Mooi Zeist

Savor Indonesian cuisine in a pleasant Eastern ambiance at Mooi Zeist. Here, you'll feel as though you've stepped into an Indonesian pavilion adorned with plenty of dark wood and rattan. The tables are well-spaced, and the acoustics are excellent for such a large room. Most guests visit specifically for the rijsttafel, which offers a choice of no fewer than five varieties. The price of a rijsttafel is steep compared to what you would normally pay, but it is truly in a class of its own. The quality of the dishes is consistently high, whether you choose meat, fish, or vegetarian options. All the dishes are prepared with great care and are exceptionally flavorful: the meat is tender and well-spiced, and the vegetables are crisp and perfectly cooked. It is a pleasure to enjoy aromatic Indonesian dishes such as dading pedis, ayam telor, sajur lodeh, tempeh kecap, and gadogado, all served in beautiful small bowls. A feast for the eyes and the taste buds. A particular highlight is the satay from the authentic charcoal grill: elegant little skewers prepared by a specialist chef throughout the evening on the terrace, and served with a perfect satay sauce. In terms of heat, it is all quite manageable; none of the dishes are too spicy. The service is friendly and attentive. Dessert is included with some rijsttafels, but the somewhat carelessly arranged plates featuring scoops of ice cream and something that barely passes for spekkoek detract from the rest of the dining experience. This could certainly be improved.

In the heart of a residential neighborhood in Zeist lies the charming restaurant of Marijke and Ed Brouwer. Traditional Eastern cuisine takes center stage here. We take the stairs upstairs to the dining room. The tables are arranged closely together and the decor is unmistakably Eastern. It was completely full on the weekend evening of our visit. The extensive menu offers something for everyone, and the wine list provides ample choices, predominantly from Old World countries. We start with salad bebek, a salad featuring crispy fried smoked duck. The rolls of tender smoked duck on the plate, which unfortunately were not crispy as described, come with a garnish of mayonnaise dollops mixed with curry and coconut—a delicious combination. We also enjoy the rendang daging mentah. The lightly spiced, finely chopped beef fillet is tender. The babi pangang delivers roasted pork from an outdoor wood-fired grill; somewhat tough, but highly flavorful. The sides consist of rice with egg, sweet and sour vegetables, and white rice. The presentation of all dishes is beautiful and meticulously done. For dessert, we opt for creamy cinnamon ice cream with chocolate spekkoek. The bill is on the pricey side. However, this is compensated by the fact that you can conveniently park for free on the restaurant's own grounds.

Lovers of Eastern cuisine are in the right place here. Mooi Zeist by Marijke and Ed Brouwer is tucked away in a residential neighborhood, and once inside, we feel as if we've been transported to Indonesia. The setting is beautiful, just from the entrance featuring a pond and waterfall along with matching music. While we nibble on freshly made prawn crackers with a delicious dipping sauce, we look over the menu. The choice is enormous, ranging from rice tables to charcoal-grilled satay, with à la carte options also available. We start with rendang daging mentah: finely chopped beef tenderloin, deliciously spiced and nicely spicy. The sop santan also tastes great: coconut and spices are placed in a deep bowl, and a creamy coconut soup is poured over it at the table. The bebek gula jawa features crispy-fried duck in a sticky sweet Javanese sugar sauce. The house wine, Aires Andinos Torrontés Argentina 2021, with its slightly spicy finish, pairs well with it. My dining companion chooses a vegetarian rice table, and the most delicious exotic dishes come passing by. Telor besengek (egg in coconut sauce), corn cakes, tofu satay, fried bananas, green beans in sambal sauce, and sayur lodeh (warm vegetables in coconut milk). Everything is super fresh and well-portioned. For dessert, a beautifully presented plate featuring homemade caramel biscuit, chocolate mousse, mango, and creamy coconut ice cream. Enjoy your meal.

You could easily walk right past it, as Mooi Zeist by Marijke and Ed Brouwer is located right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. But stepping inside transports you to another world where unmistakably Eastern vibes greet you. A pond with a waterfall, a lush green garden with bamboo, Indonesian statues, and rattan chairs at the tables. We are warmly welcomed and quickly make our choice. An elaborate rice table is our preference. We start with pangsit, a pastry, and sumpia filled with lamb, beef, and chicken with vegetables. Then the server arrives with a large serving tray to set down no fewer than thirteen small bowls containing various dishes. From pork in sweet soy sauce to warm vegetables in coconut milk and everything in between. Each dish is perfectly seasoned. The satay deserves special mention, as it is grilled outdoors over charcoal all year round. In the glass? An ice-cold beer from Brand. There is also an extensive wine list to choose from. We finish off with a grand dessert. Pandan and mango ice cream, with white chocolate mousse, chocolate spekkoek, mixed fresh fruit, and mango bavarois. A refreshing end to the dinner.

Looking back, we regret choosing the chef's menu: it features Indonesian accents but is primarily based on Western cuisine. That is why we will be returning later to taste the authentic traditional foundation. The entrance on a street of terraced houses almost gives the wrong impression, but once inside and upstairs, a pleasant Oriental atmosphere prevails. The acoustics are somewhat challenging, despite the high pitched ceiling. The service is experienced and perfectly synchronized. We are served a plate of kroepoek with petjil sauce (liquid satay sauce), which we nibble on alongside our aperitif. The menu includes a vitello tonnato variant (on a papadum-like base resting on wok-tossed cabbage with turmeric), skin-on pan-fried red mullet with butterfly prawns and terong balado (spicy eggplant), and pancetta-wrapped pork loin with gula jawa sauce. All are expertly prepared, but on our next visit we will definitely go for the rijsttafel. You can choose from four rijsttafel options, ranging from a 'small' selection of nine dishes to a very extensive one, including a vegetarian version. This is truly what guests come for. Everything is prepared according to the traditional rules of Indonesian cuisine. We snack from each little bowl, accompanied this time by a lovely South African rosé and a Fishwives Pinot Noir. Selamat makan!

Mooi Zeist no longer operates on shifts, so a preferred time can be arranged when making a reservation. In this charming establishment, Indonesian cuisine takes center stage, and the interior enhances the ambiance with batik tablecloths, wooden paneling, rattan chairs, and dim lighting. There is plenty to choose from on the menu, but if you cannot decide, the Chef's Menu is highly recommended. You can order three, four, or five courses. Alongside an intense aroma and flavor experience, great attention is paid to the visual presentation of each dish. The guests present are quietly savoring their meals, several of whom are regular patrons. And that is no surprise, as the kitchen consistently delivers quality. The service is seamless and unobtrusive, yet highly attentive; you do not need to wave to get a server's attention. Upon request, Mooi Zeist also caters private parties and celebrations at home, in addition to business events and meetings.

Batik, wood, atmospheric lighting, music, emping nuts on the table, friendly and approachable service: everything exudes Indonesia in this restaurant. It's Saturday evening, and throughout the night all the tables fill up, some even being seated twice. We opt for the extensive buffet offered from Thursday through Sunday, but start off with an extra appetizer: soto ayam and a trio of fish. The soup is ladled at the table into a deep bowl with fresh vegetables. Garnished with sambal and shallots. Aromatic and full of flavor. In our opinion, the fish trio is somewhat further removed from the core of what this restaurant excels at: traditional Indonesian cuisine. The served fried squid, part of the trio, is a bit tough. But then there's the buffet! Delicious and highly varied. We combine classics such as ayam pedis (chicken in sambal), daging bumbu (marinated beef), telor besengek (eggs in coconut sauce), sambal boncis (lightly seasoned beans), babi kecap (pork in sweet soy sauce), gado gado (vegetables with peanut sauce), and ayam opor (chicken in curry sauce). Everything equally flavorful and fresh. The freshly grilled chicken satay from the charcoal barbecue is delicious. We would have gladly had more of that! But that might sound a bit greedy given there's plenty to indulge in. We finish off with fresh fruit and “Es kelapa dan manga”, which is coconut ice cream with fresh mango and homemade caramel biscuit. Selamat makan!

Upon entering restaurant Mooi Zeist, you are immediately transported to the Far East: Oriental music plays, and the interior blends Indo-colonial and modern styles with abundant bamboo, reed, and wood. Long tables set with runners and a cozy lounge terrace for pleasant weather await. The menu features a 'new style' rice table – available only per table – alongside à la carte dishes, five different rice tables, and an Indonesian buffet on weekends. We catch the wonderful aromas of the spice-laden kitchen. The starter, salad bebek (smoked duck salad), is delicate, with the smoky note subtly present. A fine start that leaves you wanting more. We continue our Indonesian culinary journey with ayam betawi, fried chicken in a sweet ketjap sauce, served with white rice and crispy gado gado. The portion is extremely generous, nearly enough for two. It's a feast on the plate, and the house Syrah-Grenache rosé (Octerra, France) complements it perfectly with its subtle sweetness. The service is friendly, though we do find it slightly disappointing that the staff knows little about the wines. Even though we're already well-fed, we can't resist ordering the spicy cinnamon ice cream with spekkoek and crunchy almonds. This dessert disappears down to the very last crumb. Simply delicious!