 1). cash payment, 2). corrected tax, and 3). corrected 20% tip. Well...we paid the check with the corrected amounts and left. It's a good thing a few of us were lingering outside because the owner and waiter came running out, looking for us! I miscalculated the menu items (left out the cost of the rice), so I inadvertently shortchanged them by $18!! So sorry!! They very graciously said no problem and just let it go. Thank you so much!! :-) All-in-all, a fantastic, tasty meal. All 10 of us raved about the delicious flavors in most of the dishes. I will definitely be returning to try other menu items!

Awang Kitchen serves up excellent Indonesian food, some of the best I've had, and I'm not at all surprised that it's in Queens! We came on a Saturday around 8:15, and while it was busy, there were luckily a few tables still available. Sate kerang (clam skewers) - So delicious with the sauce, tomatoes, and bits of raw onion (and I'm not even a fan of the latter). $10 gave us six skewers, and it was surprisingly filling since it also came with pieces of steamed rice cake. I probably could've ordered two of these for myself as an entire meal, which would've made me happy as a... well, y'know. Nasi bungkus Padang (rice in banana leaves wrapped Padang style) with salty squid and sator beans - The squid is definitely salty, but super flavorful and funky and spicy, so it works well when mixed with the rice, egg, jackfruit, potato, and veggies. Ikan bawal bakar padang (grilled pompano with Padang sauce) - I was obsessed with the barbecue-y coconut milk sauce, and the fish was so flaky and tender. They butterflied it before grilling, so it was pretty easy to eat, and I was able to avoid most of the bones. Jus alpukat - I was so excited to see this avocado milkshake, because I used to get it from Kopi Kopi in West Village back when that cafe was around. At first I wasn't sure why this was listed under the dessert section... then I found out. It's suuuper thick and decadent, and probably best shared. I had to bring the rest back and dilute it with some oat milk. Es teler - A nice refreshing way to end the meal, and I especially loved the pieces of sugar palm fruit, though a small part of me wishes I'd gotten the es cendol instead (my usual go-to). I also ordered two dishes to go: the nasi tim ayam jamur (steamed rice with chicken and mushroom chicken) with a side of bakso (meatball soup) and the fried cow's tongue with green chili entree. Both were delicious, but I especially loved the cow's tongue with green chili, it was really flavorful with a great kick. And it also came with a coconut milk curry soup that was tasty. Apparently they serve rijsttafel on weekdays for lunch! A shame I don't live closer, but I'll absolutely be back.

I was first introduced years ago by my cousins Indonesian wife.. She also helps order most of the food. And the food was amazing. The "Es Teler" is my go to dessert. And that will never change. The avocado on top of it just is the cherry on top. The location is small yet fullfilling and staff are very attentive with the service which is always a plus. Atmosphere is down to earth and there is lots of pictures taken with the owner and I hope to be in it one day. Prices are very decent and affordable. And we always have leftover to take home and we always order extra to take home as well.

Out of all the places I've been to have authentic Indonesian food. This one is the top of the list in the US, and is most accurately the best as far as taste and authenticity goes. I highly recommend trying this place if you're Indonesian, or have been Indonesia, and loved the food as I fell in love with it and take a chance because you will love it. My go to is Soto Betawi.