Pensacola’s new Gourmet Sate House is bringing a taste of Indonesian street food to 640 E. Nine Mile Road, Suite 200.
Owner Wayan Kerta Yasa saw the need in Pensacola for traditional Indonesian sate—or small pieces of charcoal-grilled meat served on skewers—and made it happen when a new retail space opened in Cashiers Plaza in the Nine Mile area.
Designing the restaurant from the ground up, Yasa created an open-concept kitchen where customers could watch their meals being made to order. While the booths and tables are made to linger, some of the best seats in the house are at the bar, where meals are grilled over live fire on a custom yakitori grill.
Yasa, who is originally from Bali, created the restaurant to replicate some of the freshest meals you could get from street vendors.
“They’re usually sold out throughout the day,” Yasa said. “They make just enough for the day and then start over the next day.”
Customers can choose from a variety of skewers to either snack on or to make a meal. Their skewers start at only $3.99 for two, allowing customers to try a variety, including chicken, beef, lamb, pork, shrimp, yellowtail collar and more.
You can’t sleep on the homemade sauces either, such as their spicy sambal, golden peanut and spicy lemongrass, that pair perfectly with the proteins.
In addition to the signature skewers, you can also find more composed plates on the menu, such as fried rice dishes and hibachi-style plates. Others are more difficult to find in the Pensacola area, such as the goat plate starring slow-cooked goat curry.
Aside from feeding customers delicious food, Yasa is most excited to share Indonesian culture with Pensacola, which he feels has been underrepresented in the area’s culinary scene.
“We have a growing Indonesian community in the Northwest area, from New Orleans all the way to the Jacksonville area. We often gather together and do a potluck, bring your own food, stuff like that,” he said.
He’s glad to finally have a space where people can come to learn and enjoy the food whenever they want.
“My kids are all grown; they all left the house. I want to find purpose for myself,” he said. “I want to have a place that I can engage with the customers.”
Here are a few must-try menu items at Gourmet Sate House:
Yasa said he is keeping the menu condensed for now to avoid overwhelming customers, but he does have ideas for more menu items to roll out in the future. He also plans to add bar items, including hot and cold sake and draft beer.
For real-time updates and information on Gourmet Sate House, follow them on social media or visit their website at gourmetsatehouse.com to view the full menu or place an order online.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola gets a taste of Indonesia with sate house, live fire cooking
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
