No road detour was going to stop us from grabbing a bite this afternoon. Good Life Food was the destination.
Located on the ground floor of a commercial building next to the Woden Police Station is an unassuming Indonesian restaurant run by Chef Daniar who has called Australia home for some 25 years.
Daniar is hands on in the kitchen with trusted help pushing out dish after dish, along with some staple Malaysian favourites like Nasi Kerabu and Roti Canai.
We placed our order and enjoyed the breeze as we chose to be seated outside the restaurant. Some moments later, an enticing plate of Nasi Kerabu was placed in front of me. It not only looked the part but was bursting with aroma.
The smokiness and char of the grilled chicken coupled with a mixture of rice, salted egg, sauce, sambal and fish with shredded coconut was both visually enticing and delicious.
A creation by Peranakans, Nasi Kerabu originated from Kelantan in the 15th century and its flamboyant blue rice, coloured using butterfly pea flower was unique to say the least. The dish grew in popularity, spreading across the country for its amalgamation of land and sea on a plate.
Fast forward to 2022.
Location, Canberra.
Flavours of South East Asia.
Nasi Kerabu.
Yum. The kinda yum, you just want to go home and snooze for a bit.
That’s all I really need to say, but alas I am a blogger so I’ll rattle on.
Flavours of South East Asia are often diluted in taste when in Australia. Good Life Food however is one Indonesian restaurant that packs a punch.
Joseph, having spent 17 years in Indonesia was looking forward to his super spicy Nasi Goreng with telur dadar (egg omelette). While he’s often disappointed by most fried rice dishes, this one from Good Life Food hit the mark.
Although Nasi Goreng is not on her menu, Chef Daniar obliged to make it and that’s something you don’t see very often. It’s service like this that makes you want to return.
Now, how can I leave out the Roti Canai! Gosh, freshly made and so fluffy with the typical combo of dhal and sambal made us smile. Papa Rich’s version is pale in comparison. Sometimes, you just need certain dishes to look a particular way, have a distinctive colour and have a specific texture. Good Life Food has Roti Canai down to a T!
Till we meet again.
Good Life Food is located at 1/16 Wilbow St, Phillip ACT 2606.
