This is Makan by Waty, a food stall located inside Eastwood’s Taiwan Night Markets, focused on simple Indonesian dishes executed with care. The menu centres on rice-based dishes with individual meat, seafood and vegetable components, alongside simple drinks and accompaniments.
Makan Signature Rice ($19.00 regular; $21.00 jumbo)
The dish comprised crispy pork belly, pork char siu, Indo chicken, fried wonton, seasoned boiled egg and cucumber, served with an additional sauce made from the cooking liquid used for the nasi rempah and a clear pork soup. The regular and jumbo portions are shown above and below respectively.
Each component was individually well executed. Initial contact delivered the pork belly with crisp, crunchy skin and tender meat, followed by pork char siu carrying a rich, caramelised glaze. The char siu remained tender without the pronounced fattiness associated with Cantonese-style versions. The Indo chicken was coated in an aromatic sweet soy sauce, while the fried wonton had a juicy prawn and pork filling with enough prawn character to remain identifiable.
Through the mid-palate, the boiled egg added further savoury-sweet depth, having been soaked in a seasoned soy-based liquid. The cucumber provided a useful contrast with its cool, crisp texture, preventing the combination of meats, sauces and fried elements from becoming too heavy. The accompanying sauce was particularly distinctive, with a thickened consistency and a flavour profile reminiscent of phở broth, with prominent lemongrass, cinnamon, clove and star anise. These aromatics worked particularly well with the fluffy rice, adding depth without requiring the individual components to be heavily seasoned.
The accompanying pork soup carried the same aromatic profile in a thinner form, with a clearer pork character. This provided a lighter counterpart to the richer rice dish and helped clear the palate between bites.
For an additional $2, the larger serving added further wonton, char siu, pork belly and cucumber. Given the quality and variety of the components, the upgrade provided good value.
Jasmine Pandan Tea ($3.00)
The tea delivered a clearly defined jasmine and pandan profile, with bold floral notes supported by grassy, vanilla-like pandan character. The restrained sweetness kept the drink refreshing rather than heavy, while providing useful contrast against the savoury richness of the rice dish.
Overall, a casual Indonesian food stall defined by careful execution and strong component-level flavour, strongest where individually prepared elements are brought together by the aromatic nasi rempah cooking sauce. The food avoids unnecessary complexity while still offering enough variation in texture and seasoning to keep the dish engaging.
Makan by Waty is located at Kiosk 3/178-180 Rowe St, Eastwood NSW 2122.