Djakarta Taste Gatineau Review – Truth About an Unreliable and Underwhelming Restaurant – Average EV Score: 3.8/10

Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa

Each dish is rated using our EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value Score), based on enjoyment, price paid, and benchmark pricing.

Djakarta Taste Restaurant Overview

122 Eddy St, Gatineau, Quebec J8X 3B2

Djakarta Taste is an Indonesian restaurant that, on paper, looks like it could fill a unique niche in the Ottawa–Gatineau food scene. Unfortunately, my experience here left me with little desire to return.

The first impression walking in wasn’t promising. The restaurant looked very run down, with décor and furniture that felt outdated and unmaintained. The overall environment gave off a vibe that was closer to neglected than charming, and the space felt kind of dirty, which immediately set the tone for the rest of the visit.

Adding to the strange atmosphere was the fact that no one else was there. We were the only table during our visit, which is rarely a good sign for a restaurant. The silence and emptiness made the space feel even less inviting.

Parking is limited to street parking, which is fine given the location, but it’s another small hassle that doesn’t help the experience.

Another major issue with Djakarta Taste is the unreliability of their hours. One time, we stopped by around lunchtime, when their posted hours clearly stated they were open, only to be told that they weren’t offering lunch service that day. It’s frustrating to make the effort to come out only to be turned away for something that should have been communicated or updated. This unreliability only reinforces that the restaurant can’t be depended on for a proper dining experience.

When we did manage to get seated and order, service was surprisingly slow. The cook wasn’t even present when we arrived, and after we placed our order, it took nearly ten minutes before they came out from the back to actually start cooking. It felt unprofessional and added to the sense that the restaurant wasn’t operating smoothly.

The one bright spot of the visit was the ice fruit cocktail dessert (Es Buah). It was cold, refreshing, and enjoyable on a hot summer day. Unfortunately, everything else fell flat.

Would return?: No.

Nasi Padang

😋 Enjoyment: 4/10

💰 Price Paid: $21

🎯 Benchmark Price: $21

📊 EV Score: 4/10

🔁 Order Again?: No.

The Nasi Padang at Djakarta Taste was a mixed bag. The plate included beef rendang, some kind of offal (likely liver), bakwan fritters, and eggplants. Half of the beef rendang was decent — tender with a flavourful sauce that suggested the dish had some potential. Unfortunately, the other half was unpleasant, with dry, chewy texture that made it hard to enjoy.

The bakwan had a nice crispness, and the eggplants were well cooked, but nothing about the dish came together in a satisfying way. While the portion size was generous and the price fair for what was offered, the meal felt more like eating for calories than eating for enjoyment.

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Mie Goreng

😋 Enjoyment: 3.5/10

💰 Price Paid: $13

🎯 Benchmark Price: $13

📊 EV Score: 3.5/10

🔁 Order Again?: No.

The Mie Goreng at Djakarta Taste was another disappointment. The portion was large, but the noodles themselves had almost no flavour. It was bland to the point of being boring, and no amount of hot sauce could disguise that.

The shrimp included in the dish were fine, and the spicy sauce on the side actually packed some heat — though it was intense enough that spice-sensitive diners should be cautious. Still, the sauce didn’t add depth or balance to the noodles; it just added heat. Like the Nasi Padang, this felt like filler food that lacked the heart or refinement you’d hope to find in a restaurant specializing in Indonesian cuisine.

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Final Thoughts

Djakarta Taste was, unfortunately, one of the least enjoyable dining experiences I’ve had in the Ottawa–Gatineau area. Between the run-down atmosphere, dirty feel of the space, and the fact that no one else was dining there, the environment itself already worked against the experience. Add in the unreliable hours, where you can show up during posted open times only to be turned away, and it’s hard to see why anyone would make the effort to visit.

The food itself was inconsistent at best and bland at worst. Both the Nasi Padang and the Mie Goreng left me unimpressed, with only small elements of each dish showing promise. The Es Buah dessert was the one refreshing part of the meal, but it wasn’t enough to justify a return.

Even if the food had been better, the slow service and poor upkeep of the space would still make it difficult to recommend this restaurant. With so many other reliable, higher-quality dining options in the Ottawa–Gatineau area, there’s simply no reason to go out of your way for Djakarta Taste.

In short: unreliable, underwhelming, and not worth the visit anyway.