Clifftop Dining

Another evening in Bali, another fine-dining extravaganza. This evening we ventured out of Seminyak and made our way South to Uluwatu, where a winding and pot-holed track brought us out at the Karma Kandara resort. Set high up on the cliff side 150 metres above the Indian Ocean, their Di Mare restaurant surely boasts Bali’s most breathtaking views, perched on the side of the cliff, with panoramic vistas out to sea.



We arrived in time for sunset, to sip cocktails in their Moroccan-themed rooftop bar as the ocean slowly slipped from view, the sky darkening though a spectrum of colours. I kid you not, we even saw dolphins out at sea…





We then braved the ‘inclinator’ – a cable-car/lift contraption that takes you down the rocks to the Nammos beach bar, which allows for pre-dinner drinks in a more relaxed setting.

Back on the cliff top, the semi-circular Di Mare restaurant allows all tables a view out to sea and has a strong bias towards seafood. The winning starter had to be Mr Greedy Glutton’s Pan-fried Scallop with a Creamy Asparagus Risotto:



I unfortunately took the waiter’s advice (he was rather insistent) to order the Prawn Trio (chilled with tomato-horseradish sauce, barbecued and tempura), which was perfectly acceptable but nothing too exciting, and I wished I had stuck to my guns and ordered something different.

We both opted for superbly executed fish main courses however:



before basking in self-congratulations in our choice of desserts – a simply scrumptious Tarragon Panna Cotta, served with a passionfruit juice:



and the Warm Valhrona Chocolate Souffle, served with homemade ice cream – superb!



The road may be winding and bumpy to get there, but this is undoubtedly the most spectacular restaurant in Bali in terms of location, and the food doesn’t disappoint either. I would certainly return again, but perhaps next time for lunch when you can get more out of those staggering views.

Di Mare, Karma Kandara, Bali - http://www.karmakandara.com/

What’s not to love about Bali?

We’re just back from a gorgeous weekend in Bali, one of our favourite places on Earth. What’s not to love about Bali? The people are friendly, the scenery is stunning, the weather is fabulous, the bars are super-stylish, and the food… the food is out of this world. How did a rustic little island like Bali produce so many outstanding fine dining restaurants?

Having already checked out Hu’u Bar, The Restaurant at the Legian Hotel, Ku De Ta and La Lucciola on previous visits, tonight we made our way to Kafe Warisan, which always seems to get fantastic reviews. Well, I can see why as we certainly weren’t disappointed.



This open air restaurant looks out over paddy fields, with fairy lights sprinkled among the trees in the dining area, giving a relaxed and romantic setting. The waiting staff were super friendly and knowledgeable and the food outstanding.

I started my meal in style, with a with the Artichoke Ravioli served with Grilled Scallop and Prawn, and a Lemon Butter Sauce. This was absolutely delicious and left me with mouth-watering flashbacks for days later.



Being in a French restaurant, Mr Greedy Glutton felt it was only right to kick off with the Escargots and so opted for the Roasted Mushroom Stuffed with Snails and Parsley Butter. This also hit the spot, although it was so rich that the serving could have been half the size and he still would’ve thought he’d got a good deal.



I then looked to the ‘From the Sea’ section for my main course, choosing the Pan Fried Lemon Sole “Meuniere”, with Creamy Spinach, Chive Steamed Potatoes, which was so perfectly cooked and delicious I had to stop myself from leaning down and licking the plate at the end.



Mr Greedy Glutton turned to the ‘From the Farm’ section to choose his Grilled Australian Veal Tenderloin, with White Truffle Mashed Potatoes and Basil Juice, which was beautifully succulent and tender.



We were well and truly filled to the brim by this stage, but couldn’t help but sample their "Le Moelleux" – Hot Chocolate Cake Served with Home Made Vanilla Ice Cream and Roasted Nuts, if only to give us something to accompany the bottle of dessert wine we couldn’t resist. The cake was everything we could have hoped for, with the molten chocolate spilling out all over the plate in a truly decadent manner. Unfortunately the aforementioned dessert wine took control of my photography skills, so no accompanying photo… maybe next time.

NB - Kafe Warisan is moving round the corner in September, and as the name belongs to the building in which it resides, it will be changing its name to Metis... so if you plan on going, check you are at the right restaurant!

Kafe Warisan, Bali - http://www.kafewarisan.com/index.htm

Best Margaritas in Town?

I only really discovered the beauty of frozen margaritas just before we moved to Singapore a couple of years ago. Our first few months after we arrived, we would spend quite a lot of time at Café Iguana on Clarke Quay, especially after we discovered their Macho Margaritas – something which made us quite excited at the time I seem to remember. Unfortunately however, their margaritas quickly went downhill (or perhaps the novelty factor just wore off), and we stopped going there quite so often and eventually not at all.

I have recently re-discovered my love of the frozen margarita – strawberry in particular, at the fabulous alfresco Screening Room rooftop bar. If you haven’t been there yet, then get yourself down there – yes there’s a few steps to climb to reach the bar, but once up there you are rewarded with a cool chill-out vibe, views over the rooftops, pumping tunes and what I currently feel to be the best margaritas in town.

Here are the photos – you be the judge:



The only downside is that being an outdoor bar in Singapore, the margaritas do tend to melt very quickly, meaning you have to drink them rather quickly… wait, did I say downside…?!



Screening Room Rooftop Bar - http://www.screeningroom.com.sg/

Stinky Fruit

I couldn’t have a Food & Drink section in a book about Singapore without including the infamous Durian. People definitely have a ‘love it/hate it’ relationship with this stinky fruit, and I have always been firmly in the latter camp, even avoiding the fruit and veg section in my local Giant supermarket due to the stench seeping out from the durian corner. So it was with some trepidation that I made my way to Geylang to check out the durian stalls.



There are several different types of durian, with names ranging from the evocatively descriptive, such as Mao Shan Wang (Cat Mountain King), Hong Xia (Red Prawn) or Mon Thong (Golden Pillow), to the boringly simple, such as D24, D1 and D100. They all vary in colour, texture and flavour, and as with lovers of wine, tea or cheese, all connoisseurs have their own personal favourites.

Local friends had pointed me in the direction of Sims Avenue, where the roadside stalls (mainly between Geylang Lorongs 11 and 19) are piled high with the prickly pungent fruit, and I had also read online reviews of the Four Seasons Durians Café, where you can take an indoor seat to sample their range of fruit on offer.



We kicked off with a D24, often lauded as people’s favourites, although to me I just couldn’t get away from the oniony/garlicky taste. Now I know that durian-lovers don’t understand what I mean by that, but then everyone has their own opinion as to what durian tastes like, and I think the oft-quoted description by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace sums up the complicated nature of durian tasting: “A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes.”



Hmmm… my thoughts exactly… Moving on, we next tried out a Hong Xia or Red Prawn. Now this wasn’t cheap – I think around $30 for one fruit – but then, as with wine, you supposedly get what you pay for. I have to say I probably agree as this was by far a superior fruit – there were no hints of onion or garlic here, but instead a creamy sweetness that actually wasn’t at all unpleasant!



Could I be converted? Well not quite yet, and I certainly wasn’t taking the left-overs home with me to stink out my apartment, instead ‘generously’ donating them to my friend. No I was off home to brush my teeth, because as Anthony Bordain warned in his No Reservations programme during a visit to Indonesia, after eating durian “Your breath will smell as if you've been French-kissing your dead grandmother”.

Durian stalls - Sims Avenue, between Geylang Lorongs 11 and 19

Four Seasons Durians Café - www.fourseasonsdurians.com
43 Joo Chiat Place (corner of Tembeling Road) – opposite Kim’s Place Seafood.

Hokkien Prawn Mee

So I’ve finally handed in my book manuscript to my editor and I am once again free to blog! My research trail has taken me exploring all around Singapore – saw me swinging from trees, whizzing down water chutes, investigating World War II tunnels… and finding all sorts of new places to eat and drink. One of my favourite new finds has to be Kim’s Place Seafood in Joo Chiat.



I was actually in the area with a friend to check out the durians (more on that later) when we stumbled across Kim’s. The smells emanating from the open-air eatery enticed us inside, and once there, the numerous magazine and newspaper articles smothering the walls convinced us of the calibre of the establishment.

All accounts seemed to suggest that the Hokkien Prawn Mee was the dish to be ordering, so that was our first choice – and at just $4.00 a pop, we couldn’t go wrong. I’m not normally a huge fan of Prawn Mee, but this dish was enough to convince me otherwise – it was truly delicious with its rich seafood stock and juicy prawns.



We obviously didn’t stop there – although the small order of Prawn Mee was certainly large enough for one person to fill up on. Instead we ploughed on with some Fried Pork on a Hot Plate,



some veggies and, because it was on special (and well, because we could) – some Cereal Lobster.



What a feast – every dish was as good as the last and we left feeling very satisfied indeed. Kim’s is not really in my usual circle of movement, but I have already been back for a plate of the Prawn Mee, and would urge others to do the same.

Kim’s Place Seafood – www.kims.com.sg
37 Joo Chiat Place (Junction of Tembeling Road). Tel 6742 1119.