Rainy Evening at a Padang Eatery

Habis lembur yang bikin kepala berat, aku mampir ke rumah makan Padang kecil di gang belakang kantor.

After overtime that made my head heavy, I stopped by a small Padang eatery in the alley behind the office.

Hujan masih rintik-rintik, dan di papan tulis dekat kasir tertulis menu hari ini yang bikin mata langsung lapar.

The rain was still drizzling, and on the chalkboard near the cashier the day's menu was written, making my eyes immediately hungry.

Sambil menunggu meja kosong, aku sudah menimbang-nimbang antara sop buntut yang katanya melegenda dan ikan bakar yang baru keluar dari panggangan.

While waiting for a table, I was already weighing between the legendary oxtail soup and the freshly grilled fish.

Begitu duduk, pelayan menyodorkan piring kosong, dan tanpa ditanya aku memilih nasi hangat, ayam goreng kremes, sayur nangka, plus sambal ijo yang katanya pedasnya “jujur.”

As soon as I sat, the waiter handed me an empty plate, and without being asked I chose warm rice, crispy fried chicken, jackfruit curry, plus green chili sambal that they said was “honestly” spicy.

Teman lama tiba-tiba muncul dari balik pintu—ternyata kantor barunya cuma sepelemparan batu—dan dia memesan sate Padang serta teh tawar hangat.

An old friend suddenly appeared from the door—turns out his new office is just a stone's throw away—and he ordered Padang satay and warm unsweetened tea.

Aroma bumbu menyeruak, seakan-akan hujan di luar ikut menunduk, tapi nasi yang datang agak dingin, jadi kubilang pelan, dan pelayan cepat-cepat menggantinya dengan yang mengepul.

The aroma of spices wafted, as if the rain outside bowed too, but the rice that came was a bit cold, so I said it softly, and the waiter quickly replaced it with one steaming hot.

Di meja sempit itu kami bagi-bagi kerupuk, icip-icip sambal secuil, lalu tertawa waktu aku kepedasan sampai cegukan, padahal dari tadi sok bilang, “Pedas mah santai.”

At that cramped table we shared crackers, sampled a pinch of sambal, then laughed when I got so spicy I hiccuped, even though earlier I had been acting tough, “Spicy? Easy.”

Ibu pemilik datang menanyakan rasa, bercerita harga cabai yang naik-turun, dan sambil tersenyum ia menambahkan lalapan segar, katanya biar “lidah istirahat.”

The owner came to ask how it tasted, told us about chili prices rising and falling, and smiling she added fresh raw vegetables, saying it would let the tongue “rest.”

Walaupun suasana padat dan kursi rapat-rapat, rasanya akrab; obrolan meja sebelah tentang bola menyatu dengan bunyi sendok, membuat makan malam ini seperti pesta kecil yang tidak direncanakan.

Although the place was packed and the chairs were squeezed together, it felt friendly; the next table’s soccer talk blended with the sound of spoons, turning this dinner into an unplanned little party.

Saat bayar di kasir, mesin kartu sempat ngadat, jadi kubongkar dompet dan menambal kekurangan pakai receh, yang diganti permen dua biji—ritual kecil yang entah kenapa selalu bikin senyum.

When paying at the cashier, the card machine jammed for a moment, so I dug through my wallet and made up the shortfall with coins, which were returned with two candies—a small ritual that for some reason always makes me smile.

Keluar dari warung, hujan sudah reda, perut penuh dan hati enteng, dan kami janji balik lagi waktu gajian, karena sambal di sini, kata temanku, “nendang, tapi peluk.”

Leaving the eatery, the rain had subsided, my stomach was full and my heart light, and we promised to return on payday, because the sambal here, my friend said, “kicks, but hugs.”