Tag Archives: Dutch

Iconic: Miranda (The Foodie Magazine, Mar 2014) [CLOSED]

April 11, 2014 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

Quietly and calmly, Miranda has witnessed the decades pass by, offering the best bestik recipes to its patrons. It not only offers good steak, it’s also a haven for those who want a slice of nostalgia.

Timeless! That’s how one would describe Miranda, one of Jakarta’s oldie restaurants located in Jalan Besuki – Menteng. Although in many parts the restaurant has aged and appears shabby, it’s owners have decided to keep it this way, because they think preserving the interior and structure is good for their business.

Every time I enter Miranda, I can’t help but feel transported to the Indonesian of the 1970s and 1980s. It is reminiscent of the movie scenes featuring my favorite franchise of Warkop DKI. It does feel nostalgic whenever I’m surrounded with this kind of atmosphere – a family restaurant with old furniture, long wooden tables for six made from rattan, alfresco dining space under an old tin roof and during dinner time, a solo keyboard player to entertain the patrons. It does feel a bit romantic somehow, experiencing a time gone by.

I recently met Madame Louise, a charming lady who runs the business and a well-mannered person whom everyone adores. She spared some time to sit with me and tell the story of how it all started, despite the fact that she’s needed badly behind the cashier counter to run the business.

“After our first restaurant in Semarang, my parents moved to Jakarta and opened this place in 1969”, said Madame Louise to start the story. “My mom had been well-known for her bestik recipe which she’s probably inherited from some Dutch connections”. Bestik is actually a version of steak popular in Europe before and brought and popularized by the Dutch. The real difference is that nothing is actually grilled, like for example in one version that Miranda adapts is the use of boiled beef tongue poured with savory Dutch-style thick brown sauce with onions and mushrooms, served with French fries, carrots, beans, and cauliflower.

“We also serve other bestik made from chicken, prawn, snapper, and the German style beef schnitzel”, Madame Louise added. It’s all very classic looking and frankly, will whet your appetite from how it looks. The consistency is highly admirable as from time to time since I never experience a difference in taste and presentation.

Miranda also serves Chinese and Indonesian dishes as well. It’s rare to taste something aside from the bestik whenever I’m here but I do have to admit that Miranda makes a formidable sop buntut (oxtail soup) and tahu telor (fried tofu with eggs and served with bean sprouts, cabbage and sweet soy sauce with bird-eye’s chilies) as well.

“Formerly, Miranda was known as Tan Goei – a combination of my mother and father’s names, but during the New Order regime, businesses had to change their names into something Indonesian. We went with the name Miranda until now, but we always put the real name beside it to make the customers aware”, Madame Louise said. “Business may be hard sometimes but I am grateful because we run an honest business and we’re proud of our journey until this point. I have no plans so far to alter anything I inherited from my parents”, said Madame Louise when asked about the future of Miranda.

I can now comprehend why the owners of old food businesses want just retain the look and feel of their old restaurants or bakeries. It’s simply because they want to be remembered just the way they are and it’s indeed precious to hear people say, “How timeless the restaurant is!” or “It’s always a blast from the past coming here!”

Nothing indeed, could ever replace the memories from the past, especially when it comes to something romantic and involves great food from an old kitchen. That’s how I see it from Miranda and the decades long history it holds.

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MIRANDA (TAN GOEI)
Halal-friendly (self-claimed halal, but there may be use of mirin for the Chinese dishes)
Some menu are suitable for vegetarians

Address:
Jalan Besuki no. 1A, Jakarta – Indonesia

RSVP: +62.21.314.0829

Opening hours:
Mon-Sat, 9.30am – 11pm
Sun, 9.30pm – 3pm & 6pm – 11pm

——

Featured in THE FOODIE MAGAZINE March 2014 edition

Download it for free here via SCOOP!

Photos by: Dennie Benedict

Savoring The Rijsttafel (Dreams, Heritage Edition 2013)

July 7, 2013 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

Many may not realize that the influence of colorful presentation of Minangkabau dishes from West Sumatra origin inspired the creation of rijsttafel, a novel feast designed during the Dutch colonial era almost two centuries ago in Indonesia.

Rijsttafel, literally means ‘rice table’, is a Dutch-colonial originated banquet encompassing famous dishes from the many islands of Indonesia. What makes rijsttafel different is the special feature of a dozen of waiters or waitresses involved for this feast and each of them serving different dish at same time. For rich Dutch plantation owners, rijsttafel involved everyone they can gather around their households from the maids, chauffeurs, and even gardeners to act as the servers.

On larger rijsttafel banquets, the Dutch even incorporated up to 30 or 40 dishes at one time. Not only that it became a personal pride for Dutch colonials, rijsttafel was also meant to impress foreign dignitaries during diplomacy or official visits with such an impressive vast array of dishes rarely seen before and came from the richest yet biggest archipelago in the world.

During its heyday, history recorded two famous hotels in Indonesia that served rijsttafel. The first one was Hotel Homann from Bandung which now still can be seen although the façade already underwent a unique art deco transformation back in the 1930s. Mrs. Homann was said to serve the best rijsttafel in town and renowned for it especially after Bandung achieved a stature as a city for colonial holiday retreats. The second hotel known to serve rijsttafel was the beautiful Hotel des Indes during the old days of Batavia (now Jakarta) known to many with its exemplary hospitality, though we can no longer found the hotel anymore as it was demolished a few decades ago to make way for a shopping complex.

It was believed that after the transition of Indonesian government, the rijsttafel became somehow extinct as the nationalism sentiment made Indonesians remove any colonial influences remaining within their daily lives. Today, probably rijsttafel is much more popular in restaurants around The Netherlands, USA, and as far as South Africa or probably other former Dutch colonies.

Back in 1979, an attempt to revive the rijsttafel experience was made by Oasis, a luxurious fine-dining establishment in Jakarta, proved to be hugely successful. With its well-maintained classic façade used to be owned by a Dutch millionaire from the early 20th century and its excellence in many gastronomy aspects, Oasis has been serving rijsttafel ever since and popularize it further by serving famous personages such as Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel, Mahathir Muhammad, Zinedine Zidane, and many more. Until today, no other restaurant in Jakarta except some in Bali that serve rijsttafel but perhaps not all of these establishments featured the one dozen servers for it.

After all, the individual dishes that came from all over Indonesia are ultimately the most important part of rijsttafel. While there’s no real pattern of what should be served in a rijsttafel but clearly the famous satays from Indonesia have always been traditionally stars of the show. One usually can browse through various satay from chicken, lamb (sate mentul), beef, and fish (sate lilit).

Other than these fantastic delicacies, we can often found beef rendang, dendeng balado (thinly sliced dried beef with chili flakes), beef empal (shredded beef with spices), grilled fish, grilled chicken, grilled prawns, beef stew, fried duck and other main dishes of Indonesian origin.

For the sides we can also enjoy a wide range of dishes such as gado gado (vegetables with peanut sauce), steamed beancurds in banana leaves, fried beancurds with vegetable fillings, stir-fried long beans, serundeng (shredded and roasted coconut), spring rolls, fritters, and a lot more. Even for the rice, you can find several versions from white, white with corn, red, nasi tutug oncom (steamed with oncom and shallots) and many other creations unfamiliarly heard before.

It’s pretty much impossible to describe the contents of rijsttafel as the combination may vary every time and the options itself are basically limitless as Indonesian dishes are probably the most diverse cuisine in the whole world. Again, that’s the reason why larger banquets may serve up to 40 dishes at one time.

From the inception of the concept, rijsttafel was designed to achieve many aspects not only from the dishes variety. In an era where gastronomic features were not yet familiarly encountered, rijsttafel had achieved a high level of complexity not only from flavors but also the colors and the textures. Indonesian dishes we know now are affluent in fragrance and taste from sweet to spicy, from sour to savory, and all using spices indigenous of this country. Additionally, these created a harmony between the many textures of the dishes as well. Much to that era’s surprise, all of these came from a single corner of the earth far from the Old World and everything assimilated into a splendor of one single entity worth its weight in gold for the experience.

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Published in Dreams, Heritage Edition 2013

Photos courtesy of Oasis Restaurant, Jakarta

Jakarta

Jelajah Kuliner Negeri Kincir Angin di Jakarta (Linked, April 2013)

April 30, 2013 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

PAVILJOEN KOTA

What

Warisan resep kolonial a la Paviljoen Kota di antara suasana glamor sebuah shopping mall paling mutakhir di Jakarta.

Why

Kehadiran Paviljoen Kota di tengah begitu banyaknya pilihan bersantap tradisional Indonesia maupun kuliner modern di Kota Kasablanka ternyata mengundang tetap mengundang rasa penasaran. Tidak hanya restoran ini menyajikan berbagai santapan lokal seperti nasi goreng hingga semur jengkol, tapi ternyata aspek nostalgia secara penampilan serta hadirnya berbagai pilihan sajian dengan pengaruh kental Negeri Belanda.

Misalnya saja terdapat Selat Sunda (biasa lebih dikenal dengan Selat Solo) yang merupakan hidangan steak dengan aksen Belanda seperti keberadaan kentang tumbuk, sayuran yang dipotong dengan rapi, mayones, telur goreng, serta saus gurih kental yang khas. Untuk pilihan lainnya opsi-opsi menarik makanan pembuka khas Belanda seperti huzarensla (salad Belanda), bitter ballen dan rissole (cemilan khas Belanda yang sudah sangat dikenal), bruine boon soup (sup kacang merah), hingga hidangan utama lainnya yang khas seperti bistik lidah dan masakan dengan pengaruh Jerman seperti beef stroganoff yang ternyata cocok dengan tema nostalgia Paviljoen Kota.

How

Area indoor didesain dengan aksen-aksen dinding yang menggambarkan suasana era kolonial, namun di bagian luar ternyata suasana itu tetap dipertahankan dengan penggunaan berbagai meubel dengan kesan Eropa klasik. Suasana hangat dan intim di bagian outdoor ternyata menarik para pengunjung dan suasana rileks di sayap khusus pesiar kuliner di Kota Kasablanka ini ternyata membuat betah para penggemar makanan untuk tinggal berlama-lama.

Where
Kota Kasablanka, 1^st floor FS – U29
Jalan Casablanca Raya Kav. 88 – Jakarta
Telp: +62.21.2948.8502

Operational Hours
Setiap hari, jam 10 pagi hingga 10 malam (sesuai jam operasional mall)

Price Range
IDR 75,000 – IDR 100,000 / orang (F&B)

Website: http://www.paviljoenkota.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaviljoenKota
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PAVILJOENKOTA (@PAVILJOENKOTA)

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DIJAN’S PANNEKOEKEN & POFFERTJES

What

Resep-resep sajian Belanda a la Dijan’s yang tersembunyi di balik kesejukan dan ketenangan dinding-dinding rumah bernuansa art deco.

Why

Dijan’s memang dikenal sebagai salah satu restoran yang menjadikan panekuk (pannekoeken) serta poffertjes dan berbagai varian serta topping yang digunakan begitu banyak dan menggiurkan, tapi tentu hidangan utama khas Belanda menjadi ciri khas tersendiri juga yang dimiliki restoran ini.

Misalnya saja dua hidangan legendaris Belanda yang berpenampilan rustic tapi berlimpah dengan bahan serta bumbu yang mengundang selera yaitu pada hutspot dan stamppot. Kali ini hutspot yang biasa menggunakan kentang tumbuk diganti dengan tumisan kentang dan berbagai macam sayuran serta dipadukan dengan gehaktballen atau bola-bola daging sapi cincang dan saus manis gurih khas Belanda.

Sedangkan kentang tumbuk pada stammpot dipadukan dengan spinazei (bayam) sehingga warna pada masakan ini semakin menarik apalagi setelah digabungkan dengan potongan sosis sapi serta saus dengan dasar tomat yang sedikit pedas dan dilimpahi bawang bombay. Ditambah dengan panekuk dan poffertjes, tentu masakan-masakan ini mengukuhkan Dijan’s sebagai salah satu restoran pilihan untuk sajian khas Negeri Belanda di Jakarta.

How

Suasana rumah dengan pengaruh arsitektur art deco ini tidak hanya luas dan nyaman namun diimbuhi berbagai dekorasi dan pernak pernik yang mengingatkan segera suasana pedesaan di Negeri Kincir Angin. Meskipun beberapa sisi memerlukan perbaikan tapi secara keseluruhan, suasana yang homey dan tenang yang tersembunyi di balik riuh rendahnya jalanan Kemang ternyata memberikan kenyamanan tersendiri bagi pengunjungnya.

Where
Jalan Kemang Selatan no. 102A
Telp: +62.21.7179.3538

Operational Hours
Setiap hari, jam 10 pagi hingga 10.30 malam (weekday), 11.30 malam (weekend)

Price Range
IDR 75,000 – IDR 100,000 / orang (F&B)

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DO YOU KNOW

Rijstaffel, meskipun memiliki nama dari kosakata Bahasa Belanda, adalah hidangan legendaris nan mewah peninggalan era kolonial Belanda yang terdiri dari belasan hingga puluhan masakan terbaik Nusantara yang disajikan bersamaan oleh belasan pelayan sekaligus.
Konon hidangan ini merupakan kebanggaan Belanda atas kekayaan tanah yang dikuasainya dan sempat dicekal oleh Sukarno, presiden pertama Republik Indonesia, karena mengandung nilai-nilai penjajahan. Kini rijstaffel masih dapat ditemukan di beberapa restoran di Indonesia khususnya di Bali dan di manca negara seperti Belanda sendiri, Amerika Serikat, dan Afrika Selatan.
Karena rijstaffel merupakan hidangan mahal dan mengandung banyak elemen masakan Nusantara yang memerlukan proses lama dalam pembuatannya, maka warga Belanda lebih senang menyajikan masakan-masakan simpel sebagai penggantinya seperti nasi goreng, sate, pisang goreng, sambal, dan lain-lain.
Pertukaran budaya sebagai akibat dari penjajahan Belanda secara tidak sadar diteruskan hingga kini. Misalnya saja seperti yang disebutkan tadi, warga Belanda mengadopsi sajian khas Nusantara yang simpel namun di sisi lain, warga Indonesia gemar untuk membuat kue-kue khas Belanda khususnya ketika menjelang hari raya seperti nastaar, kaastengels, dan kue-kue lain yang unik dan lezat yang ternyata masih dapat ditemui di berbagai toko roti klasik seperti Braga Permai (Bandung) atau Toko Oen (Semarang, Malang).

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Published on Linked – Citilink in-flight magazine, April 2013 (unedited)

Bandung

8 Classic dishes not to be missed in Bandung (Jakpost Travel – November 30, 2012)

December 7, 2012 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

8 Classic dishes not to be missed in Bandung

http://www.jakpost.travel/article/8-classic-dishes-not-to-be-missed-in-bandung-23AsInK1JPZgloBz.html#

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Bandung has been well known as one of the culinary capitals of Indonesia. With the huge development of the city’s tourism over the past few years, new restaurants and cafés have sprouted up like a wildfire. However, the classics remain brave, resilient and still flourishing.

The Indonesian culinary scene has never been this crazy before. Influences from abroad arrived without a moment of hesitation and Indonesia suddenly became the melting pot of many foreign cuisines. Many local ventures have taken on a modern look but many more cling to their authenticity.

Many of the dishes popular in Bandung have been around for years, decades and some even originated from the Dutch colonial era in the early 1900s.

So here is a hand picked selection of the classics that have stood out the test of time.

1. Classic Chinese cuisine at Toko You – Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 12

From its modest beginnings of only serving noodle dishes and the delicious bakso goreng (huge shrimp meatball), now Toko You serves a vast range of Chinese food, local fare and even Indian cuisine under the roof of Javanese style interior. With the addition of colonial heritage furniture and paintings, Toko You now presents itself as a stylish establishment and yet maintains the originality of those delectable, hearty dishes at affordable prices.

2. Ice cream at Braga Permai (Maison Bogerijen) – Jl. Braga No. 58

Braga Permai, previously Maison Bogerijen, has served colonial style dishes and homemade ice cream for many years. During its heyday, it was frequented by wealthy people during the colonial era. Great ice cream dishes like the classic Wiener Melange filled with coffee and topped with vanilla ice cream or the eclectic Sengasengana, which is full of fresh strawberries, are among the best choices here.

3. Kupat Tahu Gempol – Jl. Gempol (right nearby the T-intersection, in front of the Gempol traditional market)

Grandma Yayah has been selling one of Bandung’s tastiest kupat tahu (rice cake, bean curd and bean sprouts mixed with a peanut and coconut milk sauce) since the 1960s. She is very friendly and modest. Make no mistake – her hawker is one of the most sought after for breakfast. It’s purely because her take on kupat tahu is silky and rich!

4. Cendol Gentong Pak Asep – Jl. Alkateri (sidestreet, on the left before intersection)

Pak Asep has been selling cendol (worm-like jellies made from rice or sago served cold with palm sugar and coconut milk) for many years. He was the first to use only pure sago without the green coloring from the dracaena plant; this makes the cendol naturally white and translucent. To make it more luscious, he adds extra coconut milk and uses only the best palm sugar and jackfruit. He keeps his cendol in a big clay pot believed to retain the coolness of the beverage – which is definitely best drunk during hot days. Very refreshing!

5. Lomie & Bakmie Imam Bonjol – Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 9

With lomie (noodles with Chinese spinach, bean sprouts, shrimps, meatballs and sticky soup) as its signature dish, this once small side street hawker has now transformed into a formidable business and turned this once silent, leafy street into a buzzing one. Aside from lomie, this stall also serves other classic noodle dishes.

6. Martabak San Francisco – Jl. Burangrang No. 42, Jl. Karapitan No. 76, Jl. Waas No. 13

With a history spanning over many decades, this Chinese immigrant-influenced martabak (flipped thick pancake) from the island of Bangka has now become ubiquitous all over Indonesia. One of the pioneers for that achievement is Martabak San Francisco.

What once started with only nuts or sesame seed as its filling, now martabak as we know it uses milk, chocolate, cheese, banana, strawberry, blueberry, jackfruit, raisins, and many more as the selections for the filling. It is sinfully delicious and the best part is that you can have it your way!

7. Laksa at PT Rasa Bakery & Ice Cream– Jl. Tamblong No. 15

There’s always a place in a town frequented by the grandparents. Yes, PT Rasa delivers all that nostalgic feeling through an array of alluring Indonesian classics such as laksa (rice cake and vermicelli in light curry broth), fried rice, nasi rames (rice and assorted sides), and many more. Additionally, Rasa also serves timeless snacks such as bitterballen with mustard, saucijs brood (puff pastry filled with meat) and mini lasagna. The best is definitely its homemade ice cream creations and Dixie-style ice cream cones!

8. Schaschlik and German sausages at Tizi – Jl. Kidang Pananjung No. 3, Dago

With its uniquely beautiful look and small garden in the middle of the restaurant, Tizi has always been a classic choice for a romantic dinner in Bandung. Tizi’s specialty is its famed schaschlik (German-style skewered meat and vegetables) and German sausages. Its wood-burned pizza and sandwiches are also worth a try. Don’t forget to take some of its distinctive European-style pastries back home.

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Featured in Jakpost Travel (November 30, 2012)

Pictures courtesy of Rian Farisa (The Gastronomy Aficionado)

Jakarta

Restaurant Review: Aaltje Bakery & Café (HOJ, June 2011) [CLOSED]

August 5, 2011 Rian Farisa 2 Comments

Aaltje adalah seperti hidden gem di bilangan Kemang Raya. Dalam pencariannya saja saya sempat menelusuri hingga nyaris sejauh Jalan Ampera padahal keberadaannya sangat-sangat dekat dari arah saya datang yaitu Prapanca. Ternyata letaknya berada di sebuah bangunan perkantoran yang agak tua dan herannya tepat di sebelah Die Stube, sebuah patokan yang mudah diingat.

Penampilannya dari luar tampak menarik dan cukup unik, layaknya pub kuno yang lebih mengingatkan saya pada tipe Irish pub karena warna hijaunya ketimbang tema pub Belanda padahal dengan nama seperti Aaltje ini. Ternyata bukanlah pub yang sepertinya menjadi tema tempat ini meski terlihat suguhan wine dan liquor pada umumnya, malahan Aaltje menyatakan dirinya sebagai bakery dan café. Padahal untuk kategori seperti itu lazimnya saya melihat baguette atau jejeran croissant dan berbagai macam roti lainnya namun ternyata tidak.

Saat itu baru saja lewat waktu makan siang sehingga tempat ini menjadi sepi sepeninggal rombongan keluarga ekspatriat Jepang terakhir yang baru saja beranjak. Hasilnya adalah sesuatu yang saya tidak harapkan. Dengan keadaan kosong setelah makan siang, herannya tidak ada yang sigap menyambut dan keadaan masih belum sepenuhnya bersih. Konon setelahnya saya diinformasikan bahwa sebelumnya baru saja sebagian Aaltje disewa untuk sesi foto pre wedding. That’s not an excuse though.

Untuk makanannya, Aaltje ternyata memang menyuguhkan berbagai sajian khas pedesaan Eropa dimana terdapat crepes, galette, stroopwaffles, pancakes, escargot, poffertjes dan homemade ice cream.

Sebuah creperie! Betapa bahagianya!

Tidak sulit bagi saya untuk memilih apa yang hendak saya makan karena banyak pilihan di dalamnya yang menggunakan berbagai bahan yang cukup langka seperti salmon, beef casserole, asparagus, apple compote, hingga caviar.

La Baltique (Aaltje Bakery & Cafe) — La Baltique

La Baltique. Sesuai namanya dari Laut Baltik di sekitaran Denmark, ternyata galette ini menggunakan unsur-unsur seafood seperti salmon dan sesuatu yang bahkan lebih jarang yaitu Danish caviar. Memang bukan tipe yang mahal seperti Beluga caviar tapi betapa eksotisnya caviar hingga digunakan untuk sebuah masakan rustic seperti galette ini! Penampilannya-pun terbilang cantik. Bintang utamanya tentu adalah smoked salmon itu sendiri yang di selimuti oleh crème fraiche with cheese, herbs, and the jewel of the dish itself, the Danish caviar. Untuk menambah kesegaran dan rasa, mereka menambahkan lemon dan potongan tomat kecil.

Hasilnya adalah betapa lembutnya perpaduan galette dengan salmon tersebut. Crème fraiche-nya juga memberikan kelezatan tersendiri. Rasanya mungkin seperti mayonnaise yang tidak terlalu sharp dipadukan dengan rasa keju yang tidak terlalu asin. Namun sebelum tercampur, jangan lupa untuk mencicipi caviar-nya terlebih dahulu. Agak mengingatkan pada telur ikan terbang yang biasa kita temui di atas maki atau sushi namun tentunya berwarna hitam seperti caviar pada umumnya.

Dish kedua siang itu adalah sepiring Lasagna yang ternyata cukup ringan mengingat porsinya yang besar. Lasagna versi Aaltje lebih didominasi rasa tomat meskipun terlihat creamy dan berkeju namun untungnya tidak demikian padat. Rasanya cukup decent meski mungkin tidak sesuai ekspektasi kita pada Lasagna versi Italia asli dimana begitu banyak layer untuk pasta-nya serta saus tomat yang kental dan keju yang asin.

Makan siang yang cukup memuaskan meskipun rasanya seperti makan siang di restoran tutup seperti yang kita lihat di film-film tentang mafia Italia. Di siang yang panas, ada baiknya juga untuk mencoba homemade ice cream mereka yang beragam. Rasanya duduk di pojokan café ini, tidak terganggu oleh lalu lalang orang serta pemandangan langsung keluar tampak ideal bila dengan menikmati minuman dingin dan homemade ice cream serta poffertjes a la Aaltje. Sayangnya selalu ada kekurangan bila terlalu dicermati, meski demikian tidak ada salahnya untuk sedikit menikmati hidup dengan menerima kekurangan tersebut dengan harapan bahwa Aaltje akan mencoba untuk tampil lebih baik lagi.

Plaza Bisnis, Jl. Kemang Raya no. 2, Jakarta

RSVP: 021 – 719 2320

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AaltjeBakery?v=info

Rating: 3/5

Price Range: IDR 150,000-200,000 for two

-Featured in HANG OUT JAKARTA June 2011 edition-

Link: http://hangoutjkt.com/food/58/Aaltje-Bakery-Cafe