An insider's guide to eating in Bali
From traditional ‘warungs’ or small food stalls to elevated tasting menus, local chefs Ray Adriansyah and Eelke Plasmeijer of LocavoreNXT share their top food recommendations on the island
Bali has long been a place to slow down—whether it is back-packers or honeymooners, families or friends, here meals can range from quick protein runs to a 7-11, or elaborate sit-downs at the many five-star hotels.
Chefs Ray Adriansyah, an Indonesian, and Eelke Plasmeijer, who moved from the Netherlands 15 years ago, met in Bali when they were working at Alila Ubud hotel. Since then they have honed a business and creative partnership. While the duo is best known for their tasting-menu-only restaurant Locavore NXT in Bali, today they run a mini empire that encompasses Nusantara, which showcases Indonesian food across its many islands; Night Rooster, a bar that takes inspiration from local ingredients; Herbivore, which is known for a vegetarian tasting menu; Locavore to Go, which does burgers and sandwiches mainly; and Local Parts, a butcher shop.
“I remember when we opened Locavore 12 years ago, there were 100 restaurants on Tripadvisor. I think now there’s over 2,000 in Ubud only," says Plasmeijer. Here are their recommendations for eating out in Bali.
BATURJIMBAR CAFE
Adriansyah recommends this spot for its Sunday breakfast or brunch. Located in Sanur, east of Denpasar, every Sunday, the cafe displays a selection of traditional Indonesian small bites and breakfast dishes. Definitely get the otak-otak (grilled fish cake made from minced paste, wrapped in banana leaves) and ketoprak, a street food dish made with steamed rice cake, fried tofu, bean sprouts, vermicelli tossed in garlic and chilli peanut sauce.
MOZAIC
Mozaic, by chefs Blake Thornley and Chris Salans, serves up European dishes with Balinese ingredients with a tasting menu that changes seasonally. The current menu includes dishes like swimmer crab with pomelo, coconut and laksa leaf; dry-aged duck breast with fermented Buddha’s hand (a type of citrus) and baby starfruit; and a cooling ginger flower sorbet.
SANGSAKA
This modern Indonesian restaurant is run by local chefs Kieran and his wife Yunika. The space is intimate with a relaxed vibe. The food is an elevated take on Indonesian cuisine. Adriansyah recommends dishes like the Jimbaran grilled scallops, charred brussel sprouts with tamarind and chilli, or smoked chicken with bamboo and calamansi. A must-try is Yunika’s sambal.
WARUNG BABI GULING TUNGKUB
This is a popular spot known for its Balinese roasted suckling pig called babi guling. The dish is part of religious as well as celebratory feasts among the local Hindu community. It makes for a filling meal, and includes crispy pork skin and shredded meat alongside a light pork stock and rice. Lawar, a condiment made with shredded coconut, minced meat and vegetables, is served alongside.
WARUNG WARDANI
There are several warungs (small eateries) in Bali for nasi campur, a mixed rice dish made with vegetable fritters, stewed meats, grilled skewers, eggs and cooked down greens. The version here comes with toppings like chilli, shredded chicken, crispy shrimp, satay lilit (a mixed meat satay), and beef satay, shares Adriansyah.
Aatish Nath is a Mumbai-based food and travel writer. He has contributed to the anthology, India’s most Legendary Restaurants.
topics
