Thursday, March 28, 2024 | 21:57 WIB

The Dutch Colonial legacy of stories – and good coffee

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IO, Jakarta – The legacy of the Dutch colonial history is still very much visible throughout Indonesia: historical buildings still dot the land, and the culinary delights of the Windmill Nation are widely available throughout the capital city of Jakarta. Let’s take the example of a coffee shop in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. Under the name “Goedkoop Coffee,” this coffee shop takes “old-fashioned Dutch coffee house” as its theme. “Goedkoop” is Dutch for “good value” and “thrift”.

“The idea behind Goedkoop is very simple, actually: we want to promote coffee culture at an affordable price, so everyone can enjoy it,” said one of the owners. “With the development of coffee culture in Jakarta, we want to be one of the institutions that support this enthusiasm.” “We want to spread the word to the public that “coffee culture” is not synonymous with “spendthrift”. We have the principle that everyone deserves good coffee in a comfortable ambience. The culture we decided to promote in the coffee shop is the Dutch colonial culture.”

Goedkoop Coffee not only serves Dutch-style coffee, but also prominently Colonial Dutch dishes such as pannekoek and bitterballen. The attractive ambience is a mixture of the modern and the antique – part of the interior is Dutch, such as the brown upright piano by the entrance, and other parts contain unashamedly Indonesian wood carvings. With its homey and quaint Dutch ambience, you won’t go wrong when you enjoy your cup of coffee with the Dutch snacks served here. From its opening day in 2013 in Bendungan Hilir until now, Goedkoop is always crowded with guests – especially in the afternoons and weekends.

A recommended Dutch-style coffee in the menu is Koffie Verkeerd, which is milk coffee with cinnamon. It is brewed with double shot espresso of a mix of Bali dan Toraja Arabica coffee. A snack that you definitely should try is the bitterballen, a savoury goodness coated in bread crumbs and fried to a lovely golden brown. Its accompanying sauce reminds you of the Joppie sauce of Holland, with its sour mustardy taste and creamy texture. The traces of curry characteristic to the Joppie sauce in the bitterballen sauce of Goedkoop is just right to offset the savouriness of the bitterballen.

The Half & Half Pannekoek or pancake is a favourite item on the Goedkoop menu. The pancake is divided into two halves – one half sprinkled with rice crispies, almond slices, and caramel sauce, while the other half is poured with chocolate sauce and topped with wafer. Another, deceptively simpler variation of the pannekoek is sprinkled with powdered sugar.

You deserve to enjoy the unique dishes and beverages in the Goedkoop Coffee menu on your lovely weekend. Goedkoop Coffee is one of the best little coffee shops – its Dutch menu is a good reference for new taste that you can enjoy.

The coffee shop opens from 10.00 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays to Thursdays, from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, Goedkoop Coffee opens up and closes earlier at 07.00 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Aldo)

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