Upon entering the humble, yellow-awning storefront of Bali Sate House in Somersworth, one can immediately smell the fragrant, smoky aroma of grilled sate wafting from the kitchen into the dining room.

Sate, pronounced sah-tay in Indonesian, are Indonesian kabobs made of either chicken, pork, beef, or seafood. Marinated in a base of onion and sweet soy sauce (kecap manis in Indonesian), grilled, and served with white rice and peanut sauce, sate are an essential component of Indonesia’s culinary scene and can be found nearly everywhere Indonesians have settled across the globe. One can find sate on menus in Thailand, Australia, the Netherlands, and even Suriname, a small nation in northeastern South America with a large Indonesian population. Because of sate’s worldwide popularity, newcomers to Indonesian cuisine often choose sate as their starting point before delving into the cuisine’s lesser-known reaches.

This phenomenon rings true at Somersworth’s Bali Sate House, a restaurant that takes its name from the beloved dish. Grilled, marinated sate skewers of chicken and pork feature prominently on the menu, and the smell of their grilling fills the restaurant. This smell acts as a welcoming invitation into a cuisine and culture very different from what is typically found in New Hampshire.

Opened in late March 2017, on 448 High Street close to the intersection of NH Routes 108 and 9, Bali Sate House has gained a loyal local following not only for its sate but also for its dishes stemming from the Indonesian city of Manado, on the island of Sulawesi. Being a coastal city, Manado was at the epicenter of the Dutch East Indies’ massive spice trade during Indonesia’s Dutch colonial period. As a result, Manadonese food absorbed spices and influences from throughout the continent, though the Chinese influence stands out.

Dishes served at the restaurant such as pompano woku (whole pompano fish sauteed with scallions and lemongrass) and ayam rica-rica (fried chicken sauteed with Manado-style chili) reflect the Manadonese love of spices and aromatic herbs. And other dishes, including the bakmi goreng (stir-fried egg noodles with chicken, egg, and cabbage), reflect the aforementioned Chinese imprint on Manado-style cooking.

In the late 1990s, religious and ethnic persecution against Christian and/or Chinese-Indonesians increased and led to a wave of migration from Indonesia to the United States. Many of these migrants settled in the communities of Dover, Somersworth, and Rochester, forming a combined population of about 1200. Bali Sate House is reflective of this small but thriving community.

Name: Bali Sate House

Phone: (603) 740-3000

Address: 448 High Street, Somersworth, NH

Hours: Mon-Thu 11 AM-8 PM, Fri-Sat 11 AM-9 PM, Sun Closed

Facebook Link with Menu: https://www.facebook.com/balisatehouse/

For those with gluten, shellfish, and/or peanut allergies: Be aware that these three components feature strongly in most dishes cooked at Bali Sate House.