Nook Bali

Nook Bali

Nook is a cute little warung that opened up a few months ago in Umalas, just north of Seminyak, serving excellent Indonesian food as well as a few Western options, in basic but stylishly simple surrounds. Overlooking a patch of paddy that can’t last for much longer as the developers move in, it’s a pretty spot within easy striking distance of busier Seminyak.

Nook — it’s nestled into this.

The restaurant is open to the paddy, with floaty curtains and repurposed white baskets for light fittings. Green cushions, whitewashed tables and chairs and polished cement banquettes make for a relaxed vibe that’s a distinct step up from your usual roadside warung.

The menu is warung at its heart, but with lots of extra trimmings — the owners are German/Balinese, the waiter told us, and this is reflected in broad-ranging offerings.

Simple and sweet.

We’ve repeatedly had the very good nasi campur special – coconut beef, chicken, tofu, tempeh, egg, anchovies, satay, veggies and more (37,000 rupiah – nicely, prices on the menu are what you actually pay) and just today tried the nasi campur Bali, which was also an interesting combination of flavours and textures. A vegan version is available for 30,000.

Nasi campur special.

Curries include rendang, chicken, mixed seafood and so on… and a range of Indonesian favourites like ayam kecap Inggris are also available.

We’d feel quite comfortable bringing pals keener on Western fare — and fussy kids— thanks to a menu that stretches to fancier dishes like strawberry and feta salad (37,000 rupiah ), grilled chicken salad with cashew nuts and strawberries (49,000), and wedges with sour cream (25,000). There are a few sambos on the menu, plus pastas (mostly around 45,000).

Bali nasi campur.

A grill sizzles up prawns, seafood kebabs, snapper, sole, barracuda and so on as well as imported steaks while on Sundays fresh oysters are shucked to order – 18,000 each. We just saw this on the recently updated menu today, and as we live about 30 metres away, we’ll be checking them out very soon…

They named the street after themselves… briefly!

Desserts include ice cream, crepes, banana splits and fruits — nothing too imaginative but it’ll feed a post-nasi campur sweet craving.

Open 10:00-22:00.

Booze is affordable here — La Plaga by the glass is 55,000, a small Bintang is 23,000, a gin and tonic 55,000. The lime squash (20,000 rupiah) was a little on the small side. You can practically wave toward the people paying more at Sardineacross the way.

Nook is the latest in a series of new restaurants that have opened recently on Umalas 1. While nearby Habitual is great for burgers, Warung Hotei is solid for Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes, Nook is where you should come for an Indonesian fix — if you’re staying in the Petitenget/Batu Belig area (such as atBrown Feather) it’s worth coming over for.Nook Bali

Nook Bali
Jalan Umalas 1 — on the road connecting Petitenget, Bali
T: (0813) 3806 0060

Source: travelfish.org