The "oridjinal" taste of Borobudur's Indonesian cuisine may not strike one as such from a quick glance at the menu. However, the sweet and buttery taste of the deep fried roti prata is enough to lure the unsuspecting customer back for more.

Indonesian cuisine was new to me before I stepped into this family establishment located at Post and Jones in the heart of downtown San Francisco. There is nothing better than good ethnic food, and when that can be found in the center of a big foodie city at suburban style prices, I become giddy with joy.

The décor and interior are simple, and two walls of windows give out onto the downtown streets. During lunchtime a window seat most likely provides a good opportunity at catching the snippets of city life while filling one's belly with spicy and exotic dishes whose origins belong to islands far away.

So began the meal, as I was overwhelmed by the names and options to choose from. Borobudur's appetizers range from Chinese- and Thai-like lumpia, a spring roll filled with tofu and chicken served with a light and sweet dipping sauce, to the martabek goreng, a savory pastry stuffed with egg, beef and onion. By far the most alluring and mouth watering of all is the roti prata, the signature fried bread that has the familiar taste of the Indian bread paratha. The roti is buttery, rich and chewy, while the top retains a crispy golden layer. It comes served with a curry coconut dipping sauce that is thin and light, enhancing the velvety texture of the bread. The roti prata is the best thing on the menu, and anyone who is following the Atkins plan will understand why that diet will never work once they try this bread.

The entrees, all served family style, are good, though nothing on the menu quite appeases the taste buds like that bread. Borobudur offers an array of satays, chicken, beef and lamb, as well as vegetable and fish dishes. For first timers who like to get an overall sense of Indonesian food, the combination plates may be the best option. My party agreed on the nasi uduk lengkap and its cousin, the nasi padang. The first plate features a sampling of a fried chicken, honey beef, and spicy tofu, with a heap of steamed coconut rice. I ordered this dish for a taste of that beef, but the portion was so small that it disappeared before I had a chance to get at it. You'll have to be stealthy and aggressive with your fellow diners if you order a sampler platter. I recommend ordering an a la carte plate of the honey beef -empal goring- instead.

In the way of service, the servers are very nice, but don't depend on them to help you decide from the plethora of choices before you. Our server described the two nasi dishes as being quite different, and those differences she described just as they are written on the menu. Whatever dish you choose will most likely be tasty, just don't depend on the staff to help you navigate. The menu is the best tool you'll have for that.

The padang was a little too similar to the lengkap to make it worth ordering both dishes, although I much preferred the padang's chicken in a sweet and spicy coconut tinged sauce to the unremarkable piece of fried chicken in the lengkap. Indonesian food seems to be at its best when the curries of India commingle with the coconut and spices of Thailand.

As with many Asian cuisines, there are plenty of meat and fish dishes to choose from, while not many options present themselves to vegetarians. However, if the eggplant and tofu dish cooked in a spicy chile sauce has a similar flavor to the beef dish prepared in the same manner, vegetarians should fare just fine here.

Although we had no room left for dessert, the unique allure of the roti prata manis forced us to suck it up and order some anyway. Oh, we were already hooked by the roti served on its own that we wanted to see how it would perform with decadent layers of condensed milk, cheese and rice chocolate (re: chocolate sprinkles) sandwiched in between. The result: an incredibly rich bite of heaven. Delicious it was, the chocolate melting into the sweet cheese with every bite. To me it is a rarity to come across a dessert menu in a Thai or Chinese restaurant that seems very interesting. Exotic fruits drenched in syrup are common, and while fried banana never gets old, it certainly doesn't surprise me with its presence on the menu. However, the other desserts are particularly appealing as well. Dishes like the bubur ketan hitam, a black sweet rice with coconut milk sound exotic and worth trying. And never before on a menu have I seen an es alpokat: described as an ice avocado with condensed milk and chocolate syrup.

Bread for an appetizer, curries for dinner, and sweet and dripping sauces poured over bread and rice for dessert. I can't think of anything I like to see more on a menu. How could mashed potatoes and steak hold a candle to this exotic fare? I'm going back to Borobudur to try more, and if you are ever in town, you should think about doing the same.


Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations roti prata, nasi padang (for the chicken), appetizers, desserts
Best Suited For: Friends