The Dutch-Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table) is an elaborate collection of dishes that present a melange of sweet, spicy and savoury flavours to the palette. Served in a buffet-type setting, rijsttafel pairs the Dutch ethos of togetherness (gezelligheid) with Indonesian cuisine’s unique and vibrant flavours and spices. From sweet and sour pickled vegetables and stewed greens in coconut sauce to spicy stewed beef and chicken satays slathered in a fragrant peanut sauce, there’s something for everyone to discover and enjoy.

A staple in the Netherlands, Indonesian cuisine is only recently starting to gain attention in North America. Justin Go and Alison Broverman are delighted to bring their version of the rijsttafel to The Depanneur. The meal will feature six vegetable dishes – including gado gado (an Indonesia salad of blanched and steamed vegetables topped with peanut sauce) and green beans in a spicy coconut sauce – six meat dishes – such as beef randang (a slowly stewed beef in a spicy sauce), babi pangang (grilled pork in a sweet and sour sauce) and chicken satay – along with a number of sides and condiments all served to nasi goreng (Indonesia fried rice) and plain rice.

Whether familiar or completely new to the world of Indonesian cuisine, we hope this will be a rijsttafel to remember!

RIJSTTAFEL MENU
VEGETABLE
Sambal goreng buncis: green beans in a spicy coconut sauce
Gado gado: Indonesian salad of blanched and steamed vegetables
Sajur lodeh: stewed vegetables in a coconut broth
Perkedel: Indonesian fried potato patties
Atjar ketimun manis: pickled cucumber

MEAT
Chicken satay: skewered marinated chicken
Beef rendang: spicy stewed beef
Babi pangang: grilled pork in sweet and sour sauce
Ajam paniki: chicken in spicy coconut sauce
Indonesian meatballs: seasoned meatballs in a sweet kecap sauce

SIDES
Krupuk: deep-fried shrimp-flavoured crackers
Seroendeng: toasted coconut flakes and peanuts
Peanut sauce: two types of Indonesian-spiced peanut sauce

RICE
Plain & Nasi goreng: Indonesian fried rice

DESSERT
Pisang goreng: deep-fried banana fritters
Speculaas ice cream: spiced cookies and cream ice cream

*** Please note that some menu items may change. ***
*** Peanuts feature prominently in a number of dishes. ***
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$50 +HST

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For nearly three years, Justin Go and Alison Broverman have been running the Dutch popup restaurant Borrel. Cooking such rustic fare as boerenkool (stewed kale with mashed potato) and fast-food favourites like krokets and frikandellen (made completely from scratch), Borrel has helped reunite Dutch expats with the beloved food of their homeland and introduce Torontonians to the nosh of the Netherlands – a cuisine surprisingly absent from the city’s wide culinary landscape. After many requests from customers and a desire to reconnect with the food Justin fondly remembers his grandfather cooking on trips back to the Netherlands – not to mention a whole lot of trial and error in the kitchen these past few weeks – Justin and Alison are thrilled to be attempting to tackle the Indonesian rijsttafel for the very first time at The Depanneur. Their hope is that these Indonesian recipes and the rijsttafel will become as celebratory an event as their popular Borrels.

BorrelTO: Bringing traditional Dutch snacks and comfort food to Toronto
Twitter: @BorrelTO | Instagram: BorrelTO
https://borreltoronto.wordpress.com/

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Every weekend The Depanneur invites an amateur or professional guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party.