First time dining at an Indonesian restaurant and little sister did not disappoint! The space is rather small but adds to the ambience overall. Portions are decent though I definitely recommend ordering a variety to share. Most things we'd ordered were more sweet than savoury which I personally really enjoyed but might not be for everyone. Drinks were also delicious, just wished that there had been less ice in the sangria, especially considering the glasses they came with also contained ice. Also loved that they had an open kitchen. P.s. the Portland location dt has a speakeasy in the basement! read more

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The food was good but very far from the flavour profile of the original dishes found in South East Asia. Most dishes are quite mild in terms of spices, but nicely balanced. My personal favourites are the chicken satay, prawn skewers and beef rendang tacos which had a nice coconut sauce rendition. The nasi goreng was quite a let down: very sweet and one-dimensional. read more

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A cozy spot on Yonge. Warm atmosphere. Little Sisters offers a tapas style meal. Had the satay sapi, Babi panggang, fried cauliflower salad and the grilled mustard greens. The satay sapi came in a set of three and were cooked medium rare making them tender, juicy and flavourful. The Babi panggang was also delicious. Certainly, it benefited from a bit of hot sauce. The fried cauliflower was really flavourful and covered in puffed rice which gave it a crunchy texture. A bit on the pricier side by the dishes are well worth a try! read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is an awesome little spot near Yonge/ Eglinton. Their patio is a little small, but definitely worth the wait if you want to check it out. We came on a Friday night- long weekend, with reservations, and was seated right away. As a group of three, we ordered: Satay Sapi, Nasi Goreng, Rendang Taco, Balinese Chicken Taco, and Babi Kecap. The two dishes that stood out the most was the Babi Kecap paired with the Nasi Goreng. This was my first time having Indonesian food, and now it makes me want to book a trip to Bali to eat more! I must say their portions are small and pricey, but once in a while its a nice little splurge. read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I'm a little conflicted writing this review. I definitely enjoyed the food which is served tapas style and is the only authentic Indonesian place in Toronto. Firstly knowing how busy this place was, I made a reservation. I showed up at my time and waited at the front....and waited...and waited....for someone..anyone to acknowledge my lowly presence. Finally I was told the table was almost ready as the people were finishing up. Well 30 min later our group finally gets seated. Overall the service was hit and miss. Our server was definitely friendly and explained the menu to us...but then there would be long lags of when she would come back to check on us. So not particularly impressed but since I don't want people spitting in my food/drinks I avoid saying anything and just yelp about it :) I did enjoy the food - I tried the watermelon salad which is a delicious palate cleansing salad - fresh cool taste of the melon mixed in with cilantro (which I love) and some onions and radishes. I had the Satay Lilit which is a Balinese style of chicken skewer which I found to be ok and the Nasi Goreng - fried rice. Other people found this dish to be too spicy but not me - this was my favourite - it had hits of sweet and spicy which I just loved. For me honestly the portion sizes are perfect but I can see how the would be on the smaller end for others. The menu is broken up into skewers (you get 3 small skewers); snacks and traditional (which would be your main dish) and then sides. For the 3 dishes I ordered it came up to $20, but that was filling for me. My drinks however which was the Little Brother was $14! Reading some of the other reviews it seems it was $12 so they have upped the price. While good, too expensive IMO. The place is small but not too small you feel like you are sitting in a cramped space. It has that soft glow of lights that would just be perfect if you had a date but you had the unfortunate luck to get a pimple - it won't be seen here :) Overall I'm not sure if I would go back because of the service...but I did want to try a few other things off the menu, so maybe in a few months when I forget the memory of standing in the front door just waiting around for someone to care. read more

Little Sister - Fried cauliflower salad - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Before I rant about the food, let me say that the low rating is definitely contributed by the extremely bad service. The server seems like she'd rather die than be in the restaurant. Which is sad because if the restaurant claims to have Bali vibe, that's the kind of attitude you will never find in Bali. When we're done with our food, she asked us for dessert (which when we look over the menu they don't have any) but we understand it's her way to kick us out. So we agreed to ask for bill. She then proceeded to clean our table so noisily. It's like she's slamming every plates and every utensils like she's angry, ended up dropping some forks on the floor. On the food: - Nasi Goreng used basmati rice so it feels more like Indian dish. Even the taste is closer to Biryani than Nasi Goreng. 90% of the dish is dominated by the cabbage and so is the taste. - Ikan Belado was not bad. The fish was soft but the sauce was not spicy at all and was more towards sour. - Babi Guling was completely different than what we expected. Tasted more like shredded pork with soy sauce. Maybe change the name into Pulled Pork. - Urab. Is a disappointment. - Satay Lilit dominated with lime taste but it was good. Probably the best dish among what we ordered. We just wonder when we ate it if they put the meat on the wrong side of the skewer. It's enough for one visit. read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Seriously had such an AWESOME night on this patio! Everything from the drinks to the satay was super delicious. Their fries were done to perfection, I'm talking golden and crispy outside and fluffy inside. My favourite dish though was easily the braised duck leg, which was absolutely succulent and melt in your mouth tender. The only drawback was that it was a pricey experience at the end of the night. For example, the satay skewers come as 3 in an order and we were offered the option to add a fourth to make it easier to share. The price of that one satay skewer with literally 2 bites of chicken on it? $3.50! And the duck leg, for however delicious it was, was also pricey at $18.95 for something that didn't even come with a little bit of white rice. read more

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Was not a fan of this restaurant. Came here with a group of friends and we ordered a bunch to share since it is like tapas and portions are small. I think the only thing we all enjoyed the most was the fried rice, Nasi Goreng ($7). The Ayam Panggang ($14), which was sweet chili grilled chicken tasted okay. Chicken was charred so that added some flavor to the chicken aside from just the sweet chili sauce. The fried Cauliflower salad ($8) felt like just fried cauliflower vs a salad, not sure how this dish resembled a salad. One thing I thought was slightly odd is that there was already a decent amount of crunch texture from the fried cauliflower, not sure why they felt the need to add more crisp from the puffed rice and fried onion/garlic. We tried a bunch of other things and most dishes tasted okay, but were nothing special nor nothing too memorable. I will admit that I don't know too much about Indonesian food so I can't comment on how authentic the dishes were. read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The food is amazing!! Extremely flavorful, lots of great options and the service was awesome! Limited seating so you'll want to make a res when possible! read more

Food was pretty good but there's not much service. There was only 3 tables when we were there but we had to wait forever to be served because the waiters were too busy talking to each other most of the time. We had all three of the screwers and they were all pretty good with very distinct and exotic flavours and spices. read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

What a unique find for Toronto! Never did I think a delicious Indonesian place would fall on my radar while I was here. This came as a recommendation from some natives who were all hanging out beforehand. This place is apparently very popular as it was so packed! The menu is grouped into 3 parts with starting things with light bites/snacks to heavier meats. Things are all recommended as to share and tapas style - I'm usually not a fan of this because that usually just screams small portions for a high price premium... LOL. We got a bunch of different items from curry, pork belly, fried rice, and noodles. Heads up, the fried rice portion is really only for 1-2 maximum as the waiter said it's designed for 3-4... not sure what portion sizes he's measuring with. Food wise, everything was on point! It reminded me a lot of when I had traveled to Indonesian so was very glad I enjoyed every bite! read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I was very excited to try this place however, the flavours were quite lacking. FOOD: Fried Cauliflower Salad: The sauce was extremely salty and made everything soggy. Pangsit: The wontons were crispy and had plenty of filling. The chili lime sauce really elevated the flavours of this dish. Semur Java: The braised beef was mediocre at best as it was a bit tough. However, the sauce was flavourful and nice Nasi Goreng The waitress recommended that we must try this dish. The dish was nothing special and tasted like any other fried rice. Little sister is not as authentic as I hoped it would be. Nonetheless, the food is mediocre and deserves a visit as there aren't many Indonesian places around the area. read more

I recently came here with friends. The overall experience was really good. We were seated at the patio and had a nice dinner as the sun was setting. Here's what we ordered to share: 1. Satay Sapi: 8/10. These were beef skewers with kecap, like leaf and lemongrass. They were pretty good. 2. Beef croquette (snack): 9/10. 3. Watermelon salad (side): 8/10. This was spicy but oddly appetizing. 4. Semur Java: 9/10. We got this with steamed rice and it was just short of amazing. I would highly recommend this dish. read more

Little Sister - Semur java - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My husband and I lived in Southeast Asia for quite a few years so the image that we have of Indonesian food is cheap. This place is like a Indonesian tapas bar. They make Indonesian food pretty fancy but we found them a bit pricey. Food was ok - still Indonesian food. We liked baby guling & coconut pudding with palm sugar syrup the best. Service was fast and pleasant even though the restaurant was full house. (Would rate 3.5 if I could) read more

I would give this place a solid 3.5 stars; it's good, but nothing that would make me rush to come back. The plates are for sharing; we shared two chicken dishes (one of them a satay), one shrimp lettuce wrap and one watermelon salad. Plates were spicy, and good, but nothing stupendous. I had the coconut desert, which again was good, but not sublime. The strawberry drink was probably my favourite part of the dinner. Service was very friendly and knowledgeable. I didn't like having to share a table with strangers; that was a big downside. It's trendy, glad I tried it, but there is so much competition in the area, that I wouldn't come back too soon. read more

Little Sister - Coconut dessert - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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What a lovely little gem! I came here with a group of 4 for dinner and had a lovely experience. We got there early, around 6 on a Saturday, to avoid lines and waits. By the time we ordered the restaurant was packed! We shared about 10 dishes and it was all fantastic! My favourites included the rice, braised beef, beef tacos, and the cauliflower dish. One of my friends is vegetarian and they had plenty of options for her. We were stuffed by the end! They actually use shrimp paste apparently in some of their vegetarian dishes (according to the waiter) so just ask in case you have an allergy / vegetarian / kosher. Service was very fast and friendly. They didn't make us feel rushed and were very helpful to help us decide what to eat. Everything we had was delicious! The decorations and interior decor was very nice - though I found it a bit dark until they brightened the lights. I would definitely come back! read more

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I went with 4 of my friends the other evening. Everything exceeded my expectations. The service, the atmosphere, the food... it was all memorable and incredible. I often don't venture too far out of my "food comfort zone" but I was pleasantly surprised. I had the Cucumber Watermelon Salad and the War Fries... chefs kiss. I have already had 3 people ask me about Little Sister from my socials and they all said they NEED to get down to Toronto to go. read more

Really cute little establishment that serves Indonesian food. Ambience was great, seemed like it was getting busy just as we left. Had the shrimp crackers which are always delicious and the tacos that were recommended by my friend. Tried some interesting pulled beef and lettuce wraps that you had to self assemble and it personally wasn't for me. I feel like I ordered the wrong things so wouldn't be opposed to coming back and ordering something different. read more

Little Sister - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This place is almost always busy. But once you try it you understand why. The food is some of the best in the neighbourhood. My friend is a foodie and even he was impressed. They make some interesting drinks as well. We sat at the corner of the bar bc there were no other seats, but we actually didn't mind. The staff were awesome and the manager checked in with us as well. A great place for dinner and or drinks. read more

Little sister is a small Indonesian restaurant with unique seating and flavourful food. Whether your seated at a communal table squished amongst complete strangers, seated at the bar or bar style window in front if the open-style kitchen or sitting beside your date at a bar table lining the main hallway of the restaurant, the layout of this restaurant is far from conventional. The service was definitely lacking as we frequently had to remind our waitress to take our order and/or bring the cheque at the end of the evening. For food We ordered the lettuce wrapped shrimp, grilled collard greens, nasi goreng (fried rice) and braised beef. The food was all flavourful but all of the dishes were quite spicy. If you can't handle spice then make sure to notify the kitchen. The shrimp lettuce wrap was tasty but the shrimp was undercooked. The favourites of the evening were the braised beef and grilled greens. The beef was very tender and adorned with shrimp crackers. The grilled greens were a generous portion and cooked to perfection...tender, a little crisp and super flavourful dressed in an Indonesian sauce. My friend had the pisco, lychee and egg white cocktail to start and it was smooth and not too sweet...definitely something to order again. If you are looking to try a restaurant with unique Asian flavours and enjoy spices kick to your food, make sure to check out little sister. read more

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Make a reservation if you're set on coming here. On a chilly October Friday, walk-ins were turned away. There's not all that much table seating - a four top by the front window, some side by side banquettes along the left wall, and communal tables in the rear. We were lucky enough to snag a banquette, which although small was the most comfortable location. The bar might be the place. I began with a sour sop cocktail, which while on the small side (is that a Toronto regulation) was tasty, while La Portena had her usual glass of white wine. Service was quick and friendly. In fact I'd say too quick, as the dishes piled up on the small table top. The beef satay, which arrived first, was excellent. Pickled onions on the side. The fish on the menu had been replaced by tiger prawns - I'd say these were 8/10 size, nicely grilled and skewered - two to a stick at $9 each. The winning dish was the beef rendang tacos, tender, savory, and reminiscent of a great Austin brisket taco. Nasi goreng was nicely fried, but I did need to pump it up with the sambal oelek on the table. The pork satay was the losing dish - I think the pork was ground, rather than in chunks, and it was dry. Skip that one. My suggestion would be - if you're set on 5-6 plates (dinner for two), order three after placing your first beverage order, and order two with your second drink so they don't pile up and get cold. Timing was not their strong suit. We were not rushed at the end - the dishes simply came too fast. For dessert we had the coffee-ginger sundae which hit the spot - the other choice was coconut pudding. The patrons were of all ages, and although I didn't recognize most of the music, I enjoyed it all the same. A fun evening, if not the ultimate foodie experience. read more

Thurs 8pm. Pros; music not too loud, venue comfortable, pork anise dish tasty. Cons: beef overcooked and bland, nasi goreng too plain, waitress surly, expensive and not worth value. Drinks $14-18 which is ridiculous There was two of us and the waitress said we should order five or six dishes. We ordered three dishes which was enough. So clearly they try to upsell read more

For my 100th review, I wanted to write about a restaurant that never fails to blow me away. Little Sister is a small, unassuming joint that consistently prepares some of the best food in Toronto. This time around, I ate: Satay Lillit (Balinese Spiced Chicken): This is one of three skewers on offer and it is, no surprise, delicious. It arrived without sauce, which I initially found concerning, but one bite told me that no sauce was required. The meat was tender and juicy, and so flavorful, too. A perfect start to the meal. Fried Cauliflower Salad (Rujak, Green Onion, Puffed Rice): I would eat cauliflower every day if this is how it was prepared. So good. Babi Guling (Crispy Balinese Pork Wrap, Pickles, Peanuts): Oh my god. This is essentially a lettuce wrap that you assemble yourself and it might just be the best version of this dish I've ever had. The meat is the real star here, since it's cooked in a way that the pork is irresistibly crispy without becoming dry. The accompanying hot sauce is perfect and just spicy enough, while the "pickles" are actually delicious pieces of pickled melon. (I thought it was celery when the plate first arrived!) Nasi Goreng: Their version of fried rice, this is something I order every time I'm at Little Sister. It's quite literally the best fried rice I've ever eaten and honestly, I could eat it every day of my life. It's a perfect accompaniment to the next two dishes. Udang Kari (Shrimp Coconut Curry): This was my first time eating this dish but now I feel like it'll become a regular thing. Imagine the best shrimp curry you've ever had and then multiply it a few hundred times and you'll have this dish. It's rich and flavorful and the huge shrimp are cooked perfectly. Semur Java (Javanese Dark Spiced Braised Beef, Crispy Potato, Green Onion): Like the Nasi Goreng, I order this every time I come to the restaurant. It's a saucy, addictive dish that contains the softest beef you could imagine. I love it. I've noticed quite a few reviews complaining about the prices. Yes, Little Sister isn't a cheap restaurant, but when you're getting quality at this level, it's actually an insane bargain. (I would pay more for these dishes.) read more

One of my pet peeves is leaving a restaurant still hungry. Unless you are willing to take out a loan, this will probably be the case for you too at Little Sister. Overall, the food was not bad, with interesting flavors. The place is hip and buzzing. The music selection was very good. But the size of the tapas-style dishes were so minute, it was almost insulting. We came in a group of 6, and spent $250 (w/ 1 drink pp) and we all left still very hungry. Plus, the service leaves something to be desired. Because of those reasons, I had to give Little Sister such a low rating. At any rate, if you do want to splurge, I guess it's an interesting dining experience. As such, below I rate the dishes based on taste only, not the value. SATAY LILET (Chicken) 6.50 Rating: 1/5 Verdict: Teeny tiny skewers of unappetizing "spongy chicken". SATAY SAPI (Beef) 7.50 Rating: 1/5 Verdict: Teeny tiny skewers of unappetizing "spongy beef". WATERMELON SALAD 7.50 Rating: 4/5 Verdict: Very tasty and refreshing salad, but a very tiny portion. SWEET SPICY PEANUTS 2.00 Rating: 4/5 Verdict: Quite good. The only thing that was actually a good value. PANGSIT JAKARTA WONTONS, BEEF, 6.75 Rating: 3/5 Verdict: Ok, not very memorable. Small. ROASTED PORK BELLY, PICKLED BEAN, SPROUTS, FRESH CHILI SAUCE 15.75 Rating: 3/5 Verdict: OK. Not the best pork belly I've ever had. BALINESE SHREDDED CHICKEN TACO LETTUCE, PICKLED CUCUMBER, CRISPY SHALLOT SOUR CREAM 4.75 Rating: 2/5 Verdict: OK, not great. Poor value. NASI GORENG 6.00 Rating: 2/5 Verdict: Nothing special about this fried rice. It's smaller than what you get as a complimentary dish of steamed rice in a Chinese restaurant, for $6. You do the math. SEMUR JAVA JAVANESE DARK SPICED BRAISED BEEF, CRISPY POTATO, GREEN ONION 15.25 Rating: 4/5 Verdict: Nice and flavorful. Very small. read more

Little Sister is located on Yonge, south of Eglinton and is the only restaurant in Toronto that offers authentic Indonesian cuisine, and they have opted to serving the food tapas-style (i.e., small plates). Little Sister is the sibling (no pun intended) of Quince Bistro (located steps away). Both restaurants are owned by Jennifer Gittins and Michael van den Winkel, and also share the same culinary team. Vibe Although Little Sister is small, it is not small enough to feel like you are getting to know your neighbor a little too well: "Yeah sure! Sit on my lap!" "Of course I want to hear your whole conversation! Who does not love hearing about global warming and kittens?" Though small, you had enough privacy to engage with your guest(s), and tune out those around you. Plan I knew coming in that the food would be served on small plates, so my friend and I decided to each order at least one skewer, 2 snacks, two mains (they call them "traditionals") and 2 sides. But first we started with a drink. I am usually not a cocktail drinker because I detest sugary drinks that remind me of boxed fruit punch, but when I see tequila as an ingredient, I can't help but become curious. So I ordered the Little Brother ($12) and my friend ordered the Bali Red Eye ($10). Dishes we chose: Satay Ayam: Chicken skewer with peanut sauce $6 I liked this dish but did not love it. I wanted the sauce to be spicier, and with more fresh herbs. But I am also one of those people who loves fresh herbs on all of my curries and sauces-bring on the cilantro! My friend on the other hand loved how it was not TOO spicy, and did not feel it lacked herbs. So there you have it. You can't please everyone! Pangsit (Jakarta wontons, beef, green onion, chili lime sauce) $6.25 This was our favorite dish. We received it steaming hot, and it had a super crispy exterior with well-seasoned meat in the center. I also loved the spicy sauce that came with it. In fact, I loved the sauce so much, that I dipped all the other food in it. Balinese Breaded Chicken Taco: Lettuce, pickled cucumbers, crispy shallots, and sour cream $4.75 Although I ordered this taco, my friend ate it! Grrr. But she swore that it was delicious, though it would benefit from more hot/chili sauce. In fact, a gentleman sitting near us commented that this taco is his favorite dish on the menu. **Note, you are given many hot sauce options to choose from, so if you do not see it on your table, request it or grab it from the bar. Rendang Taco: Beef, coconut crema, lettuce, pickled red onion $4.75 The meat was very tender and the sweetness of the coconut cream was nice. However, because I am used to eating tacos on corn tortillas, and I like more cilantro on my tacos with a fair amount of hot sauce, I felt torn. One can argue that I was making an unfair comparison to what some may deem to be between apples and oranges. Fact is, if I wanted Mexican tacos, I should be going to a Mexican restaurant for them. I think it's important to remember that just because it says "taco," that it does not mean that it will be your standard Mexican-style taco-which can be a very good thing. Live a little! Ayam Panggang: Sweet chili grilled chicken, bean sprouts, green onion, cilantro $12.50 This was my friend's dish and she loved how tender the chicken was and how it was perfectly charred (fine line between charred and burnt). She also enjoyed the balance of flavors-had enough of a chili kick without having to reach for a glass of water. I also did not mind the chicken, but I found it a bit dry and I wanted it spicier. I think with rice I would have loved it. Babi Panggang: Roasted pork belly, pickled bean sprouts, fresh chili sauce $15.75 This was the last dish we received, and by this point, we were stuffed. Although I was full, I was blown away by how tender the meat was, and the different flavors that seem to have been infused into the meat. This was literally, melt-in-your mouth tender. Again, I would have liked it with rice. But on its own it was still fabulous. Only major complaint is the price. Fried Cauliflower Salad: Rujak, green onion, puffed rice $7.50 The salad was delicious, but the reason I did not love it is because when I read "fried" I was expecting more contrast in textures; I was expecting the cauliflower to be crispy. I guess because there was sauce on the plate, it was absorbed by the cauliflower which affected the texture. The crispy puffed rice certainly helped negate some of my disappointment. Watermelon Salad: Chili, mint, basil, sambal vinaigrette $7.50 My friend and I loved this salad. We called it our "palette cleanser". I almost feel like this salad should be mandatory (minus the onions-oh how I hate onions). This is a perfect dish to eat in-between plates due to its fresh and clean taste. Full review here: http://playingchef.com/2014/11/06/little-sister-you-are-such-a-gem-i-want-my-friends-to-meet-you/ read more

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Having read glowing reviews of this restaurant on The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star, I was looking forward to some delicious authentic Indonesian cuisine. While the dishes are Indonesian 'inspired' I am sad to say I was disappointed on the authenticity front. The fare was certainly adjusted to accommodate western taste and the clientele of the neighborhood. Food portions are very small. See the photo attached to this post. Each of them is a main course. Service was quick and good. Nice interior. Hard to get reservation.... But they seem to accommodate walk ins as well. Weird smell of chlorine that whiffs to your nose at times... Not sure what the source of the smell is. read more

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This is a 3 star review for two reasons. The main one is, like another user said, the size of the dishes. We ordered skewers, 2 chicken tacos, the Pangsit and the Semur Java for two and let's just say we were not full. The problem is the price of some dishes doesn't match their size. The Semur Java comes in a small bowl and is $14.50 dollars. I definitely felt ripped off. The second one is the food itself. Out of everything we ordered, the skewers were definitely the highlight. Everything else was just OK, inlcuding the $14.50 Semur Java. I doubt I will be going back, unless they change the concept. read more

Little Sister - Semur Java - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Unlike other Asian restaurants, this place is indeed a hidden gem with a modern chic bar with amazing tapa selection. My Indonesian friend finally booked a table for us and of course, I outsourced my decision making to him completely. I recommend all the Satay dishes, especially satay lilit. Also I like the Babi Panhhang, which is a lettuce pork wrap (the deep fried pork skin makes everything taste better). Also the rendong, a dish similar to taco, with mouthwatering coconut sauce. We ordered get the watermelon salad to balance the spicy food. Overall, a great place for friends! If you like slightly quiet environment, go sit close to the kitchen (so you won't get too much noise close to the bar). read more

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Went with my partner and 2 friends, they sat us at the smallest table yet gave a table of 6 to 3 people. Our server was rushing us from the start, she was at our table every 2mins to take our order. We spent over $500 when our server, very rudely told us we need to leave so she can sit another table!! Not sure how them over booking was our problem. I asked to speak to the manager but that was not forthcoming at all. The whole experience was terrible and we will never go back again and I advise no one to go. read more

Courtesy of an event created on Yelp by a fellow Yelp Elite, 7 of us tackled Little Sister and we ordered......EVERYTHING ON THE (cardboard) MENU. Granted, it's not a huge menu, but it was pretty cool to order everything. Felt a lil special, just sayin. We started with the Snack menu while we were waiting for all of our guests; Krupuk(prawn crackers w/ peanut sauce) and Pangsit(beef wontons) were first to arrive. As someone whom is not used to spicy food, some of the sauces surprised me(I was not alone). The menu didn't specify if something was hot, so it was a shock each time. The peanut sauce with the prawn crackers had a little heat, but it was sweet; a nice combo. The beef wontons were fantastic. I dipped my wonton and was about to take a big bite when the sauce dripped onto my hand. I wiped it off and tasted it; I almost went into a coughing fit. Someone else was about to take a big bite with sauce when she saw the look on my face. She was not used to spice either! Saved! I didn't think they needed sauce anyway! The tacos were fantastic; all of them! Each of them had fresh veggies and delightful sauces. I could've eaten more of those and everyone agreed. The Sumatra Spiced Beef Croquettes were another winner. As a Dutch gal, I'm used to croquettes being a bit bland and needing mustard to liven them up; these didn't need it. The beef was seasoned with the perfect amount of spice inside that crispy coating. MmmMmm. The skewers well all to die for. The meat was moist and tender and each skewer had it's own distinct flavour. The savoury spices paired with the sweet sauces made them disappear fast! Now for the mains... Ayam Panggang(sweet chili grilled chicken) was fantastic. The portion was good and the flavours were fantastic. The guests that didn't like cilantro were not a fan, but that left more for the rest of us! Babi Panggang(pork belly) was one of my favourites. Tender, flavourful; very well rounded with the pickled bean sprouts and fresh chili sauce. Udang kari(coconut curry shrimp) didn't last long and neither did the Ikan Bumbu Bali(spice crusted fish). The sides, how could we forget about them?! After all that spice, we were practically fighting over the Watermelon Salad. It was cold and refreshing; a nice palette cleanser. The Fried Cauliflower Salad was addicting; I wanted it all for myself! The Fried Rice and Mustard Green Vegetables were also there to balance things out. We were on flavour overload! Dessert was a coconut pudding and mocha chocolate icecream. The coconut pudding was OK but the ice cream was a fantastic end to the evening. The drinks were a little on the expensive side, but they give you large bottles of water. I've never had food like this before, so I have nothing to compare it to. Looks like an excuse to go to another Indonesian restaurant. :D read more

*I had an issue with the service so I wrote my experience on my own site. I noticed later the restaurant blocked me on their social media accounts. Really professional here. *The menu was printed on pieces of cardboard and it would have been helpful if there was some pictures on the menu to help customers decide what to get, or at least an indication of spicy dishes! *the food was delicious and flavorful, however the price and service really let me down. *I understand that this is a tapa-style restaurant, but considered that I almost paid $20 for a dish that was just a size of an appetizer, I didn't think it was worth it -Krupuk with peanut sauce - $5: I actually didn't order the krupuk. A server offered me this dish and this was his exact words: "Would you like some prawn crackers to snack on while looking at the menu?" Please note that he offered the same thing to every other tables as well. With that said, I found out that the dish actually costed $5, and our server did not mention the price at all! I understand I should have questioned when I received the bill, but at the same time as a person who used to be in the service industry, I found this behavior to be intolerable. $5 might be small but it added up considered how expensive the food were, so please restrain from this kind of practice and be honest with your customers! Anyhow, the krupuk or prawn crackers didn't have a strong prawn/shrimps flavor like the ones in Thai restaurants, but the sauce was delicious! It had a nice combination of spicy and sweetness. -Watermelon Salad - $7.50 If you're expecting the regular sweet and tangy watermelon salad, then you're in for a real surprise! The salad was packed with heat, luckily the fresh mint and basil helped to calm the spiciness and lightened up the dish. The Sambal vinaigrette added a savoury touch to the salad and I was surprised at how I couldn't smell the shrimp paste or fish sauce - which typically is part of the sambal vinaigrette. -Babi Kecap (Soy + Ginger braised pork shoulder) - $13.50 While the babi kecap was the less spicier dish out of everything we had that night, it was still hefty on flavorful marinates and spices! The pork shoulder was oh-so-tender and melt in your mouth goodness... I liked how the ginger wasn't too overpowering and the soy sauce was thick, which gave the gravy a nice consistency, perfect to eat with some steam rice :p! -Semur Java ( Javanese dark spiced braised beef, crispy potato, green onion) - $15.25 Samur java was somewhat lacklustre compared to other dishes due to the heavy spice mix, which I think contained nutmeg or something along the line that was too overbearing. The meat wasn't as tender as the babi kecap either, it was quite tough to chew on. I thought the crispy potato was unnecessary as it added no flavor to the dish, it would have been better if they included chunk of potatoes to soak up the gravy! -Nasi Goreng - $6 Since both of the previous dishes didn't come with a side of rice, I decided to order a side of nasi goreng to fill us up. While the dish was essentially a fried rice, it was incredibly aromatic with the combinations of chili, garlic and shallot aromas. The rice wasn't too oily and while it had a kick of heat, the sweet soy sauce toned down the chili. read more

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I live in the area so I come here when I'm craving shrimp chips! I also came here with Janna S. for a group dinner she organized. We tried every item on the menu and I would say after coming here a few more time, the dishes are very consistent - consistently good! I really like the chicken and beef taco (with extra cilantro!!) and also the lettuce wraps. I also liked the pork belly dish (Babi Panggang) and skewers - man, that peanut saaau-se. One thing I also really like about Little Sister is the drinks. They're pretty pricey (about $12) but I would say it's worth it because a lot of their bitters are made in house and they are very yummy! The only thing that was meh was the desserts. I would says skip it at Little Sister and get gelato instead! read more

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Little Sister is definitely a gem in the Yonge/Eglinton area. This is a tapas-style Indonesian restaurant, and it's pretty authentic if you ask me! I came here with two others on a Tuesday evening and it was packed. The restaurant is narrow and small, so it's easy to miss on Yonge St. if you've never been there before. For three people, it came to approximately $25 per person plus gratuity and the portions were enough to make us full. We ordered the satay lilit, shredded chicken taco, sambal daging (tamarind braised pork), cauliflower salad, nasi goreng, and the ayam panggang (sweet chili grilled chicken). All were delicious! One of the chefs was also kind enough to give us a complimentary order of shrimp chips while we were sitting by the kitchen bar area. I would definitely come here again whenever I'm up for flavourful and spicy Indonesian food! read more

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Polished review on Torontonicity here: http://www.torontonicity.com/2014/07/26/little-sister-food-bar-a-new-indonesian-resto-for-toronto/ Little Sister Indonesian Food Bar, a new Indonesian food restaurant on Yonge Street, just north of Davisville, has been open to the public for three weeks. Torontonicity was invited to the media tasting to taste their wares and experience the restaurant after it has been open for a little while and ironed out any kinks. Lovely Shannon Shinn, the publicist for the event, greeted me warmly at the door. The immediate ambience is warm and inviting, with soft lighting and mirrors in addition to the distressed wood. Menus are unique, made from corrugated cardboard to keep the atmosphere casual. The co-owner/chef, Michael Van Den Winkel, informed me that he had asked the designer to give the restaurant a grunge chic feel. Off the Bat: This is an adult special place that could turn into a "your place" restaurant. There are no TVs to distract your date. They offer no delivery, which makes it a distinctive place to dine out. The dishes are not customized to reduce the heat for children's palates. Since dishes take time to prepare, meals are consistent. Jeremy, the handsome bartender, mixes up a storm with his signature drinks. He was originally employed at the established "Quince Bistro" up the street, but was invited to join the team at the more intime Little Sister and jumped at the opportunity. He was hired six weeks prior to the opening and helped varnish floors and get the restaurant ready. You can feel that the staff has an investment in the success of this place and it shows. They have an easy camaraderie and really make patrons feel welcome. I asked if Jeremy had created the drink himself, but he said he liked to focus on the serving element so Little Sister hired a mixologist to concoct some Indonesian-flavoured drinks to accompany the food. Michael came to chat with me as his wife, Jenn, was doing throughout the evening. It was a nice touch for the owners to get to know their patrons. Even though it was a media event, I got the impression this may be a regular thing they do. Little Sister Food Bar is the only exclusively Indonesian restaurant in Toronto. Michael is Dutch and hails from Amsterdam. His background as a chef is from working in the navy there. On the naval ships, every Wednesday was deemed Indonesian food night, so he really enjoyed the challenge and excitement of creating new dishes for the crew. He said that Indonesian dishes take about sixteen hours to make because sauces need to be cooked very slowly to infuse the flavours with all the peppery, spicy goodness. The Food: The Beef Croquette was delicious. A tasty shell of breadcrumbs breaks open in your mouth to reveal a soft, spicy ragout of beef and spices. Michael calls it Dutch junk food The Rendang taco was fiery and a little messy. Babi Panggang is a delicious pork belly served atop of a crispy cracker. The pork is seared on both sides rendering the middle meat velvety moist. Pangsit is a crispy wonton. Make sure you completely envelope the wonton in the zesty sauce. This was one of my favourites. Delicious. Satay Ayam is one of the skewers on the menu. It was okay, but not as exciting as the other dishes. Samur java spicy beef is somewhat lacklustre compared to other dishes. It was tasty though. Usang kari is a shrimp infused with coconut on a bed of basmati rice. The server said it was her favourite. I can see why. Sambal Daging is a delicious tamarind braised pork served on top of spicy glass noodles with crispy shallots. Satay Babi is a pork skewer served on top of coleslaw with a spicy peanut sauce. The Shrimp Lettuce Wrap is the spiciest dish on the menu, which is deceiving because it's served chilled. The spiciness seemed more of a chili pepper tabasco sort rather than the more complex peppers used in the other dishes. My mouth was humming for about a minute or two after. The Drinks: I enjoyed the Little Brother cocktail with the Balinese Shredded Chicken Taco. The peppery drink has a Mount Gay rum base, which gives it the sweet and spicy combination. It complements the peppery taste of the food. The added sprig of mint jauntily added to the glass as a garnish adds panache. Ubud Hangout was very spicy, but that could be due to the red chili that was been sitting in my glass for a good while! read more

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So many pros! The service was lovely, probably my favourite thing about this restaurant were the servers. The dishes are so flavourful and the instant you take a bite, overwhelming flavour just explodes in your mouth. We ordered the califlower salad, semur java, nasi goreng and a chicken taco. The portions are small (it's similar to tapas style), and a bit pricey, but oh so delicious. Also ordered the coconut pudding (highly recommend!) It's a smallish restaurant so make reservations beforehand. It was quite busy on Saturday night when we went. read more

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Very busy bar/tapas joint serving Indonesian food. The cocktails were strong and tasty and the food was tasty. Four of us shared a bunch of plates and it ended up costing $25 per person. Highly recommend the nasi goreng - super flavourful! read more

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This place makes my mouth SING!!! We usually order many little plates so we get a taste of it all. The drinks are super. Service is great and the food comes out quickly. A super funky restaurant with a great atmosphere. 16/10 recommend! Loooooooove this place!! read more

This trendy 'little' restaurant has the right mix of hip vibes mixed with down scale elegance. The food is great and everything tasted was amazing! Most plates are small, so order 5 between 2 people and you can't go wrong. Don't think about leaving without having a cocktail out two either. The bartender has the skills and really crafts up some great drinks. Definitly a place to hit up again to taste more of the menu! read more

Came here on a Thursday night with a friend and it wasn't even 6pm and the place was packed. We ordered the watermelon salad, the Nasi Goreng, the braised beef, the chicken skewer and the shrimp tacos. We loved how refreshing the salad tasted and the tacos had a really good spicy kick to it. The service was also really great and staff was attentive. The only thing I didn't really like was the seating area, we were seated along the side of the restaurant across from the bar and the seats were designed for more intimate occasions. My friend and I found it hard to converse because the seats weren't very comfortable. But other than that, it was a very enjoyable experience! read more

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The good: I can go on forever of this place. They have one of the best skewer I have tried. Full of flavour, full of spice. The shrimp lettuce wrap surprisingly went well with each other. Semur java (braised beef) was nice and moist Mmm - pair it with a nasi goreng and boom! Your life will be satisfied. And just when you thought dinner was just too awesome... Wait till you hit the dessert :) the coconut pudding with palm sugar sauce was amazing. The other dessert I had was a ginger ice cream but it was very light and good!! The bad: that my stomach was too small to eat all the dishes The ugly: I didn't have to wait, but even on a weekday the place can be packed! The neutral: drinks were pretty good! I am no expert on alcoholic beverages but the burnt pineapple sour and the tamarind sour were quite good. Awesome place to bring a date or a table for two. Harder to accommodate for groups but doable if reserved :) read more

Little Sister - Shrimp wrapped lettuce, drinks, satay ayam, satay sapi, satay lilit, semur Java, nasi goreng, coconut pudding, ginger ice cream - Indonesian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario