We proceeded to keep a date with the owners of The Sawah, a homely restaurant housed in a bungalow nestled in the midst of paddy fields , the restaurant’s namesake.
It is in the region of Bantul, southwest of Jogja, about an hour by car, and rated number two ( recently elevated to #1 ) out of 597 restaurants in Yogyakarta.
Sightseeing
If you are early, do explore the Kesongan pottery village close by, or, like us, stroll along the country lanes at sunset : the mist, the green paddy fields, the golden light, which made the shadows of the trees longer, the landscape flatter, and everything softer, coupled with the muezzin’s prayers from the distant village mosque–time here came to a standstill… and I took a mental snapshot.
Restaurant
The Javanese architecture, open – planned house with lots of water features like sunken pools with stone slab walkways over it, lots of exposed beams, carved panel doorways, and a spacious pergola where we were to enjoy our meal in tranquility : It felt like home.
A welcome drink, followed by a soto ayam vermicelli soup, enriched by a small spoonful of sambal and a slice of lime , a very good appetiser : warms the belly, spicy and tangy.
The main course that follows is a Rijstaffel of 9 dishes served with your choice of rice : red, white, or lemak.
I cannot recall some of the dishes, but let me tell you that all are finger-licking good. After the main course, the owners, a Dutch national, Wim, and his partner, Phillip, who cooks and also designs clothes, gave us the tour of the house : a chapel-like cavernous living area, the indoor dining room, kitchen, bedrooms and the garden. Their hospitality rivals the excellence of their cuisine. Our last course was desserts with choice of juice, herbal tea or Javanese coffee. The desserts were delectable !
On the way home, we hummed and burped notes of satisfaction only a well-prepared meal can bring out. A perfect day ending with a perfect dinner!
(This trip was undertaken in 2015)
Dr Alan Ho Chok Chan is a Paediatrician in private Family Practice. He also spends time golfing, swimming, playing tennis, wine tasting, playing his guitar and singing. He is a bibliophile and voracious reader.
