TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The brick fireplace welcomed the guests along with a painting of Dutch typical house hung above the fireplace. Ceramic wares in white and blue were displayed under the painting and on the brick wall. There was no sign of embers in the fireplace, though.
Mini dolls of children crowding the shelf. Miniature of windmill and mini ceramic sandals were placed on the sideboard. A European-styled painting is also hung on the wall.
The accessories reflecting ambience of Netherlands can be found in the Dapur Manado restaurant that is located on Jalan Melati Kulon 22, Baciro, Yogyakarta. The restaurant occupies 900 meter square building that was formerly owned by a Dutch national. Not much of the classic building is renovated.
“We are selling the old time Netherlands atmosphere,” said Suparno, the person in charge of Dapur Manado.
According to Suparno, the restaurant built in 2003 is owned by Martha Maklew from Manado, North Sulawesi. Martha loves to cook and collects antique wares during her trip to Netherlands and other countries in Europe. The close historical relationship between Manado and the windmill country has prompted her enliven her restaurant with decorations typical to the Dutch country.
Dapur Manado sells various kind of Manado’s distinctive dishes such as tude bakar or roasted fish fashioned with chilli, ganemo (sautéed papaya flowers), also the delicate kakap woku. One of the distinctive desserts the restaurant has to offer is the es kacang or bean on ice.
Suparno said that all the dishes are made based on recipe composed by Martha Maklew. One of the favorite dishes in the restaurant is the ganemo. This papaya flower dish is served with dried anchovies, melinjo, garlic slices and grinded chili. The sautéed dish has delicious aroma and taste spicy hot.
“We buy certain ingredients from a special Manado ingredient supplier, the dried cinnamon is among others,” explained Suparno.
The price is varying depending on the menu. One portion of tude bakar is priced at Rp30,000 while one portion of ganemo is sold for Rp17,000. Suparno claimed that the restaurant has been visited by guests from around the world including France, Australia, and Ireland.
SHINTA MAHARANI
