In 2014, "Chintajawa Cafe" opened in Hiratsuka as a local-style Indonesian restaurant. Following Akihabara, a branch also started in Shibuya. The "Chintajawa Cafe Shibuya" opened on March 12, 2021, on the 4th floor of a building diagonally across from Parco. In recent years, there has been an increase in Asian cuisine restaurants in Shibuya, but there are very few Muslim-friendly restaurants on the west side, attracting a diverse crowd of people other than Japanese. The spacious interior offers table seating, counter seating, and even tatami seating. The menu is extensive (up to 70 items!). You can enjoy a variety of Indonesian dishes, including noodles, rice dishes, soups, curries, meat, vegetables, seafood, and even desserts. One recommended dish is the "Nasi Campur Padang" for ¥1250, which is a Sumatran Padang-style mixed rice dish with beef rendang, sambal egg, sambal hidau (green chili sambal), jackfruit, and stir-fried cassava leaves. The flavors are excellent, with a good level of spiciness that can be adjusted, and it offers a taste that is familiar to Japanese palates. The cassava leaves are especially delicious! For a refreshing drink after the meal, try the "Avocado Coffee Milkshake" for ¥780, which surprisingly combines coffee and avocado flavors perfectly. Recently, there has been a growing number of restaurants in Shibuya offering authentic Asian cuisine, making dining experiences even more enjoyable.

There is a shop on the 4th floor of the International Building near Shibuya Parco. Despite being in the center of Shibuya, when I went in, I found that there were only a few Japanese customers, with the majority being Indonesians. The customers seemed to be trainees or young people working in Japan, and the menu was affordable with portion sizes suited to their appetites.

I visited the restaurant recommended by an acquaintance from Indonesia. When I arrived before 8 o'clock, all the table seats were full, so I was seated at the counter. The staff at the restaurant were all likely from Indonesia. All the customers were also a mix of Indonesians at every table, making it a gathering place for those residing in the area. The staff chatted in their language while working, sometimes involving the customers in a friendly and lively atmosphere, making it seem like a fun place to work. As a solo diner, I was not an exception but rather was drawn into conversations since I was seated close to the kitchen and cashier. I was asked if the food was delicious, if it was too spicy, and even taught how to eat certain dishes. I love this kind of friendly hospitality. I ordered the recommended "Duck Crispy Plate" from my acquaintance (¥1,600). It was my first time trying fried duck. Since there was no knife, I had to use a fork to tear the meat while holding it with one hand (eventually following the local custom, I put my left hand down on the table and ate with the three fingers from my right hand). The dish was similar to KFC without the breading. The flavor was more about the richness of the fat rather than the sweetness of the meat. The bones were well-cooked, and even the thin parts were easy to eat. There were some large pieces with slightly tough meat, but with the added spices, I managed to finish it without much trouble. The condiment in a small dish had a dark reddish-brown color. It was called sambal and was deliciously spicy. It is a mixture of chili, onion, and shrimp paste, which is apparently used with rice, vegetables, and meat in Indonesia. They can make it even spicier upon request. Surprisingly, the rice served was Japonica rice. The raw cabbage and cucumber were like side dishes. I was a bit concerned about serving raw vegetables in terms of hygiene in the local cuisine. I had only tried Indonesian cuisine through takeout or bento boxes like Nasi Goreng or Mie Goreng, so this might be closer to the authentic taste. According to the waiter, "Indonesian cuisine has strong flavors." Indeed, the spiciness of sambal and the seasoning of the duck were quite bold. However, it might not appeal to the typical Japanese taste buds as it lacks depth in flavor. Perhaps the concept of broth is not as strong. Compared to Indian or Thai cuisine popular in Japan, the use of spices may not be as intricate. Nevertheless, it was the first time I received so much attention as a solo diner. Lunch can be enjoyed for around a thousand yen, making it a great place to experience the warm hospitality of the people from their country while enjoying the local flavors. There is also a branch in Omiya, which is currently having a 20% off sale, so targeting that might be a good idea.

PARCO is located on the 4th floor of a building across from Daily Yamazaki. When you open the door, you are greeted with an Indonesian atmosphere. Even though it's only 6:00 pm, the place is already bustling with families and groups of people, mostly locals. I ordered the Nasi Champur Padang for 1350 yen, and it was served in just 5 minutes. I asked what was in it when I ordered, but all I understood was that there was beef, vegetables, something spicy, and a yellow sauce on rice. I decided to just try it without knowing exactly what was in it, and it turned out to be delicious. The dish included something like sweet potato tempura, carrots, green beans stir-fry (which was delicious!), beef, two types of sambal (shrimp and green chili), something soft (vegetables?), and a yellow curry-like sauce on the rice. Everything was delicious and easy to eat for Japanese people. The menu offers a variety of Indonesian dishes at affordable prices. It's a fun place to visit, and I want to try everything on the menu!

I went to a popular Indonesian restaurant among Indonesians and ordered recommended dishes by the locals. I ordered meatball soup, Nasi Goreng (fried rice), bean fritters, flat rice noodles stir-fried (Pad Thai), and black sugar juice. Among them, Nasi Goreng was particularly delicious, with a rich flavor and well-coated rice with oil, similar to fried rice but with a soy sauce-based seasoning that was addictive and enjoyable. The bean fritters were like an Indonesian version of natto, thinly spread and fried, without any strong bean flavor, just a taste of being fried in oil.

The number of reviews on Tabelog is only 6, but there are 65 reviews on Google, with 80% being from foreigners. I thought this place must be delicious! I decided to try the "Today's Nasi Champur" which is a set where you can enjoy various Indonesian dishes on one plate. It costs 1,150 yen and comes with soup and a soft drink. The set was luxurious and included spring rolls, coconut chicken, red curry, Gado Gado salad, Mie Goreng, chicken karaage, boiled egg with spicy sauce, rice, pickles, shrimp chips, and soup. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was cozy with a lot of foreign customers. The staff was efficient and friendly, and they accepted payment through PayPay.

Chintajawa Cafe is an Indonesian restaurant located in Akihabara. I have visited the restaurant several times, and it is always bustling with locals. The authentic flavors and delicious dishes at the restaurant attract a lot of local customers. Recently, a new branch of Chintajawa Cafe opened in Shibuya, which I visited. Located in the vibrant area of Spain-zaka in Shibuya, the restaurant is easily accessible. Just like the Akihabara branch, the Shibuya branch was also filled with locals. I tried the Nasi Campur, which is a plate of rice with various side dishes. When I asked about the dishes, they recommended the Jackfruit curry and Rendang as the main dishes. The Nasi Campur had a sweet and authentic Indonesian flavor, with a good balance of meat and vegetables. It reminded me of Sri Lankan and South Indian one-plate curries, but it seems like Nasi Campur is not as well-known. If you come across Nasi Campur at an Indonesian restaurant, I recommend asking the staff about the side dishes. Overall, Chintajawa Cafe in Shibuya offers authentic Indonesian cuisine and is definitely worth a visit.

When you enter a side street from Shibuya Center-gai, you will find a building like the one in the picture. On the third floor, there is Holmes Pasta, but in April, I noticed a new sign. Climbing up the stairs to the fourth floor and opening the door, is this really Shibuya? "CINTA JAWA CAFE Shibuya branch" - an unfamiliar word-filled space. The staff seemed to be from Indonesia, speaking cheerfully in their language. The lunch menu includes Nasi Goreng, fried beehoon (Beehoon Goreng), Nasi Goreng plate, fried beehoon plate, chicken porridge, and Indonesian-style chicken ramen. I ordered the "Indonesian-style chicken ramen" (1,000 yen). It was a soy sauce-flavored ramen with plenty of shredded chicken and pak choi. It seemed to have been influenced by the Chinese immigrants from mainland China. The noodles were cooked differently, but it was not spicy and had a Southeast Asian touch. It seemed like a dish that anyone could enjoy. Women wearing hijabs were also enjoying the meal, probably because it tasted just like back home. A new Indonesian restaurant has opened in Shibuya, loved by Indonesian residents in Japan. Thank you for the meal~

In front of Shibuya Parco, there is a building with a food and drink area vibe. On the 3rd floor, there is the popular Holmes Pasta restaurant with long queues, and on the 1st floor, there is a Daily Yamazaki store. On the 4th floor of this building, a new restaurant opened in March. It blended in so naturally that I didn't realize it was a new opening at first. There was no prominent sign outside. I visited around 12:30 on a weekday, and there were a few customers inside. The seating mostly consisted of tables, with a few counter seats for serving. I was seated at a 2-person table. The lunch menu featured various Indonesian dishes, including some mysterious options like porridge. I ordered the Nasi Goreng. It came with a turmeric soup and a drink, which had a nostalgic taste. It reminded me of a famous Indonesian restaurant that closed down recently in Shibuya. The Nasi Goreng was decent, not too strong or too mild. It seemed suitable for a casual lunch. I wish they accepted payment via barcode though.

Category: [Tokyo] Ethnic ☆ Shibuya Lunch I looked into Indonesian restaurants in Hiratsuka, Akihabara, and Yokohama, and found out that there is a new one that opened about 3 days ago, so I decided to try their lunch menu. The place is called Chintajawa Cafe Shibuya (CINTAJAWACAFE). The Indonesian girls working there are petite and have cute smiles, which is nice to see. As an older gentleman, I believe that girls should always smile. It's sad to see them keep a straight face while serving customers. If you're doing well, at least smile, right? The dinner menu offers dishes like catfish and tilapia, which are quite appealing, but the lunch menu is pretty standard. I always thought porridge was something for kids and women, but I ended up ordering the Chicken Porridge for 1000 yen (although it was listed as 950 yen including tax). It came with soup, a drink, and free extra serving. It felt more like soft rice with soup poured on top rather than traditional porridge. The amount of rice served in a big bowl was overwhelming, and if you don't eat it quickly, the soup gets absorbed and the volume keeps increasing. Ordering an extra serving and not finishing it would be a disaster. It would be embarrassing for a man to not be able to finish something as simple as porridge. Despite the cute girls and the cook's laughter, it felt like a devilish challenge. I barely managed to finish it, but it was a tough battle with the porridge. I would recommend it to the athletic students out there.

The nasi goreng for lunch was really delicious! I want to go back again!

It was delicious! I want to go again, although I got a little lost finding the place haha.

An authentic Indonesian restaurant. While in Japan, you can enjoy the real taste here. Ayam Goreng (fried chicken) is marinated in spices for hours before frying, resulting in a delicious flavor. A key element in Indonesian cuisine is Sambal (a sauce made from tomatoes and chili peppers), and the Sambal here is perfectly balanced in terms of spiciness. I highly recommend trying it. Next, I plan to try the cafe menu.

Indonesia has a more international atmosphere. I haven't been to Indonesia so I don't know how authentic it is, but the food is delicious! I wonder if they don't eat Jasmine rice? Recommended.