D’Penyetz & D’Cendol serves halal-friendly Indonesian cuisine and cendol desserts and has over 100 outlets across five countries, with its first Sydney store located in Burwood. This global chain is known for its comfort food, offering five levels of chilli spiciness with each dish.

Ayam Penyet ($12.90, sambal mild – level 1) — smashed fried chicken with soy chilli sauce

The skin was crisp but not quite crunchy like the battered chicken fillet below. However, the maryland cut was juicier, though still a touch dry for our tastes. The dish was served with a generous heap of fried crumbles, made by deep-frying the seasoned batter from the chicken’s poaching liquid. The level 1 sambal was enjoyable, offering a fragrant and aromatic profile with a notable dried shrimp presence, a hint of sweetness, and a subtle warmth. The tofu was crisp on the outside and silky smooth inside, while the tempeh was a new texture for us—dense and slightly chunky, reminiscent of halloumi, with the distinct taste of fermented soybeans. While there were three spinach leaves, cucumber or tomato would have added freshness.

Ayam Geprek Kremes ($14.40) — smashed chicken fillet with dried shrimp chilli paste

The level 2 sambal was extremely spicy, leaving a numbing, tingling sensation—overwhelming for one of us but enjoyable for the other. The chicken fillet was drier than the maryland but had a crunchier, well-seasoned batter. Otherwise, the dishes were largely similar, with the maryland preferable for its juicier meat.

Steamed Rice ($3.00)

This was a standard serving of steamed rice, pairing well with the chicken and sambal.

Terong Penyett ($14.50) — fried eggplant complete with chilli sauce

This was our favourite dish of the meal. The batter was well-seasoned and incredibly crisp, while the eggplant inside was soft and fluffy, reminiscent of a well-cooked chip. Served piping hot, it was worth the nearly 30-minute wait.

The long wait time was a significant drawback, especially for a mid-afternoon visit with few dine-in customers. While there were some takeaway orders, waiting 30 minutes for a dish pushed the limit of reasonable service times. The eggplant was worth it, but the chicken dishes were underwhelming.

D’Penyetz & D’Cendol is located at 183C Burwood Rd, Burwood NSW 2134.