Djakarta Bali, an embassy of Indonesian cuisine in Paris

by Melle Bon Plan 3 September 2017

written by Melle Bon Plan Published: 3 September 2017Updated: 12 May 2026

I wasn’t familiar with Indonesian cuisine at all, so it was with undisguised curiosity that my favorite photographer and I visited the Djakarta Bali restaurant on a Saturday lunchtime in 2017, and I later returned with a friend one evening in 2023. This restaurant, located in the Les Halles district of Paris, which offers a wide and authentic range of traditional specialties from the Indonesian archipelago in an exotic setting, is one of the pioneers of its kind in Paris, having been opened in 1985 by Mr. Hanafi, a former minister and ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia who has been in exile in Paris since the Suharto coup in 1965 (impressive, right?).

For our part, we were delighted by this very refined and slightly spicy cuisine, but it remains very reasonable, at least in the version proposed by the restaurant. The concept of Indonesian cuisine, much like Asian cuisine, is once again centered on sharing, with a variety of small dishes placed in the middle of the table that you nibble on to taste a bit of everything.

Yellow Djakarta Bali menu, The Indonesian Restaurant in Paris.

Interior of Djakarta Bali restaurant with guests seated near a large window.

Table set with wine glasses and pink orchids in an Indonesian restaurant.

Asian waitress adding rice to a plate in an Indonesian restaurant.

Navy blue and gold Indonesian Batik with traditional Djakarta Bali pattern.

Blue cocktail with a black straw and piece of fruit held by hand at Djakarta Bali.

Golden hand of a Buddha statue holding a lotus flower.

Reserved table with menu and Asian decoration in an Indonesian restaurant.

Framed archive photos on a dark stone wall at Djakarta Bali.

The restaurant’s setting also invites us on a journey in a cozy atmosphere with furniture and trinkets sourced directly in Indonesia. Below, I offer a small overview of some of the dishes we discovered during our tasting menu in 2017. I have included the individual prices of the dishes for information, though naturally the portions in the photos are smaller as they were part of a menu.

To taste:

To start, the house aperitif, the Djakarta Bali with rum, pineapple, and blue curaçao (€9) or, for a non-alcoholic version, try the Jamu (€5.50), a traditional elixir that boosts the immune system with turmeric and tamarind.
For starters, Soto Ayam, a chicken soup with vegetables (€12), and Gado-Gado, an Indonesian vegetable salad with peanut sauce (€9.50).
The Lumpia, fried shrimp and vegetable rolls, an absolute must-try (€12.50)! This typically Indonesian dish has a great texture in the mouth, ultra-crispy.
Opor Ayam, chicken in a coconut sauce (€18.50).
We also loved the Rendang Daging, beef simmered for 8 hours in a coconut sauce with 20 different spices (€19.50). This specialty, which was voted Best Dish in the World in 2011 by CNN Travel readers, is also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sate Ayam, chicken skewers drizzled with peanut and soy sauce (€14.50).
The dishes are served with Nasi Putih, fragrant white rice, and Serundeng, coconut roasted directly by the restaurant, as well as Mie Hun, noodles sautéed in soy sauce, and Acar Mentah, a salad with sweet and sour sauce.
For dessert, we tried the Kolak bowl (€7.50) with banana and jackfruit in coconut milk, and the Agar Agar bowl (€9), a mix of exotic fruits, and it was the perfect opportunity to discover fruits we hadn’t known at all…
To accompany your meal, I strongly recommend ordering a teapot (€4.90) of the house tea blend: Sumatra with fresh ginger.

Iced ginger and turmeric drink on a wooden tray at Djakarta Bali.

Four fried Indonesian spring rolls served with marinated vegetables.

Indonesian Gado Gado style salad with broccoli, egg, and peanut sauce.

Nasi goreng and Indonesian satay skewers on a black plate.

Indonesian Gado-Gado with peanut sauce in a white bowl.

Portrait woman glasses Djakarta Bali, Nicolas Diolez.

Person's hand adding garnish to sticky rice in an Indonesian basket.

Djakarta Bali satay chicken skewers with peanut sauce.

Spicy Indonesian Rendang served in a white bowl garnished with a thin sprout.

Assortment of Indonesian marinated vegetables: carrots, cucumbers, and red cabbage.

Two bowls of Indonesian fruit desserts: fruit salad and banana in coconut milk.

Creamy yellow Indonesian dish with crispy garnish in a white bowl.

Indonesian dessert with kiwi, dragon fruit, and fruits in a white bowl.

Rose with pink and white petals in a small glass of water on a table.

Djakarta Bali Indonesian restaurant facade with bamboo and a passerby.

Tea poured from a textured red teapot into a white cup on a table.

Djakarta Bali coffee cup on a wooden tray with sugar and chocolate.

Price: tasting menus at €25 / €30 / €35 / €55 (price varies according to the number and type of dishes)

Top tip: lunch specials starting from €14.50

Good to know: several dishes can be requested in a vegetarian version when ordering

Note: on Fridays, the evening is punctuated by traditional Balinese dances

Thanks to the Djakarta Bali restaurant for these wonderful invitations.

Djakarta Bali
9 rue Vauvilliers, 75001 Paris
Closed Monday and Tuesday lunch
Lunch from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Dinner from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Link to the restaurant’s website

Find all my restaurant reviews in Paris below:
⇒ All my restaurant reviews in Paris

MAP OF MY FAVORITE FOOD SPOTS IN PARIS AND THE ILE-DE-FRANCE REGION

Restaurant Bar Pastry Shop / Bakery Tea Room / Coffee Shop
Brunch Ice Cream Parlor

Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez
Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization is mandatory before any use

Djakarta Bali, an embassy of Indonesian cuisine in Paris

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