Toba Restaurant Review: Discover The Best Indonesian Spot In London

Toba, an Authentic Indonesian restaurant in London

I’m very excited to share the Toba Restaurant Review, as it is definitely one of the restaurants in Central London I recommend most. If you know me, you know I tend to avoid this area because it is where most tourists go, but at times, there are true gems even in Central London.

Toba Restaurant has gained a very positive reputation in a short time, as Pino, the owner, wasn’t new to the food scene; he has been running Pino’s Warung in Camden Market for years, serving Londoners and visitors authentic Indonesian food.

The atmosphere at Toba Restaurant

Toba is located in St. James’s Market. Such a strategic and privileged location, hidden away from the noisy traffic of central London.

The restaurant has a welcoming, soft atmosphere, dim lighting, a palette of earthy tones, and a predominance of wood. With its sharing concept, Toba offers the most famous dishes from Indonesia, perhaps with a modern presentation and well-balanced flavours. Toba Restaurant has fewer than 40 seats, which explains the time limit at the table. An hour and a half is standard for a table of two in London.

The name of this new Indonesian restaurant in London, Toba, is not just a random choice. It comes from one of Earth’s most significant known explosive eruptions, which occurred where Lake Toba is now located in Sumatra, Indonesia. This connection to a historical event adds a unique and authentic touch to the restaurant’s identity.

Toba Review: What to Expect

Not many good Indonesian restaurants are in London, and you may not know much about the cuisine, but the friendly staff will guide you through your order. Also, Pino himself, who is hands-on in the kitchen, likes to walk around the tables and speak with each guest. They will be more than happy to assist you and give you suggestions.

This Toba restaurant review includes a few “must-order” dishes to help you navigate the experience.
The menu showcases a good variety of meat and vegan dishes. Our Indonesian meal started with Sate Ayam from the bites section.
Scrumptious chicken skewers served with a semi-sweet, smoked peanut sauce, topped with crispy shallots. The sauce initially seemed like a bizarre pairing, but it turned out to be a delightful surprise.
The unexpected combination of flavours, the tenderness of the meat, and the crispy shallots all worked together to create a highly recommended dish.

Mouthwatering Main courses at Toba

Try the slow-cooked Rendang if you are looking for a beef dish to continue your meal. The meat almost melts in your mouth, and the touch of spiced coconut milk enhances the beef’s flavour. I don’t particularly like spicy food, but this traditional dish from West Sumatra was executed perfectly, and I enjoyed it.

Mie Tek Tek Jawa, a dish quickly dubbed ‘the king of Indonesian food’, is a staple in every corner of Indonesia, from the most remote warung to the most high-end restaurant. This stir-fried yellow noodles, served with a generous portion of chicken, beef, shallot, radish, spring sprouts, chilli and hot spices, is a hot food lover’s dream. The dish is so popular that even my husband couldn’t resist keeping it all to himself, and from what little I tried, it was mouthwatering.

The next dish was the Terong (aubergine) Balado, an authentic dish from West Sumatra. Balado is widely used for many dishes. It is a sauce based on ground red chilli. Here, the spicy sauce pairs with deep-fried eggplants, which are very tasty (& spicy).

Indonesian Desserts that you cannot miss trying

The desserts on the menu all looked good, and we tried Dadar Gulung and Wingko Babat Toba.
Both puddings were so delicious that I could eat more.

Wingko Babat is the Indonesian version of pancakes, perhaps with a twist of Philippine influences, as it has a cassava cake base. The dessert has shredded young coconut, served warm, with a delicious vanilla ice cream on top. The cake’s texture is fudgy, and with the ice cream’s moisture, it becomes softer, creating a warm-cold sensation at each bite.

Dadar Gulung, which translates to ‘rolled pancake,’ is a feast for the eyes, thanks to its vibrant green hue, courtesy of the pandan leaf, a staple of Asian cuisines. The pancake is generously filled with grated coconut and palm sugar, making it a treat for the taste buds.
Indonesian desserts are perfect for coconut lovers. It is unsurprising, given that Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of coconuts.

Toba Restaurant Review Conclusion