Dapur Babah Restaurant

Address: Jl. Veteran I No. 18-19 Jakarta Pusat
Telephone: (021) 385-5653
Operating Hours: 11.00 - 23.00
Reservations: Recommended
Dapur Babah is an increasingly popular blast from the past, providing a boost in the preservation movement of old and historical buildings in Jakarta. This fine dining establishment serves the mixed culture that resulted from marriages between Chinese settlers, and the native Javanese women, referred to as Babah. In daily life, the Babah culture in Java developed from the gradual fusion of three cultures living side by side: Chinese, the local Javanese, and Dutch. The fused culture includes a specific dining culture, which encompasses the dining ritual as well as the choice of dishes. The dishes served in Dapur babah are the result of the experiments of the babah wives (known as Nyonya) as well as house-cooks and maids (known as Bedienden) who cooked without any previously documented recipes. The Babah kitchen, with its delicious food and the homey, motherly rituals, inspired the creation of Dapur Babah. The owner/designer of Tugu Hotels and exotic spas by Anhar Setjadibrata is thr proud owner of Dapur Babah.
Dapur Babah showcases the history of the Oei Family, a wealthy Babah family that lived in Java at the end of the 19th century. Dapur Babah keeps the statue of the Goddess of Protection as well as an image of the Oei Family in the kitchen, to give them confidence in the quality of their dishes. Most diners would agree, and we can understand why. Specialties include Nasi Tjampoer Babah (pandanus rice mixed with lavish Javanese crisp-fried shrimp, marinated grated coconut, salutéed tofu and soybean cake in ketjap sauce, marinated beef, stewed vegetables in coconut milk, fricadel van garnalen, chicken cooked in chilli sauce, peanut, Javanese crackers, sambal) served with piping hot and robustly-flavoredly Sayur Lodeh (stewed vegetables in coconut milk). Bebek Goreng Boemboe Lengkuas (half fried duck marinated) in their special galangal sauce) that was served fresh and tasty. Make sure you don’t miss the Wedang Ronde (Babah style sweet ginger dessert with little rice balls filled grilled nuts) served hot before leaving Dapur Babah.