Lezat Indonesian, Greenside

Updated: 14-08-2024

If you ever want to meet 2 people who were meant for the restaurant business go to Lezat Indonesian. Nuri and Ashraf are the couple behind this charming spot in Greenside serving up authentic Indonesian to Johannesburg foodies.

We visited on a Saturday night and found this gem crammed between the bustling after dark spots on Gleaneagles road. It was a challenge getting parking nearby but we got lucky when someone was leaving and our roadside parking attendant aka “car guard” as only South Africans will understand, ushered us in.

The restaurant is small and cosy and Ashraf welcomed us in from behind the counter. We were seated and he went to close the front doors to minimise the noise from the adjoining restaurants and bars. His wife Nuri, who is originally from Indonesia came out and welcomed us like we were family she hadn’t seen in a while. I was immediately sold by the warmth and hospitality from this couple.

Nuri explained the menu to us as the names of the dishes were mostly in Indonesian. Some of them I recognised as I had travelled in Malaysia years ago, but the explanation was a good refresher. Indonesian food, not being common in Johannesburg, I imagine they need to explain to many new customers trying them out.

The rust coloured walls are hung with black and white photos of Indonesia and some traditional artifacts. The furniture is simple and you have the feeling of eating with loved ones in your family kitchen.

The menu is split between authentic spicy Indonesian dishes like Beef Rendang, Fried Rice, Mie Goreng, Tempe, Nasi Dendeng and more traditional choices of burgers, chips and chicken strips for the not so adventurous. Nuri had a special dish available called Nasi Padang (an Indonesian complete traditional meal). It comprises Jack Fruit Curry, Red & Green Sambal, Omelete, Boil Casava Leaf and Jasmine Rice. with a choice of Beef Rendang R160, Fish in Red Sauce R150 or Grilled Chicken R140. I hadn’t had Jack Fruit curry since my time in Malawi 20 years ago and jumped at the chance to try it again. This dish was a treat of flavours and textures. The beef was tender and spicy and the jack fruit curry balanced the heat very well. There was also a red and green chilli paste both of which were tasty and not burn-your-pants-off hot. The casava chips were delicious.

Zulfi had the Coconut Soup with chicken and sprouts which was milder but also very tasty and came with a portion of rice at R130. Taufeeq chickened out and ordered the strips and chips but opted for the spicy version. They were good but he found them too spicy and could not finish them. We also ordered a portion of sweetcorn cakes which was meant as a starter but came with the main meal. We didn’t enjoy these so much and found them a bit heavy.

I tried a traditional home made iced tea with basil seeds. It was mildly flavoured and not overly sweet. They also had Kingsley sodas instead of the usual suspects which we chose with our meal.

This is a spot you don’t want to miss if you’re a serious foodie. And I suggest you get there soon as there is a possibility they might move locations very soon.