Fancy some traditional Indonesian food?

**kingwilly** · 18-01-2009, 09:25 PM

Padang Bistro

Bintaro Utama Blok III A
Tel (021) 737 8810

Padang Bistro, in Bintaro, serves traditional maskan padang or food from Padang, West Sumatra. One does not order from a menu here, just be seated and they will bring out a small dish of every type of food in the restaurant and stack it on your table plus several serves of rice and sambal, of course.

You only need to pay for the ones that you eat. (but do not try a little from every dish unless you are willing to pay for all of them). This includes warm sweeten tea. They do have plenty more teas and juices on the menu, but don’t be looking for beers of whiskey.

Traditional padang food is eaten with fingers, so you will be given a small finger bowl to wash your hands when you first sit down. (but don’t panic, they’ll give westerners a spoon and fork as well, just in case)

It is not particularly expensive, our bill tonight was about 100,000 (US$10). My favourite is the beef rendang and the kambing (goat), MrsKW’s favourite is the steamed chicken.

We’ve eaten here several times, but I’ve never seen it busy, but they also do home delivery. A cake store in the entrance meant that MrsKW stocked up for tomorrow’s breakfast or lunch.

**Propagator** · 19-01-2009, 12:00 AM

Sounds similar to the rice table, (rice tafel) served by some indonesian restaurants abroad, but not at the price you paid.

**kingwilly** · 19-01-2009, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by Propagator

but not at the price you paid.

Interestingly enough, we found this restaurant using the Jakarta Good Food Guide (by the same publishers as the Melbourne Good Food Guide). Obviously their description of the place is somewhat more eloquent than mine. I might try and find an electronic version and post it as well.

I think at the rice tafel's (a few in Bali also) you pay for all the food put on your table?

**terry57** · 19-01-2009, 08:30 AM

Nice work Willy, I love the local food over there.

Cheers

**phuketbound** · 20-01-2009, 08:24 PM

What's in the last pic..dessert?

Interesting that they eat with their hands..it sounds like African cuisine.

What are some of the dishes in the pics?

**kingwilly** · 20-01-2009, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by phuketbound

What's in the last pic..dessert?

haha. I didnt have any, but they did have ice desserts or the cake n bread shop next door (actually same building, walk thru an archway)

erm, i dunno all their proper names, steam chiken curry, green vegetable stuff, beef rendang, fried chicken, some dried beef, goat, more chicken, crunchy little fish.

**good2bhappy** · 20-01-2009, 08:52 PM

was that Ikan Bilis?

**kingwilly** · 20-01-2009, 08:58 PM

ikan teri

**Mid** · 20-01-2009, 10:01 PM

propper gado gado works for me

**kingwilly** · 20-01-2009, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by Mid

gado gado

you wont really find it in a Padang style resto. more in java.

but delicious nonetheless, i had some for dinner tonight, but it wasnt the best one she made. never mind. MrsKW will have that for lunch and i'll scoff the meat dish leftovers.

**Mid** · 20-01-2009, 11:10 PM

traveled the length of Sumatra in '79 ,

o/nite ferry from Jakarta then some of the scariest bus trips I've ever been on .

back then I could eat rendang with the locals , now days I break into a sweat if a chili is within ten paces

**Happyman** · 21-01-2009, 12:42 AM

Used to get lovely Rijstafel in the Netherlands - was probably toned town spicewise for europeans but bloody nice !

**Rural Surin** · 21-01-2009, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by phuketbound

What's in the last pic..dessert?

Interesting that they eat with their hands..it sounds like African cuisine.

What are some of the dishes in the pics?

Actually, many Asian cultures {and sub-cultures} take food with their fingers.

**nidhogg** · 21-01-2009, 09:35 AM

At the risk of being a heretic, I would rather eat Indo or malay food over Thai food any day of the week.