404771 Thu May 24 10:09:54 -0700 2007 3 2 Los Angeles Area 0 2598503 Lurking in the shadows of the Duarte Inn, there is a new Indonesian. With the limited amount of Indonesian restaurants in Southern California, Manja Resto is a nice addition. For those familiar with Asian Deli in Diamond Bar, you will find the food here to be very similar. The Ayam Goreng Garing ($5.95) is a half chicken that is lightly battered chicken and deep fried. It is very crunchy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside. It was not oily at all. The flavor of the batter is very mild, so adding a condiment such as sweet soy sauce or chili sauce may be a welcome addition. The Ayam Bakar Kecap Pedas ($6.75) is chicken marinated in sweet soy sauce and hot chili sauce. It is very crispy on the outside and covered with a sweet chili sauce and fried shallots. The sauce is sweet upon first hitting your palate but then a nice heat shows up on the finish. This dish is not overly spicy, although you could add some Sambal Oelek if it’s not hot enough for you. The Lontong Cap Gomeh ($6.95) is a virtual smorgasbord in a bowl. It has Beef Rendang, a beef curry that is spicy with a hint of sweetness; stewed chicken; a spicy hard boiled egg; and sticky rice in a yellow curry broth. It is topped with shrimp chips. The curry broth has a lot of flavor but is not hot. The Rendang are big cubes of beef that are slow cooked until they fall apart. The beef gets imparted with a lot of flavor in the curry sauce that it is cooked in. The chicken is slowly cooked in the yellow curry broth and is falling off the bone tender. The hard boiled egg is coated in flour and chili and deep fried. The service is very friendly. It has a definite family atmosphere, and you will feel welcome from the moment you step inside the door. For pics: http://vegasbuff.blogspot.com/ Manja Resto 1206 East Hunting Drive #A Duarte, CA 91010 (626) 359-7564 Thu May 24 10:09:54 -0700 2007 90814 Vegasbuff 1 2599694 Nice review. Have you ever tried Toko Rame or Satay Man? just wondering how this compares to some of the other Indonesian restaurants in the area? Thu May 24 15:28:21 -0700 2007 2598503 27021 Augusta 2 2600616 I have been to both of those. I wasn't overly impressed with Toko Rame. I went there a couple of months ago. I had the Beef Rendang and the Ayam Bakar Kecap Pedas. The Beef Rendang had flavor but it was cold. The Ayam Bakar Kecap Pedas was pretty good as I recall. The service was very bad, as we almost had to do everything ourselves. The son of the owner, a teenage boy, was the primary wait staff, but he was busy eating most of the time. The cashier/server was always in the back. They didn't have any desserts available, and it was about 3 PM. I have been to Satay Man as well as the other fast food places in Honk Kong Plaza. I did not have the satay at Manja Resto, so I can't make a fair comparison. I have also been to 368 Noodle, which I think underwent a name change, in West Covina as well. The one thing different about their Ayam Goreng Garing is that they top it with deep fried shredded coconut, which adds a little bit more flavor. Thu May 24 22:09:12 -0700 2007 2599694 90814 Vegasbuff 1 2600510 Thanks for the review and pics. I live in Duarte, so I've been waiting patiently for this place to open. Now I'm going to go check it out. :) Thu May 24 20:54:16 -0700 2007 2598503 12403 pleasurepalate