Bali from the Belly

My visits to Bali invariably begin with dinner at Jimbaran Bay. Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s essential. So when I made a quick trip to the island sometime last year, I had dinner at, you guessed it, Jimbaran. This time, I wasn’t brought to a ramshackle hut at one end of the beach but to a concrete structure jostling with others of its kind right in the middle of that stretch of sand. After choosing our dinner from the array of fresh seafood in tin pans and live ones swimming in tanks, my friend and I were seated at a prime spot just a few steps from the beach. The crowd has thinned considerably, as I later observed in other parts of Bali. What didn't change was the perfectly seasoned seafood, so simply prepared yet so flavorful. Nothing masked the taste of the seafood’s juicy flesh; Everything was enhancement--the brush of slightly sweet marinade on the fish, the smoky essence to the lobster, the hint of chili on the shrimps, and the generous dusting of crushed peppers and onions on the crabs. With that meal alone, you could say this trip was off to a sublime start. Unlike previous visits where I spent most of my time chasing artists and shamans, I wanted this one to be a laissez-faire, que sera sera experience. Only one thing was certain. I was going to eat my way through the island. So help me God. Following my guidebook, I was led the next day to a restaurant in Kuta, which was described to have a “superb, moderately expensive menu of exquisite Indonesian dishes based around fish, goat and chicken, plus vegetarian options using interesting combinations of banana flowers, jackfruit, and aubergine.” There wasn't much mention of restaurants serving Indonesian dishes in the guidebook, with the exception perhaps of warungs, so I was eager to try. Ketupat is tucked behind Jonathan Gallery in Jalan Legian so it was buffered from the noise of running engines. We were relieved by the cool breeze that blew as we sat in one of the balcony tables overlooking the pool. The décor was not remarkable but it had a quiet charm. I can imagine the private cabanas at the pool area to be quite romantic in the evening. They had a huge menu of traditional dishes from practically every part of Indonesia. It was quite overwhelming. We decided to order a sampler to have a taste of at least the essential dishes. Of course we couldn’t resist trying out the rice pudding from which the restaurant was named. It turned out to be flavorless, and was meant to be eaten with one’s dish of choice, much like rice to a Filipino meal. Our sampler came in a large platter covered with banana leaves, with food served in little bowls made from the same material. There was a good balance of meat (beef, chicken, and goat) and vegetables, such as kangkung (water spinach) in sambal and a salad of turnips and carrots. The meat dishes were mildly spiced, delicate compared with the exuberance of many Southeast Asian dishes. The same can be said about the chili prawns, a separate order from the sampler. I quite enjoyed the beef satay, which was served in a mini-charcoal grill (don't leave too long or the meat will toughen up and dry). Having had our coffee and done our share of walking, it was time for the beach, and what view could beat the one from Samaya's The Breeze in Seminyak. With the minimal white and dark-wood theme, the well-placed pool, the abundance of lounge chairs and outdoor couches — this is sunset-viewing to perfection. The walking must have done its job because pretty soon we were ordering dinner. My companion chose an Indonesian specialty called bebek betutu (roast duck), while I ordered nasi goreng. For appetizer, I had smoked duck tucked between two flaky, phyllo biscuits. The complimentary bread basket came with three types of dip, which I enjoyed together with the crisp flatbread with poppy seeds. I loved my nasi goreng although I couldn’t finish the sizeable serving. My friend didn’t seem too pleased with the bebek betutu, which was diced and wrapped in a thin pastry shell. What saved the meal was the discovery of Storm beer, a local beer produced in the island. I had been exposed previously to only two beer brands from Indonesia, Bintang and Bali Hai. Storm is relatively new and is clearly on its way to becoming a favorite, judging by the way my friend was singing praises to it. Not being a beer drinker, I just had to take his word for it. The next day, we made our way to Ubud, Bali’s traditional art center. As I had spent quite some time there on a previous visit, I had no activity planned except to browse the shops on Monkey Forest Road and Jalan Hanoman, and have a good lunch. I hardly recognized the place when I arrived. The quaint shops and handmade wares were still there but no one was buying! I dropped by at some of the restaurants and cafes I have been to, and have hardly identified them because the characteristic hum of activity and free-flowing conversation had been replaced by a silence that, more than anything, was sad. After scouring the length of Jalan Hanoman for souvenirs, we asked the driver to take us to Monkey Forest Road for lunch. We parked at one end and walked the length of the street to look for a good place. I wanted to go back to Café Wayan whose food I particularly enjoyed during my last visit but the place was empty. Across the road, my friend found an airy café overlooking the rice paddies. It was called the Three Monkeys Café. I was craving for something warm and sumptuous so I decided to start with laksa. The rich, coco cream-laden soup was the perfect antidote to the exhaustion from the long walk and the beginnings of a migraine. The chicken curry was equally good, although it left me so full that I wanted to stretch out in the sofa and doze off. There is no drowsiness of course that Bali kopi cannot shake off so I ordered a cup, which turned out to be a tall mug. So much for siesta. The restaurant I was most excited to try was Bumbu Bali in Nusa Dua so we saved it for last. Come our last day, however, we couldn't get a reservation. I was resigned to saving Bumbu for the next trip and went off for a massage. Coming from the spa at 9, we dropped by Bumbu upon my friend's suggestion "just in case they can squeeze us in." It turned out to be a good call because, by then, only a few tables were occupied. We ordered the rijsttafel, which means rice table. It is an elaborate meal with rice at the center and several small servings of Indonesian cuisine to go with it. It is a tradition that originated from Dutch plantation owners who liked to sample selectively from Indonesian cuisine. Indonesia is a former Dutch colony. Our meal started with several appetizers, namely sambel be tongkol (tuna salad); sate sampi, ayam, lilit (beef, chicken and seafood satay), and lawar ayam (vegetable chicken salad). The satays were simply the most savory I have ever tasted. Then came the soup, cram cam (clear chicken soup with shallots). The main dishes were a delight to the sight. These were ayam betutu (roast chicken in banana leaf), be celeng base manis (pork in sweet soya sauce), be sampi mebase bali (braised beef in coconut milk), kambing mekuah (lamb stew in coconut milk), ikan bakar (grilled fish fillet), pesan be pasih (minced fish grilled in banana leaf), and sayur (a selection of vegetables). The star attraction of course was the rice, which was served in yellow, red, and white (steamed) varieties. The dessert platter composed of kueh Bali (a selection of Balinese cakes), bubuh injin (black rice pudding), jaja batun bedil (sticky rice flour dumpling in palm sugar sauce), and buah-buahan (seasonal Balinese fruits). We washed them all down with Bali kopi. The selection may sound a bit much but the servings were perfect for two. And, I must say, of all the food that I have eaten in the island, I have not been more pleased than with the ones I have tried in this restaurant, save of course for the nasi gudeg (rice with jackfruit cooked in coconut milk) I once bought from a warung.