Bunga Mawar - Amsterdam Restaurant Review
About.com Rating
Amid the slew of restaurants on the Zeedijk, only one is an Indonesian eatery. The modest Bunga Mawar is simple, but satisfactory in its renditions of the Netherlands' favorite Asian cuisine; yet, with some exceptions, the flavors were too toned down for my palate.
Pros
Cons
Description
Amsterdam visitors may be spoiled for choice when it comes to the Zeedijk, Chinatown's restaurant row, which features options from an established Dutch tea house to an authentic Malaysian eatery; however, there's only one restaurant on the block that serves up Indonesian fare, one of the country's most beloved cuisines, introduced to the Netherlands when present-day Indonesia was a Dutch colony. With several visitors in tow, all curious to try this cuisine that's seldom encountered in Europe, we decided to take a blind chance on Bunga Mawar, whose name translates to "rose" in Bahasa Indonesia.
We felt immediately welcomed by the affable owner, who invited us to take a seat in the small, simply decorated restaurant. The clean, white walls were decorated with a few pictures and artifacts from (presumably) Indonesia; aside from that, the interior was bare-bones but comfortable. The drink case in the front lent the restaurant the air of a far more informal toko, and seemed a little out-of-place in the sit-down restaurant.
The menu was limited for an Indonesian joint, which to me was a positive indication that the restaurant focused on just a few dishes that it excelled in. The choice was a no-brainer for my party, who were chiefly new to Indonesian food: the nasi rames, or 'mixed rice'. Diners won't find the popular rijsttafel ('rice table') on the menu, a lavish spread of pan-Indonesian specialties that arose from colonial banquet fare; the nasi rames, however, is its more humble counterpart - various Indonesian dishes centered around a mound of rice. Five of us opted for a collective nasi rames, while another ordered the ayam cili pedas, spicy chili chicken, after the owner assured us there was no coconut in the dish.
The food arrived promptly, with dishes too numerous to count, and with a massive bowl of fluffy rice as the centerpiece. But most of the dishes proved to be mediocre. The sambal tahoe goreng, fried tofu marinated in spicy Indonesian pepper sauce (sambal), lacked the kick I associate with the dish. The beef rendang, an Indonesian classic of caramelized beef curry, missed the complex flavor profile of a true rendang; one online write-up, however, attributes this to the subtler flavors of the Sundanese cuisine of West Java, where the owner hails from. The meat in both of the beef dishes was dry instead of tender. The sambal telur (eggs in chili sauce), however, was richly flavorful. One of the nasi rames dishes, a stir-fry redolent of coconut milk, resembled the side dish that came with my coconut-phobic friend's chili chicken; indeed, the owner hadn't quite processed her aversion to coconut. The chicken itself, however, was deliciously fiery, possibly the best dish on the table.
Despite several uninspired dishes, the sheer variety staved off any palate fatigue until we were sated. I had hoped that the one Indonesian contribution to the Zeedijk would have borne more memorable food, but it was by no means unsatisfactory. The service was prompt, and aside from one (substantial) hiccup, my party was well taken care of; moreover, the food is a fair bit more affordable than comparable restaurants in the center. Still, in a city with a number of excellent Indonesian restaurants, and on a street with far more palatable options, I'd be hard-pressed to return to a restaurant whose dishes were so hit-or-miss.
Amid the slew of restaurants on the Zeedijk, only one is an Indonesian eatery. The modest Bunga Mawar is simple, but satisfactory in its renditions of the Netherlands' favorite Asian cuisine; yet, with some exceptions, the flavors were too toned down for my palate.
Pros
- A conveniently central spot for a taste of Indonesian food and a humbler variant of the popular Indo rijsttafel
- Affordable prices, especially for a restaurant smack in the center
Cons
- Some dishes were on the mediocre side
- Some communication difficulties with the staff - which resulted in a botched request for my party
Description
- Address: Zeedijk 41
1012 AR Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0)20 620 3472 - Location: Amsterdam Chinatown
- Directions: From the south exit of Amsterdam Central Station, cross Stationsplein and turn left onto Prins Hendrikkade. Cross to the south side of Prins Hendrikkade, which forks off into Zeedijk (by the Hotel Prins Hendrik).
- Attire: Casual.
- Decor: Simple and cozy.
- Payment: Cash only.
Amsterdam visitors may be spoiled for choice when it comes to the Zeedijk, Chinatown's restaurant row, which features options from an established Dutch tea house to an authentic Malaysian eatery; however, there's only one restaurant on the block that serves up Indonesian fare, one of the country's most beloved cuisines, introduced to the Netherlands when present-day Indonesia was a Dutch colony. With several visitors in tow, all curious to try this cuisine that's seldom encountered in Europe, we decided to take a blind chance on Bunga Mawar, whose name translates to "rose" in Bahasa Indonesia.
We felt immediately welcomed by the affable owner, who invited us to take a seat in the small, simply decorated restaurant. The clean, white walls were decorated with a few pictures and artifacts from (presumably) Indonesia; aside from that, the interior was bare-bones but comfortable. The drink case in the front lent the restaurant the air of a far more informal toko, and seemed a little out-of-place in the sit-down restaurant.
The menu was limited for an Indonesian joint, which to me was a positive indication that the restaurant focused on just a few dishes that it excelled in. The choice was a no-brainer for my party, who were chiefly new to Indonesian food: the nasi rames, or 'mixed rice'. Diners won't find the popular rijsttafel ('rice table') on the menu, a lavish spread of pan-Indonesian specialties that arose from colonial banquet fare; the nasi rames, however, is its more humble counterpart - various Indonesian dishes centered around a mound of rice. Five of us opted for a collective nasi rames, while another ordered the ayam cili pedas, spicy chili chicken, after the owner assured us there was no coconut in the dish.
The food arrived promptly, with dishes too numerous to count, and with a massive bowl of fluffy rice as the centerpiece. But most of the dishes proved to be mediocre. The sambal tahoe goreng, fried tofu marinated in spicy Indonesian pepper sauce (sambal), lacked the kick I associate with the dish. The beef rendang, an Indonesian classic of caramelized beef curry, missed the complex flavor profile of a true rendang; one online write-up, however, attributes this to the subtler flavors of the Sundanese cuisine of West Java, where the owner hails from. The meat in both of the beef dishes was dry instead of tender. The sambal telur (eggs in chili sauce), however, was richly flavorful. One of the nasi rames dishes, a stir-fry redolent of coconut milk, resembled the side dish that came with my coconut-phobic friend's chili chicken; indeed, the owner hadn't quite processed her aversion to coconut. The chicken itself, however, was deliciously fiery, possibly the best dish on the table.
Despite several uninspired dishes, the sheer variety staved off any palate fatigue until we were sated. I had hoped that the one Indonesian contribution to the Zeedijk would have borne more memorable food, but it was by no means unsatisfactory. The service was prompt, and aside from one (substantial) hiccup, my party was well taken care of; moreover, the food is a fair bit more affordable than comparable restaurants in the center. Still, in a city with a number of excellent Indonesian restaurants, and on a street with far more palatable options, I'd be hard-pressed to return to a restaurant whose dishes were so hit-or-miss.
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