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A newcomer to the culinary scene in Yogyakarta, Warung Masakan Omah Bu Ageng (Bu Ageng’s Home-Cooking Warung) promises dishes close to the heart.

Owned by veteran stage actor Butet Kartaredjasa, the restaurant opened in late December and is located on busy Jalan Tirtodipuran, close to the Sultan’s Palace.

The dishes served up at the restaurant were inspired by the kitchen of Butet’s wife, Rulyani Ifihana, who has a passion for cooking and loves spoiling family with her creations. She would also sometimes cook meals for events held by Padepokan Bagong Kussudiardjo, the dance company founded by Butet’s father.

“The meals at Bu Ageng are dishes I regularly make at home. They are a blend of Javanese and Kalimantan,” she said.

With the help of several assistants who have worked with her for many years at home, Rulyani has turned Warung Bu Ageng into her second kitchen. “This is definitely like my home kitchen, and I will personally ensure the perfection and quality of the dishes served here,” she said.

The restaurant, she said, uses mainly local ingredients. “We import some raw ingredients from outside Yogyakarta, like salted fish and catfish from Kalimantan or herbs for omelets from Padang. Those are in addition to the materials from our traditional market traders here,” she said.

Among the offerings are nasi campur (mixed rice). Rulyani’s take on this traditional dish features a plate of steamed rice with a Minang-style omelet, dried tuna, crispy sweet dried potato, coconut cream, Kutai-style chili sauce and “legendar,” or Javanese rice cracker.

To complement the nasi campur, the restaurant offers lele njingkrung (smoked catfish), paru ketumbar (beef lung with spicy coriander), ayam nyelekit (spicy chicken), baceman kambing (marinated lamb), terik daging (stewed beef) and pecel (steamed vegetables with peanut sauce).

If the names of the dishes sound unfamiliar even to the ears of culinary connoisseurs, it’s because they were created using everyday words from the Javanese language, with a dash of humor, of course.

Lele njingkrung, for example, means curled catfish because the catfish curls up when smoked. Ayam nyelekit can be translated as sharp-tongued or harsh. As Rulyani explains, “nyelekit” is a fairly spicy flavor but it also “teases” the tongue, making diners curious to eat more.

“Bubur duren mlekoh is bread pudding mixed with fresh durian and cooked with coconut milk and brown sugar. It’s sweet, delicious and absolutely a must-try dessert,” Rulyani said.

In coming up with the dishes, Rulyani wanted to send the message that everyone was welcome to come in and give the food a try. And that sense of openness was also integrated into the restaurant’s design. They cooperated with veteran architect Eko Prawoto to design the building like a “limasan” — a pyramid-shaped traditional Javanese house. They completed the decor with old teak furniture.

Notably, Butet decided to keep a well that was part of the old building in one of the corners. “I wanted to keep the well because it has a philosophical meaning for Javanese. It serves as a source of life,” he said.

From the dining room, guests can observe the food preparation in the kitchen, as if they were dining at home.

“I am very happy to meet the guests, to say hello and chat with them,” Rulyani said. “I really want to get their feedback on the cooking. This way, I can easily interact with them.”

“The way the dishes are presented is honest and they don’t pretend to be fine dining,” said culinary critic William Wongso, who attended the restaurant’s opening.

Butet said, with his trademark humor: “I guarantee you will like what we have here: If you don’t, there must be something wrong with your taste buds.”