It feels like forever ago but the sweet taste of every spice
and herb lingers on my taste buds when I think about Bali. Not only is
southeast asia one of my favourite places in the world, it is where I grew up
so returning to the familiar smells and bustling streets always brings back childhood
memories. Prior to this trip, my only other memory of Bali was when we visited Nusa
dua for a long weekend to celebrate my cousins marriage. I never truly saw the
vast landscapes this island has to offer.
It was D’s first ever visit to southeast asia so I wanted
him to soak every bit of it in and we all know that food is the way to every
man’s heart, and he fell in love. Most people always caution you about the “Bali
belly”, mainly due to the still unsophisticated irrigation systems. We made
sure we were extra cautious, avoiding fresh salads and brushing our teeths with
bottled water. But one thing we were not going to do is let this stop us from
trying the real local delicacies. While there are many dishes that make up a
local’s diet, these three in our opinions are the must haves if you want to
discover the real side of Bali (outside of the many tourist traps crowded by
aussies).
Mixed rice: this
dish is a local staple and allows you to add whatever you want to your rice.
There are the more tourist friendly warung’s which are slightly more pricey but
the authentic flavours are found on the street sides. On the night we landed,
we had our driver pick us up from the airport to drive us to Ubud and on the
way we asked him to stop at a good nasi padang stall. It was 10:30pm and we
were on a dark country road when he pulled over to this humble store. There
were three other people in who had just come out of the temple and they looked
curiously at us tourists as our driver orders a very simple nasi padang with
chicken curry and cooked cabbage. What really sets this dish off is the sweet sambal
sauce (chilli) , mix everything together and you have a beautiful combination
even the most expensive 5 start restaurants couldn’t match, all at a price of
£1.50.
Chargrilled fish:you
will see this everywhere and it is favourite for anyone who loves fish! Soft on
the inside but a crisp coating with chilli sambal and rice and again, you can get
obsessed.
Meat sticks: a
popular Indonesian dish famously paired with peanut sauce and rice cakes. You
can get satay in chicken, beef or lamb. Cooking the seasoned meat on a fire is
what gives it that smokey touch, but finding the best peanut sauce is the
challenge. I love it when it is nice and thick and slightly sweet, drizzled all
over the meet and rice cakes. We tried some really good ones cooked on the side
of the road, this was the same day that I drank this green juice that flushed
me completely out the next day while trying to make our way to Nusa Penida
island…. But that is another story for another day.
While we ate in many local stalls, we were still very
careful with where and always asked for suggestions from locals that we met. Be
vigilant, avoid ice in drinks and freshly washed vegetables that aren’t cooked.
Buy fruit that has not been opened and washed (except for in hotels or proper
restuarants). A good tip is to buy carbon pills as they really help with any
possible mishaps when it comes to your belly. Either way, be smart but be adventurous
and try some of these dishes. We met a few travellers who only ate in
establishments and looked at our food dishes in envy – don’t be that guy, make
sure you try.
What are some of your favourite local foods from Bali?
