Broccoli seems at the very least an anomalous name for a seafood restaurant, somewhat like naming a vegetarian restaurant Beefsteak or Spare Ribs. There’s one thing for sure, whatever the inspiration for the name it was not the famously petulant remark of George Bush Sr., “I don’t like broccoli. I haven’t liked it since I was kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I am not going to eat any more broccoli!” (So, there!)

Be that as it may, this Blok M emporium, which incorporates a wine and cigar lounge upstairs as well as a small outdoor beer garden, is well worth a visit.

I decided to give it a try to see if its “Asian seafood and cuisine” claim would come up to snuff. The first thing that caught my attention on the menu was kweitiao, that flat noodle dish that is so typical of Singapore and Malaysia. I have never been able to find what I would call decent kwietiao here; the Indonesian offering is either too dry or has too much soy sauce. So, seeing that it would only cost Rp19,800 plus tax, I opted for this old favourite.

Waiting for the meal to come, I cast an eye around the restaurant and found it to my liking. Tastefully but not pretentiously arranged, it has no gleaming or tacky chrome. The furniture is in mellow brown wood or cream upholstery and there is a trim and tidy look to it, which is enhanced by the green and black uniforms of the staff.

The meal arrived, neatly presented. The ingredients were fresh, the prawns thick and succulent, the noodles properly flat, and, full marks, it was neither too dry nor soaked in soy sauce. The serving was certainly ample and I felt transported back to Malaysia and some ‘ace’ kwietiao there. Broccoli was off to a good start, and I decided on a second visit later in the week.

This time my eye settled on another old favourite, ifumie, that crispy noodle dish that is a stock-in-trade of so many Chinese restaurants here in Jakarta. Give it a try, I thought. Again, the presentation was neat and the portion ample, at the affordable price of Rp19,800+. This offering was laced with prawns and strips of succulent squid as well as what I took to be water chestnut, all in a piquant brown sauce. Full marks again. Broccoli could become a regular haunt of mine, I thought. Before leaving, I determined to try an all-time favourite, Penang Laksa, that divine curry noodle soup, on my next visit.

Saturday lunchtime rolled around, and I headed down to Sarinah to catch a southbound Sutiyoso special into Block M. Memories of Malaysia and Chinese Tony’s Laksa Kuala Perlis came wafting back as I sped down gridlocked Sudirman . I used to make special trips to savour Tony’s nosh in the little town of Kangar in Perlis state in Malaysia’s far north-west.Would Broccoli’s offering match his?

The answer is a resounding ‘YES!’ This was simply superb. Served in a large bowl, it came piping hot from the kitchen, and my taste juices began flowing immediately. Topped with rich slabs of bean curd and chives and more succulent prawns and squid, the thickish noodles were immersed in a superb coconut-based curry stock. I hate leaving food but this was so filling that I struggled to finish what I can fairly say was the best laksa I have had in a very long time. Broccoli’s a winner for me!

Yes, full marks for presentation and the friendly service of Bpk Robin and his staff.