Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

For the full chapter-by-chapter accounts of my Bali trip back in October of 2009, click HERE.

I am seriously in need of some discipline. One whole month has passed since I last posted something with regards to my Bali trip two months ago. I know, I know. Procrastination’s one of my ‘stronger’ points no doubt, but have you ever experienced those days when you felt that enough is enough, and you’d rather tie those loose ends and be done with it?

Through the gap, I saw light shining from beyond … @ Bajra Sandhi Monument, Denpasar, Bali

And now, my dear friends, the time draws nigh for the next chapter in the saga. We’re still on Day 5, by the way, after we shopped at Sukawati Art Market, strolled around the grounds of Goa Gajah, and then visited the infamously crammed with traffic city of Denpasar, the capital of Bali.

We passed by a grand structure of a monument in the midst of a spacious field in the city centre of Denpasar, and good old Komang Triawan (our driver for the whole journey, for your information) explained that the Bajra Sandhi Monument is one of Denpasar’s landmark, but to enter the interior vicinity of the grounds, one has to pay. Okaaaayyy ….. But wait, there were so many people prancing around on the green fields stretching for hundreds of metres surrounding the monument, in their most recreational modes. To which Mr Komang answered, Oh, we could walk around the fields FOC, but could not step inside the gated area of the monument. Fine with us, for we were in no mood to climb the stairs nor perform our prayers anyway.

To get to the monument, do confirm with your respective driver, for we did not see this gigantic structure in most itineraries nor guide books. And on that evening, we barely met with any foreigners at that place. Don’t pinch yourself hard if you miss this one. Nothing too fancy to justify the out-of-the-way exodus to Denpasar. Unless like us, you decide to pay Pasar Badung a visit as well.

The sun was about to set, hence we hurried over to Sanur Beach, a popular destination amongst the locals. The stretch of not-too-fine-sands-nor-sparkling-clean-beach was packed with Indonesians of all ages. Teenagers had a whale of a time kicking balls (soccer balls, ok?), the adults loathing around on the sandy beach picnicking and splashing away, while children were seen building sand castles, and testing the patience of their elders. But all in the name of good fun, nevertheless.

Then we had our dinner at Naughty Nuri’s Warung (Nuri’s Warung, for short), a considerable distance up north from Monkey Forest Road (where we were staying, in Jati 3 Bungalows). The dinner was one of the better ones throughout the trip, the other being Dirty Duck Diner (Bebek Bengil) also in Ubud.

Of course, it goes without saying, this restaurant is NON-halal. Notice the not-too-subtle hint?

A ‘Warung’ which resembled a small restaurant than not, Nuri’s Warung is a much highly-recommended eatery in most travel guides and forums, for they grill a most tempting rack of pork ribs, and manage to serve them in a considerably rapid amount of time. The meats are all grilled outside of the shop, but the smoke and grease might really get to you, especially if you’re seated on the outside of the outlet.

On that evening, Nuri’s Warung was packed to the brim, and we had to wait for awhile before we were seated. But rest assured the staff would be pleasantly accommodating to your requests and friendly as well, pertinently fixed with smiles and a cheery demeanour throughout your meal.

The MUST-try at Nuri’s Warung is no doubt the Barbecued Pork Ribs (IDR60,000 / RM21.60 / USD6.20), a rack of succulent ribs basted with a sweet and smokey BBQ sauce, then grilled to a juicy finish. Served simply with an optional squeeze of lime juice, the ribs begged to be devoured in your most carnivorous/barbaric manner – Hands and all. Definitely value-for-money, for the portions served were not dainty either. Add on a side of chips, wedges, or even white rice for some carbs, if you’re one who can’t live without them.

The Beef Burger (IDR50,000 / RM18.00 / USD5.20) was loaded with goodies – A thick and juicy beef patty, crispy bacons, caramelized onions, melted cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. Sadly, the patty was under-cooked, rendering the experience of biting into the burger almost appalling. You can imagine the soft, raw, and mushy bits of ground beef with a reddish centre. We sent the burger back to the grill, to which the staff gladly re-grilled the patty for us, but whatever appetite was marred by the yucky experience. The slab of meat was too thick for the grill, by the way.

Pork Satay (IDR30,000/RM10.80/USD3.00), Pork Sausage (IDR30,000/RM10.80/USD3.00), Grilled Chicken (IDR25,000/RM9.00/USD2.60), and Chips (IDR15,000/RM5.40/USD1.50)

Nuri’s Warung reminded me of those charming outpost/bars in the middle of nowhere that you see in classic American movies. When everybody knows everyone else, and people walk in for a hearty meal amidst the casual banter and acquaintance. You can even have Indonesia’s famous Bintang beer to go along with your meats.The other items we ordered paled in comparison to the ribs, so I’d suggest go for the ribs, and give everything else a miss. Except the pork satay maybe. But Dirty Duck does theirs better.

Naughty Nuri’s Warung
Tromol Pos No 219,
On the road leading to the North of Ubud.
Opens from 9am-10pm.

(Highly recommended to hail a cab instead of walking from Monkey Forest Road, or Ubud town centre. For the distance is NOT negligible, especially at night when your safety’s at stake)

The taxi ride from Nuri’s Warung back to our accommodation at Jati 3 Bungalows on Monkey Forest Road cost us about IDR50,000/RM18/USD5, for the 5 of us. Cut-throat? Nah …. we were in no mood to walk anyway. Which might take forever.

Then to cap off the day, we went for some desserts and coffee at Cafe Wayan & Bakery on Monkey Forest Road in Ubud, a short distance away from our rooms. Nothing too spectacular about the cakes and pies, but the strawberry juice was a most refreshing choice, especially after that heaty meal of grilled meats and such.

Cafe Wayan is a famous name in Ubud, almost THE place to go come darker hours, for Ubud’s no Kuta. And there’s barely a soul in sight during the later hours of the night. Even Cafe Wayan closes at about 11pm. Or prior to that.

The ambience was a most soothing one, with rustic decor, predominant with wooden architectures, and soft, dimmed lighting. Which led us to a most startling discovery – A gecko on the wall! Not some mere lizard but an over-sized, almost resembling a mini monitor lizard sticking to the beautifully-adorned walls. Initially we had a tough time deciding whether the lizard-like ornament was a dead or alive one. Only to have it moving around on the ceiling above our heads. Needless to say … the cakes and the drinks were walloped in a most speedy fashion.

And that ended Day 5 of our trip. Still to come … the LAST DAY of our stay in Bali, when we moved back to Kuta for one very last night, the lacklustre “Kek Lapis”, the beaches of Nusa Dua and Padang-Padang, and finally … the Sunset @ Uluwatu.

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