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Where to dine like a royal in Yogyakarta, Surakarta
Those traveling to Yogyakarta and Surakarta should consider spending some time devouring its delectable traditional dishes, especially those that are known to be popular among the kings and royal families.
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Delectable Javanese traditional dishes. (Shutterstock/File)
H
ome to palaces and royalty, Yogyakarta and Surakarta make interesting tourist destinations as they both offer remarkable landscapes as well as fascinating cultures.
Those traveling to Yogyakarta and Surakarta should consider spending some time devouring its delectable traditional dishes, especially those that are known to be popular among the kings and royal families.
Below are three restaurants where you can have a taste of such dishes inside elegant, Javanese-style establishments surrounded by heritage items as compiled by kompas.com:
Bale Raos, Yogyakarta
This restaurant can be found at the south side of the Kraton in Yogyakarta on Jl. Magangan Kulon No. 1, Panembahan village.
The exterior features a traditional joglo design and pillars adorned with kraton-style carvings. Throughout their dining experience, patrons can also expect to be entertained by the smooth gamelan music gending Jawa.
Established in 2004 by a family of Kraton Yogyakarta KPGH Hadiwinoto, the restaurant aims at preserving the city's kraton culinary heritage and make it available to the public.
Around 70 dishes are presented on the menu, including a favorite of Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, bebek suwar-suwir (shredded duck) with kedondong (mombin) sauce, as well as semur piyik (squab with sweet soya sauce) and Dutch-style Huzaren salad that is said to be the favorite dish of King Hamengkubuwono VIII.
Read also: Five Jakarta restaurants every health enthusiast must try
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Other popular dishes at the restaurant are lombok kethok (beef cooked with chili), wedang secang (traditional drink) and bir Jawa (Javanese beer).
Gadri Resto, Yogyakarta
Located within the kraton area on Jl. Rotowijayan, this place has been open for more than 20 years and also provides dishes that are popular with the kings.
Run by the wife of Sultan Hamengkubuwono X's younger brother, GBPH Joyokusumo, Gadri Resto boasts delicious food like nasi blawong (spiced rice) served with ayam bacem (chicken cooked with coconut sugar), lombok kethok daging (beef chili), telur pindang goreng (fried braised egg), peyek teri (anchovy crackers), lalapan (vegetable salad) and sambal (chili). One of Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX's favorite food that is available there is arseng, a sweet condiment of riped banana cooked without palm sugar.
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Patrons can also explore this place as it serves as a museum, hosting many heritage items of kraton.
Read also: Kaum Jakarta named capital's restaurant of the year
Omah Sinten, Surakarta
Lucu tempatnya dan nyaman! #omahsinten #soloindonesia
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As its location suggests, Omah Sinten offers various dishes of Kraton Kasunanan and Pura Mangkunegaran Solo. Situated very close to Pura Mangkunegaran, it boasts palace-inspired design and decoration.
One of the most unique dishes here is nasi golong, which is served with urap sayuran (vegetable salad with shredded coconut), boiled egg, fried tofu, tempeh, chicken, sayur lomcom (clear soup), boiled spinach, corn and carrot.
Back at Solo again. #nasigolong #traditionalsolo
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Other recommended dishes at Omah Sinten is sate penthul, which is a rare food as it is only cooked at the palace once every eight years, during a traditional ceremony named Adang Sega Tahun Dal. (kes)
