An Eulogy for Ya 'Udah
---- by David Jardine

In common with most people I had long thought it impossible to turn a silk purse into a sow’s ear. Now I know otherwise. When the peerless Jalan Jaksa emporium ‘Ya-Udah Bistro’ closed its doors last weekend that was bad enough but the scuttlebutt now has it* that the premises will become a…karaoke bar! Pass the spittoon, would you!

I was the very first customer through the gate just under seven years ago and the last one out. I can safely say I have been its most frequent visitor, even allowing for four months medical treatment in the UK three and a bit years ago. That, I think, qualifies me to make a few comments.

Owner XXXXX is a Swiss from Zurich in which city he once ran a British-style pub. He once also worked for Swissair. He knows all about catering, a field in which the Swiss excel and down the years it showed.

The motto of the ‘Bistro’ was “Quality…an understatement!” and a few blemishes apart XXXXX has set the standard for others to copy, if they can. He may or may not have read James Joyce, who once said Swiss cities are so hygienic that you could eat a fried egg off the pavements. Certainly, I never doubted the cleanliness of the place, and it has been the only eatery I have ever known where the waitresses were expected to polish the menus page for page!

Price-wise it was almost impossible to beat. Where else would you get a very large bowl of Chef’s Salad for Rp.17,000, replete with fresh veg, chicken strips and boiled egg. Where else would you get top quality German sausages with a potato side dish of your choice for Rp 29,000 (c.US$3), no plus-plus?

There was over the years a real international quality to XXXXX ’s extensive menu. At various stages Swiss, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Thai, British, American, Mexican, Indonesian, Japanese and other cuisines have been represented.

XXXXX can be gruff, a little brusque and if he got a bee in his bonnet about someone they soon found out. Hence, one or two folk got the heave-ho. And one or two silly buggers reacted rather childishly by setting up a scurrilous website called ‘Ya-udah Sucks’. Very silly buggers! XXXXX over-reacted to this by threatening legal action when it would have been better to ignore it.

Beneath that gruff exterior is a very kind man and I can speak readily of his kindness and consideration towards the late Peter Sanders, a hugely popular Jaksa expatriate, and of other instances too.

Oh, and his beer was cold and cheap to the last! Only Rp 16,000 for a large Bintang right down to the wire.

There is talk of him having acquired some other premises in the vicinity. In the meantime Arthur Morgan’s ‘Romance Bar’ and ‘Warna Warni’ at the Tugu Tani end of Wahid Hasyim are the places to head and of course ‘Pappa’ café, if you can put up with certain folk!

Miss you, ‘Bistro’!
.........................................
*Other scuttlebutt has recent Jakarta Governor and prospective Presidential candidate Sutiyoso being a major figure behind the development plans and that another branch of Carrefour is going to be built at the bottom end of the street. I would appreciate confirmation or otherwise of this, and whether he is as fond of karaoke as SBY.

Via email, unknown

I am a big fan of Ya Udah. Please open again :), not "if" you open again.

Or probably what does it take to make you open again? Sometimes big fans can help.

Via email

Dear Sir,

Maybe it's just me who get too sentimental about this,
or maybe I'm not the only guest who said this to you
that how "Ya Udah Bistro" (YUB), was actually become
part of our life story before or now.

I remember my 1st visit to YUB around year 2002 with
my friends. And never thought there was this decent
restaurant in Jaksa area which is purely running as
restaurant without any additional concept of
entertaining (whatever...lol). And we actually like
it. Especially your toilet concept of the red light
turn on whenever it is occupied. And I stupidly said
to my friend, Iqbal "Look Bal! the red light is on
when someone use the toilet!" And he (worked at a
radio station HardrockFM that time) said "Nah, that
guy probably "On Air" inside". Well it was quite a
funny joke that time.

We also liked to watch you working at your Global
Travel office, and we talked about how opening
business in travel and restaurant will be our dreams
too.

And so was it....since 2002 we were visiting YUB
regularly. Sometime we visited there by ourselves,
sitting alone,then later on some friends would joined
us. And hung out there for couple of hours.
Celebrating birthday's there. Of course after years
gone by, some of them get married and living abroad,
or far away from central City of Jakarta, while us
continue with our lives began to rarely visit YUB.
Maybe like once in a year. But we know YUB will always
be there and for nostalgy sake we could always visit
there.
Until we heard from a friend that soon it will be
gone.

This Friday I visited Ya Udah. Had dinner with my
friends and stayed there since 8 to 12 PM for the last
time. For a good bye I guess, with the first 2
waitress we've met in year 2002.

Why we like Ya Udah Bistro?
It's your Decency as a restaurant. The food is
decently delicious (not as good as we say here as "MAK
NYUSS!"), but somehow gives the impression as home
cooking. The price is decently worthy.
The interior is somehow feels homey, with those old
fashions furnitures of the late 80's or early 90's.
The attitude of your waiters who are well trained,
polite, and knows when to offer and when to speak,
giving us a free space as guest. In general, YUB is
not only "a restaurant" for us and that's your
advantage compare to others.

But I guess, since there is a saying, "there is no
endless party" and in life "change is the only
constant"....,  so now the time has come for you also,
I guess.

Well wish you all the best where-ever you are.
I heard that YUB soon...or later ...could be opened
somewhere, I know, it will be difficult to keep it the
same as the 1st one....but I hope I will like it as
and when it is opened.

So I guess this letter just to let you know, that
you're (You, YUB and all the staffs) also take part in
our lives. Strangers that somehow connected by a
place.

Best Regards.