Satay is very important to me when I travel to Indonesia. It is one of the best foods that Indonesia has to offer–very small chunks of tender meat skewed onto bamboo sticks and grilled over an open flame, basted with a salty sweet marinade and served with a tasty peanut sauce. However, I have yet to find the best version of satay in the local area where I spend most of my time, Menteng. There is a rather upscale restaurant named Sate Khas Senayan (Special Senayan Satay) which has very good meat served in air-conditioned comfort. This place as outlets all over Jakarta, and is popular with the businessman/politician crowd. But the sauce there is too bland, too smooth and refined and processed for my tastes. On the other hand, there are two little roadside stalls, Pondok Sate Pak Heri and Rumah Makan Jaya Agung that have the perfect sauces, a bit more chunky and thick with sweet soy sauce, nice little roughly-chopped shallots and pickle on the side, but the meat is not as good. They are certainly more authentic, given that they use whatever part of the goat/cow/chicken that they can, but the meat is undoubtedly tougher and chewier.
So I’m asking the internet. Internet people, what is the best place in Menteng (preferably in the Jalan Sabang area) for satay? Remember, my two real goals for satay are (1) tender juicy meat and (2) authentic, not-too-processed sauce. I like all types of satay, including beef, lamb/goat, chicken, and "parts." Suggestions appreciated in the comments below.
(I have put the title in this post in Indonesian to attract Indonesians googling randomly who can advise me properly on this question. Saya menerjemahkan judul post ini ke bahasa Indonesia untuk menerima pengunjung Indonesia yang nasehatnya amat diperlu. Orang internet, restoran/rumah makan mana yang menyediakan sate yang paling enak di Menteng (khususnya dekat wilayah Sabang)? Yang paling penting adalah: (1) dagingnya lunak, dan (2) saos kacangnya sedap dan agak kasar, tidak diproses hingga halus-halus. Bisa sate kambing, sapi, ayam, apa saja.)
TK July 3, 2008
Try this link to see if that helps:
http://forum.detik.com/showthread.php?t=1628&page=3 (especially on the comment made by scoob about food locations around jakarta)
TK July 3, 2008
Try this link to see if that help (especially on scoob’s comment about food location in west jakarta):
http://forum.detik.com/showthread.php?t=1628&page=3
Tom July 4, 2008
OK, that is helpful. The one “depan kantor polisi” is Pondok Sate Pak Heri. Trims!