Rumah Makan Indonesia

Rumah Makan Indonesia, meaning Indonesian eating house, is an Indonesian restaurant on Abu Obaida Amer Bin Al-Jarrah Street in the Badaah district of central Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Indonesia sends one of the largest national contingents of pilgrims to the Hajj and Umrah each year, and Badaah, with its dense cluster of hotels near the Prophet's Mosque, hosts many of them, which explains why restaurants like this one serve the flavours of home. The kitchen has no Michelin recognition or chef lineage; it is a practical eatery meeting a specific community's needs, and it is welcoming to other visitors who want rice-based Southeast Asian food. The signature dishes are nasi goreng, Indonesian fried rice flavoured with sweet soy sauce, shallots and chilli and usually topped with a fried egg, priced around SAR 18-30 (about $5-8), and chicken with rice at roughly SAR 20-35 (about $5-9). Portions are filling and the flavours are sweeter and spicier than typical Arab fare, so the restaurant is a useful choice for pilgrims who miss home cooking, as well as for visitors seeking a change from kabsa and grills. The dining room is simple and homely, with a moderate noise level and a mostly Indonesian and Southeast Asian clientele, particularly in pilgrimage seasons. Modest everyday dress is appropriate. No alcohol is served in Saudi Arabia, so tea, juices, soft drinks and water are the drinks, and sweet iced tea is a common choice. Reservations are not needed and walk-in is standard, though groups arranged by pilgrim organisers may eat in sittings. Expect to spend about SAR 20-50 (about $5-13) per person, estimated. The street is within walking distance of some Badaah hotels and a short taxi or ride-hailing trip from the Haram area.