Singkawang Cafe is a small, family owned business. The interior is clean and tidy. It has a small market selling Indonesian snacks and spices as well. We ordered nasi lamek with popcorn chicken, nasi kuning with fried squid, and pork belly skewers to go. While waiting for my food, the cashier lady recommended a special Indonesian drink. I asked for minimal sugar to be added and it was perfect. I live in San Diego so it was a long drive, but the food survived and the meats stayed moist as if i was eating at the restaurant. The rice dishes were absolutely delicious. The rice was adequately seasoned, the fried proteins were still crispy, and the anchovy, roasted peanuts, and sambal complimented the dishes perfectly. The pork belly skewers were fantastic as well -- savory, fragrant, and moist. I should have gotten two orders as my wife and I were fighting over them. I'd definitely go back with my wife and try something else in the future. read more

The price was reasonable. Service was a hit or miss. The store is hybrid grocery store specializing in Indonesian and Thai Food. Ordered Papaya Salad and Thick Fried Noodles with Sausage, Shrimp, Fish Balls. Papaya Salad had a kick to it. 4/5 Thick Fried Noodles 3/5. The taste was little redundant, but it was warm comfort food. I would probably go to try the food and decide if it is your cup of tea :) read more

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The food was so delicious and the price was good! Very friendly staff will definitely be coming back.

*** $10 minimum for credit card transactions *** Singkawang Cafe is an Indonesian/Thai restaurant in El Monte and I recently came here for in-person take-out. [Parking]: The restaurant has a free and private parking lot - no issue finding a spot on Saturday at 6:20 PM. [Atmosphere]: The restaurant was completely empty at 6:20 PM on Saturday and it has two large TV showing sports games. Apparently the cafe is located right next to a hidden indoor badminton court (Los Angeles Badminton Club) and badminton players can even place orders through a small ordering window between the two buildings. Outdoor dining tables are available. There's also a small section selling Indonesian snacks/other pantry items like sambal. [Service]: I placed my take-out order at 6:25 PM and received it at 6:40 PM. Service was alright. [Menu]: I had some issues finding Yelp's recommended items on the menu so here's a quick summary - #17 Curry Laksa (Egg Noodle, Rice Noodle, or Vermicelli), #18 Nasi Campur, #44 Pad Se Ew, and #45 Pad Thai. Special items such as sambal shrimp, nasi padang, ayam goreng kunyit dan ketumbar (turmeric and coriander fried chicken), sambal sticky bean and shimp, and pork belly/chicken skewers are listed in a separate one-sheet menu. *** #17 Curry Laksa (served with coconut curry broth with shrimp, fish cake, tofu, egg, and bean sprouts - egg noodle, $12.95): Curry broth was excellent with perfect spicy level. I would absolutely recommend this item. Chicken Skewers (5 pieces - $9.95): Honestly these skewers and spicy dipping sauce were mediocre at best. It felt somewhat unsatisfying due to small portion and so-so flavors. *** I personally prefer Borneo Kalimantan Cuisine in Alhambra, but that restaurant can get really crowded so I can actually see myself re-visiting Singkawang Cafe when I (1) don't want to wait in line (2) crave for curry laksa or Thai noodle dishes and (3) want easy parking. read more

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The food is not bad, not too sweet. Customer service is a bit underwhelming. We ordered the Indonesian gravy noodles, which the menu says includes eggs because eggs and noodles are my favorite. The dish came out and I could find any eggs in it, so I asked if there's supposed to be eggs included. The lady looked at the menu I pointed out and said they changed the menu so it doesn't have egg anymore. It would cost an extra $2 to add egg. But the menu says it has eggs... sigh. Otherwise, it's pretty clean and they sell Asian groceries in the cafe, too. There's also a door where you can see people playing badminton in a huge gym next door. Random, but interesting. read more

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A bit pricey.... I ordered the papaya salad with salted crab... I ordered mild spiced but it burned my mouth tongue and throat! The Kangkong Belacan was good . Most of the items on the menu are more Indonesian than Thai....presentation was good and service was fast... read more

We've come to this place a couple of times. There is plenty of space to sit and bring your family, with this heat it was nice and fresh inside. They also have seating outside There are alot of tai food restaurants in El Monte .. but by far they have the best orange chicken! And the soups were delicious! And let me tell you the portion size is definitely worth the price they will not cheat you. So yes I would definitely recommend this place ! read more

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It was an Indonesian Thai restaurant that had a small section of mini Mart with Indonesian snacks. I love to buy my kecap Manis refill and mie telor to cook my mie goreng. The service was A+ friendly waitress and owner. Has been open for 5 years and they're 2 miles away from the Medan kitchen. We ordered nasi campur (mixed rice) and it had really good crispy pork! The jump noodle tasted good but I am not a fan of small yellow noodles (similar to Hong Kong noodles) and I wished they used a bigger type of chewy noodle, smells good tho. Use the hot sauce to elevate the taste. The empek2 was a bit off. The texture was too soft, not crunchy enough and the sauce was more savory than sweet and tangy. Es doger was good but I wonder if they can add more tape and filling and make it less sweet? They gave us a black rice dessert which I enjoyed! I would love to try their nasi goreng and Laksa next time. You can see the badminton court from the restaurant side door :) Thank you for your hospitality! read more

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Good food, good services , many options for foods Thai or Indonesian style, friendly staffs

Not sure why it took me so long to come here but really happy that the husband and I did. Nasi Lemak - one of the better nasi lemak's in LA that I've had. Rendang was tasty (wish I could have more of the sauce), rice was so flavorful, and the entire thing hit the spot. Husband ordered Nasi Campur and said the crispy pork belly was one of the best ones that he's ever had at a restaurant. Apparently it was so good that I didn't even get to try it Also ordered Kang Kong (Ong choy) and it was amazing. Seasoned really well, not over cooked by any means. Really enjoyed our meal here and can't wait to go back. read more

Singkawang Cafe - STIR FRIED ONG CHOY/WATER SPINACH - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

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I used to live in El Monte and never noticed this place. I've visited a few times lately due to a sudden recurring craving for Indonesian food. I've tried three dishes: the nasi campur, curry laksa, and nasi padang. The nasi campur is simply the best I've had in America. Every item on the plate is delicious. I especially appreciate the crispy pork belly, which is well seasoned and the perfect texture. The char siu is juicy and tender. The egg is nicely marinated. The rice is steamed in a broth, making it extra moist and rich. Their hot sauces are quality and solidly spicy, both the regular hot sauce and the shrimp paste hot sauce. They also give you a container of that chili/citrus/fish sauce concoction to sprinkle on the food. Not sure what it's called, but any Southeast Asian restaurant that includes it is extra authentic. The laksa is also great, tied for the best I've had in America. Moderate aromatic curry and spices, with a nice tangy flavor. The nasi padang has a real home style flavor. Really good, spicy sauce on the beef rendang which was cooked pretty well. More tender, less dry and stringy than some other places. The curry sauce they use on the chicken and rice is purely creamy and coconutty, with no spice. The chicken is so tender. It would taste somewhat plain by itself, but that's why you add the green sambal. I did try the Thai coffee, which is just average in my opinion. The laksa and nasi padang are both very good, although they don't stand out compared to other good Indonesian restaurants. The nasi campur is truly a stand out dish. A thoroughly enjoyable dish. Take your time eating it and play around with the different sauces and flavors. The waitresses who work here are mostly very friendly. read more

This is one of my go-to's for Indonesian Restaurants. Singkawang has one of the best pempek (fish cake with sweet sour vinegar sauce) that I've tried so far in California area. Being Indonesian; of course I am a bit picky when comes to my own but Singkawang does deliver. I always order their pempek. Their Soto Betawi (beef soup) is also pretty good - always comes super hot, not luke warm like some other restaurants. The Laksa is great - comes with vermicelli/rice noodle. Soto Betawi and Laksa would be my 2 choices for soup dish there. I ordered the Nasi Padang - which usually comes with chicken curry but when I was there, they were out of the chicken curry so they gave me fried chicken. It also comes with Beef Rendang (Rendang is one of the top/popular Indonesian dishes). It also comes with curry veggies and chili sauce which completes the dish. What is Indonesian food without their chili sauce? This restaurant is connected to the badminton arena. They usually open the side door so people who play there, can order food or drink and they can just get the food through that door without going around through the entrance. But I think since they open that side door, the air inside the restaurant becomes kind of warm. This is the downside. Other than that, I think the food and service are great. They give a complimentary sweet black rice dessert at the end for each person. read more

Singkawang Cafe - Top: Pempek/fish cake with sweet sour vinegar sauce. Bottom: Soto Betawi/beef soup - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

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I ordered the Nasi Campur, and it comes with bbq pork, sausage, fried pork chunks, chicken, eggs and rice. The rice has flavoring in it, similar to the rice you get with Hainan chicken. The portion size was perfect, flavors on point. I ordered a Thai coffee for my drink. It came with a black/purple rice, coconut milk dessert to end the meal. Customer service is on point. The waiter made sure we were okay and our water was refilled. Very attentive. Overall 5/5 stars. This was my first visit and it wont be my last. read more

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Southeast Asian restaurants are somewhat rare, and Indonesian-specific ones being even rarer, but most of the ones you come across are pretty solid. Singkawang is one of those; they've been around for a couple of years now and feels very hole-in-the-wall but in one of those endearing familial ways. I remember coming here when they first opened and it didn't quite stick, but recently had a chance to come dine again and found new appreciation for this place. They have a solid and inexpensive lunch special menu which was quite tasty with friendly service. They also converted a part of the store to an ethnic goods shop which was really interesting and I actually think it's a pretty good idea. Certain products from overseas can be difficult to find even in the SGV and its plentiful Asian supermarkets. read more

Singkawang Cafe - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

Great food and fast service. First time here and was happy to see so many great options. Highly recommend trying this place for great Thai and Indonesian food. Got the Nasi Campur and Padang and they were both great! They have offer Terasi, which is a red hot sauce, which you could mix with the dishes to add a little spice. They also have lunch specials from 12-3pm. Closed on Sundays. read more

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The food was tasty. A nice little restaurant! The restroom is clean and the wait staff is very friendly. I will definitely go back to this place. No problem(s) with parking, although I went there on a Friday afternoon. read more

unassuming restaurant with delicious food and good prices. lots of options for lunch specials and the menu is largely good for sharing too. they give you a little red bean dessert at the end. decent sized dry goods section too. read more

Best Indo and Thai food restaurant , service is always good , and restaurant is clean. Recommended food Singkawang fried rice ,Singkawang Fried Noodles, Nasi Campur and For Dessert fried banana read more

Singkawang Cafe - Fried Banana - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

4.5/5 The +0.5 for service. Stopped by before playing badminton next door. Fried calamari was just ok. I did enjoy the takoyaki. read more

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Nasi lemak is very tasty and spicy for me I love Indonesian food! I have not taste the best Indonesian food read more

Singkawang Cafe - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

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Delicious food, kindly waitress..thank you for good service..i will come again.. Happy tummy read more

Singkawang Cafe - We order fried Pad See Ew, pork belly satay, mix vegetable, beef ball soup Everything delicious..so yummy - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

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Solid food. Fast service. Nothing to complain about if you are in need of good Indonesian food.

Average. But I find the need to qualify this. It is nowhere near gourmet Indonesian food. Far from it. In fact, it's almost highschool cafeteria quality. But then, I find the need to qualify that too. After going through 6 different dishes, from laksa to kangkung, and satay to nasi padang, I finally figured it out. Their sauces and soups are DELISH! Truly authentic. But their proteins (chicken, rendang beef, beef balls, etc) are pretty low on the totem pole. What you get is a great initial bite, followed by a horribly mediocre chewing process, but then ending with a really good aftertaste. I won't come here again because at my age, I have a pretty rigid, non-compromising palate. But I do have to give credit to their flavors. I just don't like what they mix with the flavors. In fact, I'd actually recommend ordering (or taking home) all the different curries and sauces, but then adding your own proteins. Not bad, and there'll be a lot of people that may like it. Just not me. But that sauce IS really good.... read more

My review is solely based on food. I always order from Singkawang because the foood is gooood. The foodie in me love the fusion dishes. My ultra favorite is the basil chicken. Big serving, reasonably priced and most of all, service is fast! read more

I'm thrilled to finally visit Singkawang Cafe in person. I'm super excited because I remember how delicious the food was when I ordered it through Uber Eats. I tried the Jum Mein, and the noodles were fantastic. The service was also excellent. They even offer a free drink if you write a review. I highly recommend giving this small, family-owned restaurant a try. read more

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Thought we'd try something different today and boy oh boy do we regret it. We ordered online so there was no service to review. This is solely on the food. We had the shrimp pad thai and the mixed bbq. The portion was somewhat reasonable for the price. The flavor was not. Chinese fast food joint tastes better. The pad thai was nothing special. The mixed bbq... well.... Whatever was in there made me vomit. I don't recommend. read more

I really do love Indonesian food so our family decided to try this place out. It's kind of funny they have a door that opens up to the badminton courts next door. We ordered quite a few dishes, but there were only one dish I liked a lot. I found their stir fries was lacking the wok hei. A lot of their noodles and fried rice dishes were mushy to me. I mean the flavor were good, but mushy. So that really lost some of the deliciousness that I'm used to from other reasons. Also the service was super lacking. We sat there for about 20 minutes and the wait staff didn't even bring water for us. After awhile I have to wave them over to give us drinks. There was only one table there dining, you would think there would be better service. The dish I enjoyed was the Curry Laksa with the rice noodles. That was full of flavor and quite tasty. Also their two kinds of chili sauce really elevated all their dishes. I place the hot sauce on everything. I say this restaurant isn't bad, but also not as great. It's just edible. read more

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Adorable space with a retail snack beverage and condiments wall where they have Kara coconut cream.... Clean, friendly committed to great service and delicious food! I ordered the pad Thai tofu no egg! Perfect! I ordered Thai ice tea for which they had no non-dairy creamer: enter Kara coconut cream! Hallelujah Monsa Musa! read more

Singkawang Cafe - Delicious pad Thai with tofu!! - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

One of the best indonesian restaurants in LA All the foods we order are delicious specially the Laksa and the Service are good.the server are friendly.definitely will be back here again read more

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Food was very good. Service ok. Menu leaning heavily on Thai cuisine. Best to go with other people and eat family style. read more

Nasi campur is a must! Every cut of meats was flavorful, well made, and tasty. Portion was generous! Also tried their nasi lamek - this on the other hand wasn't as successful. A lot of premade dried fish and peanuts bits - barely any actual cooked meats. Would skip. read more

Singkawang Cafe - Nasi campur/Mix Rice - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

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Pretty good for a mixture of Thai, Singaporean and Indonesian food You can taste different country food in one restaurant with I like that. read more

Haven't have in long time.. Love this Best ever You need to try this... you'll not be disappointed read more

Singkawang Cafe - Nasi campur - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

This is our first time trying Singkawang Cafe food located in San Gabriel. Their location is somewhat prime since it's so close to many other cool restaurants in the area. What we ordered: 1. Nasi Campur. Their meat is flavorful and juicy. However, I felt the rice can be bolder than what we had. 2. Jump Noodle. Noodle was somewhat chewy, they gave fair portion of meat too. However, we've been to many Indonesian places in SoCal, and I'm not quite impressed with their signature noodle. Would I order again this dish in the future? Maybe. But most likely I will get my noodle craving fix from Borneo. Borneo has better noodle dishes. 3. He Keng. He keng is more like fried meat patty, wrapped with tofu/soybean curd. But when we tried it, the meat patty was too dry for us. I felt that the meat was not enough, and I tasted too much flour (that's why it was too dry for us). This place also sells Indonesian grocery such as spices, crackers, peanuts, etc. Parking is in private lot. read more

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Came by during lunchtime on a Wednesday. Nice and friendly servers and was greeted when entering the restaurant. Decided to have takeout for lunch and they gave me their handout menus. My girlfriend and I ordered these items: Pad See Ew (Lunch Special with 2 Rangoons & Soup) Nasi Padang Chicken Wings The Pad See Ew was extremely flavorful and well seasoned. No need to add any sauce or additional toppings. It's great as it is. The serving portion felt quite small but the overall experience was improved by the Rangoons and house special soup. The Rangoons taste great with the sweet and sour sauce. The soup is very unique and I would come back just for it! Would highly recommend. The Nasi Padang had a great presentation and the food held up well as we were going back home to eat the lunch. I think the rice was the best part of the dish. Has a great coconut aroma around it and the meats and eggs were very tasty as well. In my opinion, not better than the Pad See Ew but still not too shabby. The chicken wings were nice and crispy. Properly cooked, but felt under-seasoned. Definitely needed to add some garlic chili paste to make it more flavorful. Great place. Been opened for more than 5 years now and I expect this place to continue to prosper. read more

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Only got 2 dishes to try - laksa kari and papaya salad. Laksa was 5/5 stars! The curry and rice noodles was perfection in a bowl. I got mild spicy and found it to be perfect for me. I also like coconut milk and curry, so this dish is totally my style. Papaya salad was, unfortunately a 1/5 stars. Too salty and, maybe it was a bad day (?), but green beans were old and tough, too. Definitely should have skipped this in favor of another dish. I love the abundance of parking spaces and kind of wish the restaurant is closer to where I live (b/c of their laksa)! I will definitely have to come back to try some of their other dishes. read more

Singkawang Cafe - Papaya Salad (too salty, but good presentation) - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California

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Singkawang is a region in Kalimantan/Borneo. One of the big islands in Indonesia. So the food is mainly with that region's taste preference and style. Everything was so good. Their fried cassava and fried banana are the bombs! Recommend. They can accommodate your diet preferences, too. I'm vegan at the moment and asked for a vegan rice noodle that came out good. The nasi campur was best, too! Parking is easy with plenty of spaces in front of the store. Come here for delicious Indonesian food! read more

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We had a delicious meal here on a recent Sunday night. No wait for a table and they have a 15% off promo from 3pm-9pm. We ordered mostly from their Indonesian menu, and it reminds of the menu items at Boreno Kalimantan in Alhambra which we also love. I'm already looking forward to coming back to try their Thai dishes. We ordered: Stir Fry On Choy with Shrimp paste - can't go wrong Jump Mein with rice noodles top with shrimp, fish balls, fish cake, and BBQ pork. Good but I think I'll stick to egg noodles which is the standard. Mie Goreng - egg noodles with pork, chinese sausage, fish ball, shrimp cake, shrimps and veggies. Hakka Style Shrimp Cake - shrimp and pork paste wrapped in tofu skin and deep fried. This was thinly sliced, unique and delicious! Es Doger - pink smoothie drink with black jelly, jackfruit, small popping bobas, & red bean. The menu says fermented cassava and sweet black rice but didn't see any. I couldn't finish it because I was so full, but not after I ate all the toppings! Service was fast and friendly. There's also a hand sanitizer at every table. Will be back very soon! read more

Great tasting food and good portions Service as good to great Ambiance is okay. Part market, part restaurant type of place but it doesn't impact the overall experience read more

Good environment, good service's. Good place for rest. The chicken skewer taste goods read more

Singkawang Cafe - Chicken skewers delicious - Indonesian Near Me - El Monte, California