On our first night in Bali, we popped by Echo Beach for a bite and drinks.
Bali is known for it's fresh and affordable seafood. We selected the items we wanted, and the chef grilled it up for us.If you are unlucky, you may stumbled upon pricey and mediocre restaurants in Bali. So for the next couple nights, we decided to stay in for dinner. We had two housekeepers at the villa who cooked up a feast for us. I found their food to be way better than what we would get at a restaurant.
Soto Ayam is Indonesian chicken soup. There was shredded chicken meat, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, boiled eggs in a spicy chicken broth. I really enjoyed this dish. The broth had very developed flavors, like chicken had been stewing in it for many hours.
Chicken and pork satay were marinated well and juicy. The BBQed meat sticks were served with sliced cucumbers and a spicy peanut sauce.
Gado Gado is an Indonesian salad topped with peanut sauce. There are different versions of gado gado, some with a lot of raw vegetables and fruits, but this version had boiled potatoes, beans, hard boiled eggs and deep fried tofu.
Kang Kong with chili and dried shrimp was spicy to the limit.
Mee Goreng translates to fried noodles. Usually, mee goreng is loaded up with meats when it is served as a main course. This version was simply mixed with vegetables since it was served as a side to be eaten with the curry dishes. The dish was spicy, leaving my mouth was on fire. The great thing about homecooked food is that they can be made to your specification i.e. load up on the heat.
Suckling pig is a traditional Balianese dish that I had been looking forward to. The crispy skin was my favorite part, even though the shredded pork was also tasty. The skin crackled in my mouth and had a thin layer of fat underneath it. I would have been ecstatic with just a whole plate of skin.The next night, we sampled some more local dishes.
Tom Yum seafood was loaded with shrimp, squid, mushrooms and vegetables. A nice combination of spice and tang.
Wasn't exactly sure what this was called but it was intriguing and very delicious. It was a sort of stir fry with shredded chicken, okra and dried shrimp, young jackfruit and fried shallots. I loved all the textures in this dish, and it was very flavorful.
Chicken curry was spicy with succulent pieces of chicken and potatoes. The curry was fragrant with lemongrass and turmeric undertones.
Sayur Lodeh is a vegetable dish that is cooked in coconut curry. It's usually a more watery curry that is not too spicy. I enjoyed the variety of vegetables and how they were all cooked till soft.
Whole fish was simply seasoned and grilled.
And for dessert, the king of fruits - durian.
Love the creamy and pungent flesh of the durian. I like durian both at room and fridge temperature, but if you are weird about textures, pop it in the fridge first. The flesh will harden a bit, which may be more palatable than the custardy texture when it's lukewarm .I typically prefer to eat out when I am on vacation, but if you have two amazing local cooks in the house, you'll find a more authentic meal at home. Wouldn't have had it any other way.
View of the sunset never got old.
It's Saturday, what to eat for lunch? I wanted something Asian and satisfying, and Indonesian came to mind. Even though I grew up eating Indonesian food, I haven't had much of it in years. I decided to try Simpang Asia in Culver City. I used to drive by it on my way home from work, but never made the stop. Simpang Asia is a mini grocery store and cafe, located in a tiny strip mall with a small parking area. I was actually quite surprised at how clean and sterile the place looked. I find a lot of ethic markets to be a little dirty sometimes.
The banana leaf was so fragrant and I really loved this dish. The chicken in the curry was tender and the rendang was spicy and savory. The sayur lodeh included turnips, carrots and beans. It was a little bland but when mixed with the other curry sauces, it was delicious. And chewy gizzards. Yummm.... There was also fried kerupuk which is deep fried prawn crackers that are typically served with peking duck or roast pig at Chinese restaurants. I ate the rice dish with the side of chili that had an onion flavor, and was thick and spicy; a little went a long way. This dish was so flavorful and the tasty rice soaked in sauce was heavenly.
I scooped a little bit of everything for my lunch. There was a lot of food that would make at least another meal. And you know it'd be good as leftovers.
Fish and tapioca crackers which are greasy snacks. They are addictive, so try not to eat the whole pack in one sitting. And don't eat them at the office, your colleagues may not appreciate it.
Dried mango and cheese sticks. The latter is made of Holland cheese and Swiss butter. Don't ask why I can eat this when I don't like cheese. The cheese was mild and the sticks were flaky. I also bought two packs of mee goreng instant noodles, which is spicy non-soupy noodles that you can make at home.
You pay for everything including grocery items at the cafe section. The food itself was $11, which was much less than the snacks combined. There was an array of fried snacks and desserts by the cash register but I refrained from grabbing some. As it is, I already had enough food for two meals and snacks that would hopefully last over a week. Definitely next time.