GASTRONOMEL’S BALI FOOD TOUR

Balinese antique shadow puppet. Image source: www.tribalartasia.com

MY BALI

Bali is one of those places that’s easy to fall in love with, no matter what your budget. It’s only a 6 hour flight, roughly from Sydney or Melbourne, and the options and possibilities are endless once you arrive, from backpacker to utter rock star and everything in between.

Each time we go to Bali, we try to visit different locations, such as Ubud, Sanur, Seminyak, Jimbaran Bay and Uluwatu, so that we can experience the difference in scenery and cultural offerings, from tropical monkey forests to spectacular cliff tops with ocean views, and silver jewellery to paintings and stonework.

Following is snapshot of Bali from my perspective. Come take a tour around with me, as I’d love to show you a little of what I like on the very special Indonesian island that is Bali;

BALI TEMPLES

Bali’s population is over 85% Hindu, and the pavements are littered daily with colourful floral offerings to the Gods. There are countless religious festivals held throughout the year, and the countryside is dotted with beautiful, open air temples. Some of the most recognized being Besakih Temple (the Mother Temple) Tanah Lot, which juts out from the land into the ocean, as does my favourite, Pura Luhur, at Uluwatu, a majestic, awe-inspiring vista atop a cliff, with endless ocean stretching out before you, and waves crashing into the rocks below.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple, Bali on high rock above blue tropical sea.
Image source: Black Tomato UK

BALI DINING

I’ve enjoyed endless beachside dining in Bali, where a simple meal of Nasi Goreng with a Bintang beer, on a table in the Sanur sand, will set you back less than the price of a cocktail in Melbourne’s CBD. I’ve visited plenty of modest warungs (family-run cafes) serving ‘babi guling’ – suckling pig, a Balinese specialty – which set your taste buds alight, with fire and spice, dining beside locals and enjoying the rustic no-frills authentic atmosphere of these roadside eateries.

Nasi Goreng – Indonesian fried rice with vegetables, shrimp and fried shallots.
Image source: http://www.dineouthere.com

Being a self-confessed foodie, I have also been wooed by the spate of restaurants that have opened up in recent years. From the iconic Mozaic, set in the lush tropical hillside of Ubud, to the glamour-eateries in Seminyak and Petitenget, like Sardine and Sarong, which pair incredible service and 5-star food with opulent surroundings. Much has been written (and blogged) about these popular restaurants and with reason – they are very, very good. There are several hot spots that have opened up since these restaurants led the charge, giving Bali its reputation as a gourmet-dining destination. Some of our new favourites are Mamasan in Seminyak, Starfish Bloo at W Bali, and Metah Putih in Petitenget.

MAMA SAN

Known as the ‘The Street Food Chef’, Will Meyrick is certainly flavour of the month – he’s the man behind Sarong and Mama San in Bali, and E&O in Jakarta, as well as hosting his own TV show ‘The Street Food Chef’ after being a judge on the hugely popular Indonesian TV cooking show “Top Chef Indonesia”.

Mama San Bali Image source: Mama San Bali http://www.mamasanbali.com

Will’s love of Asian spices is evident in all his restaurants. He executes the street food dishes perfectly at Mama San, with zinging flavours, fresh ingredients and loads of fragrant herbs. The décor is also modern and sleek and the cocktails are definitely worth a sip or three.

On my last trip, we made a point of returning to eat at Mama San. Our meal included the Vietnamese grilled minced pork belly wrapped in betel leaves, and the beef and bamboo dumplings with chilli and hot bean paste, as well as a hearty serve of stir fried rice for our 9 year old eating machine (who also ended up hijacking our dumplings!)

Mama San Vietnamese grilled minced pork belly wrapped in betel leaves Photo: Melissa Brauer

Mama San beef and bamboo dumplings with chilli and hot bean paste Photo: Melissa Brauer

Mama San fried rice Photo: Melissa Brauer

W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK

Pool – W Retreat & Spa Bali Image source: W Retreat & Spa Bali

We love the W Retreat & Spa Bali in Seminyak. It’s one of our favourite places to stay, full of colour, music, activity, and dining options. There’s nothing better than sitting on a day bed at sunset at the WooBar, sipping 2 for 1 cocktails while a superstar DJ spins some laid-back beach house tunes and the waiters bring you complimentary pizza. The sunsets in Seminyak are spectacular, and this daily ritual is one it is very easy to settle into.

WooBar – W Retreat & Spa Bali Image source: W Retreat & Spa Bali

WooBar – W Retreat & Spa Bali Photos: Melissa Brauer

STARFISH BLOO – W RETREAT & SPA BALI

W Retreat & Spa Bali has a range of eateries, and the Starfish Bloo restaurant has many things going for it – the prime location over-looking the ocean, gorgeous fit-out with booths that look like lobster traps. The chef Kevin Chung is ex-Rockpool and Longrain so you know he’s going to do some seriously good pan-Asian dishes. He’s also a truly nice, genuine guy, and loves to wander around the tables whilst guests are eating dinner, stopping to chat and see how people are enjoying their meals. I love this personal touch.

Starfish Bloo – W Retreat & Spa Bali Photo: W Retreat & Spa Bali

Some of our Starfish Bloo dining highlights included the Penang curry of slow braised Waygu beef (one of the best we have ever had anywhere), seared Waygu on hot rocks (tender and juicy) and a lobster dish with sweet chilli that makes me drool all over again every time I think about it! The desserts are also superb, beautifully presented and full of tropical flavours.

Starfish Bloo Restaurant Photos: Melissa Brauer

We dined at Starfish Bloo as guests of the W Hotel. This in no way alters the fact that the food was spectacular. I was not asked to include this restaurant in my post – this was my choice, and I would recommend the restaurant to anyone who may (like us) not automatically have thought to visit the W Hotel specifically for dinner. My husband and I were totally blown away by how good the food was, and can’t wait to go back again.

MERAH PUTIH

Much of Bali’s dining is done outdoors. Places like Mozaic and Sarong depend on warm, tropical nights to create the ambience in their torch-lit, open-air garden settings (complete with bug spray!). One of the newest kids on the block, Merah Putih obliterates the need for good weather (and Bali’s wet season is W.E.T), whilst creating an ambience and feeling of space. Featuring soaring high ceilings, lush foliage and tropical indoor plants, Merah Putih also has an innovative roofing system that captures the rainwater for later use, once it is filtered.

The food is modern Indonesian, ridiculously good, and the service is almost painfully professional, with an impressive wine list, should you feel like splurging. The soy-glazed Angus beef short-rib was a revelation, as was the coconut panacotta with mango and palm sugar crumble.

Merah Putih Bali Image source: http://merahputihbali.com

Merah Putih Bali Image source: www.merahputihbali.com

SUKESMA

The Balinese people are some of the most warm and welcoming you could hope to meet, and it’s nice manners to learn a few key phrases in Balinese (different to Indonesian). ‘Sukesma’ means ‘Thank you’ – using this wherever you go shows the utmost respect and never fails to elicit a broad smile from whomever you meet. And with the happiness you’ll feel after any of these dining experiences, you’ll be saying ‘Sukesma’ a fair bit. We also always like to tip - $25 AUD is a just under a week’s wage for the average Balinese worker, and considering how good value the meals are in Bali, it’s not hard to part with at least this much to show your appreciation. You’ll be guaranteed a ‘sukesma’ in return!

MELISSA BRAUER – SQUAWK MEDIA

Melissa Brauer is the Director of Squawk Media, a boutique service dedicated to helping businesses optimize their online presence through a combination of social media management, content curation, photography and traditional marketing techniques. Squawk Media can help you grow your business profile and encourage engagement with your audience. Why just tweet when you can squawk?

www.squawkmedia.com.au // www.gastronomel.com.au
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W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK

One of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations is decking the halls and getting ready to say goodbye to 2013 with a bang. Every venue in the expansive and glamourous W Retreat & Spa in Seminyak Bali will be catering to all of the senses for this year’s Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. See www.wretreatbali.com for all of the events happening this holiday season.

Jl Petitenget / Seminyak / Kerobokan / Denpasar / Bali / 80361 / Indonesia
T +62 361 4738 106 // F +62 361 300 2223
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