Warung D’Uma Tapan is one of the new wave of warungs, operated by young local industry professionals and offering a mix of restaurant and warung food. In the famous Guide Michelin guide books of dining in Europe, they seek out and mention those out of the way places that offer excellent food at reasonable prices, they state that they are ‘worth a detour’. Well this one at Saba, almost opposite the entrance to the Ibu Kasih hospital, just off the Sanur to Candi Dasa expressway, certainly qualifies for that accolade.
Owned by a group of teachers, each with vast industry experience in 5 star hotels and fine dining restaurants, from the famous Gianyar hospitality college, Monarch, and staffed by a group of their most talented ex students, it is a great example of the new Bali!
It is a pleasant, clean two level site offering great tasty food at very low prices, and smiles everywhere. Whether it is just to drop in for a drink and a snack or for a full meal there is something for everybody, local, expat or tourist. My first visit was just for snacks, and I was very impressed. Now chicken Wings are on hundreds of Bali menus, it is usually a safe option for both the restaurant and the customer but at Warung D’uma Tapan they are exceptional [pictured], a dish for which one plate is not enough, certainly too good to share, so order extras.
There are other simple entrees or snacks. The standard Spring Rolls are also much better than what is normally served in warungs, these are vegetarian ones, thin crisp casings and with good dips, excellent. Salads can be the international Caesar or an interesting local Pomelo Salad with avocado, tomato and prawns added to the pomelo flesh. Pomelo, apart from being the largest of all citrus fruits also has many health benefits when consumed regularly. Pomelo also appears in many dishes here.
Soups can be the very Indonesian Soto Ayam [chicken soup with boiled egg, tomato, vegetables and noodles] or a once Thai soup now almost an adopted Indonesian one as it appears on menus all over, Tom Yum Goong [hot and sour prawns and mushroom]
Kwetiau Goreng is one of Indonesia’s favourite street foods. Flat rice noodles with a range of additives. They are also the house special at Warung D’uma Tapan. They can be with tofu for a vegetarian experience or pork, seafood or a wonderful chicken version that also has egg added in the form of a small omelette-like roll on top to the stir fry, served on a banana leaf, very good.
Other local dishes include the very Balinese Babi Kecap and Chicken Sambal Matah. For all chilli dishes you can ask for ‘normal’ or ‘spicy’. Asian options include Nasi Goreng in many styles, Bakmi Goreng with fried noodles, and satays. Or there is the universal Sweet and Sour Chicken.
European mains can be an excellent Cordon Bleu with your choice of ham or bacon, a Black Pepper Chicken Steak, or Chicken Parmigiana and a range of Spaghetti dishes [Bolognese, Carbonara, Pomodoro or Marinara].
Rice Bowls have become very popular, once a New York thing, now everywhere. Here they do them here very well and so cheap! There are Teriyaki Tofu or Chicken, or a sensational Chicken Pomelo, the chicken being first marinated in pomelo and orange juices, then breaded and stir fried in that marination with pomelo flesh and other ingredients added, the result is chicken pieces so tender and with a taste to remember.
For those who want to eat simple, there are hamburgers [chicken or beef], and sandwiches [Club or Open] For dessert, the usual Fruit Salad, Ice Creams or Banana Split and one unusual one, a Banana Roll, banana and cheese rolled together in a spring roll wrapper and deep fried, served with ice cream.
Beer drinkers who pop in for a cool one on the way past are amazed at the Bucket of Beer offer, 5 bottles of Prost beer and a bowl of French Fries for just Rp. 95,000!
All together a most honest attempt to produce a range of local and foreign food options at very low prices, all done with that Bali smile, they deserve to succeed.
QUICK REVIEW
Restaurant : Warung D’uma Tapan.
Address : Jln. Pantai Saba, Saba, Gianyar.
Telephone : 479.6846.
Open : 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., daily.
Smoking Area : Yes.
Parking : Small area at front.
Price : Rp. 150,000 for two [+ drinks]
Credit Cards : In process.
Food : Indonesian and European.
Wine : Not yet, beer only.
Service : With a big smile.
Atmosphere : Friendly.
Overall : Sensational value!
Reviews that appear in Bali Advertiser are based on actual visits to the establishments listed, without the knowledge of the restaurants, and are not paid for by the individual restaurants.
Opinions expressed here are those of Gerry Williams and not necessarily those of Bali Advertiser. Gerry Williams attempts to write from a ‘typical’ diner’s perspective and, whilst quality of food is the most important criteria overall, value for money is the real measuring stick.
Copyright © 2019 Gerry Williams