While in Bali we visited many eateries but Warung Indonesia became a firm favourite and one that we wished we could go back to once we had moved to different parts of the Island.
Warung in Indonesian means little shop. Many locals put Warung at the front of their restaurant names and that way you know they are local. Warung Indonesia is located off Poppies 2 in Jalan Benesari close to Legian Street. As we stayed on Legian Street while in Legian it was only a five-minute walk from our hotel.
The restaurant has an array of local dishes on offer and also has a buffet style offering. This seemed to very popular with locals as well as tourists, however we did not get around to trying this but everyone seemed to be enjoying their choices.
The Buffet
The buffet style also has set prices depending on what you order. You are given a little card with the price and then you can pay for it at the end. The price for 5 choices and rice was around $3.40 USD. In Indonesia this is called Nasi Campur (Lots of different dishes in a buffet style)
The Menu
The menu has only Indonesian dishes but the children had no trouble finding something that they enjoyed. Their favourites were Nasi Goreng, which is like fried rice topped with an egg. Another was Sate Ayam. Sate Ayam is chicken satay sticks with steamed rice. For this traditional dish chicken is put on skewers and they are cooked over hot coals. In some restaurants they even serve the dish to you still cooking on hot coals.
We particularly enjoyed Indonesian greens. They have a dish called Kuncung, which is water spinach, or watercress steamed with sauce, garlic and chili. Another was Cap Cay pronounced Chap Chai. This is is stir-fry veggies in a sauce with garlic and chili that is served with steamed rice.
Our favorite item on the menu though has to be the fresh juices. It was mango season so we were able to order fresh mango juice at only $1.20, and lemon juice at $0.90. Sometimes we would visit just for juice if we were not feeling particularly hungry.
The Price
Apart from the amazing Indonesian food and juices the prices were also very appealing. As a family of 6 travelling long term food takes up a large portion of our budget everyday. We were pleasantly surprised when we received our first bill after eating here for the first time. It came in at a grand total of $18.80.
The Atmosphere
The Warung seems to be frequented by mostly locals but also young surfers and backpackers. The vibe is cool and they usually have some funky reggae music playing. The toilets however leave something to be desired so if you can hold on, or go before that is highly recommended.
Warung Indonesia was a firm favorite with the whole family and we enjoyed eating fresh local food, if you are in the area be sure to check it out you won't be disappointed.
