Top restaurant dishes up local fare

Dicky Christanto , The Jakarta Post , Nusa Dua | Mon, 02/11/2008 12:02 PM | Bali

Quite surprisingly, Balinese cuisine is still difficult to find at many of Bali's five-star hotels and resorts.

European and American dishes are the most common fare at such establishments, with Thai, Chinese and Japanese cuisine considered the best representative of what Asia has to offer.

To a large number of hotel executives, Balinese cuisine is not compatible with the distinguished tastes of their guests.

"I came to this restaurant wondering why the chefs were not serving any Balinese dishes. I thought it was impossible the island was promoted solely on its beauty and not on its culinary heritage. I felt something was wrong at that time," the resident manager of the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel, Jeremy Cooper, said recently.

The hotel operates Raja, a luxurious restaurant that offers its patrons a fabulous journey through Bali's culinary heritage.

"The image (of the restaurant) was strengthened by some Balinese people who worked at the hotel. None of them had (previously intended) to promote their culinary heritage to the restaurant's manager," Jeremy said.

Jeremy, who came to the hotel as its executive chef, brought forward the controversial idea of collecting Balinese recipes from hotel staff members. The final result was a collection of more than 100 recipes, which Jeremy asked his chefs to try.

"I asked several people, including foreigners, to taste the dishes. The result was simply fantastic, as I had guessed. The food looked and tasted good," he said.

Jeremy said he found no reason why Balinese dishes should not be served at Raja. He was right. Bebek betutu (steamed duck with traditional spices) and sate lilit (chicken and coconut satay) quickly became the most requested items on Raja's menu.

Raja's patrons have enjoyed a range of exotic Balinese dishes in recent years, including bulung (an appetizer of fresh seaweed combined with peanuts and coconut sugar) and Balinese krupuk (crackers).

The krupuk served at Raja was initially made by the wife of Ketut Medana, a chef at the restaurant. These days the product is widely available at several five-star hotels in the Nusa Dua area.

Jeremy's initiative coupled with the dedication of his chefs to create the best Balinese cuisine available has transformed Raja into a popular restaurant among food connoisseurs.

Strangely enough, Raja's competitors have also been known to recommend the restaurant.

"Some guests told us they came here because this restaurant was recommended by chefs from other hotels," Medana said.

He said every dish on the restaurant's menu had received Halal certification from Majelis Ulama Indonesia (the Indonesian Muslim Clerics Organization).

"Therefore, Muslims are also able to experience the best of Balinese food here," he said.

For Jeremy, Raja and the culinary treats it serves may help increase Bali's popularity on the world stage.

"Who else promotes Balinese food and culture on the world stage of fine dining? Let food become the true ambassador for the island and the nation," he said.

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