In Indonesia, a warkop or warung kopi is a small shop that sells coffee, snacks such as crispy peanut crackers (rempeyek) and light meals like toast with kaya, or coconut jam. Here, former Navi sous-chef Barry Susanto and barista Erwin Chandra have adapted the concept, serving up Aussie cafe favourites with Indonesian flair.
But truly, no one in Melbourne does sandwiches quite like Susanto. During Melbourne’s lockdowns, the ex-Navi sous chef would make them with Indonesian-style fillings for his co-workers at the restaurant, using leftover bread from the Navi’s lockdown bakery pop-up. Today they’re the star of the menu at Susanto’s Richmond shop and its CBD sibling.
Favorites include a sambal-spiked take on a Maccas filet-o-fish; the gado-gado sandwich; and a chicken taliwang sandwich inspired by a regional specialty Susanto once tried in Lombok. Most popular is the slow-cooked beef brisket with house-made rendang sauce.
Warkop also excels in the sweets department, too. The cabinet might be lined with palm sugar burnt Basque cheesecake, and kaya-glazed crullers topped with puffed wild rice. The signature sweet is the kaya toast, made from a recipe passed down by Chandra’s grandmother and perfect with coffee, courtesy of Duke’s.
