MOJO'S FLYING BURRITOS

A few months back, we went to pick up our 10-year old from a sleepover in Seminyak and met up with him at Mojo's Flying Burritos.  It's down an alley off Petitenget and is really just an open-air shack at the side of the road.  You can't miss it with it's brightly painted walls and colorful chairs and tables.

Menu is simple: burritos of course then tacos (both on soft flour or crispy corn tortillas), quesadillas and enchiladas.  We've been back a few times since and haven't been disappointed.  We always enjoy the freshly-made guacamole or salsa with warm corn tortillas and their carne asada tacos which come with rice and a side of black beans.  

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Mojo's Flying Burritos

Jalan Petitenget, Gang Prana

(watch out for the sign on the side of the road)

Seminyak

Telephone: +62 361 730260

*Open daily from 9:00a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Other branches in Poppies Lane Kuta and in Ubud on Jalan Raya Ubud

MAMASAN

We got back from Buenos Aires a few days ago and I was all set to post my Argentina eats until I went for lunch at two week old Mamasan in Seminyak and decided that this post had to go out before anything else.

Mamasan is the new restaurant from the same owners of Sarong and specializes in noodles and wok-stir-fries with lots of designer drinks to go along with the spicy food.  P and I went for lunch last Thursday and were pleasantly surprised by the modern funky interiors, the comprehensive southeast Asian menu and the cool bar on the second floor.

There were several tables taken for lunch but not as packed as we hear dinner is (book ahead!) with two seatings in the evening and lots of people waiting at the upstairs bar for a table to free up.  To start, we looked through the extensive bar menu - lots of cocktails and non alcoholic drinks and a decent wine list with most New World wines.  I decided to try one of their frozen teas - the honey and lime which was black tea with honey and lime sorbet - refreshingly cold especially now in Bali's scorching 30C days.  P opted for the passion fruit juice, another frozen concoction of fresh juice and fruit sorbet.  We shared a Vietnamese starter of minced pork wrapped in Betel leaves - delicious minced pork, like a spring roll without the crunch, with a sweet chili dip alongside.  Next up were two main courses.  We decided to order two dishes to share, family style: one noodle - Khao Soi, the northern Thai dish of curried noodles with chicken and one wok stir-fry - the Peking duck fried rice.  Portions are big so the dishes are meant to be shared.  First came the curry noodles - flat fettuccine-like noodles in a rich curry flavored broth which was creamy and spicy at the same time.   The Peking duck fried rice was served last and was a large plate of smoky-flavored fried rice with pineapple chunks, red chilies and onions and topped with several slices of roast duck.  We managed to polish off most of the curry noodles but only ate half the fried rice as we were full by then and still wanted to leave space for dessert.  We shared the mung bean cake - a sweet bean and rice cake dessert which, strangely, came with fried crispy garlic on top that we scraped off the palm sugar glaze.  The cake came with a light coconut ice cream and worked well with the sweet bean cake.  Illy coffees to end our large lunch and a promise to lunch again together soon.

A few days after, I went back again for lunch, this time with the family as I was eager to show off my discovery to A.  Again, the restaurant had several tables filled but wasn't so full that reservations were needed.  We settled into the corner banquette and had a longer look at the menu.  We decided, as usual, to do family style and ordered several dishes to share.  To start, we had the Thai prawn cakes - sticky sweet and spicy prawns shaped into a patty and fried then served with a sweet chili sauce - delicious!  Then the table started to fill up with our orders: a triple-tier metal tiffin container was served for Hainanese chicken rice set lunch with some clear chicken soup in one container, rice cooked in the chicken broth in another and slices of steamed chicken in the third.  Standard sauces of ginger, green onion and dark soy were served alongside.  We also had prawn Pad Thai with a tiny plate of dried chili and sugar so you can make the noodles as sweet or as spicy as you like,  a Vietnamese salad of thin strips of carrots and cucumber flavored with lemongrass, mint, Thai basil and crunchy shallots in a fish sauce, lime and sugar dressing with several fired pork patties thrown in the mix.  We started on these two main courses before the next two were served: fiery Thai minced chicken, garlic, chili and basil with steamed Jasmine rice topped by a fried egg and the same Peking duck fried rice which P and I shared a few days ago.  As much as we tried, we only managed to finish the salad, the noodles and the chicken rice and had some leftover fried rice and Thai minced chicken to take home.   To soothe our burning palates, we shared the creme brulee - a crunchy-sugar-topped vanilla bean custard served with a Vietnamese coffee affogato (usually vanilla ice cream in which a shot of espresso has been added, this version has the vanilla ice cream in a glass topped with a Vietnamese coffee maker so the the hot and milky Vietnamese coffee drip-brews onto the ice cream).

Less than a month open and after two yummy lunches, this is now my new Bali favorite for the delicious dishes, the casual yet cosmopolitan interiors, the creative drinks menu and the courteous service.  Did I also mention that it's fully air-conditioned and that they have valet parking?  What more can one ask for?  It's going to get very crowded soon so book your dinner table now or pop in for lunch when it's less busy.  I bet it's going to be the favorite of many Bali residents too so don't say I didn't warn you.

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Mamasan

Jl. Raya Kerobokan 135

Seminyak, Bali

Telephone: +62 361 730 436

*Open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30 till late. Closed Sundays

*Kitchen open for lunch till 3:00 and dinner till late. Drinks served in-between lunch and dinner hours.

QUEEN'S TANDOOR

Last week, I was in Seminyak almost every day.  If it wasn't to do errands or shopping, it was to have lunch.  On a windy Wednesday, I met up with the ladies for lunch at Queen's Tandoor.  I had heard about the restaurant but had never been and looked forward to having a proper Indian curry.

We sat at one of the terrace tables and looked through the extensive menu of Indian classics finally opting to order several dishes to share family-style.  We started out with some crispy peppery papadums which came with some pickled onions, mango chutney and a coriander green chili chutney.  We started with vegetable samosas and a Masala Dosa - a crispy crepe filled with curried potatoes.  For our main courses, we shared the creamy classic butter chicken, Rogan Josh - a mild curry of mutton in masala, saffron and yoghurt and Aloo Gobhi Mutter, a vegetable dish of potatoes and cauliflower cooked in tomatoes, fresh coriander and spices accompanied by saffron-flavored Basmati rice and cheese nan.  The food was good and not too spicy.  We managed to polish of most of the dishes including the warm cheese bread.  Queen's Tandoor is Bali's best known Indian restaurant and is a good place to stop for lunch before or after some shopping in Seminyak. Perfect for those days when one gets a curry craving.

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Queen's Tandoor

Jalan Raya Seminyak 73

(opposite Warung Made)

Seminyak, Kuta, Bali

Telephone:  +62 361 732 770

*Open daily for lunch and dinner.  They also deliver.

Another branch Queen's India in Kuta

SIP SUNSET GRILL

When a new restaurant opens in Bali, we make it a point to try it right away and see what it's like.  SIP Sunset Grill is the new concept from fun and friendly French sommelier/restaurateur Christian Vanneque of SIP Wine Bar in Seminyak.  This time, he has opened a larger restaurant with the usual reasonably-priced wines.  Managing the place is another "Frenchie" Eric Guth who has worked at several hotels and was the opening F&B director of the Bulgari Bali.

The restaurant is cozy with leather banquettes lining the room, brick walls and lots of natural light.  There is a large bar at the front with a few cocktail tables and a separate private dining room in the glassed-in wine cellar.  The kitchen is visible from the dining room with the large grill as the focal point.  They also have an outdoor area with several tables and a vertical garden.  The location on the Sunset road and ample parking out front makes it very accessible even to those coming from Nusa Dua, the Bukit or Sanur. There is also a glassed-in bullet proof display case where the most expensive bottle of white wine is kept - the 1811 Chateau d'Yquem that Christian purchased at auction for £75,000  (around US$122,000) - see photo below.

The menu at SIP Sunset Grill is simple with less items compared to SIP Wine Bar.  A few starters and salads then from the grill, several cuts of meat (sirloin, rib-eye, tenderloin, pork chop, chicken breast), fish (catch of the day, salmon) and a grilled seafood plate.  For lunch, there is a very reasonably-priced two course set menu for 85000++ IDR (with taxes, around US$12) with a choice of starter and main or main and dessert.  For lunch one day,  A had the set lunch - a delicious starter of leeks vinaigrette followed by the chicken vol au vent - chicken and mushrooms in a gravy served in a puff pastry case.  I chose two starters for my lunch - the Salade Nicoise a la SIP which came with the grilled tuna with roasted peppers over bread on one side, and the salad greens and quail eggs on the other.  For my main course, I had the seafood vol au vent - squid and prawns in a saffron sauce which also came in a puff pastry case.  We shared the strawberry and meringue dessert and finished off with espressos.

  

I also went with a friend last week but this time we didn't have the set menu.  She had two starters - the Nicoise salad and the scallop raviolis while I had the tuna carpaccio and the grilled chicken with tarragon sauce.  Light lunches which we chose especially so we could share two desserts - a creme caramel and the honey souffle.

On another occasion, we went for dinner and A had the two-fish terrine to start while I had the tuna carpaccio.  For our main courses, A had the pork chop from the serious cuts section of the menu which has larger cuts of meat, while I had the classic Entrecote-frites-Bearnaise.  We all shared several desserts - the extra sweet honey souffle, a dark bitter chocolate mousse, a decadent rum-infused Baba au rhum and the strawberry Arlette - a millefeuille filled with whipped cream and strawberries.

SIP Sunset Grill will go on my safe list as the type of restaurant that you can go to with the kids on the weekend or with friends for a quick lunch mid-week.  The food is simple, the prices are reasonable, the service friendly and the wines on their list well-chosen - everything needed for a good restaurant.  They're still on their first month since opening so expect a few minor glitches (like the bills getting mixed up) but I'm sure they'll get that sorted out sooner rather than later.  It's another great addition to the island's growing number of more casual restaurants and with both Christian and Eric at the helm, it should become one of Bali's best.

P.D.  14 November 2011
Since posting this, there have been a few changes at SIP Sunset.  Manager Eric has left and a new French chef, Karim Hassene, has taken over the kitchen revamping the menu and adding on several new and improved dishes while still keeping the spirit of their French-influenced grill menu. I was there for a recent dinner and was impressed by what I ate: a red pepper carpaccio with a crispy goat-cheese croquette, salmon teriyaki with roesti, pumkin ravioli with tomato concasee and a simple grilled tenderloin this time with thin-homemade fries and a side sauce of chimichurri.  Now, I'm ready to go back for several more meals and eat my way through their new menu.

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SIP Sunset Grill

Sunset Road 88X

Seminyak 80361

Bali, Indonesia

Telephone: +62 361 847 5830 or 31

*Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Kitchen serves food till late.

Fast Food

It's the middle of the summer holidays and the kids are bored - what to do?  We've been to the beach almost every day, to the new play area Cubby House in Seminyak, to Ubud on day trips and to the Bali Galleria's Time Zone, eaten lots of ice cream and tried several fast food places.  Here they are.

MM JUICE

I first tried this fast food restaurant at the food court of the Carrefour on Sunset road.  After a morning spent grocery shopping, my son and I spotted the juice sign and decided to have a fresh mango juice which was wonderful.  We were all set to get some takeaway pizza from the PepeNero stand when we noticed that all of the tables in front of MM Juice were full so we sat down and shared a Nasi Goreng special - fried rice with sausage and chicken and topped with a fried egg and served with some achar and melinjo crackers.  It was a surprising find - the food was freshly cooked and delicious and the service quick.

They have another branch at the Bali Galleria which is more like a restaurant with brightly-colored wooden tables in an air-conditioned space.  We had lunch there a few days ago and this time, I ordered the stir-fried beef kway teow (flat rice noodles) which was a large portion of flavorful fried noodles with chunks of beef and egg - a satisfying lunch for such a reasonable price.  Fast and cheap food.

WARUNG BUNANA

Another little spot I've been meaning to try is the stand just at the end of Jalan Danau Poso which we pass often on our way home.  There is a large sign advertising Roti Canai (flat bread) & Teh Tarik (milky tea).  They also have a few other branches around - one of which is in Seminyak.  I finally stopped by the other day and ordered one portion of plain roti which was rolled out, slapped around and cooked to order right in front of me.   I took it home and opened the brown paper package of hot flaky bread which came with the standard curry dip.  Perfect as an afternoon snack and again, another cheap and cheerful place.

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MM Juice

Carrefour Food court on Sunset Road

Bali Galleria Food court area, ground floor

Warung Bunana

At the Sanur bypass just at the end of Jl. Danau Poso

On the Kerobokan road, Seminyak

WORD OF MOUTH

Word of Mouth is a multi-concept store showcasing design in fashion, furniture and architecture with a cafe inside the store.  The space is bright and airy with a wooden deck off to the side overlooking the street and a quieter and cooler space inside with racks of clothes and other design items scattered throughout the place.

A friend and I had lunch there recently.  C had mentioned this place several times before but we never got around to it so we finally agreed to meet there for an early Monday lunch.  I arrived first and chose one of the glass-topped tables in the center and ordered an iced tea which was served on a raised wooden board.  When C arrived, we had a look through the menu and decided to order several dishes to share: a prosciutto and mozzarella panini, flat bread with crumbled Feta and caramelized onions, a small salad and falafel-like beet-root balls which came with a sour cream and pesto dip.  The sandwich was a fancy grilled ham and cheese with arugula and the flat bread was a lighter version of a pizza.  The beet-root balls were quite original though and the tastiest dish that we ordered - grated beet covered in breadcrumbs and fried - they were sweet, savory, crunchy and mushy at the same time and were delicious.  There weren't many people there but throughout the afternoon, there was a steady trickle of twosomes who stopped by for a coffee, a drink or a light lunch.

We lingered over lunch, catching up on news and before we knew it, two hours had passed and it was time for the school run so we walked to nearby Bali deli to pick up a few things, said our goodbyes on the street and  I rushed off back to Sanur.

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Word of Mouth

9 Jalan Kunti, Kunti Arcade

Shop # 10

Seminyak, Bali

Telephone:  +62 361 847 5797

STARFISH BLOO at the W (Part 2)

That same weekend, we went back to the W's Starfish Bloo to experience their Sunday brunch.  We arrived earlier than our 11:30 reservation (which is when the brunch actually opens) and settled into one of the large rattan pod-like booths having a drink and watching the staff prepare the vast buffet with young American chef, Jack Yoss overlooking the set-up.  With his extensive career in the United States from Wolfgang Puck's Chinois in Las Vegas to San Francisco's Postrio and then to the W Los Angeles' Nine Thirty restaurant in 2005. He was recently executive chef at Ten 01 in Portland's hip Pearl district where he successfully presented "farm to table American cuisine". Jack is in-charge of the kitchen at Starfish Bloo and his creativity, experience and especially his travels all over Asia are evident in the Pan-Asian influenced menu.

Right by the twin aquariums were the platters of shellfish (oysters on the half-shell, scallops) and trays of sashimi and sushi.  The food was beautifully presented in ice-filled whitewashed wooden bowls which really brought out the different colors. 

By the open kitchen on the long counter, they had the hot station where on one end, all sorts of eggs and hot breakfast items were being cooked to order, towards the middle were individual lidded ceramic bowls filled with different curries - beef in red curry, prawn in yellow curry and at the far end was a large steamer basket for dim sum and other steamed goodies.

On another long table near the bar, they had all the charcuterie (jamon iberico, salami, chorizo) and cheeses, both hard and soft, along with fresh bread and chutneys plus a roast beef or roast lamb with the accompanying mustard and jus.

We tucked in as soon as the buffet opened and the kids had a quick meal then headed out to the adjacent kid's club in the sand where they had lots of activities to keep them busy while we enjoyed the rest of the brunch a deux.  During the meal, waitstaff came around with trays of other items that we hadn't even noticed on the buffet: cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella bites, Asian-style steamed bun sandwiches filled with shawarma lamb or shredded duck, fresh fruit smoothies - I tried the delicious papaya and tangerine.  There was also gazpacho, fresh bread and much more food that I can actually remember plus the large dessert table alongside the terrace where there were several cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and individual desserts like creme brulee and chocolate mousse.

After our leisurely brunch, we snagged one of the lounge chairs by the beach and settled in with some magazines and even a short siesta while the children continued to play in the kid's club.  We would have stayed there all afternoon if not for a sudden tropical rainstorm that had us running for cover, packing up  and heading back home.  We'll be back soon though, now that the good Bali weather is back,  for more food and fun at the W.

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Starfish Bloo

W Hotel

Petitenget, Seminyak

Bali 80361

Telephone: +62 361 738 106

*Open daily for lunch and dinner

Brunch on Sundays from 11:30 to 3:30 (Reservations recommended)

STARFISH BLOO at the W (Part 1)

When a new place opens in Bali, it becomes the flavor of the month and most everyone drop by to have a look.  The long-awaited opening of the W hotel finally happened a couple of months ago and when friends R & M were here for a week, they hosted M's birthday dinner at the W's beachfront seafood restaurant Starfish Bloo.  After cold champagne at their villa in Seminyak, we headed off to the easy-to-miss entrance of the W on Petitenget (right beside the red awnings of the Bali Catering Co. is the discreetly placed W sign).

We were seated at one long table (there were eight of us) adjacent to the terrace and with a front-row view of the sea, so close that we could hear the waves crashing to shore.  R had organized a family-style dinner.  We started with a few different, mostly fish appetizers from the Raw, Rare and Naked section of the menu: Salmon Sashimi which had some spicy Harrisa-coriander yogurt, shredded mint leaves, pickled grapes and toasted almonds, Kingfish Belly Sashimi with watermelon, balsamic soy, pickled shallots and black sesame seeds, Coral fish Sashimi with Thai chili ponzu, preserved mushrooms and shaved radish.

From the Tableside Seared Japanese Hot Rock section, there was thinly-sliced Wagyu striploin, lamb loin and venison loin served raw alongside a white bowl filled with black pebbles and a hot stone in the center for searing the meat.  Several sauces accompanied the meat for dipping.

Next up, were three dishes from Field, Farm and Shells:  Teppanyaki Scallops on top of warm smoky eggplant and sweet miso emulsion, Crispy Thai Style Pork Ribs, sticky and spicy from the garlic-chili glaze and a ceviche of Marinated Octopus & Cuttlefish tangy from the lime and garlic oil mix and the Sauternes Cured Foie Gras accompanied by a fruit mustard, a croissant (instead of the usual brioche) and a sherry vinegar reduction.

Main courses came from the Air, Land and Sea section.  There was the Korean Style Fried Chicken, with a sweet chili-garlic sauce and an apple-cabbage salad, two curries: a Yellow Curry of Sea Bass with purple basil and sweet peppers plus the slightly spicier red curry-based Braised Beef Short-rib Curry with pea eggplants, long beans and green tomatoes, and a second foie gras dish, this time sauteed and served with a hunk of Miso Glazed Black Cod.

We had eaten practically half of the menu but we couldn't end the meal without a few more sweets to share from the dessert selection: a citrus cheesecake with grapefruit and orange, warm chocolate bonbons that were crunchy-outside-melting-inside with vanilla ice cream and finally, a sticky-toffee-pudding like dessert with maple walnut ice cream.  The birthday boy had his own special dessert platter with a candle-topped cheesecake.  After polishing off the desserts, we had espressos and finally, close to midnight, we headed home with full bellies after a gastronomic evening with friends.

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Starfish Bloo

W Hotel

Petitenget, Seminyak

Bali 80361

Telephone: +62 361 738 106

*Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Brunch on Sundays from 11:30 to 3:30.

METIS

On a Saturday afternoon, A and I went off to discover the furniture shops lining the streets of Kerobokan.  After looking in at several shops and narrowing down our choices to make a new furniture order, we decided to have a quick lunch nearby before heading back home to the slim restaurant pickings in Sanur.

Since it was a lovely day with blue skies that Bali is known for, we knew we wanted to eat al fresco and rather than going to KuDeTa, where we always end up, we stopped at Metis instead.  We had been to Metis several times before, but always for dinner when it's packed with a sophisticated crowd of locals and expats.  It was the first time we were seeing the place during the day and were pleasantly surprised with how much nicer it was.  We settled into a table with a front-row view of the rice paddies and beyond underneath slowly circling overhead fans which was helped by the light breeze blowing from the rice fields. 

After a quick look at the shorter lunch menu, we decided to share a salad starter then have some light main courses to follow along with two large glasses of iced lemon tea - my favorite drink to have in this tropical heat.  The salad was a large portion of organic wild rucola Salad topped with lots of crumbled Feta and tossed with slivers of roasted sweet pumpkin, slices of crispy pear and crunchy pine nuts in a tart Balsamic vinegar-based dressing - lots of lovely textures and flavors.

Then came A's  vegetarian pasta of potato gnocchi with melting hot Gorgonzola and spinach and my  grilled fish of the day - Barramundi, perfectly cooked, crisp on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside - on a bed of ratatouille and lemon olive oil.  The fish was an ideal light and healthy Mediterranean-inspired lunch.

For dessert, we shared the cheekily-named Snow White Plate which was as we thought it would be but served separately in three pots: the fluffy egg-whit ile flottante in the first, raspberry sauce in the second and a vanilla pot de créme in the third with a few pieces of home-made pink marshmallows for fun. Espressos to end as usual and a surprisingly reasonable bill for all that we ate.

Lunch at Metis is a quiet affair but it's probably one of Bali's best bargain luxury lunch.  I'm taking my mom and all my girlfriends here when they come and visit.  It's that kind of place.

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Metis

Jl. Petitenget 6, Kerobokan

Kuta, Bali

Telephone: +62 361 737 888

*Open all-day everyday from 11:00 to 5:00 for lunch, high tea and dinner from 5:00 till late.

CAFE DEGAN

I had heard about Cafe Degan in Petitenget and was curious to try what was supposed to be Bali's best Thai food so on a weekday, a friend and I had lunch there to taste if the restaurant lived up to its reputation.  We arrived at around 12:30 on a Wednesday and were the only customers there so after choosing a table further back and close to several electric fans.

Cafe Degan is a joglo, an antique wooden Javanese house, simply decorated with antique hanging lamps.  We settled in and ordered something cold on that hot and humid day - Javanese iced tea for me, which was available in a glass or a pitcher and came (surprise, surprise!) with iced tea cubes and a fresh fruit juice for J.

The menu at Cafe Degan is split into two - Javanese favorites and Thai favorites because the Javanese chef used to work at the Banyan Tree in Thailand before coming back to Indonesia and setting up his own restaurant about a year ago.  Since we had heard so much about the Thai food and also because there really isn't a proper Thai restaurant in Bali, we were eager to try dishes from the Thai section of the menu.  After we ordered, several more customers walked in for lunch but most tables had chosen dishes from the Javanese side of the menu.

We both chose typical Thai salads to start.  I had the Yum Pla Foo - green apple salad while J had the green mango salad.  My salad was delicious - a perfect mix of Thai flavors: sweet from the green apples, sour from the lime juice, salty from the fish sauce, spicy from the bits of chili with the added texture crunch from the crispy catfish pieces, roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro.  J's salad looked similar to mine except it used green mango instead of green apple.

Main courses were a typical Thai green curry of chicken which came steaming hot, creamy with coconut milk and loaded with chunks of chicken and baby vegetables which was much spicier than the salad so I had several servings of steamed jasmine rice with it.  J opted for the Tom Yum Goong, the classic Thai lemongrass-flavored hot and spicy clear soup with prawns.

For dessert, we thought we'd have an exotic Thai fruit dessert but their list, surprisingly, had a few Indonesian desserts and many other Western ones.  We didn't understand why until we realized that the whole front area of Cafe Degan is actually a pastry shop specializing in wonderful-looking cupcakes, cakes and pastries.  J had the Es Degan - the crushed ice and coconut milk dessert mixed with fruit, red beans and jelly while I had a cooked banana dessert which came unexpectedly piping hot and was served in a bowl of palm sugar syrup and chunks of jack fruit.  It was so hot that I asked for another glass of crushed ice and added that onto my bowl so I could cool down my dessert.

Cafe Degan is a homey place where one can get both authentic Javanese and Thai dishes.  Although the concept is a bit mixed-up (Javanese, Thai and cupcakes?), I have to admit that the Thai dishes were quite good and is probably the best I've had here in Bali.

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Cafe Degan

Jl. Petitenget 9

Seminyak

Telephone:  +62 361 8893271

*Open every day except Wednesday from noon till late.

KUDETA SUNDAY

Clockwise from bottom left: mushroom gyoza, crispy chicken, spare ribs, spicy salami pizza, calamari, pizza margarita, spring rolls

On lazy Sundays, we usually have lunch out.  Sometimes, we go for dim sum and other times, we go over to KuDeTa for lunch.  A few weekends ago, we woke up to a beautiful sunny day and decided to eat out. A's 20-year old nephew C is visiting from Argentina with two friends so we piled into the car and drove over to Seminyak for a long, lazy brunch.  We settled in a long table right with a direct view to the beach and ordered many different grazing plates to share: two thin-crust pizzas, mushroom-filled dumplings, prawn and vegetable spring rolls, deep-fried calamari with aioli, crispy battered fried-chicken, barbecued spare ribs and heaps of french fries.  We slowly ate our way through the different plates and somehow, managed to finish it all.  For dessert, we shared a tiramisu, three scoops of fruit-flavored sorbet and the three-flavored mini creme brulee.  A fantastic spread for Sunday brunch, lots of entertaining things for the kids (arts and crafts, bouncy castle and the dipping pool) and the view of the waves crashing to shore. What more can one ask for?

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KuDeTa

Jalan Laksmana 9
Denpasar, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Tel: +62 361 736969
*Open daily from breakfast till late.

WAROENG WAHAHA

There are lots of places to have ribs in Bali.  The most famous of them being Naughty Nuri's in Ubud (and the recently opened Naughty Nuri's in Batu Belig) where ribs are an institution along with the extra-strong martinis.  On the long strip called the Sunset road in Bali, there is a large hard-to-miss sign of a pig for the newish restaurant Waroeng Wahaha.  We had passed it countless times on our way to Seminyak but had never stopped by until the father of my son's schoolmate mentioned that the ribs at this place were very good and that he thought they were even better than those at Naughty Nuri's.  That remark got me curious enough to try it.

The restaurant has a simple brick facade and is a large open-air space with mismatched  wooden tables and chairs.  Two counters on each side of the main room are decorated with colorful cartoon drawings of people laughing and pigs enjoying themselves (twisted humor perhaps but quite funny). There is also a large garden out back where a few tables are set out for eating al fresco.

We went on an early Sunday evening when there were a few clients digging into platters of ribs.  (we've been back since for lunch and the ribs were consistently good).  The menu is limited to grilled items and a few Indonesian dishes although the specialty is the highly recommended full slab of ribs.  We didn't experiment and ordered three platters of ribs, including a full slab for our 8-year old son, with french fries (you can also have it with rice).  The ribs arrived hot off the grill and slathered with their secret barbeque sauce.  They were meaty, tender and spicy-sweet.  After polishing off our ribs, we asked our ourselves if they were indeed as good as they say.  Yes, they were.  I think Naughty Nuri's may have found their match with Waroeng Wahaha.  They must be having the last laugh.

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Waroeng Wahaha

Jalan Sunset road

(near Jalan Kunti)

Seinyak, Bali

Telephone: +62 361 886 9858

SIP

In every place we've lived, we try many new restaurants right away to get to know the local cuisine and usually after about six months, we would have a list of our favorites.  Aside from the usual, we also seek out a French bistro for those days when only a proper steak au poivre or profiteroles will do.  When we suddenly get a craving for French comfort food here in Bali, we head out SIP in busy Seminyak.

The first time we had a meal at SIP was for our 10th anniversary in April, just a few weeks after moving to Bali.  The meal was perfect and the service efficient and friendly.  I didn't bring my camera along since it was a romantic diner a deux so I didn't get a chance to post about our dinner.  The next time we were at SIP was with some friends who we hadn't seen in years and we got caught up in our conversation that I couldn't interrupt the dinner to take photos either.  This time, I was determined to photograph the meal and finally share this post of one of our preferred restaurants on the island.

We started out with kir royales while we looked through their extensive menu.  Gougeres, fresh out of the oven, were served as well while we made our final choices.  A started with the salmon carpaccio while I had the goat cheese salad - a large portion of assorted greens topped by a hunk of melted goat's cheese on crispy country bread with a half-liter carafe of Chilean cabernet sauvignon.  Our main courses followed - steak-frites for A, a rare sirloin with crispy fries, and a steak au poivre for me - seared peppery tenderloin with a thick jus and lots of hot crispy fries to mop up the sauce.  It was exactly what we were craving and we cleared our plates.  Our quiet diner a deux ended with classic profiteroles for me and the tarte aux pommes (thin crispy apple tart) for A.  Espressos and back home.  SIP is one of those restaurants that's as perfect in the middle of the week alone for lunch or on a busy Friday for dinner with friends - classic bistro fare that's consistently good.  

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SIP

Jalan Raya Seminyak 16A

Kuta 80361 Bali, Indonesia

Telephone: +62 361 730 810

Email:  drink@sip-bali.com

Open daily for lunch and dinner, except for Sunday lunch

MADE'S WARUNG

When friends and family come to visit, they always ask to be taken to an authentic Balinese restaurant and although there are several, very few have lasted the test of time.  Made's Warung is one of these places that haven't really changed since they opened and hasn't been affected much by the gentrification and overall hipness of Seminyak.  They still serve the same simple Indonesian dishes that they've been serving since 1969 in the same basic interiors that  keep to the whole warung concept. What's a warung (also spelled waroeng)?  It's usually a family-run business where there is a simple open-air eating area and Made's is exactly that.

We arrived for a late lunch one Saturday (after not having been since 2003).  I had heard that they were in the midst of renovating their Seminyak location but since we were on our way to Canggu, we decided to go to that one instead of the other one in Kuta.  The place was a bit chaotic with scaffolding and some construction going on but the atmosphere hadn't changed - still the same mix of locals and tourists, dressed casually and making lots of noise.  We ordered quickly from the extensive menu - sates for everyone (a portion each of chicken, beef and pork) which we all shared and a grilled whole snapper for A.  Food arrived quickly and without fuss and was as good as we expected for a warung. Nothing exceptional but pretty good for what you pay for.   I've seen the drawings of what the new and improved Made's Warung will look like and I guess now I can say that it's going to be "Seminyak-ified" with modern interiors which will change the look a lot but hopefully keep some of the warung spirit of old colored tiles and casual ambiance.

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Made's Warung

Br. Seminyak, Kuta, Bali

+62 361 732 130

*Open daily for lunch and dinner

Another branch in Br. Pande Mas, Kuta (+62 361 755 297)

THE JUNCTION

Last week, a friend called out of the blue and invited me to lunch at the new and improved The Junction and I gladly accepted.  We had agreed to meet at noon so I would have enough time to zoom back from Seminyak to Sanur for the school run. 

The Junction is on a busy corner of Seminyak's Jalan Laksmana and right across from the modern strip mall, Seminyak Square.   You can't miss it as it's made completely from recycled planks of wood.  The whitewashed slats just let in enough light and gives the space a modern colonial feel.  A few tables and chairs plus some sofa-seating and lots and lots of glass jars filled with all sorts of stuff - from rocks and shells to tiny plastic dolls and colorful wrappers - acting as the only colorful decor to the otherwise all-white space.

Clockwise from top left: grilled aubergine, red pepper, zucchini & mozzarella, Prosciutto San Daniele,
Vietnamese chicken salad, tomato and mozzarella salad

I arrived a few minutes past noon and C was already seated at one of the indoor tables having a juice.  After looking at the menus (mostly continental cuisine with a few Asian touches), we decided to both have The Junction salad which a client nearby was having - half a melon filled with San Daniele prosicutto and greens.  Turns out that they had run out of the Junction salad (guess, there were no more melons) and so we had another look at the menu and decided to split a starter of grilled vegetables and mozzarella then C chose the tomato mozzarella salad with a side of San Daniele prosicutto and I had the Vietnamese chicken noodle salad.  Portions are large and the salads were fresh and simply presented.  The hours passed quickly while we chatted about what we had been up to since we last saw each other more than a month before. We shared a chocolate pudding to finish off our meal and before we knew it, it was time for me to rush off to the other side of the island, so said a quick goodbye and agreed to meet for lunch again soon.

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The Junction

Jalan Laksmana

(across Seminyak Square)

Seminyak, Bali

tel: +62 361735 610

CHANDI

Chandi interiors

On Wednesday, I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch and she asked me to choose the restaurant, the only requirement was that it be "somewhere in Seminyak".  Choosing a place to go in Seminyak isn't difficult as there are so many restaurants, cafes and bars that there's always bound to be something new or some place that you haven't been to.

Chandi is perfectly located right smack in the middle of Eat Street, Jalan Laksmana and specializes in modern Indonesian cuisine.  You walk into an open-air dining area flanked by a large bar on one end and a smaller counter/bar and air-conditioned dining area on the other end.  As it was a humid and wind-less day, we opted to sit in the cooler (in both senses of the word) "VIP" area where we had a view of the street and just a few other tables.

Lunch menus were presented and our drink orders were taken just as a group of other ladies were seated beside us.  We decided to look quickly and get our orders in as we were both quite hungry and eager to chat.  L chose the crispy calamari to start while I chose the vegetarian option - crunchy tofu squares.  For our mains, L had the sesame tuna while I opted for the Balinese crispy duck with a lemon iced tea.  (There are lots of interesting dishes on the menu that I'd like to try on my next meal at Chandi.  They even have small bites and sides that can be shared with a group over pre-dinner drinks.)

Clockwise from top left: chocolate dessert, sesame tuna, crispy duck, fried tofu salad, crispy calamari salad

Our starters were served quickly. L's calamari alongside some organic greens and drizzled with a lemon mayo chili dressing were crispy and tangy with the lemon-mayonnaise.  My tofu squares were four chunks of breadcrumb-covered, deep-fried tofu topped with lots of julienned cucumber and smothered in a spicy roasted peanut sambal.  They were delicious and certainly not a bland rendition of tofu, so much so that my plate went back to the kitchen clean.

After a reasonable wait, our main courses were served - L's tuna was a big portion of almost ten slices of sashimi-style sliced tuna encrusted with black and white sesame seeds, seared on the outside but left pink on the inside and served with a salad of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, capers, olives, a hard-boiled egg and some green beans making it a deconstructed salade nicoise given an Asian twist with the sesame seeds.  My main course, the Balinese crispy duck, was a deep-fried duck leg complemented by a tart yellowish tomato sauce and served with nasi kuning (turmeric flavored rice) and sauteed water spinach and chili.  It was traditional but presented in a modern way on a large rectangular plate and with the thick tomato reduction.

We took our time with the mains and by the time we were finished, were the only ones left in the restaurant.  After sharing the fabulously hot dark chocolate fondant (that's really what it's called) from the dessert menu and some organic Sumatran Arabica coffee, we finally finished lunch and I rushed off to my son's soccer game.
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Chandi
Jl. Laksmana, 72
Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Tel: +62 361 731 060
Open daily for lunch and dinner from noon till late

CAFE BALI

Cafe Bali: entrance (L), bar area (R)

Jalan Oberoi (Laksmana) is known to be Bali's "eat street" and rightly so.  It's on this narrow to-lane road that snakes through Seminyak that there is the most concentration of high-end restaurants and boutiques on the island.  Cafe Bali is right smack in the center of this bustling street and you can't miss the white Colonial building with a shaded porch and a long line of motorcycles permanently parked out front.

We went for lunch recently on Idul Fitri (Lebaran) and arrived at noon to a half-filled restaurant.  The all-white interior of this Joglo-type wooden house is bright and airy.  The place was furnished with white tables and chairs, cushy sofas and armchairs while off to one side is a small area with antique-tiled flooring and a wooden bar taking up most of the room.  The plastic flower-themed table covers and the hammered tin bowls filled with fresh flower petals added a nice touch too. 

From upper left: flowers on the table, greek salad, pumpkin gnocchi, beef satay,  chicken curry

We settled in one of the outdoor tables on the porch, underneath the whirring fans and overlooking the street.  The menu is a mix of continental, Dutch and Asian cuisine with some salads and starters, some pastas, and Asian dishes.  Greek salad to start then the pumpkin gnocchi for A, beef satay for J (a bargain for Seminyak at 28,000 IDR or about US$3) and the Indian chicken curry for me and large lemon iced teas for everyone.

While waiting, we enjoyed the people watching - mostly expats sitting around and chatting or having a coffee and enjoying the free WiFi.  The food was served not long afterwards: the greek salad came with lots of crumbled Feta on tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers and red and yellow peppers (strangely, there were a few stray capers in it as well, not sure if that was deliberate or just a mistake).  A declared his pumpkin gnocchi delicious and finished it rather quickly.   As we often do, J and I shared our dishes - the Indian chicken curry was spicy and came with saffron-flavored onion rice, a piece of chapati and some lentils while the beef satay was properly char-grilled and came with rice, prawn crackers, acar (pickled cucumbers) and peanut sauce (sadly, the only letdown of the meal as it was too smooth and not peanut-y enough).  We weren't expecting much from Cafe Bali and since we were pleasantly surprised at how our lunch turned out, we decided to order some dessert as well.  Chocolate mousse which came in a cup, bittersweet and thick enough you could stand a spoon in it and profiteroles, one of our favorites, which was the usual three choux-pastry balls filled with good-quality vanilla ice cream and lots of dark chocolate sauce.  Yes, portions are on the small side and the service was a bit choppy but all in all, Cafe Bali is a good choice for a cheap and cheerful meal, something that's quite hard to come by in Seminyak.

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Cafe Bali

Jalan Oberoi (Laksmana)

Seminyak, Bali

Indonesia

Tel: +62 361 736 484

Open daily, from 7 a.m. till late