Sate on the Square

This will go down as one of our more memorable urban dining experiences: sate Padang (skewers of grilled beef and pressed rice cake doused with spicy, peanut-free sauce), eaten to the tune of a traveling kuda lemping troupe's gamelan as evening falls on Jakarta's Taman Fatahilla.

According to a number of Jakartans I spoke with last week, five years ago this square in front of the Jakarta History Museum (and the lanes that spoke from it) was far from the sort of place you'd want to find yourself in the evening - unless, that is, you were involved in illicit activities. Jakarta's got a long way to go if it really intends to preserve its built heritage, and Fatahilla is still a bit on the gritty side, but it's become a legitimate gathering place of sorts for young people and families and out-of-towners.

A great spot to while away a couple of hours, sample some street treats, and bask in the warmth of a Jakarta-style welcome.

Comments

[Joseph Hayes]

I continue to be impressed with your photos. Great shot!

[J2Kfm]

beef satay with rice cakes? grilled with sauce? without any accompanying dipping sauce ah?

sounds fine. least diff from the usual peanut sauce.

[Robyn]

Thanks Joseph, from Dave.

J2Kfm - not grilled with sauce, the sauce is poured over after (the sate guy also dips the hot-off-the-grill sate into a tub of the stuff before laying the skewers on top of the rice cakes). It's a little tomato-ey (less so this version, more so in Padang) and very spicy.

[Pat]

The very first time I wandered around Jakarta as an adult I went to the Jakarta History Museum. It's a fascinating place, a little depressing because the artifacts were not well taken care of, but a great visit nonetheless. I got a big scolding from my aunt for heading to that part of town on my own! This was about 10 years ago.

[Robyn]

Hey Pat - unfortunately the museum is still not well taken care of, but it is an amazing building (did you check out the prison cells?) with a creepy history. Did you know there were drawing and quarterings in the square in front, way back when?