Bali Wrap Up (sigh)

So, after our dinner at Warung Eropa we spent a few hours digesting and lounging around before deciding that the night was not yet over and a night time visit to the beach was in order. We drove down to Ku De Ta (where we had enjoyed cocktails on Day 1, and dinner on Day 2), parked the car and headed down to the beach. We walked and talked for a couple of hours, enjoying the magic of the ocean at night and the feeling of sand between our toes. I have blocked out the memories of having to madly dash over sewage streams that we encountered on our way, so I won't be able to elaborate on that. We then had some fun with the camera...

Late night Bali beach shenanigans

As is traditional when staying up late and possibly imbibing a wee dram or two, we then decided that we needed to fill our bellies before contemplating our very last sleep in Bali (for this trip, at least). With limited food options at this hour (as we discovered during what shall be named The McDelivery Incident) we ended up at SoHo in Seminyak, which is a 24 hour diner style restaurant and bar.

SoHo Restaurant

The menu consists of such late night fare as buffalo wings, potato skins, toasted sandwiches and nachos. I noticed that their burger selection offered an Aussie Burger, complete with egg, bacon, cheese and beetroot, but I decided not to choose my meal based on patriotism. Between us we ordered a tuna toasted sandwich, a full breakfast, chicken quesadilla, vegetarian quesadilla and some cheese fries. None of the food was really anything special, but gourmet fare isn't really required at this hour of the night, and these hot, simple dishes really hit the spot.

It made me think back to the big drinking days of my late teens, when I would arrive home in need of something in my belly (if I hadn't already partaken in a "hot dog without the dog" from the hotdog man who always seemed to be lurking around outside bars at that hour of the night, peddling his dubious wares). If I were feeling particularly energetic I would cook some pasta and mix through some pasta sauce and cheese, but sometimes you just need to keep it simple and a packet of Mie Goreng or some Vegemite on toast was just as good.

Tuna toastie, full breakfast, vegetarian quesadilla, cheese fries

With satisfied tummies and happy hearts we each retired to our respective beds to dream our last Bali dreams.

It was a sad moment to wake up on the very last day, realising that we would soon be jetting back to Perth. I tried to console myself with breakfast as best I could.

Bali Day 4 breakfast - bacon, fried chicken, fried rice, sautéed veges and chilli sauce

Pandan crepe with sweet coconut, and a colourful glutinous rice somethingorother

We spent a little time packing our belongings, which somehow managed to spread themselves all over the place, and I sustained myself through this with some treats that had been left in our room the night before. Every day we were given some snacks in our room, and this was the first time that I'd actually tried any of them due to timing and stomach room. This particular snack seemed to be some sort of glutinous rice cake thing, which had a nice sticky texture but tasted a bit bland, and a delicious pandan crepe filled with a sweet coconut mixture. I could happily have had a few more of these. After finishing our packing, we said goodbye to our villa for the last time, bidding a special farewell to our lady of the shower.

Our villa - guess what the first thing I photographed was when we arrived? Hmmm...

Thank you Bali, we love you. I'll be back soon I promise.

P.S. The wedding is TOMORROW! EEK! :D

Bali Day 3 - Febri's Spa, The Samaya, Warung Eropa

Another day in Bali, another buffet breakfast. This was my favourite so far, with lots of sautéed veges, chunks of baked fish and thin noodles. I also got some bacon, some sort of potato thing with pork floss and a piece of french toast with I tasted but found dry and bland so I left most of it so that I had room for more veges and fish.

I also had a nice plate of fruit with each breakfast, enjoying such treats as mangosteen and snakefruit which I am not able to get back home in Perth (I don't think I can, anyway... please correct me if I'm wrong!).

I find it completely impossible to only have one plate of food at a buffet, and indeed have been known to go back for more food five or six times at the buffet breakfast at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. I had to ask for more cutlery during this particularly impressive breakfast, as they cleared mine away while I was up on one of my trips (I assume they were thinking I couldn't possibly eat any more food). In my defence I like to try a little bit of everything, and then go back for more of the good stuff. I also like to start off with the more continental foods (yoghurts, fruits, cereals) before moving onto the hot stuff, so it's not like I'm piling my plate up with everything on every trip. Still, I do feel a bit embarrassed by the third time I'm up getting more food. It really isn't my fault though, after all I am my Father's daughter. He is a buffet maestro, and I pity anyone foolish enough to offer lashings of seafood at a buffet that my Dad might happen to be loitering near.

Breakfast Day 3

After breakfast we headed out to the lobby where our lift was waiting to take us into Kuta for 5 hours of dayspa luxury at Febri's Spa. Well, it turned out to be 5 hours of dayspa luxury for me, but C was not quite so lucky. She managed to get a therapist who was the wonderful combination of indifferent and brutal, and apparently thought that a full body exfoliation is meant to include your lips. Weird. By the end of the experience I was feeling refreshed and had some pretty flowered-up fingernails, and poor C was feeling battered and bruised with toenails that looked quite nice but ended up chipping later due to some rough emery board use. I felt terrible as I'd chosen this particular place, but I guess it goes to show that it depends entirely on which therapist you get, no matter where you go. If only I'd been the one to get the lip exfoliator! Poor C!

Lunch at Febri's - pumpkin soup, basil & cheese filled chicken with mashed potato and orange, frozen cream with strawberries

Included in our spa package was a three course lunch, which we ate out in the regular restaurant of Febri's (it's a hotel as well as a spa). It was certainly a western meal, with a first course of pumpkin soup. Exactly what you need on a stinking hot day! The heat, combined with the overly sweet and incredibly gingery tasty meant that we left most of the soup untouched.

The main course was much nicer, and I finished my plate. The crumbed chicken was nicely cooked, with a fresh basil and cheese centre, served with coarsely mashed potato rolled in banana leaves and a zesty orange sauce. Sadly this was not C's day, as she's not a fan of basil so hers remained largely uneaten.

Dessert was the opposite, with mine still staring at me at the end but C's mostly eaten. It was a massive bowl of cream, dotted with strawberries, that had been stuck in the freezer to make the strawberries frozen and kinda crunchy and the cream cold and a bit icy. It was kind of like how I imagine a child would try and make strawberry ice cream. I picked out the crunchy strawberries to eat, and C regretted eating most of hers as hot hot heat + cream-filled belly is not a winning combination.

After lunch we ambled up to the Discovery Mall for some shopping, and later in the afternoon got some sustenance in the form of chicken satay from one of the many food places in the mall. It's funny what foods become totally acceptable as snacks when you're on holiday. I'm not sure I've ever had a massive plate of fried chicken for afternoon tea on a usual day back home. I am sure this is for the best.

Afternoon tea of chicken satay

Dropping our purchases back at the villa, we then headed out for a celebratory birthday/hens champagne at the Breeze bar at The Samaya in Seminyak, then eventually headed out for a late dinner at Warung Eropa in the Petitenget area. We left Ch to order for the table, and she did a fine job choosing Ikan Gurami Bakar Special (grilled fish with special sauce) (48 000 Rp), Ayam goreng (fried chicken) (18 000 Rp), Mie Goreng Ayam (fried noodle with chicken) (27 000 Rp), Cah Kangkung (stir fried water spinach) (19 500 Rp), Nasi Putih (white rice) (7 500 Rp), Sambal Jawa (Javanese sambal) (7 000 Rp) and Telur Asin (salty egg) (7 500 Rp).

The Samaya, Seminyak

The ikan gurami bakar special was a standout dish for me. Beautifully cooked fish, with a crisp, saucy skin and soft flaky centre. I'm not sure what the "special sauce" was, and I can't remember exactly what it tasted like, but it was bloody tasty.

Ikan Gurami Bakar Special (grilled fish with special sauce) (48 000 Rp)

The ayam goreng was tasty, and had some delightfully crispy bits, but unsurprisingly was also a bit dry. Not sure about you, but I'm willing to put up with a bit of dryness for some extra crunchy goodness, although I probably wouldn't order this again given the chance.

Ayam goreng (fried chicken) (18 000 Rp)

The mie goreng ayam was a tasty table winner that everyone enjoyed.

Mie Goreng Ayam (fried noodle with chicken) (27 000 Rp)

I really enjoyed the cah kangkung and possibly ate more than my fair share! I'm a sucker for leafy greens, with the amount I eat it's a wonder I don't start photosynthesising on my own. I particularly enjoy the break these types of dishes offer from heavy or fried dishes, such as when I get the greens with oyster sauce during dim sum feasts.

Cah Kangkung (stir fried water spinach) (19 500 Rp)

One of the nasi putih plates came with this side of beans, bean sprouts and fried onion. Cold and refreshing with a good bite!

Nasi Putih (white rice) with beans and bean sprouts (7 500 Rp)

Mmmmmm chilli goodness. Well worth the sweat and runny nose. C didn't have any of the sambal, which is probably just as well given the earlier lip exfoliation experience.

Sambal Jawa (Javanese sambal) (7 000 Rp)

This was my first time eating salty egg, and it pretty much tasted like it sounds. Salty and eggy. Who'd have thought? Could this be my entry into trying strange egg products? Might I possibly be almost ready to try some century egg?

Telur Asin (salty egg) (7 500 Rp)

This tasty spread was all washed down with a Bintang or two, and after we'd stuffed ourselves to our respective brims we left to continue our night of continued hens' weekend celebration...

Bali Day 2 - Balangan Beach, Ku De Ta, MÉTIS Bali

On offer in one of the bain marie trays during breakfast on our second day in Bali was "baked beans". I was curious - would the Balinese really be able to make decent baked beans? Baked beans can be highly controversial. In my opinion, Heinz baked beans are your nice standard baked beans, great on toast for a quick breakfast or as part of a nice big fry-up. I've tried home brand ones, and other brands like SPC, and they're just not the same. Something not quite right about the sauce. Of course, homemade or "homemade" (how can they use the word "homemade" in a restaurant, I've often wondered? Do they employ someone to sleep out the back?) beans are highly superior, especially if they include tasty additions like chunks of ham or something. I really wasn't partial to the Canadian version of baked beans, finding it far too sweet as it generally contains molasses. Having said this though, I did quite enjoy the Feves au Lard from La Binerie in Montreal when we went down there for a good old fashioned Quebecois meal one night, though it's definitely a 'sometimes food' unless you have magical teflon arteries.

Breakfast day 2 - fried noodles, bacon, freaky chicken sausage, steamed veges, herbed potatoes and "baked beans"

So, I admit I was sceptical about the Balinese version of baked beans, but after the success of the delicious pumpkin pie and the fact that breakfast was indeed already paid for and all-you-can-eat I thought I'd give them a fair go. Unfortunately I like to be able to actually chew my baked beans, and not save them in my pocket should I need to stone someone to death so these particular beans didn't quite do it for me.

I was however very impressed with the chicken sausages on this morning. They had cut into the ends so that when they cooked, the ends curled up. Sadly it was much nicer to marvel at than actually eat. Never mind, the noodles and veges were tasty so I went back for more of those until I had eaten far too much (my modus operandi with buffet breakfasts when on holiday - you never know when you may next be eating! Plus it's always good to keep stretching out your stomach so it's ready for the inevitable gorging when you discover some amazing new restaurant.)

Balangan Beach - can you spot the fisherman on the cliff?

After hitting up Kuta we were then picked up by Ch in the afternoon for a trip out to Balangan Beach which is one of Bali's surfing beaches in the Bukit Peninsula. It was the perfect way to spend a hot afternoon, cooling off in the ocean and then relaxing and chatting under an umbrella on the beach. At some stage we heard a loud rumbling noise and couldn't figure out what it was, but when we returned to Seminyak we discovered that it had been raining heavily in our absence! This was the only rain there was during our holiday, and we miraculously missed it by heading to the beach. Clearly the gods were smiling on us.

Ku De Ta - popular amongst the miniature martian pirate gay community

After showering and getting somewhat more dressed up than we had previously been, later that night we headed back to Ku De Ta for dinner with more friends. I didn't actually document this (due to very dim lighting, not because I was too shy to pull out the camera in the company of many people I'd only just met, honest), but we enjoyed some really very good gyoza, sushi rolls, sashimi and oysters, all washed down with a beautifully refreshing margarita.

Métis Gallery & Restaurant (photos taken from Métis website)

Next stop was THE place to be in Bali that night - the grand opening of MÉTIS Restaurant and Gallery. It really was not the event to attend if you were having a fat day or a bad hair day, as being surrounded by Russian models, even very sweet ones, is not really a self-esteem boosting exercise. Entertainment for the night included cancan dancers and a magician (complete with that spaced-out wooshy magician music), but we were more entertained by the decor and clientele.

MÉTIS Restaurant and Gallery replaces Kafe Warisan, which I was not familiar with but has apparently been a Bali institution for many years. The location is quite stunning, as you can see in the photographs above the restaurant has a lovely warm earthy tone and overlooks sweeping rice paddies. It was a little difficult to get a good appreciation for the place when we were there given the hordes of people and the fact it was set up for the opening party, but I could sense an underlying calm feel to the place despite the craziness of the night.

Métis Gallery & Restaurant opening party

Reviews of the restaurant are currently very limited given how new it is, but it appears that the menu is quite extensive, favouring classic French dishes, and the food is superb. However, I have to agree with one reviewer that "describing a dish as containing the restaurant’s “legendary foie gras” when the paint is barely dry on the walls, was a little presumptuous". If I am not feeling too stingy next time I'm in Bali (my stinginess seems to increase exponentially the longer I stay in a place where the cost of living is much less than what I'm used to) then I would like to get back to METIS for a relaxing meal, and perhaps see if this foie gras is indeed the thing of legends.

After kicking on at a house party, C and I decided to call it a night and get a taxi back to our villa, via a 24-hour eatery called Soho (we were in need of late night sustenance... where's a kebab shop when you need one?). What ensued was a very longwinded argument with the taxi driver about the price, resulting in us not only not going via Soho, but being dropped off at the wrong location of our villas (they have two nearby locations). The staff at the other place were happy to drive us to the right location, so we were able to actually get home without too much hassle but we still had hungry tummies. Room service had finished for the night, so we asked at the front desk what our options were and it appeared there was only one - McDelivery.

They called for us and we put in our shameful order, then began to wait. And wait. We waited so long that we both ended up falling asleep, only to be woken by the phone some time later. Well, I was woken by the phone, scrambled around to find a robe, and then answered the door to our delivery man. It was now over 90 minutes since we had placed the order, and the food looked and felt like it had been in transit since this time. The funniest part were the two drinks, which were in normal Maccas cups but had also been placed in their own plastic bags to catch any spills as the delivery man hooned around on his motorbike. Clearly he was a real hoonyhoonster because the bags contained most of the drinks and the cups were just in there for show. I saved the drink bags to show Caroline the next day (she was still blissfully asleep), chucked the food in the bin and went back to bed.

Bali Day 1 - La Lucciola, bcco, Ku De Ta and Made's Warung

Oh Bali. Was I really there last week, or was it just a lovely warm dream? If I really was there, why did I come home? If I really wasn't there, why didn't someone wake me up if I was sleeping for 5 days?

Last Wednesday night my soon-to-be-married friend C and I jetted our way to Bali, leaving behind everything we'd been stressing over for the last few weeks and months and letting out a sigh of relief as we stepped out into the balmy Bali night awaiting us. It was after midnight by the time we arrived at our villa and had checked ourselves in, and luckily we're very good friends because (of course) they had stuffed up the booking and given us a romantic queen size bed instead of the two beds we'd requested. Too late in the night to fix the mistake, we tucked ourselves in and rested up for the fun we knew was ahead in the next few days.

The birthday girl holding her cake (I feel like I should mention that the original photo does in fact show her face... I'm not so food-centric that I would only photograph the cake)

The following day was C's birthday, and after sitting down at breakfast she was greeted with a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' and a mini chocolate mud cake which looked quite nice but then proceeded to slowly melt into the plate as we ate our breakfast. Although it is perfectly acceptable and indeed encouraged to eat cake for breakfast on your birthday, it was wrapped up and taken to the cool safety of our villa's fridge for consumption later that night.

Breakfast was slightly different each day, and this was part of what I had on my plate this morning...

Day 1 breakfast plate one - passionfruit, pawpaw, fried tomato, fried chicken, fried rice, roast potatoes and wholemeal bread.

Later in the morning we were picked up by C's friend Ch who took us to La Lucciola, Seminyak, for a relaxing birthday lunch. The setting here is beautiful, overlooking the beach, and the service couldn't be faulted. The menu offers modern Italian dishes, with daily specials, and C ordered the entrée dish of "fried zucchini flowers field (perhaps they mean "filled") with roast pumpkin, gorgonzola and pinenuts" (62 000 Rp), Ch chose the entree dish of "toasted panini of goats cheese, marinated eggplant, cherry tomatoes and almond pesto" (75 000 Rp) and I chose the main dish of "angel hair pasta with baby octopus, calamari, cherry tomatoes and pinot grigio" (96 000 Rp). Ch then ordered a lychee and lime juice (30 000 Rp), and after hearing that both C and I couldn't help but copy her.

La Lucciola, Seminyak

Lunch at La Lucciola

I was lucky enough to taste all dishes, and enjoyed them all. The zucchini flowers tasted really fresh, having obviously been fried in very clean oil. The panini was nice and crunchy on the outside with a soft centre. My pasta was cooked very well, had a generous amount of seafood, and the sauce was nice and light. The juices were also super fresh and exactly what we needed to help acclimatise!

Bali Catering Company (bcco)

Next stop on our journey was Bali Catering Company (bcco) where we needed to pick up two pumpkin pies that had been ordered by Ch. She used to live in Bali, and remembers these pies so fondly that she had to share the magic with us. You're probably thinking what I was thinking - "pumpkin pie? In Bali?" but I really need no excuse to enjoy pie, and Thursday was Thanksgiving after all. I was far less sceptical about the promised quality of this pie once we arrived at bcco, and I got to have a nosy around. They had macarons! And cannelés! And Illy coffee! And beef sausage buns!

Beef sausage buns aside, the pumpkin pie was as good as promised. Beautiful short pastry and a rich gingery pumpkin filling. Perfect to enjoy after a leisurely swim in the pool.

Happy Thanksgiving! Pumpkin pie from bcco

After a lazy afternoon we headed up to Ku De Ta in Seminyak, which was ranked #9 in the Miele Guide of Asia's Finest Restaurants, and really is a cool place to hang out. It spans two levels, with plenty of barstools, sofas and daybeds to recline on and watch the ocean while enjoying a cocktail or some food. We certainly enjoyed a cocktail or two (the passionfruit and vanilla mojito was divine) and found ourselves a comfortable spot to watch the sun go down. The perfect way to farewell our first sunny day in Bali.

Ku De Ta, Seminyak

After eyeing off other people's food at Ku De Ta, we were starting to get hungry, and Ch and her friend E took us to Made's Warung, Seminyak. As they explain on their website, "Made's Warung was established in 1969 and has become social eating and meeting venue for locals, expats and tourists alike. It has grown from traditional roadside warung into a cosmopolitan restaurant serving a variety of local and international food in Bali". It's a large, busy, vibrant place filled with hungry punters, and we were lucky that E had booked us a table.

Made's Warung top floor, and the front page of their menu

After checking out the front page of their menu, I could see that they really did cater for everyone. Be you a greasy drug dealer, a brainy doctor, a debonair dandy, trapped in the 80s, Paul Hogan, a very short woman or a hairy-chested computer geek, you will be welcomed with open arms. We left the ordering to Ch, and all ended up with various versions of Nasi Campur Special (55 000 Rp).

Nasi Campur Special (no beef)

This was my favourite meal of the whole trip, and was an adventure on a plate. Nasi Campur means "mixed rice" and is basically a serve of steamed white rice and lots of tasty stuff (such as sambals, tuna, chicken, curries, tempeh, tofu, cucumber, beans). I actually couldn't tell you what all the components of this particular version of Nasi Campur Special were, but I can say that it was incredibly, wonderfully flavoursome. The hot sambal (sitting on some cucumber in the top left) was really spicy, even for this chilli lover, and was about the only thing that I couldn't completely finish on the plate as by the time I'd made my way to it I didn't have enough non-spicy components left to cut through the mouth singeing heat. Luckily I had a delicious fresh pineapple and banana juice handy to put out the fire.

After getting back to our villa, C was kind enough to share her little birthday cake with me, and thus we concluded our first day in Bali how I intended to continue - with a big smile and a full belly.