The short answer
Taliwang H. Moerad: what visitors should know first
Go if you want to try Lombok's signature chicken at a restaurant that Kompas and the Indonesia tourism site both name. It is a meat restaurant with fish too, so vegetarians will find little beyond sides. Confirm opening hours before travelling.
Useful facts
Taliwang H. Moerad facts at a glance
- Location
- Jalan Pelikan, Pejanggik, Mataram (No. 6 per Kompas)
- Dining style
- Local restaurant, ayam taliwang specialist
- Price signal
- Budget; a whole chicken was about Rp55,000 in Kompas (2020)
- Signature order
- Try: ayam taliwang with plecing kangkung
- Hours
- 7am to 10pm daily per Indonesia tourism site; confirm
- Good for
- Lombok's signature dish, group lunches
Why it matters
Why Taliwang H. Moerad is worth your time
Ayam taliwang is the dish most visitors are told to eat on Lombok, and this restaurant is one of the few that two independent sources name: Kompas, a national newspaper, and the Indonesian tourism site. That makes it a safer choice than a place picked at random from a map.
Vice describes the dish as coming from the Taliwang neighbourhood of Mataram, where Hj Salmah Moerad and her husband began selling it in 1963, and says a Moerad family restaurant serves the original recipe, with chicken grilled over charcoal, fried in coconut oil and grilled again with chilli paste. Vice does not say that this exact Jalan Pelikan address is that restaurant, so treat the family link as background rather than a promise.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
Ayam taliwang
Grilled chicken in red chilli paste, the dish Lombok is known for. Kompas also lists sweet-and-spicy and soy-glazed variants.
- 02
Plecing kangkung
Water spinach with a tomato-chilli sambal, the usual side and the nearest thing to a vegetable course.
- 03
Fish option
The tourism site mentions gurami fish dishes for anyone who wants a break from chicken.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
Ask your driver for Jalan Pelikan, off Jalan Pejanggik in central Mataram. Kompas gives the number as 6 and spells the name Ayam Taliwang H.M. Bahran Moerad, while the tourism site writes Taliwang H. Moerad. Check the sign and the map pin before you set off, because the Moerad family name is used by more than one place in the city.
The order to start with is ayam taliwang, chicken grilled and coated in a red chilli paste. Kompas lists variants such as a honey-coated version, ayam plecingan, ayam pedas manis, ayam sambal lima and ayam bakar kecap. The tourism site adds gurami fish dishes, plecing kangkung (water spinach) and several sambals. Ask for the heat to be reduced if anyone in the group is sensitive, and keep water and rice close by.
Plan about an hour, then pair the meal with Taman Mayura or Taman Narmada in the same stretch of the city. Vegetarians can build a plate from rice and plecing kangkung, but the kitchen is built around chicken and fish, and we have no evidence about shared cooking surfaces.
Plan with confidence
Small checks that make a better meal.
- Confirm the exact address and hours before you go
- Ask for the chilli to be made milder
- Vegetarians should eat elsewhere or stick to sides
- Have your driver wait or arrange the return
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Jalan Pelikan, Pejanggik area, Mataram (Kompas gives No. 6)
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Best time
- Lunch or early dinner; the tourism site lists 7am to 10pm daily, so confirm
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- A city restaurant reached by taxi from Mataram or Senggigi. We could not confirm steps, seating type or air conditioning, so ask when booking. The chilli level is the main concern for older diners; ask for it milder.
- Tickets and access
- No booking needed as far as we know, but call or ask your hotel to check the branch and hours. Prices quoted in the articles are years old and will have risen.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Taliwang H. Moerad
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are live on the partner site.
Travelling with parents?
A city restaurant reached by taxi from Mataram or Senggigi. We could not confirm steps, seating type or air conditioning, so ask when booking. The chilli level is the main concern for older diners; ask for it milder.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Is Taliwang H. Moerad vegetarian?
No. The menu is built around chicken and fish. Plecing kangkung is a vegetable side, but we have no evidence about how it is cooked or served.
Is the food very spicy?
Ayam taliwang is made with a red chilli paste and can be hot. Ask the staff to reduce the heat, especially for older travellers.
How much does a meal cost?
Kompas gave about Rp55,000 for a whole chicken in 2020. Prices change, so confirm on arrival.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
