De Ubud's China Moon Cafe: JP/I. Christianto

Myriads of food are available at Bali's most popular destinations, fulfilling the appetites of the multi-national mix of tourists who visit the island of gods.

A wide range of cuisine is available in Ubud, the center of art and culture on the island.

Western gourmet, pasta, pizza, ribs, mojitos and other popular world delights are on offer at most restaurants in Ubud.

In addition, restaurants serving Asian cuisine are growing in popularity in the city, as more travelers seek new culinary experiences and wish to explore the roots of the island's culture.

One such restaurant is China Moon Caf*, which combines traditional Taiwanese and Balinese culinary styles. The menu features scrumptious soups, toast, noodles and fresh fruit juices, which, depending on which you choose, will enhance your energy, boost your immune system, or help you detoxify.

Located at No. 8 Jl. Monkey Forest at the corner of Jl. Hanoman and Jl. Monkey Forest, near the legendary Monkey Forest, China Moon is run by Carol Chen, who dreamed of introducing traditional Taiwanese cuisine to Ubud.

Going by the name along, you might expect China Moon to specialize in Chinese cuisine. However, Chinese cuisine differs greatly between the country's regions, with Szechuan, Pekinese, Cantonese and Taiwanese cooking all notably different despite all being categorized as simply Chinese.

Taiwanese food is Chinese food, but the difference is in the taste as spices and cooking techniques differ.

China Moon's tasty mushroom pork soup or the chicken & veggie stuffed French toast are highly recommended.

Then there is also the sesame oil chicken noodle soup, beef noodle soup and fish ball soup. Taiwanese food is indeed characterized by stews and soups.

Other delicious traditional dishes on the menu are chicken fried popcorn, which is essentially Taiwanese-style crispy fried chicken -- small chunks of crispy chicken sprinkled with pepper.

Chen, born in Taiwan in 1967, opened China Moon eight months after launching De Ubud Villas & Spa, which is located in the same lot as the restaurant, in August 2006.

"De Ubud consists of three villas. My concept of the villa is a good bedroom, a good bathroom and good food. That's why I prepared a big kitchen to serve food for the guests staying at the villa.

Then I thought I could optimize the kitchen by operating a restaurant. My friends also encouraged me to open a restaurant as I also like to cook. That's why I decided to open China Moon in April of 2007," she said.

She also pointed out that China Moon was termed a caf* because it was built to mimic a typical Taiwanese night market.

"In Taiwan, night markets with food stalls on the street are common. In big cities, like Taipei, Kaohshiung or Tai Chung, many people enjoy dinner or late-night snacks available from hawkers from night until dawn," she said.

"The outdoor street night markets with food in Taiwan are so wonderful. Strolling around after work or later in the evening is just a part of the culture in Taiwan."

That's why, she said, the food at China Moon, which is open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., was designed to offer snacks, light meals or full meals depending on the needs of the customer.

"Natural taste is important to me. So I try to use only good ingredients in my foods. I use fresh meat and fish bought directly from the slaughter house or butcher and fishermen. I also use some imported ingredients, like vinegar, pepper, sesame oil, sweet potato flour, rice noodles and soya sauce for the sake of a good and original taste."

Chen, who hired and trained five Balinese cooks to work at the restaurant, is fond of cooking for her guests and serving them herself. Sometimes she takes orders or suggests food that is not on the menu. She said cooking was one of her hobbies and that many people liked her cooking when she lived in Taiwan.

She instructed the cooks not to use MSG or other artificial seasonings or flavors. Juices served at China Moon do not contain preservatives. The menu states that all juices are prepared using purified water.

While China Moon may not be packed during peak lunch and dinner hours, the restaurant is favored by those looking for tasty and high quality food, and in particular by Japanese and Western tourists.

The prices are reasonable.

"I know tourists from Taiwan are not looking for Taiwanese food in Ubud, that's why they are not part of my target market."

Chen was a tour leader for 14 years before she visited Bali for the first time in 1992. She fell in love with the island. She says she feels more peaceful and safe amid the strong spiritualism and culture that emanate from the city.

"I am happy I could introduce Taiwanese food to Bali, particularly Ubud. I think I have contributed something to the culinary art here."

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