I started off the year with a quick weekend trip with the girls to Bali as a pre-birthday celebration. My main objective there (or anywhere I travel) was to eat, and Bali has never disappointed me on the food front. With a great array of snacks, street foods, and amazing sambals, I had a checklist of things I wanted to eat before I even departed to Indonesia.
Admittedly, this was not as much of an eating trip as I would have liked, with some of the girls being struck down with the infamous Bali Belly, and not to mention nursing our recovery from our nights prior…
However, with that being said, we still ate our fair share of Bali delicacies and enjoyed some memorable meals, so here’s a round up of our highlights.
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Nasi Tempong Indra
Nasi Tempong Pak Indra
We asked our driver to recommend a great place for spicy sambal, and this spot was an immediate yes from the group. In a large open air restaurant, we sat down on long wooden tables and benches and ordered nearly half the menu—a great perk of travelling with a large group. I ordered the nasi tempong with seasonal fried fish, but tried the duck and chicken too. The accoutrements of tempeh and tofu were perfectly cooked and added a great contrast of textures and flavours. The sambal was without a doubt the star of the show: very spicy but maintaining its distinct flavour and fragrance. At the end of the meal, my nose was running and my lips were swollen, but I couldn’t help but crave more. In a spice induced haze, we bought a few jars of sambal, forgetting we had no check in baggage to bring it back in. We left it for our driver who recommended it before we flew off, no wasting from us!
Nasi Tempong Indra: Jl. Dewi Sri No.788, Legian, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Cinnamon French Toast in Milk & Madu
Cinnamon french toast at Milk & Madu
Usually I try to steer clear from having too many brunch foods in Bali in a conscious effort to try and explore more of the local culinary landscape. On this occasion, we were caged in by a sudden downpour and had no other choice but to stay in one spot. Completely taking me by surprise, this might even be one of the best french toasts I’ve ever had. I have to admit, I do have a soft spot for anything cinnamon, but everything from texture to condiments paired perfectly with this almost impossibly soft and fluffy french toast.
Milk & Madu: Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong No.92, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
BO$$MAN Burgers
At the end of one of our nights after coming home from a fun bar hopping session, I knew I needed sustenance. Hopping on Gojek, there weren’t many options at 4am, but the bright branding of BO$$MAN Burgers lured me in. I'd seen this burger chain around the island a couple times, but never tried due to the same philosophy of preserving stomach space for local foods. That philosophy was overridden by the unanimous need for guilty pleasure, carb heavy foods that resulted in a couple burgers and some bakso on the side. The Fat Baht was my personal favourite amongst the large selection, a spicy fried buttermilk chicken thigh that complemented perfectly with a tangy slaw made of green papaya, coriander, lemongrass, mint, and jalapeno slices. Another must try is the smash burger, with great caramelised edges of the patty giving great flavour and textural contrast.
BO$$MAN: Jl. Pantai Batu Bolong No.69, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
SKOOL Kitchen
Brown butter gnocchi at SKOOL
For a special night out, we headed over to SKOOL Kitchen, part of Project:Black, a large hospitality group with a few venues scattered around the island, anchored around iconic surfing spots. The interior of the restaurant was stunning, with a full view of their incredible kitchen that focuses on open fire cooking.
Amongst the incredible menu, some highlights included the woodfired brown butter gnocchi, Sakoshi Bay oysters with tomato water and passion fruit granita, and their grilled bread ice cream with malted yeast and brown butter. The char on everything was impeccable, bringing in a symphony of flavours that you simply cannot get with any other method of cooking except open fire cooking. The first bite of their perfectly scorched gnocchi is an experience I would want to relive every day. Paired with some great cocktails and a DJ playing strictly with vinyl, I’d definitely make the trip back to have their food again.
SKOOL Kitchen: Jl. Pura Dalem, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
White Sangria at The Lawn
Drinks at The Lawn
Another venture of Project:Black is The Lawn, which is located right below SKOOL and presents itself as a beach bar. For a last hurrah on a sunny afternoon, we indulged ourselves in some fresh coconuts and some spritzes, but the white sangria hit the spot like none other. Light rum, apple, lychee, lime, white wine was exactly the combination we needed to accompany the sunshine. The rest of the menu boasted some delicious sounding drinks and snacks, which is perfect for your day out on the sunbed, with a good DJ in the background. The hospitality we received was also incredible, with staff being very attentive and friendly.
The Lawn: Jl. Pura Dalem, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Indomie & Tempe Chips
Qtela Tempe Chips
Chitato Indomie Chips
The snack game in Indonesia, dare I say, is beating Malaysia's. Their incredible variation and adaptation to local flavours is something that I’m not seeing often on the shelves of Malaysian convenience stores. Straight off the plane at the airport, we dropped by the convenience store and got a few snacks for the road. The similarity of the palates of Indonesians and Malaysians meant that we had so many overlapping familiar flavours in chip form. Some of the best ones were the Chitato Indomie chips, and the Qtela Cabai Rawit tempe chips. Nearly everything we ate included these tempe chips, whether it’s nasi geprek or bakso, we crushed and sprinkled and scooped with these chips—truly the MVP of this trip. The Indomie chips captured perfectly the essence of the humble plate of indomie, and were so moreish that it felt nearly as good as the real thing. A special shoutout to the Mi Sedaap Rawit Bingit Ayam Jerit & Bakso flavours, which served more than its weight in the airport when our flight back was delayed.
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