By Rain Morie
Charcoal grill.
In the cuisine of Malaysia, Indonesia and many South East Asian countries, the term ikan bakar means "barbecued fish" or "burned fish." Fish, seafood and sometimes chicken are grilled or barbecued with special marinades, then often wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over charcoal. Common restaurant terms for barbecued or grilled fish over charcoal include ikan (fish), bakar (barbecue) or pennang (grill). A few of
San Francisco's Indonesian and Malaysian restaurants offer bakar-prepared cuisine.
Borobudur Restaurant
Borobudur Restaurant has served traditional Indonesian cuisine in the heart of San Francisco since 1991. The full-course menu begins with rijsttafel, or "rice table," a complete Indonesian dinner with soup, spring roll appetizers, five main courses including gado-gado, salad and a choice of vanilla ice cream or black rice with coconut milk for dessert. The rest of the menu is a la carte, including bakar dishes such as otak pennang (barbecued fish cakes wrapped in banana leaves), udang bakar (marinated prawns in honey sauce), ikan salmon (salmon cooked with chili sauce) and ikan bakar samudra (grilled fish with salsa).
Borobudur Restaurant
700 Post St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 775-1512
borobudursf.com
Singapore Malaysian Restaurant
This restaurant serves Malaysian food, including bakar cuisine, for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Singapore's menu consists of appetizers, soups and noodles, entrees and desserts such as pulut hitam (black rice and coconut milk). Beverages include Malaysian-style tea and coffee, lychee and a wine and beer menu. Barak dishes include otak-otak appetizer (grilled fish in banana leaf) and entrees such as ikan belendang (pomfret fish with turmeric and curry). The entrees also include pepes ikan (grilled salmon wrapped in banana leaves) and sambal goreng ikan (pomfret fish with chili sauce).
Singapore Malaysian Restaurant
836 Clement St.
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 750-9518
Indonesia Restaurant
Indonesia Restaurant has served Indonesian and bakar cuisine in the heart of San Francisco since 1982. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Indonesia also offers take-out and delivery service. The extensive full-course menu of a la carte items includes soups, satays and desserts. Bakar dishes start with otak panggang (barbecue fish cakes in peanut sauce) and end with a bakar dessert called pisang bakar keju (grilled banana with sweetened condensed milk). The chef's specialties include bakar dishes such as ayam bakar Jakarta (barbecue chicken) and kan bakar colo colo (grilled pompano with salsa). Other bakar entrees include the ayarn bakar special (spicy barbecue chicken).
Indonesia Restaurant
678 Post St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 474-4026
Resources
About the Author:
With 10 years of academic writing/editing experience, Rain Morie took the leap into independent writing, editing and photography in 2006. Publications Morie has written for include "AllVoices," Today.Com and Bright Hub. Morie has a fine art education in dance and photography. She returned to university to complete a B.A. and master's in sociology and psychology.
Photo Credits:
charcoal on fire image by jedphoto from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
