At Warung Indo, Indonesian Cuisine Shines Brightly

June 7, 2024 Kayla Stewart

An image of nasi bakar ayam within a green banana leaf. — Traditional Indonesian dishes like nasi bakar ayam are available at Warung Indo in Sugar Land. | Kayla Stewart/Eater Houston

The Sugar Land restaurant is one of two Indonesian restaurants in the Houston area, and one of a handful in the state of Texas

After Ida Edwards arrived in the United States with her husband Robin Edwards in the early 1990s, she knew that cooking would be essential to her life in the United States. The Semarang native brought memories from her original home of Central Java to Sugar Land, where a remarkably diverse population has access to cuisines from countries such as Pakistan, Ethiopia, and India. After the couple opened Warung Indo in 2022, the restaurant became a hub for Indonesian families seeking out traditional, familiar cuisine from the Southeast Asian nation.

An image of couple Ida and Robin Edwards — Ida and Robin Edwards opened Warung Indo in 2022.

Unlike many other Asian cuisines, Indonesian food across the United States remains underrepresented, and to sustain themselves in a competitive industry, many Indonesian restaurants are forced to hybridize their restaurants with elements from Thai, Japanese, and Chinese cuisines — all more familiar to American, Western palettes. During the 15th and 17th centuries, Indonesia was the center of the spice trade. Chinese, Indian, and Arab traders brought Indonesian spices back to their respective countries, allowing Indonesia’s cultural impact to proliferate across the world. The country’s foodways have expanded alongside migration, entering the restaurant landscapes of countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, and Amsterdam. In the 20th century, oil and gas jobs brought a small, albeit significant number of Indonesians to the U.S., according to Ida, and many settled in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta.

A smaller population of immigrants (2,000 Indonesians constitute the Houston area), paired with lacking knowledge means that many Americans were long unaware of the heat, crunch, and spice found in the country’s diverse cuisine. But a growing group of restaurateurs like Ida are adamant about highlighting Indonesian food on its own, spotlighting the myriad flavors and techniques found across the archipelago’s 17,000 islands. At Warung Indo, the dishes of Ida’s home of Central Java shine in the strip mall building, where she also prepares soups and stews from Sumatra and seafood found in Gorontalo. For the chef, showcasing ingredients such as galangal, makrut lime, and fried shallots for local Indonesian residents and non-Indonesians is a unique opportunity to highlight a centuries-old cuisine influenced by groups from China, India, and Middle Eastern countries, while educating visitors on the dynamic elements of Indonesian foodways.

Nasi Campur

Nasi, or rice, is an essential part of Indonesian cuisine. “Campur,” which means mixed, is a dish that includes a mixture of various Indonesian components, all centered around rice. At Warung Indo, nasi campur includes white rice, a generous portion of beef rendang (a beef stew from Sumatra), a saucy amalgam of tempeh and chopped vegetables, and a boiled egg marinated in a sambal sauce of chili, onion, garlic, and various spices. The chef serves the dish with a piquant orange broth filled with carrots and chopped green beans.

Nasi Goreng with anchovies (Indonesian Fried Rice with Anchovies)

Nasi goreng, an fried egg-and-rice plate that serves as one of Indonesia’s national dishes, can be prepared with various proteins like chicken and shrimp. At the request of customers, and inspired by regions of Indonesia that are along the coast, the chef uses anchovies as the central protein. The saltiness of the anchovies melts into the quintessential fried egg placed atop the rice, producing a sharp, slightly acidic bite of fragrant fried rice.

An image of nasi goreng with anchoives. — At the request of customers, and inspired by regions of Indonesia that are along the coast, the chef uses anchovies as the central protein.

Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup)

Interpretations of soto ayam, Indonesia’s chicken soup, vary by city and island. Ida describes her soto as similar to the national version. That is, flavored and hued by golden turmeric, and infused with spices and aromatics like coriander, galangal, lemongrass, and makrut lime.

The soto, which simmers for three hours, is fortified with bean sprouts, tomato, thin slices of cabbage, eggs, and vermicelli noodles.

An image of soto ayam with a sliced egg and side of red sambal. — Interpretations of soto ayam, Indonesia’s chicken soup, vary across the island nation.

Es Cendol

Summertime lends itself to colorful drinks, and es cendol is a fine selection. Cendol, made from rice flour and tapioca, are the jelly-like strips that are central to the vibrant beverages. Ida saturates the green strips in apalm sugar syrup and pandan, which offers a light vanilla flavor. Green food coloring adds to the color, but Edwards says the pandan is the crux of the drink’s sweet flavor and brightness.

Nasi Bakar Ayam (Grilled Chicken with Rice)

The chef grills rice and seasons the chicken with chili, jalapeno, red and green peppers, onion, garlic, galangal, ginger, and lemongrass. Placing the seasoned chicken on top of the rice, she wraps the ingredients in a banana leaf before microwaving it for a few minutes, allowing the flavors of the banana leaf to gently seep into the rice. The dish is baked and served in the banana leaf — serving as a visual delight and a true feast.

An iamge of nasi bakar ayam in a banana leaf — As alluring as it is delicious, unwrapping Edwards’ nasi bakar ayam feels like a holiday affair.

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