by Hoyt Nelson
INDO CAFE SARATOGA (INDONESIAN) 14443 Big Basin Way, Saratoga 408-741-1514 4.5 *, $$
In February of 1972 I took a leave of absence for a six months tour of Europe (my first big trip). I picked up a car in Germany and headed south, stopping to ski four areas in the Italian Dolomites on the way down. A few months later, I made a lucky guess in Amsterdam and ordered a rijsttafel. It means rice tablein Dutch and it’s a combination of 5 to 10 small different Indonesian plates – much like the Korean ban chan which automatically comes with most Korean entrees. Most of the flavors where unknown to me at that time, but I loved them all. When I returned, there was only one restaurant, “A Bit of Indonesia” in San Francisco, that served this type of food, but it took me a few years to find it. It’s long gone now, as well as another place in San Rafael named “The Rice Table” (too far to visit unless already in the area). There was still a smaller Ori Deli near Blossom Hill and Snell in San Jose but recently, it no longer serves meals. However, I was trolling on the net for new restaurants a week ago and tried again to find a place for rijsttafel in the area. The menu for Indo Café Saratoga came up.
I had gone to Indo Café Saratoga a few years ago, but the menu was very small at the time and didn’t seem worth the trouble. Its menu has now been greatly enlarged and so we decided to try it again. What a surprise. It just became one of our favorite places – even before we were served. It was one of the best Indonesian meals ever. Unfortunately, Rijsttafel is only served on special occasions but you can order several small plates to get the same effect – all excellent. We had a Nasi Campur (combination of chicken satay, chili egg, tempeh (soy beans fermented in sweetened soy sauce), corn fritter, cucumber, seasoned peanuts and kale with spicy beef. We also had a small plate of Otak-Otak (a popular SE Asian snack of ground fish cake with spicy peanut sauce and tapioca), and our choice of white, yellow, swirl or coconut rice (always get the coconut rice – I could eat a whole meat of this – even with no sauce at all). Other interesting items are: jackfruit curry, beef rending, Mie Tek-Tek (Indonesian street food noodles, scrambled egg, fried shallots, shredded chicken and shrimp crackers) plus many others rarely seen in these parts. Maria, the Indonesian chef, even makes her own sanbal (my favorite hot sauce that I keep in my frig. at all times). Just ask Google for a menu for the place (it’s not on YELP’s website).
Downtown Saratoga is just one short street, but this place is 150 feet down a small alley with no sign on Big Basin Way. The alley is the closest one on the right (as you enter town) to 14443 Big Basin Way. (The city gave the owner, Rick, such a hard time about putting a sign on the main street that he finally gave up.) Judging by the crowd when we came, he’s doing OK in spite of this. Prices of the food are reasonable –especially in upscale down town Saratoga. If you are looking for something different, try this.
Ein Bisschen Duetsches Essen
We just came back from our second visit to Esther’s German Bakery(987 N San Antonio Rd, Los Altos tel.650-941-4463). We were even more impressed with it than the first time. It’s primarily a small deli with seating on the sidewalk, inside and a small attempt at a beer garden in the back. (There’s easier parking back there too.) The cooking is sophisticated, and fairly extensive (for a small deli) with about a dozen beers and a few delicious house-made baked goods for dessert. Prices are reasonable. There’s a Friday night special with sausage, sauerkraut and a beer for $10. On our last trip, we had a chicken schnitzel and a beef rouladen that came with some of the best spatzle we’ve ever had. We think they probably get their meats at Ditmer’s, just across San Antonio Rd. which has the largest selection of German meats and other deli items you will ever see in this country. We’d put Esther’s near the top of other places we’ve visited, such as Teske’s, Hardy’s, Ludwig’s, Harry’s (now gone), and Gunther’s. If we widen our range a bit, we’d include Tyrolean Inn (in Ben Lomond), Spiesekammer in Alameda and a few old chestnuts in San Francisco. These places all have their good points but many would add/subtract places for this list.
