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| - I visited this restaurant twice, once with a friend, and once with a large group. I had a similar experience both times, and I there are some points that I think are worth mentioning. Firstly, the location I think is quite convenient. Independence is nestled quite perfectly in Cuyahoga County, and is just close enough to the center of Cleveland to make it worth the drive. In addition, because this is off of busy Rockside Road, it doesn't get quite as much traffic, and therefore seems as though it's never fully crowded. This makes it convenient if you're looking for someplace central that also isn't too noisy (as many of the larger chains on Rockside can be). All that being said, I have to say that the service here can be incredibly slow, albeit very kind and friendly. The first time I went here with my friend, we chatted for quite a while and after a few subtle attempts to hint that we were ready to order, we ended up having to physically flag the server down to get her attention. The next time I went with a large party, they were very accommodating and had the dining room set up and ready for us as per our reservation, however it was really difficult to get in and out quickly due to the fact that we had to flag the server down every time we needed something. I think this may just be a stylistic difference in service style, but I think it's worth mentioning as many folks coming here are likely on lunch hour from work or coming for a quick dinner after work and therefore will expect somewhat quicker service. All that being said, the server and chef are really friendly people and are eager to ask you how everything was and accommodate requests. You can tell that it's locally owned and that they are very invested in the customer experience.
As for the food itself, I love that they have a traditional Indonesian menu, but they also have more of a pan-Asian menu for those less adventurous, which includes things like sushi, hibachi, Thai dishes and otherwise. The first time I came, I went adventurous and ordered the Pempek Palembang, which is a really traditional Indonesian dish that is a fish cake made with tapioca, served with a hard boiled egg as well as a vinegary kind of soy sauce and noodles. This was a very unique dish, unlike anything I've ever had before, and while I enjoyed the fish cake texture, I am not sure it's a dish I'd crave to order again. The next time I came back, I ordered the basil fried rice, which I found perfectly average. All this to say, I think the food here is good if you want to try a new type of cuisine, but I don't think the pan-Asian dishes will be a great departure from other similar restaurants. However, I will say when coming here with a group, everyone was able to find something that they liked and enjoyed. Between the location, the service and the food, I would say I recommend others to try this restaurant, as I think the experience will be enjoyable and you're sure to get friendly service, however I think the fact that many of the dishes will be unfamiliar to most people and also that the service can be a bit slow might be a deterrent for people to come back.
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