March 4th – It was the day before Nyepi and we were out checking out the Ogoh-Ogoh and hoping to catch a bit of the parade. Unfortunately, it was starting to get rather late and mom was worried that I would get too hungry. I was so happy to be walking the streets and seeing the crowds that I didn’t really feel hungry at all….Ah moms, they always worry too much for nothing!!
Mom and Dad were looking for a little warung to eat at, but given that Nyepi is such a big holiday and most people go back to their villages to be with their families. Most restaurants were closed. We finally ended up along the beach front and ate outside enjoying the strong breeze at Hotel Kumala Pantai’s Ristorante Italia.
We weren’t the only ones with this idea, as many tourists were coming to eat at this establishment. There were so many people arriving at the same time, we chose our table on our own. Table #1 – with the most wind…Aaahhhh 🙂 Mom asked for a high-chair but the group of 12 that came in just before us, nabbed the one and only high-chair of this 60-seater resto…Ah well, too bad! I was still able to enjoy my meal on mom’s lap.
In order to avoid a longer wait, mom and dad hurried to order before the big groups! Dad ordered the Gnocchi with Tomato and Basil Sauce which was simple but tasty. There wasn’t too much basil taste to it, but it was alright by my standards – note that my taste buds are not quite as developed as some people…Still need plenty of practice 🙂
Mom ordered the Eggplant Parmigiana, which was a bit dry. In the rush of ordering, I don’t think mom realized that the eggplants would be deep-fried with batter before being placed in between layers of tomato sauce and cheese like a lasagna. She was a little disappointed with having all that batter, especially since she was sharing this meal with me, and I don’t need any more extra ‘filling’, if you get my drift! Anyhow, I still enjoyed my meal, cuz by then I was starting to feel extremely hungry now that the Ogoh-Ogoh excitement was over. And when you’re hungry, just about anything tastes good – I’m sure you know that feeling!
Many tables beside were ordering the famous pizza. From what we could see, they use a traditional crust for their pizzas so knowing dad, we will most likely come back for a taste test!
It was already past my bed time, so after our meal we took a brisk walk home. It was also to avoid the potential storm. During the meal we started seeing lightning a far, and the few drops we felt on our heads was not a comforting feeling to mom & dad, especially considering it’s been pouring rain for the last week or so.
Overall, the dinner at Ristorante Italia was a quick and decent meal at a reasonable price (45 000 Rp/dish + 30 000 Rp for a large Bintang beer) that capped a nice evening out before a quiet day at home for Nyepi…
Food: **1/2
Deco/setting: ***
Service: **
(out of 5 stars)
Hotel Kumala Pantai
Jl. Werkudara, Legian Kaja, Kuta
Bali – Indonesia
Phone: +62 361 755500
Fax: +62 361 755700
Website : www.kumalapantai.com
Little Sumo Girl 