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Night market goes upmarket
Fairy lights: As the evening darkens, a delicious array of fresh food can be seen in the dim light of the food carts
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Fairy lights: As the evening darkens, a delicious array of fresh food can be seen in the dim light of the food carts.
Today, a once shoddy huddle of food carts along Gianyar's main drag glows, warm and inviting, in the cool evening.
Stretching into the distance down the street in Gianyar are dozens of carved wooden food carts laden with the best of Bali's street food. Arching overhead is a roof that extends the length of the open-air food market, transforming this public space into a culinary magnet each evening.
A recent renovation, taking the market up a level in comfort and appeal, was undertaken by the Gianyar regency administration with input and the supply of carved food carts from the food-cart vendors' organization, Senggol Graha Sari Bojo. This organization's members include food-cart vendors across the road at Gianyar's public market, explains I Wayan Agus Sudi Muradana.
Agus serves the iconic Indonesian dish nasi campur (mixed rice), almost a tapas style dish with titbits of rice, vegetables, tahu (tofu) and seafood or meat.
Just 29 years of age, Agus opened his food cart back in 2007 after learning the trade from his parents.
'We serve around 50 portions of food each evening. I think the food market has become more popular since the renovation. More people are coming here to eat, including foreigners. They are interested in Bali's traditional foods,' says Wayan on the benefits to his business from the renovation.
'The night market looks great, the food is good and there is lots of choice.' Wayan added that his business would continue to grow because the Gianyar food market had also stepped up in quality and style.
A customer, Budi from Gianyar city agrees. 'I am getting take away for the family. The food here is delicious and I come often because I can get sambal bawang mata (shallot and chili sauce), which is a Balinese specialty,' says Budi as he waits for his meal to be freshly cooked.
A few carts away is the open-air kitchen of Areip, a cook who has been selling lalapan (vegetables with sambal) for the past decade. Spiced chicken and catfish are being fried in his great roiling wok of oil before being served with spicy sambal and salad. His food could not be fresher, from the wok to the table in just minutes.
'I am originally from Surabaya, [and I lived there] 20 years ago, so I make lalapan, a Javanese dish,' says Areip. He believes the renovations, while not yet greatly improving sales, have certainly improved his work space and customer satisfaction.
'Business is up and down as usual, but customers are happier and far more comfortable. The renovations have made this market neat and clean. It's much better than it was in the past,' says Areip serving a dish of fried catfish to Ni Nyoman Warani from Tegalalang.
The mother of two says she comes to Areip's lalapan stall as a treat for her children.
'We come here occasionally to eat when we take the kids for an outing. I had the fish. It was pretty good. The sambal is really good and the renovations make this a clean and comfortable place for dinner,' she said.
A stroll past these carts delivers different aromas and sensations that draw diners in, each cart glistening with fried chicken, fresh vegetables, fish and pork. As the evening darkens the foods glisten under twinkling electric lights and tables in front of the food carts begin to fill with hungry customers.
At Wayan Wirasadi's suckling pig stall, the tables fill early. Wirasadi averages 150 portions an evening says his younger sister who calls herself simply Adik (younger sibling).
The crisp crackling of a golden suckling pig rests on a platter as Adik prepares another serve of the hot pork and vegetables they sell from the carved food cart. Her hands, clean but greasy with pig fat, work fast as she serves out pork, crackling, vegetables and a spicy sauce. 'We have been cooking suckling pig here for a very long time. The new space we have is much better than before, much cleaner,' says Adik who learned to prepare suckling pig from her grandmother.
'Our family has always been in this business.'
Seated at a table in front of the suckling pig stall, Komang Ayu and her family are just finishing their meal.
She has made the 30 minute drive south from Klungkung to eat at the newly renovated night market.
'We drove down to have the suckling pig, because it is so good here. It's that good, so we come often. Also the renovations have made this night market so clean and comfortable. It's inviting,' says Ayu.
Next door is the ayam betutu stall, serving slow-roasted chicken. Like suckling pig, the spicy dish is a Balinese favorite.
Agung Hadi from Mengwi has stopped by for an early dinner. 'The ayam betutu here is good. I eat here if I am passing on my way home from work. I like it because after the renovations it is very clean, and that makes it enjoyable,' says Hadi tucking into his plate piled high with chicken, nuts and vegetables.
For anyone in search of classic Balinese food in a clean, comfortable, yet traditional environment, Gianyar's night market is the place to head.
' Photos by JP/JB Djwan
