Matahari Guesthouse & Restaurant

We ate here every day, sometimes twice, and would love to return. The restaurant has a great choice of Indonesian dishes and Western-style breakfasts, all freshly cooked by Elsa. She’s a wonderful cook and a really good singer, too, singing while she prepares the food. The place is in a beautiful garden right at the lake, such an idyllic spot. Thanks 🙂

The location and price were very good, and the restaurant food was both cheap and tasty. My room was okay and the bed was comfortable, but the bathroom had no sink and you had to flush the toilet by hand with a bucket of water. A good place if you’re traveling on a budget.

We booked our room somewhere else, but the rooms here looked inviting and had a great view when we looked around. We came back to eat every day, sometimes twice, and were never disappointed. The food was among the best we had in Asia, and worth waiting for while it’s freshly prepared.

The main chef was friendly and clearly doing her best, which is the only reason I gave two stars. Otherwise, eating here was a nightmare. Our food took over 45 minutes, with very little communication even when we kept asking how much longer. It’s clear the women make their sauces from scratch, but they didn’t set expectations about the wait. I ordered pesto pasta and asked the waitress if mushrooms could be added since there were no vegetables in the dish. I also asked for a little extra sauce on the side because I love Cuscot. She agreed to both, but what arrived after 45 minutes was a huge portion with hardly any sauce and no mushrooms. The waitress then charged me extra for the sauce and mushrooms when I argued about it. Apparently the chef had thought I wanted the mushrooms minced into the pesto. That seems to explain why the sauce tasted so bitter and awful. I’m confused why someone would put pesto into the sauce and then put it in the dish. If you eat here, don’t ask for changes or substitutions. Bring good company and a drink to help pass the 45-plus minutes waiting for the kitchen.