Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Bali Foodgasm

HI EVERYONE! 
I'm back with another food blog for you guys!
I went to Bali a couple of weeks ago so I would like to share what I ate and thoughts of it.
Just so you know that this is not in any particular order.
It's just listed according to the date and time I had it. 
So let's jump right onto the first place I went.
Get ready to be hungry ;D

Warung Babi Guling Pak Malen
Jl. Sunset Road No. 554, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 9AM - 6PM
I was super excited to try this out cause I heard a lot of good reviews about it.
This roadside eatery was said to have long hours of queue but thankfully, when I was there, there were no queue at all. Yes there were other customers which was already sitting and eating, but no queue.

Anyway, they only sell one thing which is Babi Guling, which consists of rice (obviously), pork meat & the infamous piece of pork crackling and crispy pork skin, pork sate, as well as sayur urap. If you don't know what sayur urap is, it is the mixture of beans and shredded coconut that taste heavenly. It's kinda like an Indonesian Salad i think.  Anyway, the dish is also served with a side of a pork soup. 

Though it sounds and looks quite good, the real deal isn't that great. It seriously didn't come up to my expectation. I had high hopes kay. 
I wish it was better. I just feel like the dish is somewhat quite bland but that's just what I think.
I have never tried Babi Guling before so I can't really make a comparison.
If I were to go to Bali again, I might just skip this place cause it's not up to my standards. 

2A,, Jl. Drupadi No.1, Seminyak, Kuta, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 7.30AM - 6PM
Have you heard of Acai bowls? I did and I was stoked to try this out.  
I was very curious of what it tastes like cause I couldn't find it at my hometown.
It was a hard decision to decide which one to order but then I ended up ordering their signature bowl, "MAVERICKS".
It's no wonder their 'Secret' Acai blend which is topped with granola, banana, strawberry, coconut flakes and honey.
First bite and it was a straight 10 out of 10. No doubt. 20 out of 10 if I really have to be honest.
It is the best thing I've eaten so far (IN LIFE!) and I absolutely love it.
I wish I had more time so I could go back and try other bowls but I didn't. 
However, I think they have a branch at Jakarta now but I think you still gotta have it from it's origin.
If you only have a day in Bali, please try this out. I promise it won't let you down.

Potato Head Beach Club
Jalan Petitenget No. 51 B, Seminyak, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 83061
Opening hours: 10AM - 2AM
This is a place to chill at night.
The ambiance is perfect - chilling music plus the sound of the ocean. 
The food is not bad, too. We had the burger with a side of fries and nachos.
The burger is juicy and the fries are great. The nachos isn't something to be excited about but it's fine as a snack. 
Oh, they have a great service too ;)
You should check this place out if you're looking for a place to chill. 
Other option is Ku De Ta which has a similar environment, but I think I'd prefer Potato Head.

Jl. Kayu Cendana No.7, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 7AM - 10PM
 Berries & Bavarian Cream (Idr 80k) - Strawberry compote, frozen raspberry segments, charcoal and pistachio biscotti.
This is by far the prettiest thing I've put into my mouth LOL
When it was served to my table, I was stunned by this bowl of beaute. I didn't even know where to start digging it. 
I don't really believe in the sayings "You eat with your eyes", but this bowl tho...
It's not only a treat to look at, but also a heaven in my mouth. 
If you love tangy stuff and greek yoghurt, give this bowl a shot.
I looooove every component in this bowl. I don't think I could finish the whole thing if it wasn't because of the tanginess of the raspberry and strawberry. I find that the yoghurt was a little bit too much, but I would definitely order this again.
 Polenta fries with truffle aoili & parmesan (Idr 60k)
I've never had polenta fries before so I was interested to try one though I ended up disliking it. 
The fries are rather greasy and the aoili is just too much. I think I'd much prefer to have it with chili sauce or ketchup. The biggest possibility of liking the dish is because of the parmesan.

 Breakfast Burrito (Idr 100k) - Jalapeño & cheese sausage, beef & black bean chilli, scrambled eggs, charred green capsicum & tomato salsa, sour cream, jalapeño poppers.
This is a pretty big dish. It's easily shared by 2 if you're not a big eater. 
And you gotta like eggs and avocado to like this burrito cause it's loaded with it.
Personally, I like it because I love love love eggs and avocado.

Jalan Mertanadi No. 46B, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 10AM - 10PM
 It's rated as one of the best gelato in Bali by some bloggers, so I had to give it a try.
I chose the medium size cup which allows me to choose 3 flavours (Idr 42k).
They have lot of flavours to choose from and I was kinda struggling to choose the flavours.
But after testing a few, I find that I not a big fan of most of the flavours.
I ended up with chocolate, passion fruit, and soursop.
I've had a better chocolate gelato so this one is a miss. However, the sherbets are not bad.
The flavours tasted real. Meaning without the addition of artificial flavourings.
So if I ever stumbled across this place again, I might just go for the sherbets.

 Jl. Batu Belig No.41, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali
Opening hours: 11AM - 10.30PM
 Hog Wild is well-known for their pork ribs.
Knowing that, this one was on our must-go list.
We were being indecisive cause they have this new pork ribs on the menu, which was told to be "spicy".
Taking the opportunity to try their newest item, we gave it a try and we don't like it.
Despite the meat is indeed very juicy and fall-of-the-bone, the sauce isn't great at all.
It's a bit tangy and sweet and not at all spicy. It is really disappointing.
I've never had the original one before, but I'll give it a try on my next visit.

 Jl. Petitenget No.99 X, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 7AM - 4PM
 Bondi Bowl (Idr 60k) - Blueberries, Oats, Raw Honey, Goji Berries, Banana Slices, Slivered Almonds, Mango Chunks, Toasted Coconut, Chia Seeds, Coconut Water.
This bowl is super instagram-able. They served it on a coconut bowl which looks very appealing, despite that it's inedible hahaha
However, I kinda dislike this one. The smoothie tastes a little weird for me. I think it's because of the coconut water? Hmm... Not sure though.
Quinoa Sushi (Idr 59k) - Fresh Avocado, Red Quinoa, Tempeh, Sliced Carrot, Crunchy Cucumber, Capsicum, Wasabi, Soy Sauce. 
When I saw this on the menu I was like, Oh DAMN. HEALTHY SUSHI!!
Without any hesitation, I ordered it and well, I have a hate-love relationship with it.
The first bite I took was a hate one. But as I ate another piece, the flavour starts to mingling with my tongue. 
The sushi itself isn't very flavourful. But when you dip it in soy sauce and put a little wasabi. It changes the flavour a lot. 
It is also my first time having quinoa and have to say that it wasn't my favourite. The texture is a bit odd for me. But it's bearable though.
If I were to go vegan, this sushi might just be on my list.

Sate Plecing Arjuna
Jalan Arjuna No.47, Denpasar Utara, Kota Denpasar, Bali 80232
Opening hours: 9AM - 3PM
This doesn't taste as simple as it looks. The pork satay itself is fullllll of flavour.
Personally, I dislike pork satay but this one is an exception. 
It's juicy and has a very complex flavour which goes really well with the super spicy sauce. 
Yes, that chili sauce is rather on the spicy side. I would say it's a 7 out of 10 spicyness level for me.
So, if I say it's rather spicy, it might be very very spicy for some people cause I can tolerate a very high level of spicyness. Lol
But don't worry, that cucumber on the side will cool you down.

Nasi Bebek Bu Rima
 No., Jl. Raya Kuta No.70, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 5PM - 10PM
 THIS IS THE BEST MEAL I HAD IN BALI. 
You have to try this. It's a small eatery across the road, but it's INCREDIBLY good.
My boyfriend and I only ordered 1 portion at first but we ended up ordering another one after few bites.
It's SUPERBBBB GOOD. Simply UMAMI.
Even if you are not a fan of duck meat (my boyfriend) or just hate it, this dish might just change the way you think.
The duck is grilled to its perfection with their finger-licking sauce. It's very tender and juicy.
It's also served with more sauce which taste kinda like curry sauce, which is also very flavourful. So a little goes a long way.
Not to forget the chili sauce tho. It's extra-ordinary spicy - 9/10, and tastes very good at the same time. I ended up asking for more chili sauce cause I loveeee spicy food. 
Definitely will go back as often as I can if I'm in Bali.

Jl. Raya Tuban No. 2X, Tuban - Kuta (more locations on site)
Opening hours: 9AM - 10PM
This place has nothing special at all.
The chicken with all the side dishes aren't that good. It's very ordinary to be honest.
I don't see why it's very famous and all. Probably it's because of the branch I went isn't that great?

Jalan Petitenget No. 100x, Kerobokan, Kuta Utara, Badung, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 12-3PM, 6-10.30PM
Beef Shank "Bak Pao" - Rendang Steamed Buns, Sambal Hijau (Idr 70k)
I adore Rendang since I was a kid. If you don't know what that is, it's basically a very flavourful dish of beef that has been cooked with lots of spices for hours and hours until it becomes very tender. 
I also happen to love buns. Any kind of freshly baked buns, just call me and I'll be there. hahaha
So when I read this on the menu, I instantly ordered one and it doesn't disappoint me at all.
Everything is a mouthful of heaven. The buns are warm and soft, the Rendang is very tasty, and the cucumber and chive (i think) are adding a touch of freshness to the bite.
But I wouldn't say much about the Sambal Hijau though...
Fried Boneless Duck Popia - Palm hearts, Kecap Manis, Pancakes (Idr 100k)
Any duck dish is just right up my alley. I love duck a lotttt.
And this duck dish, which has been cooked in don't know what sauce is sooo good.
The pancakes are very simple (and delicious!) and it pairs well with the oh-so-tender duck.
Plus the pickled vegetables add a nice crunch, too.
This is a DIY popia which is quite troublesome but it's fine, it's a fun-messy thing to do.
I would order this again next time.
 Nasi Goreng Bali - Pork, school prawn, seasonal vegetable fried rice, egg (Idr 85k)
This is one good fried rice right there. That egg, which is hidden under the fried shallots and chives, has a runny egg yolk which adds another layer of goodness to the fried rice.
Although it has lots of vegetables in it, they are quite generous with the pork and prawn as well.
Overall, this is a good fried rice if you're not into all other complicated dishes.
Kacang Mente - Not really sure what's on the plate but I know for sure there's coconut ice cream, some fudge, poached pear, cashew nuts, white chocolate bark, a type of cheese and other stuff.
Don't care what's on plate, everything eaten together is just purrrrfection.
It's one of the most stunning desserts I've eaten so far.
It has the classic flavours that everyone would love, but this restaurant has taken it to the next level, I SWEAR, IT'S SO GOOD YOU HAVE TO TRY IT.
But I have to warn you that it's pretty sweet and might be very sweet for some. But hey, it's a dessert after all.

 Jl. Kartika Plaza, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Opening hours: 8AM - 10.30PM (midnight on weekends)
 Original Silver Dollar Pancakes 5pcs - Served with icing sugar, blueberry, maple syrup, and butter (Idr 29k)
I wouldn't say much about this. It's just horrible. Sorry, but it's a fact. 
I thought it would be good since the rating and reviews on the internet are pretty high. 
It's such a disappointment. 
The pancakes itself are terrible. Yes, it's light and soft but it was a tad bit bitter and I don't know why.
I'm more of a waffle person than pancake, but this is just horrible.
The blueberry jam or whatever that is, is the MOST disgusting thing I've had.
I'm not sure whether it's homemade or not, but I honestly believe even the cheapest one sold at the supermarket wouldn't taste that bad. I can't find a word to describe the taste. 
It tastes like vomit, seriously.
And the maple syrup... 100% sure it isn't the real thing.
and the butter doesn't do much either. Uhh.. such a miss.
 Tiramisu Waffle - Chocolate waffle, chocolate curls, mascarpone cheese, coffee gelato, cocoa powder(?) (Idr 50-60k)
Before I give my thoughts on this waffle, please know that I like my waffle to be crispy and light, not soft. Soft waffles are a big NONO.
So this one, is soft and that's a minus point already. The chocolate flavour isn't that strong and I assume they put essence in the batter and I hate artificial flavourings.
Secondly, the gelato isn't bad. But it is definitely not the best.
Overall, this waffle gets a 2 out of 10.
I would never ever go to this place again. Even though I'm here, I won't be ordering anything anymore.

Nasi Pedas Ibu Andika
Jl. Raya Kuta, Gg. Kubu No. 120 C, Benoa, Badung, Kuta Selatan, Bali
Opening hours: 24 hours
To the people who are 24-hours hungry, this place might be your choice aside from McD.
Even though the name is Nasi Pedas which translates to "spicy rice", the dish they serve isn't spicy at all.
This place has quite a lot of options to choose from. With the base of rice, you could add any available dishes to go with.
We choose quite a lot of things that day and I just can't remember what the stuffs are. 
But I thing I know is that the cooks are pretty sweet and everything are crunchy, except for vegetables.
The only thing that amazed me is the chicken satay. It's very tender and you can taste all the flavourful spices. 
Will I go back? Most probably not.

BTDC Complex, Nusa Dua Beach, Bali, Indonesia (Branch)
Opening hours: 10AM - 11PM
 We had the Bebek Bengil and it was nothing special.
The duck is crispy as it says but it got nothing to be amazed of.
They also serves it with 3 kind of chili, but it's not that great, either.
Other than that, we also ordered the Duck Spring Rolls which sounds very good but same, nothing to be amazed of. So, this place is pretty much a miss but if you want to try, I really suggest going to the main restaurant. 

Ruko Kuta Megah No. 15, Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali
Opening hours: 9AM - 5PM
This is a staple to buy and try or for souvenirs if you're going to Bali.
It's basically stuffed pastry/pie, but it's damn good.
They have 3 flavours which are chocolate, cheese, and mung bean.
I've never had mung bean one before but I've had the chocolate and cheese.
As a chocolate lover, have to admit that I adore the chocolate one so much.
I bought a box for my own and I kinda regretted that I didn't buy 2.
But the thing is it only lasted for 2 weeks. So you gotta eat it pretty quickly.
But trust me, it won't even last you that long ;)
Oh, I heard that this place is very crowded and you need to queue for hours to get it so people suggest you to come earlier. Thankfully, when I was there, the queue was very short and it took only 10 mins to get to us. So, probably that was just our luck.

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So you have come to the end of this post. CONGRATS if you're not hungry by now!
I hope you find this helpful and please do share with me if you have any recommendations of good places to eat in Bali, so it can be on my/others next visit list ;)
 Thank you for reading, guys! I'll see you on my next post <3
xx Julia.

Friday, October 14, 2016

A Day in KL: Acme Bar & Coffee

So I'm just gonna put the same title as my video on Youtube.
But with the extension "Acme Bar & Coffee" because that's the highlight of this post.
So, it's gonna be somewhat a food review blog post.
If you have seen the video, you might that I went to KL for a day to buy some stuff.
Those "stuff" is important to me kayyy...
So don't yall think that I'm that crazy to spend my money travelling all the way there to get unimportant things. hahaha

Anyway,

As many of my blog posts, this post will be full of food. So it's a warning to you, it's not a good idea if you're reading this at midnight ;)

I feel like I have no idea where to start so I'm just gonna skip to the food I had and the snacks I bring back with me.


So I found this Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart while I was looking for my stuff.
The hype of Baked Cheese Tart is real dude. It's literally everywhere...
Anyway, for a second I really thought it's the same one as the one in Singapore.
Which is not.
The one in Singapore is called BAKE (i guess).
However, I feel like there's not a huge a difference between those two.
In fact, I have no idea what the difference is.
Both have the same crumbly base and fluffly cheese filling.
It's really safe for me to say that I'm not into those baked-cheese-tart-hype.


Next up is this super delicious Pandan Coconut Muffin with Kaya filling.
It's soooooo good.
It's a tad sweet but it's okay.
The Pandan aroma doesn't taste like those fake pandan extract, the kaya filling is uberly sweet but it's fine, and there's a hint of coconut which takes this muffin to the next level.
If you came across Starbucks in Malaysia (not sure if it's available in other countries), you should really give it a try.


It's not a surprise that my trip wouldn't be complete without a LlaoLlao's Sanum.
However, I was a bit upset that they were out of the chocolate muesli that I adore.
I feel that the yoghurt and all were kinda ordinary without the muesli.
I WANT MY MUESLI :(((((

Stuff I bought:



Pringles Tortilla Corn Chips (Spicy Green Pepper)
If you have tried the Herr's Jalapeno Poppers flavored Cheese Curls, this has almost the same spicy taste. It's mild but not too mild that you couldn't feel the heat. The heat is there.
The only downside is that I feel like the chips are overly salted.


Herr's Bacon Cheddar flavored Cheese Curls
Haven't tried it yet but will do soon and will definitely update it here and probably on my social media. So stay tune!


Garret Popcorn
I'm sorry. I just realized that the picture is blur and I have eaten the whole bag. LOL
This is the caramel and cheese ones. I love to have a mixture of salty and sweet so that I won't have a sick feeling in the end.

Lavender's Custard Mooncake 
(No photo because I have eaten all of it before I take one hahaha) 
THE BEST ONE EVER.
If you never had a Custard Mooncake before, YOU ARE MISSING OUT SOMETHING GOOD.
I have fallen for it since the first time I saw it few years ago and no doubt, it's still the best one I've ever had.

Last but not least,
THE HIGHLIGHT

ACME BAR & COFFEE (ABC)

This cafe is by far my most favourite place in KL.
I love the environment as well as the food.
It has a very relaxing feel yet very classy.
I prefer to sit outdoor cause it doesn't feel like you're in KL.
Even though it's outside, it's not as hot as you think it is. The hotness level is bearable cause they have aircon under the seats. Thus it leaves you with a cooling sensation.

The food is a bit on the pricey side but it's worth every penny.
So far, I haven't had a dish that I hate.
However, I have one the very least favourite which is the infamous Sizzling Brownies.
Yeap. They are known for it and I dislike it. Why? Cause I don't like the taste of the burnt chocolate sauce. It literally ruins the whole dish.
But it's the matter of preferences. A lot of people love it. Most of my friends love it, too.

One thing that makes them special is the seasonal menu. They have these few dishes that change as the season goes. So I always like to try them out whenever I can. And the time I went was Summer.

My most favourite snack from ABC is the Fried Mash Potato Balls.
It's stuffed with cheese and the appetizer is served with sriracha sauce which is super good. The balls are well seasoned and the dipping sauce has a hint of heat to it. SOOOO GOOODDDD!


The next favourite is their Nachos Trio Condimento.
It's served  with pea mint hummus & crab meat, smoked onion chutney, and spicy beef chorizo.
My most favourite one is the spicy beef chorizo. It tastes like "rendang" which is an Indonesian dish that is DA BOMB. If you never had rendang before, be sure to put that onto your list when you visit Indonesia.
I absolutely hate the hummus. I think I just hate hummus. Plus there's mint in it. I hate almost everything with mint, except for Mojito. lol

If you are really hungry or just a big eater or it's your first time here and you have no idea what entree you should order, try the Mac & Cheese Hot Dog.
It's heaven in your mouth.
I personally hate sausages. I hate everything processed except for chips.
However, this one is an exceptional. It has a jumbo chicken sausage on a bun which is topped with creamy mac & cheese and with a side of shoestring fries.
I tried the Mac & Cheese before and honestly I couldn't really have much of it. It's just too rich and heavy for me. But when it's served on top of a hot dog, your tummy is going to thank you later.


Moving on to desserts. The last visit I tried their Lime Truffle Pie.
It has a cookie crumb base, lime cream, and roasted coconut flakes topping.
First and foremost, I don't taste the truffle at all. Which is a good thing, for me anyway, cause I dislike truffle.
The crumb base is very crumbly and tasty and the lime cream is terrific.
However, I hate roasted coconut flakes, thus, I would always spit it out whenever I had it in my mouth. lol.
One of the saddest thing is they served it with over whipped cream. Not sure if it's store bought or house made. But it's over whipped, which is not so great.
Since I'm not a big fan of cream, it don't bother me that much. It's just the appearance that bothers me. hahaha


Apart from the desserts they listed on the menu, they also have selection of cakes available on the bartender side.
Like the one above is... I can't remember the name lol. It was ordered by a friend of mine.
the sponge is in unknown flavour, has the texture of Japanese cheese cake. and the red top is dragon fruit gelee. it's garnish with mini eclair which i have no idea what the inside is. HAHAHA What a description. It tastes good though.

Anyway, I've had several cakes but my most favourite one is their Chocolate Raspberry.
I believe it's made with dark chocolate cause as I remember it being not overly sweet. And that raspberry gives it a bit of tang which I love.
I love sour food. If you don't, you might probably skip this one and opt for something else.
Most of their cakes taste okay. I've never really had anything that I dislike, so that's a good sign. hahaha

One thing to remember is to call for reservation if you're planning to go on weekend cause it'll be packed.

Here's some pics I took with my best companions <3

We've come to the end of this post and I have nothing else to say except Thank you for reading and I shall see you in my next post! xx Julia
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