Amsterdam Sama Sebo Restaurant

Sama Sebo is an Indonesian restaurant located on Hobbemastraat near the Van Gogh Museum. I have always wanted to eat an Indonesian Rice Table dinner and this was certainly a good place to do it. In an Indonesian Rice Table dinner you get rice – in this case one plain steamed rice and one (very lightly) fried rice … then a whole set of side dishes of things you eat with the rice. These include chicken skewers in peanut sauce, fried bananas, chile sauce, vegetables cooked in coconut sauce, stewed pork, and about 25 other foods. The idea is variety of textures and flavours.

Sama Sebo has been in business a long time and it was quite fun. The rooms are small and tightly packed with tables. We had five waiters in our small room and they were a combination between the Marx Brothers and ballet dancers moving between the tables telling jokes and making people feel great. They bring all 29 dishes at once and serve the first part telling you what everything is, then leave the dishes on hot plates (candle-based, which makes a very nice romantic atmosphere) and you serve the rest as you want. They help by removing the dishes that are finished and bringing more drinks and, of course, telling jokes and teasing their fellow waiters. Also, the waiters were dressed in beautiful – all different – Indonesian pattern jackets, it was worth the visit just to see them.



We spent about 80 Euros on rice table for two and four beers. We did not have reservations, but were very lucky to get a table, so reserve in advance.