John Avila and Rizal Hamdallah are on a mission to teach Chicagoans about Indonesia, beginning with its “nationwide dish” — rendang.
Rendang — a slow-cooked curry dish usually made by simmering beef in coconut milk and redolent of lime leaves, ginger, shallots, tamarind, lemongrass, galangal, garlic and extra — is taken into account “the nationwide dish of Indonesia,” Avila stated.
Avila’s mother Betty, who’s from Manado, the capital metropolis of the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi, would make it for particular events and large gatherings.
Rising up on Chicago’s Northwest Facet, he cherished his mother’s dwelling cooking. He additionally cherished Italian beefs. The affinity for each is proudly on show within the rendang sandwich at Rendang Republic, the restaurant he opened this month with Hamdallah. The sandwich is Avila’s tackle Italian beef with Indonesian aptitude, he stated.
Avila and Hamdallah met in the summertime. On the time, Avila was making an attempt to revive his Indonesian idea Minahasa, which had been at Revival Meals Corridor, and Hamdallah was trying to open an Indonesian restaurant. The 2 determined to workforce up on Rendang Republic, 3355 N. Clark St., which had its grand opening on April 5.
Hamdallah stated when the 2 of them had been brainstorming on the idea, they knew rendang could be the focus.
“That’s why we identify it Rendang Republic, as a result of we wish to faucet into the dish. Let the dish develop into a hero. Let the dish develop into the ‘it’ that individuals will know,” Hamdallah stated.
The star of the sandwich is the meat rendang (it’s additionally provided with jackfruit for vegetarians). Avila begins by making the spice combine, which is simmered in coconut milk till it’s reworked right into a wealthy darkish brown shade. After about six hours, he provides beef prime spherical, and it cooks for an additional two hours till it’s tender and succulent.
To serve, he toasts a bun (sourced from 3D Baking) and provides a wholesome drizzle of sambal aioli and a few scoops of rendang after which tops it with one other wholesome drizzle of sambal aioli, fried shallot, cilantro, onion and giardiniera for that kick of Chicago taste.
Except for the sandwich, rendang can also be accessible as a plate with noodles, rice (white or fried) and salad as the bottom, and served with sayur gulai (collard inexperienced gulai), acar acar (Indonesian pickled greens), krupuk (shrimp or garlic Chips) and sambal merah or hijau (crimson or inexperienced chili condiment).
The concept behind Rendang Republic is to supply meals that’s simple to seize and go, serving a conventional Indonesian dish in acquainted methods corresponding to sandwiches, Avila stated. “It’s simply a great way to teach individuals right here.”
Operating an Indonesian restaurant, first with Minahasa and now Rendang Republic, has been a “huge studying expertise” for Avila.
For instance, he realized the meals he served at Minahasa was very particular to the meals his mother cooked. It was additionally very spicy and reflective of the Christian neighborhood who lived within the area she’s from, whereas in Padang, the capital and largest metropolis of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, there are extra Muslims so the meals is halal.
Indonesia is made up of 17,000 islands, so meals will range from area to area.
“The extra I realized about Indonesian meals, the extra I realized about myself and my very own background,” Avila stated. “Every island in Indonesia may be very totally different … all of the cultures are very totally different on every island.”
For Avila and Hamdallah, it means so much to them to have one of many solely Indonesian eating places within the metropolis. There have been just a few up to now, together with Avila’s Minahasa, however with the closure of Rickshaw Republic just a few years in the past, Rendang Republic is considered one of one.
“We have now a little bit hub for the Indonesians across the Chicago space to come back by. … they’ve been coming out from the woodwork. I by no means even knew that there have been that many Indonesians,” Avila stated.
“I wish to be a clubhouse for [the Indonesian community],” he stated.
That sense of dwelling at Rendang Republic is particularly necessary to Hamdallah, who immigrated to the U.S. from Padang, the capital and largest metropolis of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, in 2010.
In Indonesia, Hamdallah’s household ran eating places, however he was “by no means actually really courageous sufficient to the touch the entrepreneurship facet of me.” Hamdallah works within the meals trade however on the company facet, together with government roles at firms like Tyson. After assembly Avila, he noticed a possibility to comply with within the footsteps of his household and showcase his tradition.
“I’m from Padang. My dad was from Padang. My household is from Padang. The espresso that we selected [at Rendang Republic] is definitely from the place my dad was born. Once we selected espresso with Tim [Coonan] from Massive Shoulders Espresso, the founder, I had a little bit tear, as a result of it’s all related again to my roots.”
Rendang Republic, 3355 N. Clark St. The Rendang Sandwich is $14. Go to rendangrepublic.com.
