Harden's says
Camden’s excellent Indonesian street food vendor Pino’s Warung opened a separate central London restaurant in February, Eater reported. The team launched Toba in the old Ikoyi site in St. James’s Market, bringing beef rendang, satay, and fried snacks with them.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Extremely flavourful Indonesian food” from Pino Edward Sinaga, based on his mother’s recipes, justifies a visit to this unit in slick (but some feel “oppressive”) St James’s Market (the original site for Ikoyi, now on The Strand). It’s a step up from Pino’s Warung, his popular stall at Camden Market, with familiar rendang, gado-gado and sate complemented by more unusual dishes.
Summary
“Very good Indonesian food” makes it worth braving the lifeless environs of the St James’s Market development for Pino Edward Sinaga’s yearling, on the site that was the former location for Ikoyi (since relocated, see also). It’s a follow-up to his Camden Market street-food operation inspired by his family’s recipes and offers a vibrant selection with a good amount of choice. “For its location, it’s great value too”.
Summary
In slick-but-stilted St James’s Market, this February 2023 newcomer inhabits the site that till recently housed Ikoyi (nowadays on The Strand). It’s from Pino Edward Sinaga, and – like his successful Camden Market operation – serves Indonesian street food inspired by family recipes. For this posh SW1 locale, prices are very approachable. No survey feedback as yet, but in a March 2023 review, The Guardian’s Grace Dent thought results were incentive enough to visit this “soulless” SW1 development.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Toba?
1 St James’s Market, London, SW1Y 4AH
Toba Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Good, if a bit expensive, which is inevitable in that part of town. Fishcakes; tofu fritter; cod: sea bream; rice; plaintain/ ice cream. Plus 4 x beers: £150!"
"A disappointing visit after successful visits to Pino's Warung. Staff are solicitous and the ambience, while a bit 'hotel coffee shop', is OK. We've spent many months in Indonesia and Pino's captures the essence and richness of the food scene, but this fine dining version is too restrained - my daughter described it as tourist food.Tempe was fine. Crispy chicken with sambal was well done. But beef rendang which should melt after long slow cooking was firm bits of beef. Sate ayam was missing that charcoal caramelised touch, while both rice and pandan pancake seemed dried out, perhaps by the lights on the pass. At a fiver for a bowl of rice or £8 for a Bintang beer, £20 plus for mains, this is not cheap. We wanted to love this and will probably try again but..."
"Excellent Indonesian restaurant and, for the area, not too overpriced"
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £55.50 |  |
|
 |
| Starter | Main | Pudding |
|---|---|---|
| £5.00 | £22.00 | £9.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £34.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 15.00% |
1 St James’s Market, London, SW1Y 4AH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | 11:30 am‑3 pm |
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