If You Only Try One Restaurant in Bali, Make it This One. [Migrated Post]

Pardon my phone camera pictures, but I just had to share this. This is one neat restaurant that’s greatly impressed me in a really long while. Why? Scroll all the way down for the superb details. In the meantime, enjoy the unmatched quality of Restaurant Locavore‘s food as seen from my non high-definition camera lens, hehe.

The chefs preparing their specialties, viewed from the steps outside the restaurant

From where we sat

What’s cooking this month

When the waitress saw me taking pictures of everything in sight, she kindly provided me with a handy separate menu that I can bring home. One of the many attentive and thoughtful things the staff has done during our visit …

As much as I was attracted to the Herbivore menu, I was more curious about the dishes on the Locavore menu (‘snails cooked in garlic butter’, anyone?). There are a couple of dishes on it we wanted to opt out for the night, so we each went for the 5-course dinner, sans the beverage pairing.

From here onwards, you’ll see just what defines generosity, excellence, and ultimate hospitality …

Appetizers

(complimentary)

Minty green leaf tempura reminiscent of the Japanese shiso – real crisp.

Vegetal with a kick of crunch

Herbaceous, floral, yet smooth, moist, and fatty with a sweet finish

The supplest and juiciest shiitake mushrooms I’ve ever tasted~

Turns out this vanity plant that’s been sitting on our table was meant to be eaten all along! The waitress brought salt and vinegar on the wooden serving plate, then helped me arrange the bulbous vase to take this picture.

Fresh tomatoes, tomato sorbet, tomato vinagraitte, and tomato jus all jumbled into one~ For someone who doesn’t normally enjoy any other form of tomatoes besides tomato sauce, this one is a biggie.

Grainy and mushy …

Sourdough with delicious dressings: Citrusy coconut oil, basil pesto, and chicken foie gras. The last one totally melts in your mouth T___T

Having downed all that, and we haven’t even gotten to anything on the menu yet …

Main courses

(on menu)

BEEF: Short ribs (from Malang, Java) served raw, wasabi leaf mayonnaise, bawang goreng, pickled shallots, shaved radishes, herbed brioche crouton, melting beef lard

Them pretty radishes!!! This is hubby’s dish that I personally opted myself out of, and the beef itself was a lot like carpaccio … since we both don’t particularly enjoy bawang goreng, the radish, shallots, crouton and beef were very bland. It was a great meat quality though, you can tell the cattles weren’t raised in some slaughterhouse farm.

Now I must point out something here … throughout the day, hubby has not been feeling well. His digestion is going a bit crazy, and the last thing he wanted was cold-cut meat. I guess his stomach was so uneasy it compromised his attention while reading the lengthy 7-course menu, and that it’s pure fat he’ll be getting for the night. When the waitress came to ask how was the food so far for us (one of the many times she and the manager approached our table throughout the night), hubby told her he couldn’t honestly comment on the beef dish because he’s unwell at the moment. And you know what? Without a second of hesitation, she came back to serve him a complimentary set of lemongrass-ginger tea for him to soothe his stomach. You already know how much I love tea … and together, we were utterly impressed. This is a fine dining restaurant, and judging from the dining experience we usually get from the same class of F&B businesses in Jakarta, humility and hospitality is rare.

Moving on …

MACKEREL: Mackerel (from Jimbaran, South Bali) pan-fried on pickled sour dough, cherry tomato varieties, smoked mackerel mayonnaise, basil leaves, borage flower

Not the best dish of the night … fish was too thin and dry, and flavors could’ve been better integrated.

INTO THE SAWAH … Risotto made from hi-grade rice (from Jatih Luwih, Central Bali), snails cooked in garlic butter, 64 degrees C duck egg, catfish abon, dehydrated fern tips, wild flowers

The star of our night. This is SOOOOOOOOOO friggin’ good! The most delicious risotto I’ve probably eaten in my entire life, and I suspect it’s all because those rice grains didn’t travel far from shipping and whatnot to reach Locavore’s kitchen. And the egg … I’ve never seen a half-done egg so perfectly cooked. Only through foreign eyes can we locals see, feel, and taste the true value of our local roots, and this one’s a masterpiece.

DUCK: Duck from Cyril (from Tabanon, West Bali) simply pan-fried & finished in the oven, mulberry sauce, roasted onion crème, caramelized shallots, red veined sorrel leaves

Dish so well-executed: Nothing in it was made vintage, but the combination of duck umami, deep berries, and sweet acidity brings the aroma reminiscent of a good ol’ wine to your senses.

LAMB: (We buy whole free-range lambs from Wonosobo (Central Java) and break them down ourselves. Each day we have a different cut available, cooked & served the way we like it best …) Lamb served medium-rare, neutral lamb jus, roasted Jerusalem artichokes, pickled bitter lettuce sauce, shaved bangkuang, dehydrated sea grapes

You know I don’t tolerate red meats well, but when they say neutral lamb they really meant neutral – not a hint of stink whatsoever. You only smell the mild vegetal freshness from the frothy condiment … which absorbs easily, making it a great pair with the crisp jicama and the rugged lamb meat.

Desserts

(on menu + complimentary)

CHOCOLATE: Jellied bitter chocolate ganache (made from Primo 80% chocolate), tarragon ice cream, homemade honeycomb, fresh seasonal pomelo, passionfruit curd, tarragon leaves, salty chocolate tuile

Anyone who loves a well-balanced combo of sweet grass, citrus, and chocolate would love this, not to mention so many textures in one plate!

CUCUMBER & MANGO: Mango panna cotta, pickled & compressed cucumber, white chocolate sorbet, harum manis mango, baby melon, cucamelon, mint leaves, sweet aloe vera, cucumber gel

You know how much I looooooove mangoes … so much so I don’t like it in any other form besides the fresh fruit. Yet this one’s a fresh and cooling take. The slight hint of acidity makes the minty freshness stand out. Also … such a velvety finish.

And here comes the first of the many following complimentary desserts … I don’t usually enjoy white chocolate, but this one’s thickened with pure yogurt a.k.a. the best form of dairy evahh. Just sweet enough, very tart, very comforting~

By the time this was served we thought it was all over. But more finger foods arrived at our table: Fresh rambutans, milk chocolate, and a very sugary pastry served with an even more sugary and butter-y dipping sauce (extra, extra creamy). So sinful. Personally, the chocos and cake was too sweet for me. Either that or I was already too full.

Doughnuts!! Aaahh~ They’re not as intoxicatingly sweet as they look, just the right kind of sweet, salty, and crisp.

Aaand finally … an elongated black sesame-flavored macaron~~~ I don’t like macarons, so this wasn’t really my cup of tea~

For someone who loves making stuff in the kitchen, I truly believe in the philosophy of starting with quality raw materials. Fruits, veggies, poultry, meat, and dairy products that didn’t waste days in ships and trucks to arrive at the market less fresh than it could’ve been. And speaking from my dining experience here, Restaurant Locavore is proof that the Locavore Movement is already in full gear, and a delicious and “indescribable *repeatedly shakes head*” one, in the words of an elderly bule who was waiting for his ride home with us outside.

Instead of relying on expensive imported ingredients, chefs Eelke Plasmeijer (Dutch) and Ray Adriansyah (Jakartan) decided early in 2013 to celebrate and support local producers by making homegrown ingredients central to their craft at Restaurant Locavore. Since then, they’ve celebrated countless milestones and take pride in the fact that they’re an integral part of the local community. By eating local, you can be sure the food served on your plate is chemical-free, ethically-fed, the freshest of the season and therefore, tastes the best.

For the many positive notes I’ve mentioned and more to come below, you’re more likely to secure your table by reservation only. Just the fact that it’s nested in Ubud already suggests how intimate the setting at Restaurant Locavore is going to be, so you’re sure going cozy up with your loved one here. Other than the limited space (capacitates 30 pax), you’re going to spend at least 2 hours savoring their meticulously-prepared set meals and coming out of them above and beyond satisfied. So come here with great expectations and an open heart, as I’m sure they’re still going to push your standards.

Food: ★★★★★★★★☆☆

• Locally-sourced ingredients The freshest and most delicious stock, guaranteed.

• In season By being ingredients-driven, the creative team of chefs at Restaurant Locavore are constantly innovating on their craft per season. Menu changes every month, sometimes every few weeks.

Service: ★★★★★★★★★★

• Non-intimidating A fine-dining experience unlike any other in Indonesia … you’re serviced way more than you pay for and with the kindest treatment possible.

• The very definition of attentive Warm and inviting – staff friendliness was neither pushing nor intrusive. They’re watching over our table constantly but ultra-considerate when it comes to respecting our privacy, was genuinely open to receive feedback, the whole team is blatantly passionate about what they do, knows what they’re doing, and fellow food enthusiasts individually.

• Above and beyond helpful Very happy and open to share their culinary joy. When the dishes were served, the respective chef behind each would come out to elaborate what he’s done to the craft personally. Even the manager and the waiters were knowledgeable about each dish when inquired.

Ambience: ★★★★★★★★☆☆

• Non-smoking Just the fact that it’s a non-smoking restaurant itself won over my heart.

• Intimate setting Warm, soft, dim and romantic lighting to set the mood for good food. My only complaint as a shooter was that this particular lighting isn’t the best for photo-taking sesh … and it embarrasses me whenever I go to small eateries and take pictures like it’s nobody’s business.

• Modern contemporary This is just personal, but the interior reminds you of a little townhouse on some roadside out of the city. Eclectic, comfortable, and lovely.

Quality: ★★★★★★★★★☆

• High-end Top-notch through the roof – we were so impressed by their service, we left them IDR 100,000 as a tip! And we still think they deserve way more.

Tea And Company [Migrated Post]

Don’t know about you, but I grew up preferring having my cup of tea alone. Warm matcha with dark chocolate bits have been my most loyal and trustworthy companion ever since my high school days, to soothe me in the late afternoons of crying over boys and lift me up during the boring bits of trashy novels. Throughout those years I’ve grown this intimate relationship with the entire process of preparing tea. So to say the beverage is a non-living thing is almost a sin. Much more than it is a beverage to be drunk, it’s a sensation to be felt, and nothing else in the world can compare to experiencing tea at its essence.

Of the many factors that affect the volatile essence (and consequently taste) of tea, the presence of company is one that fascinates me the most. Two commentaries from the wide array of tea books published during the Ming Dynasty 明朝 took note of this almost sacred solitary act of brewing and steeping tea, both mentioned in Chapter 4, ‘The Taste of Tea’, of Warren Peltier’s The Ancient Art of Tea: Wisdom From the Old Chinese Tea Masters. Calligrapher-painter Chen Ji Ru 陈继儒 described in his Majestic Affairs on Cliff Couch:

In tasting tea, one person can taste tea’s essence;
two people can taste tea’s delight;
three people can taste tea’s flavor;
but six or seven people together can only be called
using (drinking) tea.

Scholar Zhang Yuan 张源 further elaborated on this commentary in Record of Tea later on, stating:

Drinking tea is most valued when there are few guests;
where there is a multitude of people there is clamor;
when there is clamor tasteful interest is lacking!
Solitary sipping is called peaceful;
two guests are called elegant;
three to four people are called a delight;
five to six people are called common;
seven to eight people are called depraved.

I find these commentaries to be very true – even three is sometimes a crowd when it comes to tea, as if with every additional company, its full flavor, color, and aroma gets diluted.

There is healing when you listen to waters ripple as they flow to your teacup; there is pleasure even just watching the tea leaves expand during steeping. But as I grow older, I found that the best tea experience is when you’re having the jade nectar with your favorite tea-loving friend, immersed deep in the most intimate conversations over a leisurely cup of delight.

What about you? Do you enjoy tea more during your private hours or with a friend?



Love, Stace