A diverse list of recommended places in Bandung to get your fix of satay

Writing about satay in Bandung might be dangerously cliched for some, due to the city’s best-known building that houses the office of the West Java governor: Gedung Sate (Satay Building). But Bandung does have many good places that serve good satay, from the well-known, revered establishments to the humble roadside carts known mostly among students and locals. The Jakarta Post has compiled five recommended satay places that are worth trying on your next trip to Bandung.

Warung Sate HM. Harris

Jl. Asia Afrika No. 155, Bandung

For those who are well-versed in Bandung late-night delicacies, Warung Sate HM. Harris would come as a pretty obvious choice. Although a quick Google would indicate that the place only opens until 10 p.m., the place is very much alive well past midnight (it is open 24/7), serving flocks of weary-eyed, crew-cut gentlemen wearing polo shirts and stone-washed regular-fit jeans with gaudy Versace and the like.

Well-framed photographs of the proprietor posing with celebrities and public figures who have dined there line the walls of the dining room – something that is not out of the ordinary for more established restaurants in Indonesia.

When The Jakarta Post visited, the lamb satay’s savoriness was impeccable. Served on two-tiered hot plates and cooked more toward medium than medium-well, devouring the meat was no effort. The juiciness might have been elevated a bit by one diner, who I assume was also a first-timer, when he made a loud remark about how the meat even topped that of Wagyu beef. Although the Post cannot officially confirm this, Warung Sate HM. Harris does take pride in its selection of cuts, which are mostly lamb thighs.

Rumah Makan HM. Kamil

Jl. Stasion Selatan No. 14-15, Bandung

Homely: The facade of Rumah Makan HM. Kamil (JP/Anindito Ariwandono) (JP/Anindito Ariwandono)

Unlike Warung Sate HM. Harris, Rumah Makan HM. Kamil might come across as fairly spartan, even more so considering its position, which could be intimidating for travelers not familiar with the area. Its older, no-fuss decor, however, during the Post’s trip, gave more context and warmth to the establishment that was founded in 1973. It was homely.

“We’re open 24 hours!” said an elderly man who was working the charcoal grill. 

He joked about the earliest time he ever had to serve a customer, which was “right after the Subuh [dawn] prayer,” the man chuckled. He maintained a wide smile as if he was thinking hard. “They had probably just come out from the nearby discotheque.”

Its most sought-after menu was the sineureut satay (Sundanese for lamb tenderloin). The man gave a bitter smile when asked about the cut. At 10 p.m. in the evening, what should be expected?

The satay was served plainly on a basic plate, with peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce topped with slices of shallot and scaldingly hot cengek domba (datil pepper) served separately –which was almost unnecessary as the meat was puzzlingly juicy and alluringly charred at the same time by itself. There was not even a hint of the gamey smell that usually comes with lamb. Even the fat did not leave residue as it melted in the mouth.

Sate Pak Ali Wong Kebumen

Jl. Kebon Kawung No. 8, Bandung

For those fresh off the train in Bandung a short walk to Sate Pak Ali Wong Kebumen is definitely a must – for visitors also craving some satay, that is.

The restaurant serves big chunks of meat for its satays and grills on medium to medium-rare as standard, differing from most of the satay places in Bandung. For diners expecting the meat to be cooked over medium or nearing well done, be sure to tell the person manning the grill.

The thought of sinking one’s teeth into the tender meat of the satay again might linger for a good while after your visit.

Rumah Makan Sate Banyumas Simpang Dago

Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 174, Bandung

A plate of nostalgia: Rumah Makan Sate Banyumas Simpang Dago is a sentimental place for university students and workers settling around Simpang Dago (JP/Anindito Ariwandono) (JP/Anindito Ariwandono)

In 1970, Mukino, the current proprietor, moved to Bandung from his hometown in Surakarta, Central Java, to follow in his brothers’ footsteps. When he moved in, his brothers had already opened Rumah Makan Sate Banyumas Simpang Dago and Mukino was swept along by the waves of customers crowding the establishment. He started helping around the place, just as he was hoping for when he was on his way to Bandung from Solo.

“Well it was because of the village’s economy,” he gave a big, hearty laugh. His long white hair was tied back and a clove cigarette dangling from his well-trimmed mustache.

Rumah Makan Sate Banyumas Simpang Dago might not be one of the fancy, well-known establishments but it is a very sentimental place for the locals and the satay it serves is unquestionably good. The restaurant has definitely seen its golden days and the interior is seemingly different from how it used to be, but it still screams heavy nostalgia. Parking is a bit headache, however, as it is located on one of Bandung’s busiest intersections.

Sate Gandapura Mas Acong

Jl. Gandapura (across from Amity Studio, Jl. Gandapura No. 55), Bandung

A different breed of satay establishment when compared with the others in the list, Sate Gandapura Mas Acong is simply a roadside cart where customers dine on the sidewalk under the cover of orange tarps.

If you pass Jl. Gandapura after 4 p.m. or well into the evening, you would notice the cart grilling hefty stacks of satays non-stop, enticing passers-by in the process. For some, Sate Gandapura Mas Acong might even be considered the best, even if only its price range atbRp 17,000 (US$1.10) per portion including lontong (rice cake).

Its servings are quite generous, in terms of the size of the satays, which are quite savory, and the sauce is given in heaps (quite ridiculous when considering the price). It has been around since 1984. A must try, and even more for those traveling on a budget.