659545 Wed Oct 14 18:50:25 -0700 2009 0 48 Greater Asia 0 5103967 Just back from Bali, very tanned, and well fed. General Impressions: Balinese/Indonesian food isn't quite on the same level as Thai or Vietnamese as far as flavor profiles/dishes. That is not to say that it is not good, it just doesn't have as much to offer as the two aforementioned cuisines. The other problem it suffers from is the influx of Foreigners wanting the same old thing i.e. mee goreng, nasi goreng such that it takes a little bit of searching to get the good stuff. I did also not put a ton of effort into looking for places as I usually do as I wanted a true beach vacation, not the usual trekking around all day looking for that special place that has some random dish you can't get anywhere else. Also, I found Ubud to have much better/more interesting food than Seminyak/Legian area. Jimbaran Beach - Seafood was alright. There are quite a few places. I do not remember the place we went to but it was in the middle of all of them. We had Barramundi and the flesh was mushy like it wasn't all that fresh. The tiger shrimp we had were good but even after we asked them to cook them to about medium rare they were still overcooked but I think 80 percent of people would say they were cooked pretty good. The BEST dish I had in Jimbaran and all of Bali was simple grilled corn. There is this guy that sets up a small cart on the beach (Look for him or ask one of the waiters) and he simple either steams corn in peanuts or grills it. We all got grilled and it was delicious. Make sure they are grilled from raw and they have not been sitting around. He slathers them with butter and spicy salt. Grilled, salty, spicy and sweet...man, I wish I could have another one right now. Naughty Nuris in UBUD - Went there on Thursday which is Tuna Sashimi night. The tuna is very fresh with a nice texture. Highly recommended. Be sure to eat it when it comes out because if you leave it up it warms up quickly unless warm sushi is your thing. Then there are martinis. For me, Bali is not the place for martinis as they once again warm up to fast. If it was a small martini I would be down but these are big, I mean big as in you need to duck down to take your first sip as it is poured to the top. Oh yea, and they are Vodka martinis. They are 9,000rupiah (9usd). The margaritas are not bad either but a little unbalanced on the sweet side. Then there are the Ribs, 5,600rupiah (5.60USD). We were in a group of 12 so we had about 10 orders. There were some racks that were great and some that were a little tough. With such a big group though we were able to divide up and everybody walked away full and happy. It would be a bummer to come by yourself though and get a bad rack but it is a possibility. The ribs are not drenched in sauce which I like. The sauce is an asian sweet and spicy style sauce. They do not accept credit cards so be sure to bring a wad of cash especially if you are going to drink. Sides: French Fries were pretty decent for Bali and the mashed potatoes are garlicky. Overall I really had a good meal here and would highly recommend it. It does get busy around 8ish. Bebek Bengali aka Dirty Duck Diner in UBUD - we had two half ducks, I believe each half was around 56,000 rupiah) one was good the other was not. Once again it depends on what you get. There is also the option to order a whole duck a day in advance which might produce a better duck. 10 or so of our friends went a few days later and they really liked it. One of the best things with the duck is the two sauces that come with it, a roasted spicy red pepper sauce and sambal matah which is a mix of sliced red onions, chili peppers, coconut oil, palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and some garlic. The sambal matah is delicious and the roasted red pepper sauce is not bad too. The ribs here have a little bit of char (not as much Naughty Nuri's) and are a covered with a tomato based sauce which is tasty. We also got Calamari which is pretty good and crunchy but you only get 8 pieces so it is pretty pricey, (49,000 rupiah) for what you get. Mozaic in UBUD - Being in the cooking world and hearing recommendations from friends, I was interested in trying this restaurant but I cannot say that I was looking for it to really wow me. Thank god as I wasn't wowed. First of all it is pricey, 850,000 rupiah for a tasting menu in the context of Bali and what you get. Now I have spent a lot more on tasting menus elsewhere in the world but I always want at least one dish to really impress me or at least feel I got good value. I did not feel either of those. We had courses with Oysters (the garnishes overtook the taste of the oysters), Sweatbreads with Langoustine Ravioli with Truffle Foam (pretty boring) or Seared Cod with Fennel and a red wine sauce (Too heavy and syrupy for a second course IMO), Pork Belly and Foie Gras (Quite Good, probably one of my favorite courses), Lamb Chop (was nice enough, once again nothing special), Composed Cheese Course with Morbier AOC (which was a really bland Morbier), a pink grapefruit sorbet with cilantro custard, apples, and thyme (the cilantro custard was a weird texture, overall alright but not really that great). So overall, way too many foams an airs for my liking. But it also makes me think that the chef went to Bali when foams were big a few years back and hasn't really evolved as much as modern cooking is now in Spain, Bray or New York. Modern cooking is based upon the continuing evolution of scientific or traditional gastronomic findings to further the dining experience. I would also say that the Dessert courses are not quite up to snuff on a tasting menu charging 85,000 rupiah. The service is very warm and friendly and technically sufficient. We did have a bottle of Spanish Wine, Dragon Something or another (42,000 rupiah), that was not very good even though the restaurant has a Wine Spectator Award. I am not sure if there is a Sommelier but we did not see one and I would expect they have one if they have a wine spectator award. A lot of people really love this place on the Chowhound board so I do not know maybe I am a jaded cook but I only though it was alright especially given the price tag. IF you have a lot of money to blow, go for it. Otherwise think twice before spending. Bali Sate in SEMINYAK - A smallish place on the street that parallels the beach that does offer cooking classes. The steamed duck in banana leaf had good flavor with lemongrass and a very nice texture but not too much of a really ducky flavor. The pork belly in sweet soy was tough and not too enjoyable. Beef tenderloin in Coconut cream was dry but tender. I would not recommend it. The mixed sate was good. Not mind blowing good but if I just came by myself and ordered one thing this is what I would order. They also give you this chips (fish chips which are not good and shrimp chips which are good) and three salsas (Two are similar to the ones given with Dirty Duck, and the other is a sweet soy) which is a fun way to start the meal. The service is good. The drinks are small. Overall I am not sure if I would go back there because of all the other places to eat. Made Warung in SEMINYAK - A very popular place with tourists. The meal was nothing special. Had gado-gado, nasi padang, and a curry. They do have margaritas made with the local rice wine that was a nice transition from all the Bintang (Local beer that is really refreshing) I was drinking. Ipu Okah in UBUD - This is one of the most roast suckling pig places in all of Bali. Ordered the special plate that comes with roasted pork meat (got long strands of meat that were chewy but covered in this spicy/sweet/tangy condiment that is delicious), a square of crispy skin (very good), a small piece of blood sausage, this seasoned fried meat puff (one of my favorite things), greens (very good with chilies, coriander stems, pickled greens, very complex and good as a foil to the meat) and some rice. Overall I liked it but the actual meat was a disappointment. If I went again I would try to ask to get shoulder meat as it should have better moisture content and maybe not as chewy but really in a pig it is a muscle by muscle kind of thing. Also, do not miss the pork rinds at 7,000 rupiah. A great snack. Also, make sure you go early 11am-12pm as the skin will sell out. That's it for now. I will also post regarding Singapore. Wed Oct 14 18:50:26 -0700 2009 133242 chinaboy