November 22, 2025
Back in Melbourne, we had a little errand to run in Reservoir, and it was a nice excuse to visit My Asian Neighbour for a sunny daylight-savings dinner. This venue is cheery and sprawling, with indoor seating, a courtyard bar, and astroturfed street-side outdoor seating - we picked the latter. The Indonesian menu is extensive, with lots of well-marked vegan and gluten-free options.
My digestive system was still a little delicate, and I decided that the Gado Gado ($25) might be safest option. 'Safe' couldn't get more joyful than this bright bowl of contrasting colour and textures - the classic hard-boiled egg, potatoes, green beans, bean sprouts and tofu were layered with satay sauce, a snowstorm of crushed garlic crackers, and a generous drizzle of sweet dark soy sauce.
Michael's no-holds-barred Nasi Campur Banquet ($35) was an even greater sight to behold, with a corn fritter, a tempe fritter, deep-fried eggplant, a trail of rich rendang curry, a medley of fresh veges, garlic crackers and a bowl of dark sweet soy sauce all clamouring around a hefty mound of rice. Only the sambal was really fiery, so it was possible to measure out the heat to taste.
The staff were a mixture of experienced and efficient with new and eager-to-learn. We weren't left wanting... unless you mean wanting the stomach space for dessert. I've got my eye on the pandan pancake for next time.
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My Asian Neighbour
760 Plenty Rd, Reservoir
9470 5481
Accessibility: In short, a bit chaotic. There's a lip on the door and a crowded-looking interior (we didn't explore far). Outdoors there's a medium-density mixture of high tables with backless stools and regular-height, not-so-sturdy tables with those pinchy metal chairs (booo). We ordered at our table and paid at a regular-height counter inside. We didn't visit the toilets.
