Ya-Udah Bistro, a boost for Jaksa food lovers<\/p>\n
Bill Blade, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
There was a time when Jl. Jaksa meant basically just two
\nthings, cheap digs and cheap hooch for the hordes of backpackers
\nand ne'er-do-well expats who tended to lurk in its dingy watering
\nholes.<\/p>\n
As for good food, that was something that Jakarta's very own
\nstreet of shame was not synonymous with.<\/p>\n
For despite the large number of self-styled restaurants, they
\nall confined themselves to serving up the same tired old fare
\nthat the locals mistakenly believed appealed to tourists.<\/p>\n
The times, however, they are a changing, and the inevitable
\nshake up that resulted from the economic crisis has allowed a
\nwhole crop of new operators to get their fingers in the Jaksa pie
\n(as Warren Buffet once said, it's only when the tide goes out
\nthat you see who's being swimming without shorts).<\/p>\n
As myself and a companion found out recently, a new arrival
\nthat will certainly boost Jl. Jaksa's claim to culinary kudos is
\nthe curiously named Ya-Udah Bistro (\"Ya, udah\" translates as
\nsomething like \"Ya, OK\").<\/p>\n
Located at Jl. Jaksa No. 49 (you can call them on 3143932 or
\n3144121), this particular eatery is a cinch to find, located as
\nit is right on Jaksa's main drag and only a stone's throw from
\nJl. Wahid Hashim.<\/p>\n
Decked out in a mixture of loud orange and yellow hues, and
\nwith steel frame chairs and tables, Ya-Udah Bistro's interior
\ndesign certainly won't win any awards in the esthetic stakes
\n(unless the judges are Tellytubbies), and may best be described
\nas functional.<\/p>\n
Despite this, the entire place is as spick and span as you're
\nlikely to find anywhere and, as a bonus, the kitchen is open to
\nthe dining area so you can try to learn something from Chef
\nMustopha as he prepares his creations.<\/p>\n
The menu has something for everybody, whether German or
\nBritish, Asian or European, without degenerating into a culinary
\nhodgepodge where quality has been thrown to the winds. Of course,
\nan extensive international menu is only as it should be given
\nthat Jl. Jaksa sees more foreigners in a day than most other
\nparts of Indonesia see in a year.<\/p>\n
For her starter, my companion decided to try out the spring
\nrolls (Rp 8,500), which turned out to be large and satisfying,
\nwith crispy, paper thin skins and ample fillings, far removed
\nfrom the pencil thin versions served up in so many eateries.<\/p>\n
As for myself, I found it impossible to resist what I
\nanticipated would be the delights of the erbsensuppe mit wurst
\n(German pea soup with beef sausage), accompanied by dark German
\nrye bread (Rp 12,500). I wasn't disappointed. Presented in an
\nenormous bowl and more than sufficient to satisfy the hungriest
\nof diners, this is a hearty North European favorite and, in fact,
\ncould quite easily be considered a meal in itself. A simple dish
\ndesigned to nourish rather than please the eye, the well-seasoned
\nsoup and thick slices of rye bread didn't fail to hit the mark in
\nthe taste stakes, and were just what the doctor ordered on a damp
\nJakarta evening.<\/p>\n
Being rather partial to German food (and spurred on by the
\nexceptionally reasonable prices), I decided to try out another
\nstarter, ostensibly for sharing with my companion. The choice
\nthis time was the bockwurst (German sausage) and potato salad (Rp
\n12,500), which involved a full 20 centimeter bockwurst (produced
\nspecially for Ya-Udah by a German butcher in Cirebon), and an
\nabsolutely wonderful potato salad which, according to the menu
\nblurb, was made to \"grandma's secret recipe\".<\/p>\n
As Chef Mustopha later explained, this was perhaps going a
\nlittle overboard.<\/p>\n
The dressing is, however, made to a traditional South German
\nrecipe and, as always, it's the dressing that makes the salad.
\nThis one consists of vinegar, oil, mustard and a beaten egg, with
\nthe whole ensemble left to chill out in the fridge for a couple
\nof hours. All in all, a deliciously tart complement to the
\nlightly spiced and slightly sweet bockwurst (both pork or beef
\nare available).<\/p>\n
For our main courses, my partner opted for the beef Stroganoff
\n(Rp 28,500), while I settled for the half roast chicken and
\nfrench fries (Rp 22,500).<\/p>\n
Served in the well of a daintily arranged circle of white
\nrice, the Stroganoff was pronounced a fine exemplar of this dish
\ninvented by one Count Paul Stroganoff, a 19th century Russian
\ndiplomat. Funny how his name lives on in the kitchen although
\nalmost completely forgotten in his chosen field.<\/p>\n
Officially described as a red wine demiglaze, it consists of
\nreduced beef stock, red wine, some cream and cayenne pepper. Add
\na dash of the old Lea & Perrins and a bay leaf, and you end up
\nwith a true culinary delight, provided you've got the right
\ntouch, of course.<\/p>\n
Well, if my partner's word is anything to go by, it would
\nappear that Chef Mustopha does indeed have the right touch.<\/p>\n
As for my roast (rotisserie) chicken and fries, well it could
\nhave been a little warmer, but it was rather late in the evening
\nand we were more or less the last diners so I'm not complaining.
\nBesides, the lightly browned fries were done just the way I like
\nthem, dry and crispy.<\/p>\n
All meals in Ya-Udah are served with that delicious, sweet
\nGerman mustard which, unfortunately, is not available here in the
\nbig smoke but which Ya-Udah imports specially from Germany.<\/p>\n
As I finished my meal, I couldn't help asking myself why there
\ncouldn't be more places like Ya-Udah serving up good and tasty
\nfood at reasonable prices? The answer, of course, is that in this
\nparticular city of joy mammon reigns supreme and such things as
\nconcern for the diner and even common courtesy have become
\nluxuries that have long been dispensed with.<\/p>\n
All praise to Ya-Udah for doing something to bring about a
\nwelcome change!<\/p>",
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