Photo Essay: Melting Pot

This was my first trip to Amsterdam and I knew from the beginning that I wanted to experience it like a local. I researched the "must eats" of Amsterdam cuisine, and found a few things I would like to try. Like the different styles of pancakes made famous by many travel shows, raw herring, and broodjes(Dutch sandwich). Sadly I did not get the opportunity to try any of the regional specialties - instead I let my friend, who has been living in Amsterdam and long since tired of the local charm, take me around.
On a cold and rainy Thursday night we ventured out to the quarter of De Pijp. De Pijp is filled with nightlife entertainment including restaurants ranging from Chinese, Indonesian, Surinamese, South African, among others. De Pijp is the melting pot of Amsterdam. We settled on Sari Citra, an Indonesian restaurant. Once we walked in, I knew we were in for a treat as the smell of the spices entered my nose. I left the menu to my friend, but did request for rice noodles and lychee juice. After what seemed like an eternity to my grumbling stomach, the food finally came. I had some spicy chicken, curry beef, vegetables, rice noodles, and we both shared a loempia(similar to spring roll). Everything tasted so good and comforting.
Since I’m Chinese, I can't say I'm an expert in Indonesian cuisine except that it tasted familiar to me since Indonesian food has been influenced by Chinese, Malaysian, and many other South East Asian countries. Due to mostly by European colonialism and Indonesia being ruled by the Dutch for over 300 years I was able to enjoy superb and authentic home cooked Indonesian food. Speaking of eating locally, the rest of the trip I had dim sum in Chinatown, great Surinamese food in De Pijp, and many home cooked meals by my friends. Did I regret not having a Dutch pancake? Nah.