Sundanese Kitchen’s beefy bakso bowls draw a constant queue at Everton Park

This popular Indonesian stall, known today for its hearty bakso meals, didn’t always serve bakso. When Sundanese Kitchen opened at Everton Park in 2023, it served more familiar hawker staples, such as nasi padang and mee soto.

Since adding bakso to the menu last year, the stall has found its stride — with steady queues proving just how well the change has landed.

Behind the counter, husband-and-wife duo Eli,38, and Rezza, 51, work tirelessly — yet always with a smile. Their warmth and friendliness radiate through every interaction, lending a personal charm to the stall.

Eli, who hails from Bandung, West Java, moved to Singapore in 2017. Together with the Singapore-born Rezza, the couple keeps Sundanese Kitchen humming with efficiency, and their love for the Indonesian cuisine alive. 

It’s not unusual for the stall to sell out by mid-afternoon — a clear testament to how good the food is. 

Sundays are especially busy. With many people off work, long queues form early — all hoping for a hearty, homely, and authentic bowl of bakso. 

“On Sundays, by 3.30pm to 4.30pm, we’ve already served around 200kg of meat,” Rezza tells us, still sounding amazed.

“People come from all over Singapore, from all the different ethnicities,” he adds with a smile.

Much of the hawker’s recent buzz can be traced to its viral TikTok clips — short, steamy showcases of broth, beef, and generous portions that have captured hearts (and appetites) across the island.

Slow-simmered for a rich, savoury broth

The broth is the soul of any bakso — and here, it’s rich, savoury, and slurp-worthy. It is simmered for four hours daily, and made only from beef bones and spices. No added oil, too.

You can taste the care in every spoonful. It’s clean, yet full-bodied — deeply beefy without a hint of greasiness.

Of course, bakso isn’t bakso without a bit of heat. The chilli is hand-made by the couple, and crafted to perfectly complement their rich beef broth. 

Stir it in and it adds just the right kick, lifting the beefy flavours and giving the bowl an addictive finish that keeps you slurping for more.

A bakso adventure with different beef cuts

Today, Sundanese Kitchen offers over ten different bakso variations, each one built around different beef cuts — from tendon to oxtail, and even the classic bakso beranak (literally “to give birth”), where a giant meatball comes stuffed with smaller ones inside.

Every bowl feels like a celebration of beef, tailored to different cravings.

This might be my favourite one: The bakso rusuk (S$15). “Rusuk” means ribs in Bahasa Indonesia, and this bowl comes with a hefty piece of bone-in beef rib. 

The meat is ridiculously tender and falls apart willingly — rich and deeply savoury from the layers of fat and connective tissue. It has a slightly more intense, beefy flavour compared to the other cuts. It’s a good pick if you enjoy bold, hearty bites.

We also had the popular bakso oxtail (S$15), or bakso buntut sapi — the tail of the cow. This dish is known for its silky, gelatinous texture. 

The oxtail here is cooked to perfection — soft, moist chunks with a satisfying bounce from the collagen within. Compared to the rib, the oxtail has a more delicate flavour, making it a comforting choice. Together with the noodles, meatballs, tofu and vegetables, it creates a well-balanced dish.

If texture is your thing, bakso kikil (S$15) is where it’s at. It uses beef tendon or cow’s feet — soft, bouncy, and gelatinous chunks that soak up flavour like sponges.

The kikil is mild in taste, but shines through its texture — tender enough to cut with a spoon, yet still chewy and elastic. It’s not for everyone, but if you appreciate unique, collagen-rich textures beyond the usual cuts, this one’s for you.

Bakso is typically served with yellow noodles at Sundanese Kitchen, but bee hoon’s an option, too. We tried both, and while both held up well, the yellow mee took us by surprise. 

Unlike the usual alkaline-heavy versions that can turn out more rubbery, this one’s much softer — and yet, not soggy — with a satisfying spring. It soaks up the broth, complementing the richness of the soup and beef.

Our take: Stick with the OG yellow mee.

These bowls also come with pillowy tofu and fresh vegetables, which adds a light and refreshing contrast to the rich meat and noodles.

And finally, the bakso meatballs

Let’s not forget what essentially makes them bakso bowls: The meatballs.

They are firm, juicy, and hand-made fresh by the stall owners — not your average processed, spongy meatballs. Each one soaks up the rich, savoury broth beautifully.

Though they may be slightly overshadowed by the impressive variety of beef choices on offer, the meatballs still shine in their own right. In fact, despite the already generous portions of meat in our bowls, we had no trouble polishing off every last one.

Between the rich broth, generous beef cuts, and hand-shaped meatballs, Rezza and Eli serve care and comfort in every bowl. 

It’s no wonder the line never dies down. This is the kind of spot that’ll you’ll return to — and bring friends along, just to watch their faces light up at that first hit of its beefy broth.

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You can also book a ride to Sundanese Kitchen at Everton Park to try these authentic beefy bakso bowls.