Om Thai’s Kitchen

Om Thai’s Kitchen

The 1970's must have been grim. Local warungs [cafes] that even made some minimal attempt of producing food that looked, or tasted, a little bit western when on the plate, became overnight sensations. Featured in many well-known, international, guide books, these establishments are today still, unfortunately, serving up the same poor imitations. Having been highlighted, on the world stage, by famous guide books [some with questionable taste], and having made much money as a result, who can really blame them?

Most of the early foreign restaurateurs did not help either, and served up some really bad examples of their supposed national cuisine, as most of them were not professionals of the hospitality trade. Some of these have since gone to the wall, as they deserved, but a few of them still exist today. Outside of the new five star hotels [some of which are also not known for their culinary delights], there was little else of quality.

But the revolution had to come!

It started in the late 1980's, and has been gathering steam ever since! It started quietly; a couple of good Cantonese restaurants, the two young Australians that built a beach house north of Seminyak at the Petitenget Temple, the French boys who looked after the catering at the wonderful Bali Bird Park then moved into their own restaurant.

In Bali today, you can eat extremely well, and choose from many different national cuisines. Furthermore, the cost is a fraction of what you would pay, for the same quality of food, in any of the world's major cities. When you add to this, for no extra charge, some of the most magnificent dining settings that you could ever imagine, then you know that you really are holidaying in the `land of the gods'.

One of the initial things a first-time visitor notices in Bali, is the almost total absence of Balinese restaurants. Most of the local eating-houses are either Chinese, Indonesian Chinese, Indonesian or the Halal [Muslim] Padang food of Sumatra. The Balinese must be one of the few world cultures for whom eating is not a social habit. At their many ceremonies everybody eats, more or less, together. And it is for such ceremonies that all of the great Balinese dishes are prepared. For any special ceremony, Babi Guling [Suckling Pig], and Sate Lilith are almost essential!

It is very rare for a family to eat a meal together, as is done in almost every other culture. Everybody eats, by themself, whenever hungry. This is often no more than a handful of cold, already cooked, rice. If a couple of people get hungry at the same time, then of course they may all go off to a local warung to eat. Only, however, because they all wanted to eat, and not for any social significance.

Now in Bali, we even have a fine dining Balinese restaurant. It is called Bumbu Bali, and has been very faithfully set up by the Hyatt's ex-chef, Heinz van Holzen. Others are quickly following, like the great little warung, Red Rice, up above Ubud at Sayan.

You can now enjoy better than average meals of many different cuisines. Chefs have come from all over the world. Some have married and stayed, whilst others have just passed on their skills to locals.

During your holiday in Bali, you will definitely not go hungry!

Source: balieats.com