4 Sleeps To Go!

That's right everyone, this coming Friday I will be jetting off yet again to my beloved Bali! This is not just another holiday, this one is a bit more special than that. Why? Well to start with, I'm going with my sister. That may sound like just any other trip but a week after my return, my sister will be making the move to the UK to work for possibly 2 years. We don't know when she'll be coming back and I don't know when I'll be going to visit her. Secondly, I'm once again staying at a couple of new hotels, trying to restaurants and for the first time, I'll be staying at Lembongan Island which I'm so excited about!! And lastly, after this trip to Bali, I have no idea when I'll be back. With my sister moving away, it's time for me to work a bit more, save a lot harder so I can afford to travel a bit further away from home and go visit my sister. One things for sure though: this is going to be an amazing trip and I will be back in Bali one day.

 

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The March Plan, Part 3: Tamukami Hotel

For the last leg of my trip, I'll be returning to the lovely Tamukami Hotel in Sanur. I stayed here last July with my mum and we absolutely loved it. It's a gorgeous boutique hotel with all the rooms overlooking the beautiful lagoon style pool. Nestled down a laneway off the main street, it is quiet but still in a fantastic location and fantastically run by an old Belgium couple. Maybe it's the fact that they live on the hotel grounds that has the staff on their toes and the hotel running so smoothly. I cannot wait to return to this gem.

 

Click here to visit the website.

 

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Jadi Home Cafe: The Second Installment

A little while ago, I wrote this post about Jadi Home Cafe. My mum and I had eaten dinner there back in July during our mother-daughter trip and absolutely loved it. Last month, I had my sneaky 3 night getaway and I insisted in eating here again. The only night we had free for dinner was a Sunday night and that just happened to be the only day the the restaurant was closed. My dad and I popped over before we realised this and I was so disappointed when I realised I wouldn't be able to eat there this time. That was until Srie, the owner and cook, said she would cook just for us. How nice is that?! Now let me explain how generous this was of her: The restaurant is located within Srie's own home. She is the only cook (she has a few helpers) and makes everything from scratch and fresh daily with ingredients she has gone and bought herself from the markets that same day. I can imagine that at the end of the week, she is very tired and looks forward to having her day off, but she opened up just for us. We were so grateful and I was so looking forward to dinner here.

We ordered a few dishes for 7:00 and when we arrived, our dinner was bubbling away on the stove. The smell was divine. We were the only ones there that night and a couple of people asked me if it felt weird or awkward. Well no, not at all. You are like a guest. The kitchen it open to the dining area so we chatted to Srie while she cooked, we went up to her stove to snap pictures of the dishes and smell the beautiful aromas from the spices, we wandered around and enjoyed the rustic and homely feel she has created for her guests. It was lovely.

Before too long, our dishes were ready. I always recommend ordering a day in advance. This means that Srie will be able to start cooking before your arrival so you won't have to wait too long and it makes things easier for her too, so she knows exactly what to buy at the markets. When Mum and I ate here in July, we both ordered beef rendang not realising that the serves were big enough to share. We loved the dish but we were disappointed we didn't order something else to try too. So this time we ordered chilli lime chicken, chicken in coconut and the salt and pepper prawns. Rice for each of us and veggies were included. All the dishes were divine. Srie somehow manages to get so much flavour into her dishes. The chilli lime chicken was our favourite. It had a bit of bite to it and the chicken was just falling off the bone. The coconut chicken was also delicious. Though it could have done with more chicken, I found myself literally drinking spoonfuls of the sauce when we had eaten all the chicken. And the prawns; yum!! They had a delicious and crunchy batter on them with the perfect balance of salt and pepper. I easily could have eaten many many more of them. We shared all the dishes and though we were full, we were once again disappointed we didn't order something else to try too.

The bill was a very reasonable $25 for 3 dishes and 3 drinks. It doesn't get much better than that!!

In you're in the area, definitely pay Srie a visit and tell her I sent you!!

Jadi Home Cafe us located down a laneway off Double 6 in Legian (down the same laneway as the Pearl Hotel and restaurant)

Telephone: 081 7972 0903

Email: srichrisnawaty@yahoo.com

 

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29 Sleeps To Go!!

That's right, in just under a month I'll be one my way back to Bali!! I have 11 nights all together; 7 with my sister, 1 alone and 3 with my parents. As usual, I just can't wait to get back, stay in new hotels, eat at new restaurants, explore new areas. Here and here are the first 2 places I'll be staying. I haven't yet revealed my last hotel choice so stay tuned!!

 

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Taco Beach Grill

Before my weekend trip to Bali last month, I had a serious hankering for some Mexican food. A number of people recommended I try Taco Beach Grill, located in Seminyak. After checking the reviews on Trip Advisor, I decided it was a must and luckily for us, it was located within walking distance from our hotel. We headed there for lunch one day and found it easily, with its big blue sign on the street. We were the only ones in the tiny restaurant, which we were thankful for because despite the numerous fans around, it has hot!

I was really looking forward to having lunch here; the restaurant has a reputation for fresh, authentic Mexican food with a bit of a Balinese twist and even better, they have gluten-free options, which Mum was so happy about. Everything on their menu is made in house, including their taco's (gluten free) and tortilla's. It had been recommended to me that we try their chilli poppers so Dad and I decided to split one. Now I love spicey food so I was a bit worried about this but turns out, they're not spicey at all. I wouldn't get this again simply because of the fact I do not like capsicum, and that's the flavour it had.

We also ordered a serve of guacamole, which comes with a selection of salsas and freshly cooked tortilla chips. Now I am not what you'd call a fan of avocado. In fact, I hate the stuff. But this, this guacamole I could not get enough of. It was delicious and not too avocado-ey if I can describe guacamole in such a way. The salsas were spicey, sweet, salty and the chips were perfect with a shimmer of oil still on them, so it was obvious they were fresh. The staff happily brought us more too when we ran out but still had more salsa and guacamole to get through.

I had also heard great things about their Babi Guling Tacos so I decided on that for my main, Mum ordered Vegi Taco's and Dad got a Shredded Beef Burrito. I absolutely loved my taco's. The flavours were beautiful and they were so so filling. Mum loved her veggie taco's and being the very small size that she is, was full after eating one of them. Each taco dish comes with 2 serves so it would have been great to order a few different types and have a bit of taste testing. Dad's burrito was also a massive size with a couple of sides like Spanish rice.

We left with impossibly full bellies, but man was I happy. I would definitely return. Although it was quiet at lunch, I've heard the restaurant gets very busy at night so it's best to book ahead. They also deliver for free within Seminyak!

Taco Beach Grill is located on Jalan Kunti, between Legian and Sunset Roads.

Website: www.tacobeachgrill.com

Email: info@tacobeachgrill.com

Telephone: 0361 854 6262

 

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The March Plan, Part 2: Lembongan Harmony Villa's

This is probably the part of my March holiday that I'm most excited about. Having had a taste of Lembongan Island in February last year when I visited the island with the Bali Hai day trip (see here) and seeing many photos of the island from fellow travellers, I decided it was a place I MUST stay. Since I didn't know much about the island, I was at a loss of where I should start. I seeked out the advice of Lembongan regulars who helped get a better idea of what kind of place I would like to stay in and what budget I was looking at. I found that what you paid for a nice place on Lembongan was significantly cheaper than what you'd pay in Bali.

I came across what I believe is heaven on Earth, by the name of Lembongan Harmony Villas. At the price of just $120 per night not including breakfast, I will be staying in a gorgeous (and private) 1 bedroom villa, with a patio area and a plunge pool with a killer view over the Playgrounds surf break and Bali in the distance.

When I was first planning this trip, I had my heart set on staying at these villa's so I completely rearranged the dates I'd be there so I could get a booking and I'm so glad I did. I've been keeping an eye on the reviews as I always do and they are consistently glowing. I am just SO excited.

Click here to check out their website.

 

Images are from www.lembonganharmonyvillas.com

 

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La Finca

A while ago, I discovered and started following on Instagram a restaurant in Bali called La Finca. For months, I drooled over their food photos, craved their beautiful Sang Ria's and imagined myself relaxing with both in their beautiful Mediterranean setting. Last week, I snuck off to Bali for a quick 3 night trip to meet up with my parents during their 2 week stay. It didn't take much to convince them to try La Finca with me after showing them the photos I had admired for so long. Due to a tight itinerary during my stay which involved catching up with family friends and a surprise birthday party, we could only manage to get there for lunch.

I emailed the restaurant the week before my stay and got a fast and professional response from the founder and owner, Thomas. He also reassured me that they would be able to cater for my mum's gluten intolerance and offered to let us order off the less limiting dinner menu rather than lunch one, giving my mum more options for her meal.

La Finca is located North of Seminyak on Jalan Subak Sari. It first opened in June 2013 for dinner and started offering a lunch menu in October that same year. With his mixed heritage and upbringing in many different cities all over the world, such as Hamburg, Paris, New York Tokyo and Singapore as well as spending many Summer's in Ibiza, Thomas moved to Bali after spending many years in Jakarta. Upon finding partners who shared the same dream he did, La Finca opened. Thomas wanted to recreate the rich and rustic cuisines of Ibiza as well as the easy going atmosphere. Although I've never had the pleasure of travelling to Ibiza, it was easy to imagine that that was where I was sitting while dining at La Finca.

Whether you're after casual drinks before or after dinner, an intimate, romantic dinner or a fun meal out with friends or family, I think La Finca is a place to try. It has a beautiful courtyard garden feel to it, with a huge cushioned daybed area and beautifully rustic tables and chairs surrounded by pressed metal lanterns and decorations hanging from the trees. The Mediterranean feel is carried through into the main restaurant area with huge bamboo pillars, beautiful lanterns and the loveliest table set up I've seen. Sharing the photos on Facebook and Instagram, the thing most people commented on were the gorgeous plates. It was a lovely atmosphere to come in to. I can imagine how inviting and lively it would be at night time, with everything lit up, people chatting while enjoying their drinks and the laid back vibe.

One of the advantages of being the only people in the restaurant is the great service you get, although I'm sure that the service would be just as good during dinner. We were promptly seated and given menus upon arrival and the food came out quickly and nice and hot. We decided to order a bunch of tapas which was perfectly fine with me as I love having a chance to taste a few different dishes. We decided on:

Patatas Bravas Con Chorizo crispy potatoes with spicy bravas sauce and chorizo. If you're not a fan of spicy like I am, this dish isn't for you. The sauce had a definite bite to it, but I loved it.

 

Albondigas Con Salsa De Tomate Y Queso Feta beef meatballs with fresh tomato sauce and feta. This was probably my favourite dish. The meatballs were juicy and the sauce was deliciously sweet. I would have very happily ordered another serving. It was just bursting with amazing flavour.

 

Gambas Islas Baleares truffle garlic prawns with white wine sauce. Although the prawns were the tiniest bit overcooked, it had a lovely flavour and not too garlicky. I think the dish should come with a bit of bread to soak up the delicious sauce that's left, but freshly baked rustic bread is available on the menu.

 

Calamares Fritos De La Casa house recipe crispy fried calamari with squid ink aioli. I love calamari and I loved the crunchy batter on this as well as the delicious aioli. I think a bit more seasoning on the calamari and through the batter wouldn't go amiss.

 

Setas Crujientes crispy mushrooms with paprika aioli. Mushrooms are my absolute favourite! The paprika aioli complimented the dish perfectly but I think it would be better to come in a separate little dish; there wasn't enough of it for the great serving of mushrooms. Again, some more seasoning would be great to bring out the flavours more.

 

 

And Ensalada Mixta a mixed salad with a medly of greens, cucumber, purple sweet potato, grilled corn, red onion, boiled egg topped with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Although I didn't try this salad, my parents absolutely loved it, especially the Dijon mustard vinaigrette.

To top it all off, my mum and I shared a half pitcher of Sang Ria which was delicious!! Full of fresh fruit and not too strong. My dad wasn't very impressed that they only had one kind of beer on the menu so more options for those beer fanatics would be great.

The Sang Ria's come in 2 sizes: a jug and a half pitcher. A half pitcher for $15 got us a couple of glasses each so the drinks prices are very reasonable. Their happy hour even includes 20% off your second jug, 30% off the third and so one. A great deal if you're dining in a large group!!

My parents and I all really enjoyed the restaurant and I'm so glad I got to give it a try. We left with smiles and full bellies after paying what came to a very reasonable bill. I look forward to returning to La Finca again, for dinner next time so I can enjoy the full experience and try some of their enticing mains!

I would highly reccomend La Finca to all of you. Definitely try to go for dinner so you can enjoy the more extensive menu and what I imagine would be a lively yet easy going vibe. Click here to check out their website.

 

Address: Jalan Subak Sari number 77, Batu Belig

Website: www.lafincabali.com

Email: enquiry@lafincabali.com

Telephone: 0361 2105080 or 0361 2740088

 

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The March Plan, Part 1: Rama Garden Hotel

Well let me start off with the good news: my sister has agreed to come to Bali with me in March! After all the fuss and the worry of who would come with me and whether or not I'd even end up going, it is now all taken care of! What a relief.

Our first 3 nights will be spent in Legian at a small hotel called Rama Garden. It's in a great location, with restaurants and shopping on its doorstep and not not far from the beach. What attracted me to this hotel was how small it is, with just 30 rooms and the rooms all being of the same standard as well as being recently renovated. The pool is the centre of the hotel, with all the rooms overlooking it with either a verandah and balcony. The reviews are consistently good (have a look at them on TripAdvisor) and the price is right, with me paying about $75 a night for a room including breakfast.

It looks so inviting and comfortable. Oh how I love staying at different hotels! I actually had the chance to go into the hotel during my recent trip. Although it has a sports bar at the front that some reviews have said gets a bit noisy, it is completely blocked off from the hotel part. The pool looked gorgeous; perfect size for the hotel and very well maintained. Now that I've seen it and what a great location it's in, I can't wait for my 3 nights there in March. Click here to go to their website.

 

Images are from www.ramagardenhotelbali.com

 

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East Bali Bike Tour

Back in July while I was in Bali with my mum, we decided to participate in a bike tour. Mum, having participated in a few during past trips, was adamant about not doing one that begins at the tourist trap that is Mount Kintimani. So we were on the lookout for something a bit different, which is how we came across the East Bali Bike Tour. East Bali was a place that we were fascinated by but knew nothing about. We felt that this was a great way to get a bit of a feel for the area as well as have a bit of an adventure.

I booked the tour in the week leading up to our trip and on the day, we were picked up at 7:00 on the dot. The bike tour started up near Amed which meant we had a nearly 2 hours drive ahead of us, but with plenty of scenery and the company owner, Komang, to chat with, time passed quickly. Upon arrival we were given our bikes and helmets before setting off. At this point, I would have appreciated a quick run down of what the track was like as the first 10 minutes was a steep down hill rides on a very rocky track that had my hands aching from using the breaks so much. Mum and I were both thinking that maybe we had made the wrong choice with the company, but soon enough the track flattened out and we turned onto a dirt track that ran alongside ricefields with an incredible view.

There was about 15 people in the group but they were clearly after more of a workout than a leisurely ride enjoying the scenery because before long, they had sped ahead and Mum and I were left with a single guide; Gilang. This turned out to be fantastic. He was funny, had great English and was more than happy to ride at our pace, stop when we needed water or wanted to take a photo and he was lovely to chat to, pointing things out along the way like the peanut and chilli fields we rode past. Mum and I were both thankful for and really enjoyed his presence.

Half way through the ride, we stopped and met up Komang again who would be leading us on a rice field trek. When you say trek, it sounds scary, but it was a pretty easy walk through ride fields that were owned by the locals. This meant that the land could not be developed or built on. It had an amazing "Old Bali" feel and views to match; the only thing you could see for a long way was just green. This part of the tour is optional but I'd definitely recommend doing it. It was a great way to break up the ride, stretch our legs and give our bums a rest from the bike seats.

After returning to our bikes, which had been thrown on the back of the truck to meet us a bit further along the way, it was just a short ride to the end of the tour. We finished our ride at the picturesque White Sand Beach. What a place to finish. It made quite a backdrop to enjoy during our included lunch with its gorgeous white (ish) sand, blue blue water and a cloudless sky, it was perfect. After our long ride, we were ready for a swim but unfortunately the rough waves prevented us from going in. We instead enjoyed a walk along the beach, enjoying the perfect waters temperature. I loved ending the day at White Sand Beach. It was a place I had wanted to go to for a while but didn't know anything about. This was the perfect introduction.

My mum and I both really enjoyed our tour with East Bali Bikes and I'd definitely love to do it again. It was great value for money with its included bikes and helmets, water throughout the ride, a support van in case of injury, lunch at White Sand Beach and of course hotel pick up and drop off. It's a tour I'd highly recommend, whether you're very fit or not and are looking for a bike tour with a bit of a difference. My two pieces of advice if you decide to participate: where a sports bra and be prepared to push through the steep rocky track at the start; it's worth it in the end.

Komang and his staff are great at what they do and have a passion for showing people a different area of Bali and for conserving its beautiful landscape.

If you think it might be something you'd be interested in, click here to go to their website and make a booking.

 

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The Art Cafe, Sanur

The Art Cafe has recently become one of my favourite restaurants to go to in Sanur. Not too long ago, they opened up a new premises in North Sanur opposite the Besakih Hotel. I had never visited their old premises, having been in South Sanur opposite the Mercure Hotel, but from what I understand they altered their menu to fit in with their new restaurant. They offer a huge range of dishes from Indonesian like Nasi Goreng, to curries, to Western dishes which all are beautifully presented and delicious. In my experiences at the restaurant, the service is great and the prices, in my opinion, are extremely reasonable.

Photos above: snapper rolled in bacon, Nasi Campur, stuffed chicken with mushroom sauce and tarragon chicken.

Photos below: Chocolate Melted cake and Creme Brulee.

I've loved the dishes I've tried there, but none more so than their incredible Melted Chocolate Cake. Oh my, it is simply divine. They are cooked fresh to order which means about a 15 minute wait, but trust me, the wait is necessary to allow your stomach to digest your dinner a bit more and make room for this mouthwatering dessert. It comes out steaming hot, presented with caramelised banana and a scoop of ice cream. Each time I've dug my spoon into the cake, the sauce inside has just oozed out. In all the times I've eaten it, not once has it disappointed me. I've always left with an impossibly full stomach but with a huge smile on my face. If you're in the area, please do yourself a favour and visit this lovely restaurant. They also offer take-away.

Click here to visit their website.

 

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Beji Ubud Resort

My Bali trip in November marked the first time I stayed in Ubud. I was looking forward to experiencing a new area of Bali, but finding the right hotel was hard because I did not know the area. I did a lot of research, read a lot of reviews, asked a lot of people for recommendations, but it was still hard when I didn't know the restaurants or the streets they mentioned. I decided to take a bit of a stab in the dark, and booked the Beji based on one fellow travellers recommendation. It looked lovely with its five pools and gorgeous valley rooms, but it was quite a way out of town. I felt that this would be ok because I had heard that the traffic in central Ubud gets very very busy and the hotel provided a shuttle bus a few times throughout the day.

I spent the months leading up to my stay reading and rereading reviews, admiring photos and researching the surrounding area. I was really looking forward to it and it did not disappoint. My friends and I were absolutely stoked with the hotel. The view was incredible and lush, the pools were stunning and our rooms were just perfect; spacious, comfy beds, a huge bathroom with seperate shower and bath.

Throughout our stay, we always found the staff so helpful. When we wanted to watch movies on a rainy day, they were prompt to bring us a DVD player. When they TV wasn't working, they quickly arrived to fix it before taking it away and replacing it with another one. When we wanted to go to a particular restaurant for dinner, the receptionists were happy to book us in and organise transfers. I think the only let down, if you can even call it that, was the breakfast. It was slightly limited (not something that bothers me personally) and lids were kept off some of the buffet trays, resulting in cold food.

All in all, we found it to be a great, value for money hotel and although it is a bit far from central Ubud, there was still plenty within walking distance, including the spa Bali Botanica and popular Warung Naughty Nuri's.

Unfortunately, due to the weather, we couldn't enjoy the hotel or explore the immediate area as much as I would have liked to, but I look forward to doing that when I return next time. Click here to check out their website.

 

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