Wajan
Indonesian restaurant · North Tabor
4611 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97215
Highlights
Traditional Indonesian dishes with unique wall art and a cozy vibe
Traditional Indonesian dishes with unique wall art and a cozy vibe
"Cendol, a cold, soupy dessert popular across Southeast Asia, does well to temper the spicy flavors of Wajan’s rendang sapi or udang belado at the end of a meal. Pandan-flavored, worm-shaped jellies float in palm sugar-sweetened coconut milk, ready to be slurped, under a mound of shaved ice. The optional topping of diced jackfruit adds another layer to the dessert’s textural profile." - Rebecca Roland
"Diners seeking Indonesian cuisine in town have only a few spots to choose from, but they’re all heavy hitters. At Wajan, one of these proud few, find classic dishes beloved by chef Feny from her childhood as well as some of Indonesia’s best-of recipes, served in an art-filled, atmospheric dining room with murals of island scenes. Meals start with snacks like spicy peanut and anchovy mixes before segueing to main events like the nasi uduk — a flower-like arrangement of turmeric-peanut pickled vegetables, stir-fried tempeh, and a chile-coated hard-boiled egg surrounding a pillow of coconut rice. The braised beef rendang sapi with a shallot-and-green-onion omelet also hits the spot, and the housemade sambals enhance all meals. Inspired by Balinese wurang store-and-restaurant establishments, Wajan also sells to-go goodies like bags of crunchy Taro Net potato chips and Pagi Coffee Merchants beans for diners to take home." - Zoe Baillargeon
"Cendol, a cold, soupy dessert popular across Southeast Asia, does well to temper the spicy flavors of Wajan’s rendang sapi or udang belado at the end of a meal. Pandan-flavored, worm-shaped jellies float in palm sugar-sweetened coconut milk, ready to be slurped, under a mound of shaved ice. The optional topping of diced jackfruit adds another layer to the dessert’s textural profile." - Rebecca Roland, Michelle Lopez, Janey Wong
"With murals depicting the Kota train station and Javanese mythological figures, Wajan offers Indonesian cuisine from owner Feny’s hometown of Jakarta. Complex, dark rendang curry coats braised beef in savory, spicy, galangal-and-red-chile flavors. Alongside a fluffy omelet with green onion, fried shallots, sambal ijo, and rice, Wajan’s hearty curry doubles down with the extras." - Nick Woo
"When Feny, the owner of Burnside Indonesian restaurant Wajan, was growing up in Jakarta, snacks were a huge part of her diet." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
