Bebek Bengil put the Ubud village dish of Crispy Duck on the world stage. This Padang Tegal restaurant, with its small bales and large wantilans, all with rice paddy views, was an instant hit with both domestic and international tourists to Bali. So much so that many other local restaurants added ‘Bebek’ to their name. Crispy Duck [pictured] can be rather dry but at Bebek Bengil they do it right so it is still fleshy. However they also do another local dish, the real classic dish of Bali, Bebek Betutu. It features on many menus in Bali but far too often it is just a kitchen creation. Here they follow the traditional village method of preparation. The bird is stuffed with Balinese herbs and spices, including shallots, garlic, lemongrass, candle nuts, ginger, turmeric, lime leaves, kencur root, and many others, then wrapped in beetle nut leaf, and steamed over embers for a long extended cooking period. The resultant flavour of the now yellow coloured and amazingly tender flesh is unique and one of the great delights of dining in Bali. Due to this long cooking cycle only a full bird is served and it must be ordered for a minimum of 2 persons at the table. It must be ordered one day in advance to facilitate the detailed preparation. The chicken version of this dish, Ayam Betutu, is also available but with the same ordering restrictions. Whilst the original site has been constantly extended to meet the ever-growing demand, another 8 locations now exist as Bebek Bengil outlets, in total four in Bali and five in Jakarta.
Moringa is confusing. From the outside it appears to be offering Japanese cuisine, judging by the large wall mural. In fact this stylish air-conditioned restaurant on Jln. Dew Sri, Legian, offers a range of Asian and International dishes. Start with a Smoked Fish [cakalang] Salad, with lettuce, egg yolk, avocado cream and raisin vinaigrette, a bowl of Quinoa or Roasted Pumpkin with beetroot and hazelnut oil. The bowls are great as anytime snacks; Oxtail with curry pasta and omelette on fried rice or the intense Gyo Tan Don, imported marinated beef tongue with leek, fried garlic and chilli on rice. International dishes with a twist include a Burger on brioche, Roasted Fish with paprika and spaghetti, imported Onglet Beef and an old fashioned Coq au Vin; chicken cooked with red wine. Exotic desserts include a cream cheese soufflé and a Klappertart, made from young coconut, butter. egg yolk, milk and cinnamon topped with a meringue.
Depresso is a very strange name for a coffee shop! Do you go for a coffee when you are depressed or does having a coffee make you that way? Kedai Depresso is the latest in a seemingly never ending line of coffee houses on Jln. Hayam Wuruk in Renon. They open and they close, on a regular basis but at least this one seems very busy. There is a monster list of different coffees [doppio, ristretto, lungo, kopi tubruk?] as well as all of the usual ones, plus many different juices. The food is cheap, snacks [chicken fingers or wings, bitter ballen, churos] and rice bowls [chicken or fish] predominate. The Crispy Chicken, similar to nuggets, is very popular and comes with a long list of different sauces.
DSM is also new on Jln Hayam Wuruk. A smart design, air-con rooms inside, a smokers terrace at the front and an unusual outdoor cooking area all seems to suggest that this one is here to stay. Although the over-stylised name script on the front sign looks more like ‘1715 M’ than DSM, perhaps a little too clever? They offer very cheap food that is interesting as well. Snacks include Coriander Meatballs, Turmeric Samosas and Ginger Chicken Wings. Pasta can be a Rendang Bolognese, Pizza with jerk beef. Rice Bowls can be Chicken & Ginger, Turmeric Fish or Chicken Sambal Matah. The 24 hour marinated Jerk Steaks are the main feature, tenderloin, chicken and fish, all served with potato and cheese balls.
Warung Cahaya is a place that you find, just by accident! On a side street off Jln. Nakula, Legian [Jln. Dewi Ratih] it is small, rather stylish and seemingly always busy! Crispy Pork Sambal Matah is their main claim to fame, and every day people queue for it, and every day it is always sold out early. At Rp. 32,000 it is the most expensive item on the menu. There is also a chicken version. The other dishes are all rather Indonesian Chinese; rice, noodles, chicken & pork with garlic butter, sweet and sour, etc. No one seems to mind the long wait for service and the queues they just all keep on coming back!
Ketupat was once one of Bali’s leading restaurants. At its original location behind the Jonathan furniture showroom on Jln Legian it was a virtual oasis surrounded by mediocre restaurants, back in the 90’s. You walked down what appeared to be a private driveway and there was a two story building with small romantic balconies on the 2nd floor that jutted out over the large swimming pool. Facing were a line of tables, pool-side, and behind a series of small bales. A special place serving an interesting array of Indonesian cuisine, many of which were way out of the ordinary such as the Quail Eggs, a dish from Irian Jaya. It was a case of busy every night and reservations only every day in the high seasons. A move to a new location many years ago on what was then an empty Jln, Dewi Sri, did not take the sell-out crowds with them. They have now added a street front section in an attempt to attract the passing trade. Inside is similar to the old, small bales facing a pool.
Gerry Williams
For more information see our website:
www.balieats.com