Soto Ceker (Chicken Leg Soup) Kuta : Second Dinner in Bali.

When you're in Bali, it's past dinner time but your belly is sending a hunger SOS to your brain, what do you do?

No, you don't call 500-600. That thing ain't gonna satisfy your appetite. I mean, you're in one of the most exotic island with thousands of local delicacies to explore. Let me tell you what qualifies as a proper second dinner / late supper. 

Meet Soto Ceker (chicken leg soup). Situated near pasar Kuta, the area is well known for several culinary spots like Nasi Pedas Bu Andhika. Soto Ceker also happen to be one of them. Had it once last year, but I forgot the exact location. As me, Jie, Leo & Jenz scour for them, we stumbled upon two different place. A few minutes in the discussion, we decided to have them both! This is how food bloggers roll. When in doubt, eat all of them.

The first one is unbranded. It bears no signboard as I recalled. There's a glass booth with bakso ayam hand painted on them, but nothing more. The easiest way to spot it might be:
1. Look where the crowd gathers. Because this place is effin' packed with people. It might be due to the following cue.
2. Ask for the price. If its IDR 7.000, you've found it.

This one is a straight simple bowl of soto as the base flavor. Supposed to be made from boiling chicken in stock / water thus the rather cloudy soup. But somehow I doubt that the savory feel comes entirely from it. My gut feeling says a hefty amount of MSG was at play. That might explain the seemingly unquenched thirst as the side effect.

The feet were all just as feet supposed to be. Subtly slick & greasy. Easily chewable. It is probably the most overlooked part of chicken that turned out to be quite a feast. I know people who have a fetish over chicken feet. Are you?

However, I find that the second soto, Soto Ceker AA is a lot more festive compared to the one above. It added flavors not found in the first one. Let's call it Soto Ceker 2.0. (You IT geeks who read this is having twice the foodgasm now, right?)

Soto Ceker 2.0 has extra veggies, extra fried onions for toppings, and did I mention the soup? It is thicker with hints of turmeric, probably resulted off of the chicken. The chicken if you notice is yellowish, spiced similar to ayam kuning that's usually goes to be fried. It is also more easily crushed in pieces. I reckon from a longer period of slow cooking. With all that complexities, it brings a different taste to the tastebud. It is only natural then that the price is twice of the earlier. IDR 13.000 is still a lot worth it.

To sum it up, if you are looking for cheap eats, go for the earlier. If you're looking for something more pleasing go for the latter. If you want to go 'foodblogger style' eat both. =D

I'm signing out, but you could tune in on Twitter for live delicacies @Wanderbites

Hail cheap good food & second dinner!

Fellexandro Ruby
Food & travel storyteller / photographer

The Tuck Shop / Cornerstore at Seminyak Bali

"Buongiorno, Principessa. Come stai? Spero che tutto va bene in toscana."

"Oh amore mio, vorrei che tu fossi qui con me. Il cibo in bali è incredibile. Il tramonto. Il tempo. Il ritmo. Tutti questi mi fanno ti manca di più. Ti amo..."

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Percakapan ini bukan yang sesungguhnya diucapkan, dan bahasa Italia-nya pun tidak benar adanya. Google translate did all the work. =p Kalau di kuping gue mungkin hanya terdengar Buongiorno lalu sisanya spaghetti al fungi penne marinara pizza de la margherita dan aiueo nama-nama pemain sepakbola lainnya. But this guy is real!

Kurang lebih atmosfir seperti ini yang bisa ditemukan di sudut-sudut jalan di Seminyak, Bali. Tuck Shop misalnya. Diposisikan di perempatan antara Jalan Laksmana (Oberoi) & Petitenget, coffee shop yang juga menyediakan menu sarapan ini padat dikunjungi bule Australia yang kerap kembali karena vonis the best flat white (slang Aussie untuk espresso yang dicampur langsung dengan susu panas instead of foam seperti layaknya cappucino) in Bali. Ditambah lagi dengan desainnya yang simple & casual, I swear I could be in Manly beach if I just forget the surrounding neighborhood.

Pagi itu, gue & Jie bertekad menelanjangi area Seminyak berbekal skuter sewaan (plus helm yang super apek), dan kamera DSLR. Tanpa mengetahui letak pasti Tuck Shop, off we go, shades on!

Setelah pusing-pusing beberapa kali, perut kosong yang sudah berbunyi tampaknya menjadi radar yang cukup baik, kami sampai dan siap makan!

Gue pesen Carrot/Beetroot juice dan Panini with smoked ham, tomato, rocket, & avocado. Sementara Jie sang coffee aficionado asik menyeruput Cappucino, pesanan yang terulang terus everywhere we go and eat in Bali. Buat gue, sarapan emang paling pas di sini. Ingredients yang dipakai terlihat & terasa fresh, made to order with least seasoning, sehingga rasa yang muncul benar-benar kombinasi dari tiap komponennya. I feel healthy just by eating here. Bahkan di jus-nya gue bisa mencium wangi rumput sebelah. Saking organic-nya, efek samping muncul satu jam kemudian dan lima jam kemudian. Yes, hari itu saya BAB sampai tiga kali. Jadi buat yang jalan-jalan di Bali dan kesulitan pencernaan bisa mampir ke Tuck Shop. =p

Kalau notice, tempat ini juga dinamai Cornershop karena ada pojokan di dalam yang menjual beberapa brand pakaian pria & wanita yang sudah dikurasi. I love the items, but damn they are expensive. Untungnya sarapan pagi itu masih affordable di kantong. Total damage sekitar IDR 70.000 untuk kedua makanan yang saya pesan.

Would I come back to this place? Yes, but only for breakfast (dan mungkin kalau mau mendapatkan suasana internasional, plus inspirasi & wi-fi).

Gak pa pa yah sekali-sekali gue nulis dalam Bahasa Indonesia? I hope you enjoy. ;)
Yang mau ngobrol" bisa di komen bawah atau toel gue di Twitter @wanderbites.

Makanlah sebelum makan itu dilarang,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food & Travel Storyteller / Photographer


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The Tuck Shop 
Jl. Laksmana (Oberoi) 10
Seminyak, Bali

Blissful Bali Day #3 : Spa(ced) Out !

Here we are on the last day.

If you missed out on Blissful Bali trip, you can see Day #1 & Day #2.

After a long restful sleep at Bliss Wayan, the first surfing-themed hotel in Bali, we were all ready for our final pampering chapter. 

Taman Air Spa for the rescue. Its been a long while since I had a masseuse loosen out my muscles. Being not a big fan of massage, reflexology, or any incarnation of that is one. Being a rather ticklish person is two. This time though, I couldn't wait for the session to start. Most of it because of the intense amount of walking the night before exploring Kuta. 

Taman Air Spa is placed in a beautiful establishment capturing the balance of both bricks and nature. A concept found in most buildings in Bali. They call it Tri Hita Karana, one of the fundamentals in Hindu religion that outline the need of harmony between human-god (parahyangan), human-human (pawongan), and human-environment relationship (pelemahan). By holding true to this in practice, they believe its core to the success of life and businesses. Once you know this, you gonna start noticing it everywhere from hotels to restaurants. ;) 

We started the session by choosing the scented oil that fits our liking. What comes next is all blurry. It involves a lot of silent 'ooh' and 'ahh' in my head as my body being repaired. 

An hour and a half after, when the session finished, I felt really peaceful at this place. No more sore muscles. Minds all relaxed. If only I could stay another hour just to continue with a nap, that would be awesome. 

Its sad that with every welcome, there will be goodbye. We are the end of the journey. With the hot ginger and sweet cakes we closed the blissful days in Bali. I look forward to another meeting. I look forward to cross path again with you fellow bloggers, Jen, Jie, Leo, Vira, Bowo, Dalih, Barry, Laura, Mbak Febry. 

Thank you Avilla & most importantly the amazingly cheerful Alfie for arranging the whole thing. Look forward to have it annually =p

Cheers, 

Fellexandro Ruby

Food & travel storyteller / photographer

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Bliss Wayan Hotel

Jl. Sriwijaya No. 88

Legian - Bali

Ph: (0361) 767222

www.blisshotellegian.com

Taman Air Spa

Jl. Sunset Road No. 88 

Kuta - Bali 

Ph: (0361) 8947300 

www.tamanairspa.com

Blissful Bali Day #2 : Surfin' Divin' and Grillin'

It ain't a normal day in Bali if you haven't get wet. Whatever that means, but I'm talking about spending the rest of the afternoon at the beach. It is time for some water fun!

We had our mates from Rip Curl School of Surf who speaks fluent Indonesian introducing us to these water sports. And a few minutes after the groups separated to try each different sport in turns. I was glad to finally have my time on a surf board and know how it feels to wear a wet suit and pack a four kilo oxygen tank on my back.

I have to say, it is a lot easier doing the instruction off water than actually paddling the water with your body on the board. Even trying to stand requires a silent 1-2-3 in my head to collect the courage. But after a while, you'll get used to it. Rodeo! The hard part now is now moving the board to the direction that I desire. That's gonna take a lot more than half an hour to master. Better luck next time.

Personally I'm really attracted to diving after giving it a 15 minutes shot. There's so many things to consider, the strings to pull you up and down the water, the breathing, the paddling with your fin, and this is only in the pool. However, once you're down there, it is sooo soothing. Weird, but I enjoyed the clean breathe of oxygen right into my lungs. I felt so light. If I imagine myself in the deep see looking at all the beautiful creatures and corals down under, I think I'm beginning to understand my friends who are so into this and make diving a regular trip.

With all the exercises, it is only natural to starve right after. Who would've thought that our instructors is actually pretty good behind the grill. Look at him BBQ-ing like its his own backyard down under. Oh, and his hot dog sandwich is not to be missed. It reminds me of the good ol' days in Bronte, Maroubra, & Bondi beach. All we need is a few tank of beer and we're good. However, to our own surprise, we got a lot more than that for dinner. Plecing kangkung, nasi putih, sambal matah, and grilled fish has never been this awesome. Eating right next to the beach listening to the waves and watching the sky turns yellowish purple does made a difference.

That beautifully wraps up our second day in Blissful Bali.

I miss travelling already.

Cheers,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food & travel photographer / storyteller.

Munch on my livetweets and whatnots at @Wanderbites ;)

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Rip Curl School of Surf
Sanur, Legian, & Jimbaran Beach
http://www.ripcurlschoolofsurf.com
Ph: +62 (361) 735858

Blissful Bali Day #2 : Hotel Hopping & Suka-Suka Lunching

Here we are on my second day in Bali.

After a belly pampering dinner at Bale Udang Mang Engking and a good 8 hours of sleep at Berry Hotel, I'm all smileful waking up to bright shiny sun, clear blue sky, and a crowd of greens. I'm up for an adventure, but before all that, I couldn't get the idea of starting my day without a swim. Look how inviting the pool is! Off I went with Leo from Makan Mana. 

Berry Hotels, Kuta.

Now that the carbs are gone, its time to feast again. A quickie breakfast after, we were on the road to our next destination of hotel hopping. First on the itinerary was Kokonut Suites where we learn how to make Canang Sari (Balinese traditional offering to the Gods) and how to wear the traditional outfit. 

It is remarkable how Bali is able to preserve its culture up to now despite of continuous waves of tourist bringing their own color to this small island. The strong bond between art and religion is the defining difference. Most of religious activity requires an accompanying set of art, whether its music or dance. This gives premier show time to otherwise would be a lost culture.

Canang Sari contains three main items: porosan, kapur sirih, and gambir which represent the trinity of gods in Hindu (Brahma, Wishnu, Shiva). The beautiful flowers that follow symbolize a fragrant prayer for the gods. It is a must-know for the ladies in Balinese Hindu households.

The making of Canang Sari

For the guys, here's how they fashion themselves. A wrap of cloth from the waist down symbolize self-control over all sort of sinful desires. While a head band that pointed upward speak of respect to the gods above all. This few bits might sounds boring but I found it fascinating to know the why behind the what. Don't you think so?

No? Alright, I guess you just can't wait to fast forward to the lunch session at Suka-Suka restaurant. Me too! We had a rather playful courses here, courtesy of Chef Ardy. Starting with the Mango salad which was really fresh, using the fruit that are blossoming at its season. It is not common to start a meal with something sweet, but this one really kicks it off.

Mango Salad at Suka-Suka Restaurant

We had a stream of delicious treat after. The pumpkin soup was my personal favorite as it carried all the flavor I expected. Warming the belly at the right temperature. The grilled chicken with spinach stuffing was a little off for me. I found it a bit dry and rather bland taste-wise. On the closing note, it was perfect though with the appearance of banana fritter with palm sugar. I love palm sugar, and with the fried banana? Sweetness!

Pumpkin Soup at Suka-Suka Restaurant

Banana Fritters w/ Palm Sugar at Suka-Suka Restaurant

Now that we have our belly stuffed, its time to go on the road again. Our next destination of Hotel Hopping is a beautiful villa in the midst of Seminyak area. Having shown the unit with a private pool, gazebo, and an open air bathroom, I can imagine coming back here one day to pamper myself. Just as the name represent itself, no wonder that Le Jardin is one of the most favorited villa voted by Trip Advisor users.

Le Jardin Villas, Seminyak

The Trip Advisor winning villa, Le Jardin, Seminyak

Afternoon tea & snacks at Le Jardin. Complimentary for all who stays in.

And just as I thought it would be the end of it, turned out we still have a afternoon tea session here.

Ah, blissful Bali indeed. Or as the famous book said, all we do here is eat, play, love. There's more to come. Stay tune ;)

Cheers,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food & travel storyteller / photographer

Snack on my tweets, keep updated with our live bites @Wanderbites

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Berry Hotel
Jalan Dewi Sri 1 No. 16
Kuta, Bali
http://www.theberryhotels.com
Ph: +62 (361) 3007070

Suka Suka Restaurant 
Kokonut Suites
Jalan Petitenget No. 88
Kerobokan, Bali
http://www.kokonutsuites.com
Ph: +62 (361) 4735933

Le Jardin Boutique Villas
Jalan Sarinande No.7
Seminyak, Bali
http://www.lejardinvillas.com
Ph: +62 (361) 730165