Review: Indonesia’s smashed beef ribs concept Warung Leko makes a glorious S’pore debut

I’ve only been to Surabaya once, back in 2017, but I still remember how good the food there was. Especially the rawon that I tried, a local signature and a deeply savoury beef soup perfumed with keluak. 

It’s a dish which I feel captures the very essence of what I like about Indonesian food — rich, earthy, and unapologetically bold. Sure, you can find renditions of these flavours in Singapore, but rarely at the same level as when you’re in Indonesia personally.

I was walking past Bugis Village three weeks ago looking for a quick workday lunch when we were stopped in front of a newly-opened restaurant by a lady handing out samples of iga penyet — smashed beef ribs with sambal. 

I’d seen this back in East Java, but didn’t get a chance to try it, and I now realise what a mistake that was. One bite of that tender, smoky meat — from Indonesian concept Warung Leko — and I was sold.

The backstory

Warung Leko started off in Surabaya, Indonesia back in 2006 as a modest warung, a small, often family-run Indonesian eatery typically based out of a home.

It began by specialising in one dish, which still remains its claim to fame to date — the iga penyet, or smashed beef ribs. The “penyet” method of flattening meat had been used in other dishes, such as in ayam penyet (chicken) and empal penyet (marinated beef), but adopting this method for beef ribs was a first at that time. 

Before long, Warung Leko expanded into some 40 outlets across malls and lifestyle districts in Indonesia, and even crossed into Malaysia. 

Opened in the end of August, the Singapore eatery takes up a spacious unit in Bugis Village, and actually feels quite authentically Indonesian with its simple design, wood accents, warm lighting, and enough cultural touches (rattan chairs and lamps, orchids, and traditional Indonesian music playing) to transport you with overwhelming the dining experience.

The menu is sizeable but still feels curated enough, offering a range of dishes beyond its signature ribs, including various beef preparations (such as oxtail soup and crispy tendon), several types of penyet dishes, some simple sides and vegetables, and a few Indonesian-inspired drinks.

Our verdict

I returned a second time for a more comprehensive review of the place (and for a less-rushed non-workday lunch), and I can safely say that Warung Leko delivers. From my first visit, and even on my second.  

Singapore has no shortage of penyet stalls but they’re mostly all chicken-focused, so Warung Leko’s focus on beef — and the skill with which the brand prepares them — makes it stand out. 

Service is quick and warm, and the staff are happy to explain the different cuts of beef or how spicy the sambals can get. All things taken together, it feels like the sort of place you can walk into for a casual weekday dinner with friends, or a weekend lunch with family, and get the same consistently good service, food, and prices. 

What it’s good for

The iga and otot penyet (S$22.50), or smashed beef ribs with fried tendon, is the dish that justifies this restaurant’s existence, and my repeat visit. 

Smashing the meat flat allows the spices and flavouring to penetrate every fibre of the meat, and this meticulous preparation shows. The tender rib meat pulls away from the bone with minimal resistance, and has just enough bite without being chewy. The meat is also topped with fried garlic bits that just pile on the flavour. 

The tendon (or “otot”) is another star here, and really pairs beautifully with the ribs. It’s fried till golden and crispy, though the texture softens once you bite in, almost melting addictively on the tongue. 

Each main you order here also gets you sambal, a piece of well-fried tahu goreng and mildly nutty tempeh. They taste good on their own and also with the sambal, which deserves a whole paragraph because it’s that marvellous. 

You can customise the spice level of your sambal from “no spice” to “very spicy”. I went for “spicy” on my first visit and left with a runny nose (to be fair, my spice tolerance is very average), but zero regrets. The heat creeps up rather than punches you immediately, and the sambal is well-balanced with equal parts heat and savouriness, from tomatoes, belecan, and shallots. 

Signature dish aside, it has several other good dishes to order for the table, too. 

If you know me, you’ll know that I prefer meat on bone, but the empal penyet (S$10), or smashed fried marinated beef, has my heart.

It’s a dish that really showcases Warung Leko’s mastery of Indonesian spicing, the sweet soy and spice marinade penetrating deep inside, then deep-fried till crisp. On paper, it sounds like the meat would be tough, but instead you get tender meat with layers of flavour.

You’ll also find oxtail on the menu, an often-overlooked cut that really deserves more respect in Singapore. 

Warung Leko’s buntut goreng (S$15), or smashed fried oxtail, proves this point plain and simple.

It’s soft and gelatinous, but not greasy, and frying it (instead of stewing) gives the edges a nice caramelised crisp that works so well with the sambal.

Even its bakso penyet (S$7.50), or smashed meatballs, gets the full flavour treatment.

The meatballs are lean, bouncy and well-seasoned with spices like garlic and coriander, smashed and fried so it hardens up. While delicious, this feels like a small plate that’s better for sharing, compared to the beefier mains.

If you’re not feeling like fried food, the sup buntut (S$15), or oxtail soup, is a lighter counterpoint to the more aggressive dishes, with just as much flavour. 

The clear broth is aromatic and lets the natural beefiness of the bones shine through without feeling too oily or cloying. The well-seasoned oxtail chunks also fall apart with the gentlest nudge of my fork. 

This dish is just the kind of thing I’d crave for every time on a rainy day.

The dark meats might get more attention at Warung Leko’s Singapore outlet, but don’t overlook the telor dadar (a steal at S$2), a simple thick omelette that, in true Indonesian-style, runs crispy on the edges.

This one feels a tad salty when eaten on its own, though I attribute this to the natural boldness of Indonesian cooking. But when you eat this with steamed white rice, it’s perfect, especially with the fried garlic bits on top.

Also, is it just me, or do sweet drinks pair really well with chilli-laden food?

The soda gembira (S$4) lives up to its name (“happy soda”) with its bright and fizzy taste, and I imagine this is what Indonesian kids like to drink, too. It is essentially rose syrup, condensed milk, and soda water combined into a milky-pink concoction that’s rather sweet but also refreshing.  

Don’t underestimate the iced teas (S$2.50 or top up another S$1 for lemon tea) — rather than weak or watery, Warung Leko’s tea, which we got the “less sweet” option for, has body and just enough bitter tannin to reset your palate.

What it could improve on

My dining companions have said that the portion size of the beef is a bit modest for the twenty-something pricing, though I’d argue that it’s an adequate portion that leaves me satisfied rather than comatose, especially for lunch. 

Perhaps I’d think differently if I came hungry for dinner. 

That said, regardless of its price point, every element on its plates feels purposeful, rather than just filling space, and I’d still shell out good money for its dishes for a third, or even fourth visit.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Yes, for both small and larger groups alike.

Is a reservation necessary? Walk-ins only. 

How to get there? Warung Leko is a two-minute walk away from Bugis MRT Station Exit A.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For more recent openings around town, check out this new Korean bakery pop-up at Suntec City, and Japanese restaurant Tora-san’s newest second outlet at Novena.