Rijstaffel (sp?)?
 

Recommendations for good examples in the US....

You mean the Indonesian rijsttafel?

Given the good size of Indian population, I would think you should try your luck in Houston. Never tried this one myself but google lead me to it.

I love it but I've never found a decent one in the US. Visit Holland!

India and Indonesia are very different countries...

Not Indian, more a dutch version of Indonesian food. Haven't found it at the few Indonesian places I've been to in the US, which haven't been very good either. I'd suggest a mileage run to Amsterdam :) Or alternately to DPS and stop by a warung :)

Rijsttafel at SFA
 

When in San Fransisco and looking for Rijsttafel (please note spelling) try:

Borobudur Restaurant 700 Post Street (at Jones) San Francisco, CA 94109

Telephone. 415.775.1512

Not a fine dining experience but solid ethnic cuisine in a small corner place within walking distance of down town financial district.

For $27.50 for one person (slightly cheaper for two) or so you get a multicourse dinner served in a series of bowls:

Appetizer: Lumpia Semarang (Indonesian Spring Roll) ... not memorable

Soup: Soto Ayam (Smooth lemon grass soup with chicken)

Main Course (rice included)

Gado-Gado/salad (Steamed vegetables, tofu, potato & egg with peanut dressing) Not the best Gado Gado I have had but maybe more authentic?

Sate Ayam (B.B.Q. marinated chicken on skewer with peanut dressing) Tastey

Kari Udang (Shrimps & vegetables in coconut curry sauce) MMM good

Ayam Panggang Bumbu Rujak (B.B.Q. marinated chicken cooked with spicy coconut milk sauce) Yum

Rendang (Sumatra beef stew with spices in coconut milk sauce) Beef a little chewy in places but good bold flavor

Oseng Oseng Tahu Tempe (Sauteed Java soy bean cake & tofu) not memorable

Choice of : vanilla ice cream or black sweet rice with coconut milk )I went with the black rice.. very nice... really the only choice to make to finish the rice table don't you think?

My dining partner and I had a very tastey satisfying meal, with bold flavors. We both thought it good value.

Yes, not as good as you can get in Amsterdam but a lot cheaper than flying to the Netherlands I would think!

Well, I am aware of that and didn't mean to confuse those two. ;)

I think I should have made it much more clearly that Houston has good size of Indian and Southeast Asian minorities, OP should have better luck there, in comparison to other cities in Texas.

Two possible places for Rijsttafel in Austin:

Java Gardens 1717 Pleasant Valley #280, 512-385-8858 Chinese, Indonesian Under $10 The lunch buffet is almost entirely Chinese, while the evening menu is mostly Indonesian with a few Chinese items remaining for the regulars. The Sunday buffet menu changes weekly.

Java Noodles 2400 E. Oltorf #14, 512-443-5282 Indonesian $10-25 Find Indonesian fare and a menu that demands exploration by the adventurous. The lunch buffet and Sunday brunch are among the best bargains in town.


I need to check these out and report back. The Sunday buffet at Java Gardens was referred to as a Rijsttafel by a reviewer a few years back,

Not exactly in the US but in vancouver, B.C.

http://www.spiceislandsindonesian.com/

As mentioned Rijsttafel is, strictly speaking, a Dutch dish. So you will of course find the best examples in the Netherlands. For Amsterdam, try Sama Sebo. For The Hague, I can't recall the name, but it is a short walk from the Hotel des Indes (Starwood Luxury property).

I really doubt you will find the real thing in the US. Maybe someplace in NYC or Long Island?

yes would agree, had it many times in Amsterdam but it has been awhile so I can't recall the names of any places. After reading this thread, I now know what I'm going to have for the one night I'm in AMS in a couple months.

Also, on our honeymoon, Mrs Sweet Willie and I had a really good Rijsttafel on the Dutch side of St Maarten at a place called Wajang Doll http://www.caribbeanedge.com/st_maar...jang_doll.html

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I'm surprised this hasn't become more popular in the US - it is such a fantastic way to eat...

could not agree more

If you build it...

they won't come

Use to be a place for Rijsttafel in La Jolla, Ca called Bali...not sure if they are still in business but was very good.

Care to clarify? What would make people decide to ignore it?

googled it to find one nearby, and the first choice comes up in Brooklyn with a linky to the menu.
http://www.allmenus.com/ny/brooklyn/22781-java/menu/

anyone care to translate the Rusttafel feast?


Rusttafel

($35.95 for two people). A classic Indonesian dinner and a feast consisting of ail the following. Coffee or Tea as well as a choice of dessert is included
(8) Soto Madura

(14) Acar

(16) Sate Madura

(35) Ikan Bumbu Bali

(27) Rendang

(40) Sambal Goreng Udang (Baby Shrimps)

Rice and Sambal

(hot sauce)
(12) Gado - Gado

(17) Kare Ayam

(33) Kambing Goreng

(24) Sate Bali

(47) Sayur Tumis

I would :)

Especially if there were banana fritters involved

my good friend Mr. Google, found one not too far from me... no banana fritters though

http://www.juliasindokitchen.com/Menu/index.html

I wasn't exactly impressed with the "R" I had in Amsterdam either! I like Satay much better

OK... here is a rough translation in bold....


(8) Soto Madura .....Madura Island Style Soup ...w/ beef, bean sprouts

(14) Acar Indonesian Garden Salad, w/ cabbage, ginger dressing

(16) Sate Madura Maduran Island style sate ... probably a lamb sate with a sweet soy/coriander marianade

(35) Ikan Bumbu Bali Fried White Fish, with Chili, Tamarind based sauce

(27) Rendang Typically a beef dish slow cooked in coconut milk, w/ ginger, lemon grass, chilis

(40) Sambal Goreng Udang (Baby Shrimps) shrimp in spicy sauce with chillis, lemon grass

(12) Gado - Gado Cooked vegetable salad (such as green beans,cabbage, perhaps hard boiled egg with peanut sauce)

(17) Kare Ayam Java style Chicken Curry cooked in coconut milk with shallots, garlic, lemon grass etc

(33) Kambing Goreng traditionaly diced goat fried in paste from crushed and powdered chillies, but could be lamb

(24) Sate Bali hard to say what this may be... could be sate from ground chicken, popular in Bali

(47) Sayur Tumis Stir fried Vegetables (such as cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, garlic)

Nice menu slection.... I can't believe that they don't have banana fritters... whats the world coming to.

Years ago usd to go to a small Indonesian place in Vancouver that have just lucious banana fritters!

There's http://www.myindocafe.com/ up the road at NorthGate. Better fish in my limited experience, still not great.

Sounds good, thanks!

Maaaaaan, I live in Houston and the only decent rijsttaffel I've been able to find has been at a Dutch friend's huis.

There are only two places in Houston that purport to be Indonesian, and no Dutch restaurants so don't come lookin' for a delicious feast here.

Remember the name and/or where it was by any chance? For a while, I went to a Indonesian restaurant on Fraser between 25th and 24th that had a nice buffet. Elderly Chinese Indonesian proprietors retired and the place is now a Viet noodle house.

There are at least 2 places here in Miami, which is unusual given the dearth of decent Asian cuisine here.

I do not remember the name. That was probably the place, certainly the general area. It was indeed run by an older couple. I think the husband was the chef. They had a great chicken dish with dark sweet soy sauce and spices.