Before we left the UK I really only had Thai food on my mind, so Balinese cuisine came as a delicious surprise. Even on a backpacker budget, you can eat like a King.
The national dish is Nasi Goreng and it's a great example of how to eat hearty grub on a budget. This substantial meal is good any time of day and, as it never meant more than a 5 minute wait, must be seriously simple to make.
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As good as Nasi Goreng is, I was taught a powerful lesson by the humble Balinese beef stew...
As good as Nasi Goreng is, I was taught a powerful lesson by the humble Balinese beef stew...
This photo shows a delicious looking version of the dish that I enjoyed in a rather pricey Seminyak restaurant. Don't get me wrong, it was good, and the decor of the restaurant was stunning (glass jars stuffed with herbs and spices from Indonesia adorned the walls), but as I said, beef stew taught me an important lesson. Restaurant dining is great, but for hungry backpackers, nothing beats street food. This same dish was a 10th of the price from a warung on Mataram Street. If you can get over the appearance of fly infested cabinets storing day old looking food, you will be rewarded with a basket of perfectly spiced delight!
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Any good meal needs to be washed down with a refreshing beverage and Indonesia's signature beer, Bintang, is fit for purpose. Gili Trawangan provided the perfect setting to enjoy a bottle or 3. (see full image)Okay, maybe I lost count but it was Christmas Eve after all!
I'd love to mention the fresh fish platter we had as our Christmas Day meal but our Bint'angover saw us craving turkey with all of the trimmings. We settled for sharing a chicken leg and an Indonesian twist on the traditional vegetable accompaniments.
Gili night market is the place to be for the freshest BBQ'd fish. BBQ is the theme of Gili and the swanky beach front restaurants fill the promenade with a smokey smell. Unfortunately, they were a little pricey for a backpacker budget but the night market was kinder to the purse strings and looked just as good. Although it meant dining on the floor, the infectious hustle and bustle kept us coming back for more. (see full image)
