Bali Advertiser
05 May - 19 May, 2010
The Guide 47
Update
Sarong took its place at the top of the restaurant queue almost as soon as it opened. Just over two years old it is almost as if it has been there forever! Whilst this Raya Petitenget, Kerobokan, eatery offers a blend of very original Thai, Chinese and Indian dishes it is the cheapest item on their menu that everyone returns for and continues to talk about. Whenever you ask any of their regular guests what they ordered the answer is invariably the same. It does not seem to matter which of the cuisines the bulk of the meal consisted of, fi rst up it is almost always Betel Leaves. It is an incredibly simple dish which has emanated from the Royal Cuisines of Thailand, dishes that were prepared in the palaces from the days of Siam. It would never nowadays be served with a main meal in Thailand but like all the things we in the west refer to as entrees [spring rolls, money bags, prawns in a blanket, sates, etc.] it would only be presented to visiting house guests during the day, as a hospitality essential, but then constant snacking is a Thai way of life. At Sarong the betel leaf is topped with salmon, shrimp, galangal and coriander [pictured]. For the uninitiated you pick up the leaf with your fi ngers, wrapping it around the ingredients and eat as a whole, no doubt with palm sugar running back down your fi ngers! I am sure that the popularity of this dish is purely from the wonderful freshness and contrasts in taste and not the fact that the leaf is a mild stimulant and from the same family as the leaf that produces that famous very intoxicating Fijian drink, Kava.
C/R/I-24 Feb 10
Clear Café is Ubud’s secret vegetarian restaurant. Not even a street-side sign to guide you just an open gate in a bamboo fence on Jl. Hanoman. Behind this is a grand new building selling pure vegetarian, but with some seafood and eggs, and a PR style menu with pretty words. Hard to fathom the reasoning for calling a fairly standard vegetarian burger a ‘Love Burger’, and a Peanut Butter and Jam sandwich is hardly riveting cuisine. More interesting are their ‘Majestic Mushrooms’ stuffed with a pate of sundried tomatoes, feta, garlic and herbs, a Goat Cheese Salad with baby greens and beets, candied cashews and a sesame ginger dressing. A combination of sautéed tempe [I have no idea how you saute something that is already a solid block?], sauerkraut and tomato on a baguette is called a ‘Tempe Reuben’ though not served on Rye, the lack of salted beef was expected. The ‘Rabbit Wrap’ does not include meat from that lovable animal just veggies in lettuce cups. The Asian connection continues with dishes touched by India and Thailand, and International with a Mexican infusion! A salad of lentil beans with creamed spinach, curried potatoes, raita, chapati and mango chutney is a ‘Hint of India’, a ‘Chicano Burrito’ combines beans, rice, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and pico de gallo & ranchero sauce. Their ‘Pad Thai’ uses glass noodles made from beans [original Pad Thai always uses rice noodles] with a strange mix of egg, prawns and vegetables in a ‘peanut’ sauce? Clear Café is the only restaurant in Bali where you MUST leave your shoes at the door, $1 specials are scattered everywhere.
Tangie is another newcomer in Jln. Medeka, Renon It is an air-conditioned restaurant on the eastern side of the Pututan Park, an area which is rapidly being fi lled with budget-priced restaurants. This one is very Javanese, best described as a high-class warung. It has a large modern front room for the non-smokers and a rear covered terrace for the smokers. There are 4 main meal ingredients and all can be ordered fried, grilled or with that piquant sauce of Manado, Rica-Rica. All meals come with a star-shaped mound of steamed rice, a serve of Plecing Kangkung [water spinach with its fi ery Lombok accompaniment], a small pile of Teri [deep fried crisp sprats in a sambal mentah], and some sambal ulek [the real version, undiluted, not the tourist version]. Their Nasi Ayam is half a kampoeng chicken, when deep-fried [goreng] it is very crisp and crunchy, the bones easy to remove. Nasi Iga is beef ribs and with a surprising amount of tender meat attached to the big bones. Nasi Bebek is a fl attened half duck, it looks dry but with meat is quite moist and tender. Also offered is a long list of iced juices, teas and coffees. Most of the teas and coffees can be had hot or iced, the coffee is espresso and surprisingly good, even topped with a real rich dark crema. The wait staff have limited English [our problem not theirs] but the lack of English description on the menu will unnecessarily limit their market potential.
Warung Eropa has doubled in size! It used to share a space with its Asian cousin, offering a range of French cuisine at virtually warung prices. Now the two are one in Raya Petitenget, Kerobokan. The interior has been substantially updated, it now no longer looks like a warung, and the menu has gone over to mainly Asian with a sprinkling of European dishes though some are confused; a very English ‘Bangers and Mash’ promises Italian pork sausages in a red wine sauce, very un-English! Old French favourites Escargot in garlic butter, Duck Confi t and a Duck Salad with a raspberry vinaigrette are still on the menu. The Chicken, Feta and Mushroom is served in Choux Puff pastry, one usually reserved for desserts and chocolate éclairs. The Lamb Casserole is with couscous and the Pork Ribs go German with red cabbage, sauerkraut and sautéed potatoes. Some of the Asian dishes get a bit confused as well, the Vietnamese Spring Rolls [goi cuon] coming with Chinese sweet and sour or hoisin sauces rather than the traditional Vietnamese nuoc cham. Other Asian dishes include Lidah Tumis [sautéed ox tongue] and Rawon Telor Asin [the so-called black soup with salty egg]. No one could ever complain about the prices on this menu, great value!
Blossom @ Sentosa welcomes their 3rd Execeutive Chef since opening, the well-travelled American Bill Collier. Whilst the main menu is still being massaged, a launch in June envisaged, an All Day Menu and interesting specialty menus are already in operation. A Salumi Menu offers a wide selection of sausages and cured meats; Pata Negra Belotta [3 year aged Iberico leg ham], Chorizo Iberico Extra [dry cured spicy pork sausage]. To match is a list of 11 quality cheeses, from Italy, France, Holland, Sardinia and Australia. The All Day Menu offers something for everyone; a Caesar with poached eggs, a Lobster Club Sandwich, Rabbit Ravioli with braised garlic, Grilled Fillet of Barramundi in white miso with sweet potatoes and shiro dashi broth, Grilled Veal Shoulder or a Lamb and Rosemary Sausage. But the real star performer, for my taste, is an 8 course Dinner Degustation for Rp.490,000++. Included are dishes of strong and varied tastes; Prawn & Coconut on betel leaf, freshly shucked Oysters, a Tortellini of Suckling Pig with a green onion puree, crackling and palm sugar, Chinese Roasted Duck, hand rolled noodles, soy and cranberries, Yellow Curry of Lamb Shank, Vanilla-cured Salmon and the real ultimate in beef a Black Angus Tenderloin [black truffl e and parmesan butter]. Finish with a Chocolate Pudding.
Sorriso, the Italian restaurant at the Seminyak end of Jln. Drupadi, has already earned its popularity with a very budget-priced menu, and taste that is really Italian. Now they have a new Special 4 Course Promotion for only Rp.65,000++. Begin with Bruschetta Pomodoro e Ruccola [or Crostini Mozzarella] followed by a special home made pasta topped with bolognese sauce [or Pizza Margherita], then a main of Grilled Tuna Fillet in lemon [or deep-fried breaded Chicken Cutlet] and fi nish with a Lemon Cake, available 7 nights a week. There are also many other food and cocktail specials.
Gerry Williams For more information see our website:
www.balieats.com
C/R/G-5 May 10
755392
CALL BALI ADVERTISER
Thursday
may27
8.30 PM
Join in the discussion! The word is out.
Jalan Gootama Ubud Bali Ph+ 361 971832
www.casalunabali.com
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