A Dutch-Indonesian feast of 12 to 20 small dishes served with steamed rice. A legacy of the Dutch colonial period in Indonesia, now central to Utrecht multicultural dining.

Rijsttafel, literally rice table, was developed by Dutch colonial planters in the Dutch East Indies as a formal way to sample Indonesian regional dishes. After Indonesian independence in 1949, Dutch-Indonesian families repatriated to the Netherlands bringing the tradition. Utrecht's Lombok district, particularly Kanaalstraat, has the highest concentration of Indonesian restaurants in the city.

Where to eat Rijsttafel in Utrecht

1 editor pick for Rijsttafel in Utrecht, ranked by editorial score. All Utrecht signature dishes · Rijsttafel across every city.

Book food experiences in Utrecht

See all 169 food experiences in Utrecht

More places near Restaurant Blauw

Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.

Make it at home

Serves 4120 minMedium

Ingredients

  • 400g jasmine rice, cooked
  • For satay: 400g chicken thigh, cubed + satay marinade (kecap manis, garlic, galangal, turmeric)
  • For gado gado: 200g green beans + 100g beansprouts + 3 tbsp peanut sauce
  • For sambal: 4 red chillies + 2 garlic cloves + 1 tbsp tamarind + 1 tsp palm sugar
  • For rendang: 300g beef shin + coconut milk + rendang spice paste
  • For tempe: 200g tempeh, sliced and fried with sweet soy sauce
  • Prawn crackers (krupuk) to serve

Method

  1. Marinate chicken in kecap manis, garlic and turmeric 30 minutes; thread onto skewers and grill until charred.
  2. Blanch green beans and beansprouts; toss in warm peanut sauce with a squeeze of lime for gado gado.
  3. Blend chillies, garlic, tamarind and palm sugar; fry in oil until fragrant for sambal.
  4. Slow-cook beef in coconut milk with rendang paste for 90 minutes until the sauce is dry.
  5. Fry tempeh slices in oil until crisp; glaze with sweet soy sauce.
  6. Arrange all dishes in small bowls around a central bowl of rice; serve with krupuk.

Editor tip. The key to rijsttafel is variety of texture and heat; aim for at least one mild, one spicy and one crispy dish in the spread.

Common allergens: Gluten in soy sauce, Peanuts in satay sauce, Egg in some dishes.