Boardwalk at The Bali Garden Hotel on Jln Kartika Plaza, Tuban, has been an instant success at its pleasant beachside location. Sitting under the trees, for an hour or two, even makes local residents feel as if they are also here on holidays! It has been built on the budget-priced comfort food concept. The result is that it has been busy since opening. They also have a Tapas Menu that complements their a la carte offerings. It is available all day but is best suited to their Happy Hour [4.00 to 7.00 p.m., daily] when the Sundowner Special Cocktails go down as easily as the food. Spicy Chorizo slices are perfect snacks whilst drinking as are the Thai Fish Cakes and Crumbed Chicken Strips with their Dijon mustard and honey dip. For something more substantial try the slices of Spanish Omelette or Wagyu Beef Meatballs stewed with tomato and oregano. Very popular are the range of pizzas from the giant wood-fired pizza oven at centre stage, As are the many pasta and seafood dishes [pictured].
Happy Chappy Ubud has only been open for a few weeks but they have already extended their menu, adding many seafood options. One of which is one of my favourite dishes from Happy Chappy Kerobokan, Kung Pao Prawn, using king size prawns not the little schoolies used most everywhere else. Other new items include Gurame, whole fried fish with sweet & sour or salted egg, and Garupa with shiitake mushrooms and spring onions in a spicy Szechuan hotpot. Prawns can also be ordered just stir-fried with snow peas and oyster sauce, or with salted egg. Also available is the ever popular Honey Prawns with sesame seeds. Squid is also now on the menu, salt & pepper [with chilli and garlic], black pepper or the Szechuan Kung Pao.
Jack Fish is one of Sanur’s many seafront restaurant/warungs. As the name suggests their specialty is seafood and it is very popular. Run by a local Balinese family, everything is prepared onsite, the sambals, Matah and Merah perfect for the freshly grilled fish. Budget prices only add to the attraction.
Extrablatt is booming! Great news for all those who like a good German meat meal from time to time, as I do! For many years it was just a small restaurant opposite what used to be Rumah Manis on Jln. Nakula, Legian. It has now re-opened 100 metres further down Nakula at an indoot-outdoor site that was for a very short time a Babi Guling restaurant. All the old favourites are on the new menu. My regular lunch time dishes were always the Hackbraten [meatloaf] and Geschnetzeltes [beef strips with mushrooms in a cream sauce]. Sometimes for variety the Leberkase [Bavarian style meat loaf with fried egg on top] or Rinderroulade mit Rotkraut [beef rouladen with red cabbage]. Any early morning stop [open from 9.00 a.m.] the Farmer Breakfast [fried potato with bacon. sausage, sauerkraut and egg] is essential. Great meat dishes and at very reasonable prices, every dish less than Rp.100,000 [incl. tax and service], many much less!
Mr Bob’s Bar & Grill, beachfront at Tandjung Benoa specializes in Ribs, either with BBQ Sauce or with Sweet Chilli. Spring Rolls, salads etc are among the very common starters here as well as Crumbed Calamari with 1000 Island and Tartar sauces. Mains can be Indonesian [curries, grills or pan fries] or Western [steaks, lamb chop, salmon], the burgers can be the Texan style [huge] Black Devil or the Wagyu White Angel. But it is the Ribs that they come for here, they are served with rice [steamed or pineapple], or potatoes [mashed, wedges or fries]. As is a very welcome new trend, all the prices on this menu are net of all taxes.
Street Boi is streetside on Jln. Petitenget, Kerobokan, really streetside, in fact it is almost on the street. They serve BAO, soft buns steamed, fiilled with beef, chicken, pork or vegetarian combinations. Open till late and very popular as they are perfect for an anytime snack. Have a couple and it is a full sized meal.
Rise and Shine Cafe, Jl. Padang Linjong, Canggu, starts the day with breakfasts. Sundays they are served all day, but surprisingly only till 11.00 a.m, on other days, a strange decision as their breakfasts are excellent and considerable. They offer a range of ‘Benedicts’ all served on English muffins, poached egg on top and breakfast potatoes on the side, in either half or full portion sizes. Traditional is with Canadian Bacon, Florentine with spinach, mushrooms, onions and feta. There is even a fish version, either grilled or blackened. More unusual is the Corned Beef Hash as a Benedict? Or you can have your Hash and Eggs on toast if you prefer? 3 Egg Omelettes are also on the menu with many different ingredient combinations.
Fat Tony continues to pack them in! Small, but very popular, not much bigger than a hole in the wall Fat Tony’s is found on the extension of Jln. Melasti, Legian, just past Grandma’s on this one way street. Only open evenings, it offers a range of snacks and small meals but it is the hamburgers that most visit her for. Another page in Bali’s current hamburger revolution.
Happy Chappy of Jln. Braban, Kerobokan, have announced the opening of new outlets styled Happy Chappy Express in both Kuta and Legian, concentrating on their substantial range of dim sum product, prepared fresh every day.
Gerry Williams
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www.balieats.com