This was a beautiful, light wheat free breakfast rice pancake enjoyed at one of our favourite breakfast spots in Bali, Yellow Cafe 2019 Best “blooming breakfast in Penestanan village in Ubud.
The homemade palm nectar and freshly grated coconut and bananas and berries are a sensational combination.
We are staying in a Villa in Penastanan Village just outside of Ubud for a few weeks.
Of course, Ubud is filled to the brim with great restaurants, but sometimes when we are feeling particularly lazy on our holidays we love being able to just wander up the path to a local Warung in our neighbourhood. Penastanan is blessed with many of these.
And now we have Thai Thali to add to the list! Just 3 days ago the newly refreshed and branded Thai Thali Warung had sprung open. (Felt like it appeared overnight!) it is just down the lane (gang) behind the D’Omah/Wayan Juice shop off Jalan Penastanan Kelod. Look/ask for the directions to Gajah Biru Villas and Spa and you will find it opposite there. Here’s a map with my rudimentary markings!
We had also snuck in for a quick lunch the other day and tried items from their Indian vegetarian light meals menu. Their Puri (puffy fried Indian bread) and Alu Prantha (Indian bread stuffed with lightly spiced potato mixture) both served with Raita and pickle were tasty and filling.
Last night we tried their Thai offerings and were even more impressed by the authenticity of the cooking. The use of fresh herbs such as lemongrass, basil, galangal and kaffir lime leaves made the Gang Knew Wan Gai (green chicken curry) and Gai Pad bai Khapoa( minced chicken with chilli and basil) taste like they had just come off the streets of Bangkok!
The green chicken curry even had baby pea eggplants that are such a trademark of green curries in Thailand. Of course it makes sense because all these ingredients are easy to find in Bali.
They also gave me extra chopped green chilli in fish sauce and lime juice (nam prik) which added the just extra chilli hit I was looking for! Around Mak Mak (very, very delicious)
The total meal including 2 large beers came to a total of IR170,000 (AUD17)! See below for photos of the menu.
With a menu that focuses on simple but tasty Thai and Indian favourites, we can see this new Warung joining the list of new favourites for a quick and cheap as chips meals.
They don’t have a website yet so I have included some photos of the menu below.
And, if they are so confident that you will like the food if there is something “legit”you don’t like then your meal will be in them!
Yellow Flower Cafe is tucked up away behind Penestanan Village in amongst what used to be used to be ricefields but sadly is now becoming more and more developed. Still it is only accessible by walking and with views across the Campuhan valley, so a beautiful spot for breakfast or lunch.
With delicious organic fruit, breakfast bowls and frappes, or heartier hot breakfasts with specials such as wheat free, rice flour pancakes and shakushka eggs – Yellow Flower is definitely the best spot for breakfast this side of the Campuhan Bridge. Excellent coffees as well.
Their business is definitely “blooming” due to their consistently fresh, organic produce and laid back Ubud vibe. They have just expanded with a tasteful new section with more tables and seating. The old section still has the best views over the valley though.
Here’s a link to their website which has a map https://yellow-flower-cafe.business.site. Easiest way to find it is to take the steps to the left of Bintang Supermarket to the top of the hill then turn right.
Fried and roasted chicken has had a resurgence the world over. It is on menus from New York to Sydney to Bali in one form or another …southern fried chicken, chicken karaage, chicken popcorn etc…
Ayam Goreng or Fried Chicken is of course an absolute Indonesian staple and classic. Unlike Southern Fried Chicken, it is not cooked in batter but marinated and most often twice cooked in a rich mix of spices. The crispy fried floss mixture known as “kremes” served with it is traditionally made by adding extra grated galangal or coconut while frying.
The Ayam Goreng at Bubu’s Warung in Penestanan has a definite Balinese twist marinated in Balinese spices and with grated coconut to add crunch to the kremes…or “fried floss” that accompanies the chicken making it super tasty. Next time we go I am going to see if they will share the recipe with me!
We always also ask for Balinese Sambal Matah which they freshly make – a hot and tangy combo of eschallots, lemongrass, chilli and coconut oil that goes perfectly with the fried chicken. See my previous post https://freespiritfood.net/2018/01/02/balinese-sambal-matah-fresh-raw-chilli-sambal/
Simple but delicious fare!
Bubu Warung, Jalan Penestanan Raya, Penestanan, Ubud
After a wonderful Christmas eating lots of delicious traditional English and Australian food, we are now in Bali for a fortnight of feasting and relaxation up in the hills of Ubud. There won’t be too much cooking but certainly a lot of eating planned.
We have been regulars to Bali over the last ten years and can’t help but feel instantly relaxed when we get here through the combination of the warm Balinese hospitality, heat of the tropical sun and diversity and quality of the food.
This visit we are staying in the village of Penestanan on the edge of the rice fields, once quite a sleepy part of Ubud but which has now been populated with great cafes and restaurants, spas and villas.
We started our first day here lazing by our pool before choosing to lunch at Warung Mendez, a restaurant specialising in Javanese cuisine. From tempting appetisers and soups to specials such as slow cooked goat’s leg and Tempe fried in a special spring onion batter, deciding on what to eat is not an easy task so we immediately ordered Bintang beer to cool us down as we made the tough choices.
Adrian often talks about Rawon soup which he had previously enjoyed in Jakarta. The dark almost black, beef soup is made that colour and given it’s unique earthy flavour from the use of the kelucak seed. It is traditionally served with steamed rice and chilli sambal, which is known as Nasi Rawon. At Warung Mendez, we ordered it just as a soup to shar alongside our individual mains of Nasi Goreng and Rica Rica Mackerel.
Whilst the Rawon soup was delicious, it felt like it had been “toned down” to suit the largely tourist palate of the diners that frequent the restaurant. However the nutty taste of the ground kelucak seeds did shine through and with the addition of some of the tasty homemade chilli sambal we had certainly would get Warung Mendez at least 3.5 stars for their version.
Of course it is difficult to pass by a Nasi Goreng or the Balinese version known as Nasi Campur when in Bali. The Warung Mendez version comes with the traditional fried rice, freshly bed chicken satays, pickled carrot, crispy shredded cabbage, a perfectly fried egg and prawn crackers. Adrian’s verdict is that it was “very nice”. We could see, smell and hear the rice being wok tossed and the stays being barbecued!
My Rica Rica Mackerel was not quite as I expected having had the more “tomatoey” Chicken Rica-Rica before. The Warung Mendez Mackerel version omits the tomatoes but features delicious grilled and then shredded fish mixed with the spicy chilli and shallot Rica Rica spice paste. The inclusion of small pieces of tangy Balines lime and the accompaniments of the fern and coconut salad and turmeric rice made for a light and tasty lunch dish.
All in all we would recommend Warung Mendez if you’d like to get an authentic taste of Javanese food in Ubud at an extremely good price. Our lunch cost us less than AUD$20. We will definitely be returning for dinner to try the goat’s leg and tempeh, and some desserts.