Sahid Jaya - Indonesian restaurant, Amsterdam

4 more images

“Immeasurable is the satisfaction of a nation that finds its liberty realized.”
— Her Majesty Juliana, Queen of The Netherlands (1909-2004)

LETTING GO These remarks were made by Her Majesty on 27.December.1949 when she gathered in Amsterdam’s Royal Palace with Dutch and Indonesian officials to formally end 340 years of Dutch rule in Indonesia. Those present reported that Her Majesty cried, just a bit.

The Dutch East Indies, as Indonesia was known for 340 years, gave much to the Netherlands; one of the best gifts was its native cuisine, known as rijsttafel, Dutch for rice table. We took our dinner in the garden of Restaurant Jaya. The garden was quiet and cool; the beautiful Baroque architecture (see photo #5) was a pleasure to look at.

Oh! there was so much good food. You will not leave a rijsttafel with an empty belly! It is possible to order a meat rijsttafel or a vegetarian, as I did. Service was excellent. A young woman, living in Amsterdam as part of her college education in the hospitality trade, was an Indonesian native.

As I sat enjoying the rear façade of the building next to the restaurant, I wondered: is the elaborate decoration at the less-public rear of the house meant to reflect the inner life of the 17th- and 18th-century century Dutch? And are the more-public, austere façades meant to reflect the dull, plain outward appearance of those same Dutch Calvinists?

Various Indonesian - eg Sahid Jaya
The great thing about eating in Amsterdam is that you could sample the food from a different nationality every day of your stay. Indonesian is one that we don't see so often in the UK. The Sahid Jaya has a lovely garden to eat in if the weather is suitable.

Favorite Dish: Rijsttafel -if you've never had one before the easiest way to describe it is that you will get a selection of dishes, like you would at a Chinese banquet, but they are more spicy (some are extremely hot).

Probably my second choice when I have to entertain guests and Sama Sebo is fully booked.
Sahid Jaya is a good looking restaurant near Koningsplein in the city center. The food is good and quite authentic.

As with other Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam go for the rijsttaffel (rice dish menu) so you get to sample many different food in small portions.

Overall a good restaurant; but my ideal picture of an authentic Indonesian restaurant is something that is more cozy while Sahid Jaya is more of a white linen tablecloth restaurant - good looking but rather 'cold'