Melati Indonesian Restaurant - Monash

When it's been a long day, a text from my partner reading "Melati?" is an instant antidote. This is one of those little places that looks mediocre from the outside (and possibly also inside) but is actually a gem of great, home cooked food. Having just marked it's 30th anniversary, and run by a charming couple, Melati is a place for feel good food, authentic and flavoursome. We especially love the chicken curry with potatoes and the roast pork (Indonesian style).There's so much to love, so don't be put off by the vertical blinds. Go in, and prepare to enjoy simple food cooked with love by those who know how to do it.

This restaurant has been operating 30+ years and the service is good and the food quick, but it's not tasty. We had three mains and two soups. The vegetable soup was tasty but the chicken soup was flavourless. The chicken wit ginger was good, but the vegetables were ...hard to describe.

Ordered their babi guling and ayam bumbu. My friend who never heard of indonesia cuisine loved it so much. I too loved it. Great to see authentic Bali cuisine and atmosphere at the restaurant. Not your quick and eat place, as the food takes its time to be cooked properly. Around 15-20 mins of waiting eventhough we were the only table.

Went back to Melati after about a year’s absence. This little family run Indonesian Restaurant ( BYO only ) has been operating for 20 years plus. It is a survivor - the Saturday night we were there we almost half filled the place ( thank goodness , as it was extremely quiet ! ) with only 4 other diners and a few take away orders. Everyone ( bar my 2 year old great nephew ) ordered entrees and a main each. As my partner and I had dined here on numerous occasions when we lived in Camberwell , we recommended the brilliant homemade Lumpia ( aka Spring Rolls ) – all 8 of us who had them were very pleased – mmm. Our large party of 12 ordered a variety of Indonesian delights ( chicken , fish , nasi goreng , etc ) and we all left satisfied.

If not for the lovely gentleman who served us, I would have rated Melati even lower. Everything was wrong about our dinner experience. The restaurant was freezing cold on a very chilly winter's night. We asked for the heating to be adjusted (turned on??) but the gentleman just pointed at the airconditioner in the wall and said it was working. Certainly needs replacing immediately, was totally ineffective. The four of us dined with our big coats on. The decor also needs to be updated when the new heater is installed. So tired and shabby.Two of us are vegetarian and I have never seen a vegetarian curry so ruined. The vegetables were totally overcooked, turning to mush. The flavours of the curry were pleasant but the baby food texture was dreadful. The tofu satay was tasteless. Noodles arrived cold. All in all a disaster. Our carnivore friends seemed to enjoy their chicken satay and beef curry. It's such a shame because we chose this restaurant due to the many vegetarian options, and it failed.Sorry but despite the delightful gentleman who served us, there is nothing positive to say about this place. Such a shame.