Address: | 19 S Garfield Ave, Alhambra, CA 91801, USA |
Phone: | +1 626-282-4477 |
Site: | cafe-inspector.com |
Rating: | 4.5 |
Working: | 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM 11AM–9:30PM |
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Rodney S
In search of delicious hot soup? Youll have Laksa luck here! Borneo Kalimantan Cuisine is a charming, intimate Indonesian/Malaysian/Singaporean & Bornean fusion restaurant, centrally located in the heart of Alhambra. Being a cold & rainy February, my culinary radar instinctively wanted soup. After browsing the nearby eateries on Main, my luck would have me turn onto Garfield and stop in front of this establishment. CASH ONLY! Borneos most popular soup, laksa comes with 3 noodle options- Laksa Bee Hoon Singapore - bihon/vermicelli noodles Laksa Mee Singapore - housemade noodles Laksa Kew Tiau Singapore- flat noodles The Laksa Mee & Laksa Kew Tiau are priced the same, with Laksa Bee Hoon being slightly cheaper. Knowing that whenever something is housemade, I should go for it, I went with the Laksa Mee Singapore. Laksa Mee Singapore- Shrimp, fish cake, tofu, egg, chicken, bean sprouts, green onion & fried shallot in a spicy coconut milk & shrimp broth. A symphony of exquisite, complex flavor sensations melding together in harmonious union. The decadent broth creamy with unctuous coconut milk, had a moderate amount of heat as is, of which I personalized by adding a dollop or 5 of chili sauce. Ramen lovers would heartily enjoy the LMS. The housemade noodles were perfectly al dente, each noodle having a slight curl. The protein were just in the right amount, so as to not overwhelm everything else. My only complaint being when I licked the bowl down to the last drop & knowing my wonderful lunch was over. I dined here for lunch on 2 occasions. For the second visit, I thought I would go with the Borneo chicken curry, but when I was told it didnt come with noodles (noodles can be purchased on the side), I decided on the LMS once again. I didnt mind having another round at all. Service was good. I sat at the same table near the window both times. Borneo is a tiny hole in the wall, with table seating for about 20-30 people. Parking is via the parking structure immediately behind the restaurant on 1st, or at Alhambra place across the street. Once again, CASH ONLY! Borneo bowled me over with their laksa! The LMS hit the spot each time, the taste lingering hours later when I arrived back home. There are not a lot of choices for Indo/Malay/Singaporean/Bornean food around where I live, so I wont hesitate to say, if I was ever in Alhambra or the neighboring area again, theres a high probability Ill poke my head inside Borneo. Only question is - will I venture into another dish, or go with ol reliable & order Laksa Mee Singapore again? Highly recommend! NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM
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Andrew Choi
Never had this type of food before and I liked it a lot because it was so different! It was a type of flavor that Ive never tasted so it was really a good change. Nasi Campur Kalimantan rice- everyone says this is the best thing on the menu, but this wasnt really that good. The chinese sausage, fried chicken, and bbq pork were all super small and dried up. If you want this type of food, you should just go to a taiwanese restaurant where it will be much bigger and juicier. Laksa Noodle soup- a curry based noodle soup?! My first reaction: EW. But it looked bomb in pictures so we ordered it and wow, this was so good. We got the wrong type of noodle (flat rice noodle) but it was still good. I loved the coconut milk flavor Roti Prata- I could not stop munching on this. The bread was sooooo soft and chewy!! The dipping sauce is a little salty so I dipped it in the Laksa broth instead. So yummy CASH ONLY!
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Nick Degani
Whats not to love about cheap Indonesian food thats also well made? So, I know nothing about Indonesian food but my Indonesian friend recommended this restaurant and Im certainly glad he did. The waiters were kind enough to guide me through the menu and give recommendations because everything on the menu looks delicious. If you panic order, and you probably will, you wont be disappointed. Theres a wide array of rice dishes, noodles, soups, and appetizers to choose from and I wish I could give you specifics but thats how good everything is. Just close your eyes and point. Do take note that its cash only, so have some... Or a lot on hand.
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Carlo Nati
For those who think Asian food means Chinese, Japanese, or Thai. Well think again. Borneo Kalimantan is a great introduction to a distinctive Southeast Asian cuisine. I ordered Nasi Ayam Muda Goreng aka Spiced Fried Chicken and Beef Penang. The food served with spices that touches your palate like a summer breeze. The restaurant is quaint and small. However, the prices are affordable/inexpensive and limited to cash only. The staff has impeccable service. They play Pop songs from the 90s such as Natalia Imbruglias Torn. Overall, I recommend this place for Lunch/Dinner.
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きまがわ愛
If youre craving Indonesian / Singaporean / Malaysian food, this is difinitely the place to go! I find this place not as "loud" as everyone claims to be because I traveled to Asia before and Ive experienced LOUDer restaurants. Their fried Kwetiau (flat rice noodle) is my favorite! The bakso (meatball) and ayam muda (fried young chicken) is great too! Their portion is pretty big for an Asian-themed restaurant but I eat a lot so I really like that their portion fills me up :D! I always go to Borneo Kalimantan whenever I drive through Alhambra .
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Wil Lei
Its a small store front so took a couple walks to find it. With a welcome mom and pop feeling, the interior is long and didnt fit more than 5 or so tables. For me, it added to the authenticity of the joint. Besides, the food completely makes up for it. The Hakka Jam Mien was amazing. Slurpingly good broth with crunchy garlic and flavorful bbq chicken that hit the spot. Add the sweet, spicy sauce and I was loving it. Theres so much other good stuff on the menu that its definitely a come back place for me.
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Ivan Yudhi
Their Nasi Campur is just amazing. Assortment of pork meats on top of a bed of rice, smothered with delicious gravy. One of my friends in the SF Bay Area is from Pontianak, where this dish originated from, and she asked me to bring her home this dish when I was in LA area. So yes, its quite authentic. If you like pork you will definitely like this place. Honestly I havent try any of their other dishes, but my friends ordered the chicken noodle and it looks pretty good. Definitely recommended.
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John Park
Really like the roti w dipping sauce appetizer and the satay appetizer. The satay was unlike any Ive had at a Thai spot. I got the Nasi Lemak... a meal plate. Ive been here about 4 times now. I even private messaged Jonathan Gold and asked him his opinion on the spot. He said he only tried it once when it had opened and he might go back to try it again. Friendly service. Theres a big multilevel lot in the back and pretty close by.
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Karen Lai
Borneo is a huge island (one of the worlds largest actually) in the Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago. There arent many restaurants in the US that serves dishes from Borneo. Food is flavorful and consistent. Dining area is small but clean. Public parking structure is located behind the restaurant. I appreciate this restaurant even more after I watch one of Anthony Bourdains Parts Unknown on Borneo!
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Ifthikar Talha
Easily one of the best Indonesian/Malaysian restaurant Ive been to in America. Its a toss up between this and lime tree in San Francisco. Ive tried their roti canai, nasi goreng, mie goreng and laksa. Everything tastes amazing, but nothing to beat the indo mie goreng, it is easily one of the best noodle dish Ive had. The prices are nominal as well.