Food Review #4: Indy House
At first glance, it seems unremarkable. Nestled in between a school and a trendy cafe, just a block away from Toul Tompong Market, Indy House is easy to miss: it's a small and humble-looking joint in a relatively sleepy part of town.
But don't let appearances fool you.
Owned by a Thai couple, Indy House opens at noon and runs until the meat runs out for the day. Their menu is relatively simple: a choice of either chicken, beef, or pork (only 8 items on the menu). The chef grills the meat right out in front. An enticing aroma permeates the air around the shop as the meat sizzles tantalizingly. It's a small wonder, then, that there was a line when I got there. And this was past rush hour - we waited 'til 1, patiently perusing purses and dresses in nearby boutiques. Despite looking small and humble, its popularity is anything but.
I had a rib-eye steak, and it came with a side of salad, fries, and rice. The meat was so tender and juicy and it went just right with the sides it came with. There was no "I've been chewing this for the past 6 minutes what is happening lol" moment. The sauce wasn't overwhelming but enhanced the taste and texture of the meat. The rice - holy moly. The rice was so fragrant and mildly creamy. Apparently, they cook it in a special stock with (secret) spices, which gives it its taste and texture. The vegetables were crisp and fresh. I usually hate pre-poured dressing on my salad, but there were no soggy lettuce leaves in this babey so I can make an exception for this one. Overall, I was super satisfied with my meal - it filled me up (the portions are large, so be sure to go there hungry), and this could totally be comfort food - all for the whopping price of $6.
I'm not done talking about food yet, though. We also had grilled chicken (on the house, shhh!). It came without the sides, though, so I was still able to walk by the time we were done.
It looks plain, right?
IT'S NOT. The skin was crisp and the meat was so tender and flavorful. Every bite was so good. Holy moly. I was told that the chicken is their most ordered item on the menu and I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY. I didn't even need the sauce on the side - the spices permeated the very fiber - the very being - of the chicken. It was good alone AND with the rice. Indy House's grilled chicken normally comes with the same sides as the rib-eye (and, I'm assuming, most other things on the menu). If you're a picky eater (like my eating companion) with the taste buds of a six-year-old, you can even ask them to take the salad out, and they'll give you MORE FRIES instead. All this for - wait for it - $3.
We sat outside because the weather was nice, but there were seats inside as well. As mentioned before, the place is relatively small and very popular, so be ready to stand in line when you get there. I highly recommend going after 1, when the rush hour has died down. There's also a cafe right next to it where you can wait if you don't want to stand in the heat. The atmosphere was lively and pleasant: the constant sizzling of meat was accompanied by Thai pop playing in the background. The service was friendly and attentive as well, and the place was clean.
Overall, Indy House is a great place to grab lunch if you're in the Toul Tompong neighborhood. I recommend it for days when it's not so hot, though, because it was very much an open-air (with a big fan in the middle) dining experience.