Resto Review – Kumala Pantai Ristorante Italia

06 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Beach, Restos & Food, Travel Tags:

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

Ogoh Ogoh & Nyepi in Bali

06 Mar 2011 1 Comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Fun Facts, Travel Tags: ,

March 5th marked the Caka Lunar New Year Nyepi holiday here in Bali – Year 1933. It is a day of silence and rest for the entire island, and apparently one of the most important rituals for Balinese Hindus. Trust me, this holiday is taken extremely seriously as we have been hearing about it for over a month!

It is a day where you are not to work, you are to stay at home & spend time with your family, not use electricity (not even for cooking or lighting), and not enjoy any form of entertainment. Just to give you an idea of how serious this is, even the International Airport of Denpasar is closed on this day. Tourists are asked to stay on the hotel grounds where they are staying at and to not leave the premises. Access to beach is also closed to everyone on this day…

The day before Nyepi, the Balinese Hindus perform special purification ceremonies at the temples.  There is a parade of giant Ogoh-Ogoh’s, which represent evil mythological creatures made of paper-mâché. Following the long procession, the Ogoh-Ogoh’s are burned as a ritual to ward off evil. Despite the late night, my parents decided that this was a must-see and worth keeping me up later for…Yipppeee!

We headed out at around 5pm and saw all the Ogoh-Ogoh’s on display. It was incredible to hear already how quiet the city was. Streets which were normally lined with parked motorbikes were suddenly empty! The one day that I could’ve gone out sitting comfortably in my Baby Jogger stroller, mom decided to take the baby carrier for fear that the streets would be too crowded.

It was still early so there weren’t too many people on the streets yet. We were actually able to walk on Legian Street, which is normally filled with cars and motorbikes in crazy traffic! We made it up to the main Temple, where a purification ceremony was already taking place. Unfortunately I could not see anything, nor could my parents 😦

Since it was getting late and we didn’t know when the procession would start, we decided to stop and grab a quick bite to eat cuz it was already way past my supper time! We went to Ristorante Italia (see upcoming post)

Although we did not get to see the full parade and be with the crowds the night before Nyepi, I’m glad that I got to stay up later than usual and to see all the Ogoh-Ogoh’s. Some were indeed quite scary, but I’m a tough gal. I didn’t even have any nightmares that night!

The next day was just a nice relaxing family day spent at home with mom and dad…in the silence of Bali…

My new buddies!

04 Mar 2011 1 Comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Travel

So as I mentioned in my ‘Morning Routine’ post, one of my good friends, if not my best, is Kaloo, the rabbit. She listens to me every morning and every night, and never judges me on the things I tell her. And she never says anything when I practice my Opera Singing around her. And, we’ve been together through Thick & Thin, Hot & Cold Weather, Wet & Dry, Happy & Sad moments, and to top it all off, she followed me when I decided to travel 30-hours around the world to Bali. I can’t say a bad word about her. But, sometimes I wish she would come out more. She’s truly a home-body and never wants to leave the comfort of our home (or even the bed for that matter!)…What can I say, she’s a bit lazy (and unfortunately, she has the physique that goes with it…) Maybe, I’ll start bringing her to my morning workouts – it’s for her own good afterall…

There’s so much to see in this world and she would have a blast if she came exploring it with me…But perhaps, she wouldn’t stick with me as long if we spent our entire days together…She’d be exhausted, cuz I can cram quite a bit of activities into one short day!!

Well, I’ve found some new buddies to play with. The first is Richard (pronounced with a French accent, SVP! “Reeesh-Aaart”), the pink dragonfly…We were actually buddies back home and he traveled with me to Bali, but it’s only recently that he seems to have come out from his shell. He used to be very shy and quite the loner, but since we’ve been in Bali, he comes out with me almost everywhere! He’s starting to let loose, although he still has those Sad eyes 🙂 I know deep down he’s smiling though!

My other buddy, Bob, I met here! First of all, I just love saying his name…I can repeat it several times in a row: Bob-bob-bob-bob-bob! Or just shout it out, in one loud cry: B-A-A-A-O-B!, or sing it to a beat B-b-b-b-bob!. He’s bright and mushy and always has a smile on his face. When we go out, he always seems amazed by everything, with his ‘Startled-eyes’ look! And he knows how painful it is to be teething. He has two big front teeth of his own, just like me, so he understands when I need to bite into him for some relief!

It’s great to have two friends to share all these fun new moments with! They never complain about the places we go to or when I shake them or smack them up a bit (I never do it intentionally, mind you), they always listen to me and will pretty much do anything I say. I’m definitely the Leader of the Pack and will protect my partying buddies with all the muscles and determination I have, so that we can continue having more good times together!! I love my buddies! Big wet gooey kisses to both of ’em!

Bar Review – Potato Head (Seminyak)

03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Fun Spots, Restos & Food, Travel Tags:

February 16th – Some people had recommended that my parents check out the scene at Potato Head Beach Club in Bali. It opened not so long ago and is supposed to be the new up and coming hot spot to go out and have a drink or nice meal while enjoying the view from this beachfront establishment. Another option to the popular KU DE TA.

You might think that I’m too young or small to go to such a cool spot, but this ain’t the first bar/lounge that I’ve been to. I’ve been partying it up since a very young age, but not going too wild of course…Besides, you can’t party it up too much when your parents are attending the same party as you!

It was already passed my bedtime, but I tagged along anyways just for the fun. And the nosy busy-body that I am, I had to see this place for myself!

Since it was pouring rain, we took a taxi to get there. What a ride! The taxi driver had a rather unusual personality – we were quite entertained the whole way there. He looked a little clueless, so we had some doubts as to whether he knew where we were going, but we finally got there. There is a long driveway and a security check at the end (they made sure the trunk of the cab was ‘clean’), before they let us through the gates for the taxi to drop us off at the entrance. This Serious Business – not just any ol’ bar were going to here!

There is a boutique selling cool clothes and accessories at the main entrance, which stays open til quite late. It was still open when we left the bar at midnight. The outdoor entrance hallway is lined by a ‘waterfall’ wall which has a cool effect. Note that if your run your hand along the wall and through the waterfall (like some people did, I won’t name any names…), there is no towel at the end for you to wipe your hands dry. And be forwarned, that if you already need to pee as you arrive (and you don’t wear Pampers or Huggies, like me) then you might just want to run through the entrance hallway, cuz you may not be able to hold it in much longer afterwards…

The decor has a miami feel to it, with it’s semi-circle architecture giving you full view of an indoor courtyard, pool bar and of course, the Beach! Despite the rain, the setting was still cool. We were seated and the adults ordered some cocktails (approx 100 000 Rp/each) and a few snacks to nibble on. The drinks were pretty and tasty. Unfortunately, there were all out of chicken wing and ribs – Daddy was quite disappointed – Bummer 😦

Instead, they got:

  • Tortilla wraps, which were ‘just OK’
  • French Fries with parmesan, which were crispy but on the salty side
  • Stuffed mushrooms with blue-cheese sauce, which were tasty

At one point, we almost felt like VIPs since the manager of the establishment came to visit us at our table to make sure that we were having a good time and that we were getting everything we needed. She even greeted us in French, she must’ve heard the adults speaking French – No, she was not Indonesian… The rain had died down a bit, so we were able to take a walk around the grounds and even onto the beach. It’s too bad the floors and the giant sofas were still wet, or I would’ve had a blast crawling all over the place!! I’m sure on a clear night the ambiance would be incredible with the DJ spinning some cool tunes and people lounging around and enjoying their cocktails.

The slight downer came at the end of the night, when we got the bill and a short CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) survey. One question asked if the manager had come to our table to make sure everything was good…A blow to our VIP-moment 😦 It turns out the manager probably had to go to all the tables that night to get keep her scorecard up. “Checkmark, went to that table!”. Luckily for her, it wasn’t a full house otherwise she’d be dizzy from all the tables she’d have to go see…

Finally, it was time to go home. I was pooped and was already falling asleep in mom’s arms. Well, good luck getting a regular taxi here! We tried asking the ‘valet’ counter to call Blue Bird Taxi for us, but No Can Do! They offer their own taxi service, which we ended up taking – after negotiating a fair price. Mom didn’t feel like walking all the way to Jalan Petitenget with me in her arms just to hail a cab. So we hopped into their ‘fancy’ van and headed home.

This is a kid-friendly spot, with a cool setting and also a resto that serves brunch. We had a good time tonight, but we’ll most likely come back to try the food, on a nice sunny day and during my waking hours. These late night outings are messing up my whole schedule…

Food: **1/2
Deco/setting: ****
Service: ***
(out of 5 stars)
Denpasar, Indonesia, 80361

The official website still only mentions the first spot which opened in Jakarta: http://www.ptthead.com/

You can also check out the blog: http://ptthead.com/blog/

Day Trip – Canggu & Uluwatu

01 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Beach, Fun Spots, Travel Tags: , , ,

Another day trip…wooo hooo!! February is starting to become a really fun month…Hope we keep this going!!

We made a quick stop to visit a friend in Canggu, which is approximately 20 minutes from Seminyak. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Seminyak, Canggu is a tranquil area for village life amidst the beautiful rice fields. You wake up and enjoy your cup of coffee (or milk, in my case) while admiring the views of the surrounding rice fields.

You can check out the surfers at Echo Beach and Berawa Beach. We were short on time so only went to Echo Beach. It seemed to be a quiet day as we didn’t see too many surfers. Or perhaps, was it still too early? The surfers may still be catching a few Zzzzz’s after a night of partying? Not quite sure how often I’ll be coming to build sand castles here, cuz the waves look pretty intense for me…

We then headed out towards Uluwatu to see the temple and more beaches. It was a very hot and sunny day so by the time we got to Pura Luhur Uluwatu (Uluwatu Temple), we needed to stop and fill up on liquids. As usual, milk for me, and whole coconuts for the adults…looks yummy! One day, I’ll get to taste one of those…maybe when my head will actually be bigger than the size of the coconut!

When we got to the entrance of the temple, of course we knew the drill by now. Pay the entrance fee, put on the sarong, make sure you meet the conditions for entering the temple (Refer to post ‘Day Trip – Ubud, Jatiluwih & Batukau’ for an example of the temple rules). Again, I had to wait outside, but luckily still got the inside scoop.

Apparently there are so many monkeys inside, when you first enter they have ‘bodyguards’ that offer their protection service. Mom apparently refused Pak Wayan’s offer to ‘scare the monkeys and give explanations of the temple’. She was willing to brave the visit without the ‘bodyguard’. First thing she did was take off all jewelry and sunglasses, put away the camera and all other things likely to provoke the monkeys, just like they recommended at the entrance. The funny thing is they warn you to beware of the fearless monkeys, but at the same time they sell you bananas to offer to them. So of course, if you show them a banana they’re gonna come running at you!! If you showed me a banana, I’d come crawling at you too, and crush it between my fingers right before your eyes (that’s my new Super Power)!

Mom’s friend found a large bamboo stick to scare the monkeys away. Looks like it is the ‘weapon’ of choice, as all the ‘bodyguards’ have a bamboo stick in hand. In the end, they had no incidents with any of the monkeys. The hillside view at the top is simply gorgeous and the water looks crystal clear even from up high.

Boy, it was extremely hot – it was time to hit the beaches!!

Two planned stops at Padang Padang Beach and Bingin Beach. We took the road along the west side to head back north and reached Padang Padang first, not with a little assistance by a Frenchman though! There are only a few signs indicating directions to the beach and often they’re just small hand-written signs, so you may wanna remove your shades and keep your eyes open.

After a small ride on a little dirt road, we arrive at what seemed like a parking to a local Warung (Small Indonesian food joint/stall). But as we got closer, we saw the staircase which led all the way down to the white sandy beach. I was scared to death going down, cuz mom did not feel too steady with her Havaianas flip-flops and the ‘stairs’ were quite narrow. At some point, we thought there was a ‘rope’ to grab onto for support, but it turned out to be a pipe, most likely to bring water down to the beach-front warungs. I was grabbing on tight, but we made it down safe and sound!! There weren’t too many surfers and only a couple of people sunbathing. So we pretty much had the beach to ourselves and took a dip in the clear turquoise water. Aaahhh…it felt good! Time to work on my tan too 🙂 The only thing I haven’t figured out is how to tan between my fold lines…

After a quick dip, we hit the road again to find Bingin Beach. We ask a local for directions and he tells us where to park and indicates that it’s a short walk straight past the parking. It looks kinda dodgy, we’re not sure this is the right spot. We ask another local, who points towards the same direction so we keep walking. Over a small wooden ‘bridge’ we go, past a field of cows, between some villa gardens, then through a narrow alley, then we hit a path with hand-made signs for different warungs and guest houses. We must be close! Going down these sets of stairs is again like a circus act, similar to the Padang Padang Beach. Mid-way down, we stop for a late lunch – mom needed the energy, her legs were getting wobbly! The warung is on the side of the cliff, so you get an amazing view while grabbing a bite to eat.

Then we go down for a dip. The water is clear and beautiful, but unfortunately the beach is not as nice as Padang Padang. This is truly a surfer’s beach. When we were there, the waves weren’t too high so there were no surfers 😦 The beach itself is rocky and not so great for sunbathers or people who can’t even walk yet, like me. I wish we could’ve stayed to watch the sunset, it must be beautiful, but we had to head back in time for me to hit the sheets. I’ve been exhausted lately with all the site-seeing and the days spent in the sun!

On the way back, we saw a whole bunch of tourist buses and mini-vans heading south towards Uluwatu…most likely heading to the Temple to catch the Kecak-Kecak dance at sunset. If you don’t mind the crowds, this might be a worthwhile activity to see at least once at sunset…

My new Super Power

01 Mar 2011 1 Comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Cool Stuff, Super Power

My first Super Power was being able to bite people when they least expect it. I’ve just discovered that I have the power to squish food between the fingers of my right hand with uncomparable force, and make juice out of Anything! I am the human juicer!

Not exactly sure that this Super Power can help save the world, but so far, it at least helps me to disintegrate yucky food that I don’t want to eat in only a matter of seconds! …Now, if only I can figure out a way to get a magic glove to appear when I’m ready to Super-Squish something – that way, my hands won’t stay sticky all day…

Day trip – Ubud, Jatiluwih & Batukau

28 Feb 2011 1 Comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Fun Facts, Fun Spots, Travel Tags: , ,

Finally, after an entire month in Bali it was time for a ‘Vacation’, some actual site-seeing beyond the Legian Beach! We hopped into the van, and headed North…well, not so fast…

Just getting out of the villa seemed to take forever this morning. I was sitting on mom’s lap in the van waiting to get a move on, but everyone was still outside as if they were inspecting the van. Meanwhile, mom and I were already dying of heat inside. It turns out there was a staff meeting and morning prayer at the main entrance, so our driver decided to wait til the ritual was over before hitting the road…The security guard who opens the gate for us was taking part in the meeting, so we patiently waited.

When in Bali, you learn to take things easy and go with the flow. There simply is no reason to rush things. Their rituals and ceremonies are an important part of their everyday life and we have to learn to respect this. For me, it doesn’t change anything as I go wherever people bring me, but I can sometimes see for mom and dad, this is a bit difficult. They try to plan things (especially mom), and sometimes get frustrated when the plans change. They’ll learn! The rule of thumb in Bali, is never plan more that one main activity per day. If you have more than one activity, make sure that the others are of lower priority and can get flushed without causing you frustration…

We head out and about an hour later, we arrive at our first stop: Ubud. We weren’t originally planning to go there, but we were giving someone a ride. The first thing we see when we get to Ubud is the Sacred Monkey Forest (http://www.monkeyforestubud.com/). I’d love to go in and play with the monkeys, but we just drive by and see some monkeys relaxing in the shade on the side wall. This is enough monkey watching for mom…

Check out the baby monkey on the right who’s learning to climb, just like me 🙂

We get out for a short walk to see the many art shops. For people who like to shop, I think is cool spot to check out. Knowing mom, we’ll definitely be coming back and staying a couple of days to really see what the hype of Ubud is all about. The main purpose we stopped in Ubud is so the adults can get their dose of Starbucks for the day. Mom tries this green drink with a foamy cloud on top. It’s called a Green Tea Frappuccino which she seemed to enjoy, along with her raisin scone. One day, I swear, I’m going to taste their food. I’m working on my ‘Fast-Grab & Surprise-Bite’ Kung-fu move, but I still need to perfect my technique before attacking the Frappuccino!

Apparently, the stop at Starbucks was not so much so the adults could get a taste of American food. It just so happens that Starbucks is conveniently located at the Water Temple (Lotus Pond) so we can see the site, while they savour their American drinks. I still only get water…boring 😦 It’s true though, the view at the back of the Starbucks is quite lovely!

At the entrance of the temple, there is a sign advertising the Kacek-Kacek (Traditional Balinese dance) show that will take place tonight at 7:30pm. Be forwarned, that according to the sign, you may think that the show only takes place once a week…But fear not, when we went out back, we saw a slew of signs advertising the same show, one for every night of the week. So don’t worry, if you already have plans and you think you will miss the famous Kacek-Kacek, you’ll have the chance another night of the week.

Thank god we did not stay too long in Ubud, cuz the sidewalks almost got me killed. I was too nervous about falling into one of the ditches that I didn’t get a chance to take a picture…Just imagine some large stones that are off-kilter and look like they will collapse as soon as you step onto it. Then, there are metal railings that were all broken up, so one wrong step would lead you down into the sewage system (luckily not too stinky – from up here). Now I understand why the locals hardly ever use Strollers. They go for the safe and cozy Sarongs to carry us little people around. When you a see a family in colourful clothes and a bright-coloured stroller walking around town (usually a MacLaren), with Starbucks coffee in hand, you know that you have ‘TOURIST’ stamped in large print all over your forehead…

We hit the road again and head towards Jatiluwih to see the rice terraces. Our driver makes a quick stop to let us visit the Mengwi Temple. It may have been a common tourist spot, but I think it’s cuz he needed a break from driving. You need to have good driving skills, or just be crazy enough, to go behind the wheel in Bali. You have to be extremely alert at all times and be aware of the motorbikes (in front of you and coming towards you!), pedestrians, chicken, cows, other trucks/vans and of course, the numerous pot holes. Only 30-minutes, but our driver seemed exhausted – despite the Starbucks boost he got in Ubud 🙂

Here are a few shots of our driver passing a truck carrying coconuts, and then passing the bamboo truck…Sometimes, I wish I had my car seat like back home!

Throughout the drive, there are beautiful rice fields surrounding us. This is the true Bali feeling that you expect to see when you come here, not the hectic city-vibe you get in Kuta/Legian/Seminyak.

The Jatiluwih Rice Field Terraces are beautiful. There’s a reason why this landscape was nominated to be part of the World Heritage List (http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5100). We stop and take a walk in the rice fields. Mom has flimsy flip-flops on, so we don’t venture out too far. She’s scared that I’ll go rolling down the rice terraces, and possibly into some cow poop. We grab a quick bite to eat at Cafe Jatiluwih (Pecel Lele – Fried Catfish) while soaking in the view.

Had we known, we could’ve continued driving another 10-15 minutes to eat at the restaurant at the top of this hill – but no idea if the food is good/pricey, etc.

While in Jatiluwih, our driver asks several people for directions to Batukau Temple. The first person gives him the directions and says it’s approximately a 30-minute drive from Jatiluwih. The next person estimates 40 minutes, so if we consider Bali-time, it should take us about 45-minutes to an hour to get there. Well, we arrive only 40 minutes later…

As with most temples, there are customs of respect that you must follow. There are usually signs at the entrance listing the ‘rules’ to be followed for each temple. In this case, the sign is even more ‘strict’ than the one at Mengwi temple. Given rule #3, I obviously could not go in since I still have all my baby teeth. Luckily I still got the inside scoop anyways from my cool parents 🙂 It turned out to be slightly disappointing. If you’re in Jatiluwih and have an extra 1h30 (and you meet all the conditions to enter), you might consider going to this temple, but if you’re in a rush, it is not a Must-See…

Everyone slept on the ride home, but we all got woken up about 1-hour later when the road essentially became an obstacle course for our driver. Pot-holes after pot-holes on a very narrow two-way street caused us to have a very sinuous and bumpy 2 kilometers. Luckily, I’m still small so I didn’t have to worry about my head getting banged on the ceiling of the van.

Now, I can say that I’m starting to get a true sense of how beautiful Bali is…

Resto Review – Poco Loco

28 Feb 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Restos & Food, Travel Tags:

February 19th – We decided to go for a nice evening walk and head out to find a restaurant in Seminyak/Legian area, ideally something other than Indonesian food.  We’ve been in Bali for only a month, and already my parents have had their fair share of Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice), or ‘Nasi Boring’, as they have to come call it 🙂

Despite not having taken my afternoon nap, I’m always happy to go exploring the town. Within approximately 10 minutes, we found Poco Loco, which is actually easy to miss, as the restaurant is set beyond a parking area and ‘garden’. So, it just seems like there is a vacant piece of land between the crowded buildings on Padma Utara, but when you look up, you see that there is actually an establishment there. I’m used to it anyhow, cuz from my stroller I miss about 80% of the things that do not appear directly in front of me….

At first glance, Poco Loco almost looks like a small amusement park with its multi-coloured ‘flags’ and vibrant furniture. Dad checked the menu and it seemed appealing to him – he really likes Mexican food 🙂 The restaurant opens at 6pm and it was a few minutes to six. We decided to continue our walk to see if we could find anything else around, otherwise we had our ‘backup plan’. It’s a bit un-cool to be the first customers at a restaurant, and besides the staff looked like they were still setting up.

After having seen the menus of other restos close by, which weren’t too inspiring, we decided to stick with our first choice and headed back to Poco Loco. Aahh, there were other customers now, so we were able to maintain our ‘cool-factor’ too, phew! As you can imagine, there were also kids at the other table – Who really has supper at 6pm besides families with young children??

The restaurant is actually huge and has at least 2 floors, and maybe even 3. I couldn’t really tell from where we were sitting. I think it would be a fun place to be at for a celebration, bday party or to watch a World Cup game, or an NHL hockey game if we were back home. We had our choice of table and the staff was nice and friendly. I didn’t see their high chairs, cuz I had brought my own chair this time…Mom and Dad started out with a large bottle of Bintang (beer) while going through the menu, and meanwhile I was chatting it up with the other kids (who seemed a little shy or perhaps I was just too loud for them?)…Finally, I gave up trying to make small talk with the other kids and poured my soul out to the Bartender instead, who was a much better listener when he wasn’t busy mixing daiquiris for the other table!

Dad took the BBQ ribs from the Specials of the day and mom took the vegetarian burrito. The veggie burrito and the beans from mom’s plate were quite yummy for my taste 🙂 The only thing I had to be careful for, were the chopped chili peppers that were sprinkled on top, which looked like tomatoes at first. Thank god, mom realized the difference before my tongue was on fire! The ribs looked tender but were not the ‘Fall-off-the-bones’ type ribs that dad really enjoys…Overall, mom and dad seemed to enjoy their meals as well, although it may not have been their best Mexican meal ever. But hey, it’s nice to have a change for your tastebuds sometimes… Trust me, I know! I eat almost the same things everyday, so this was a welcome change for me as well – Ole!!

Food: ***
Deco/setting: **1/2
Service: ***
(out of 5 stars)

Poco Loco
Jl. Padma Utara, Legian.
(0361) 756.079

Morning Routine

27 Feb 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Cool Stuff

As do most people, I have a morning routine. No, it doesn’t involve alarm clocks, or any stress. I’m not rushing to anyplace to do anything in particular…I finish my dreams and wake up gently from my sleep, usually to the sounds of my parents’ heavy breathing, the ceiling fan spinning, and occasionally the dripping water….It’s been raining heavily here in Bali, and it is not uncommon to have water dripping from the ceiling…trust me, it sounds horrible, but it’s just one of those things you start getting used to…

I chill out in my bed with my buddy Kaloo, and we chat a bit. I mostly do the talking…actually I do ALL the talking. She’s truly a great listener! It’s a great time for me to do my vocal chord practices. It’s not like I’m following any professional training program, but I just like to test my capabilities and experiment with different sounds. The morning is perfect for that cuz I really have time for myself, no one to bother me to eat, take a bath, smile and be all cute, and no one to tell me ‘No’! It’s nice and quiet – a perfect moment for me to focus on myself, with Kaloo by my side of course. She really understands me…

Sometimes, I think I start getting too excited with my stories or with my vocal chord experiments that I unconsciously pick up the volume. With all the practice I’ve been doing, my pipes have become quite powerful à la Céline Dion…Usually mom comes to see me soon after this…

Coffee looks so good in my parents’ cups in the morning, but I think the caffeine would just get me too hyper – so I stick to yummy milk. After my morning dose of milk, it’s time to hangout with my folks for a bit. I love this part of the day!! Yeah, I like spending time with my parents, but that’s not really the fun part for me. It’s the fact that we’re hanging out on their bed. They have the coolest headboard, which allows me to do my morning exercise of standing up, falling down, standing up, falling down…After about 20 reps of that, I do the ‘jumping-in-one-spot-as-fast-as-you-can’ exercise for about 20 secs. I do approx 3-5 series of reps, and trust me, the heart is pumping after that!

You know how they have TVs at the gym so people can watch their favourite shows while working out on the treadmill, elliptical trainer or stair master?…Well, I have my Cat Poster and this really gets me pumped! There are so many varieties and I simply don’t get tired of seeing them every morning! I hear some ‘Meowing’ sounds, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the cats from the poster who are making them…

Mom hated this poster at first and wanted to get rid of it, but seeing how much I liked it, she decided to keep it up for me 😉 It’s a good thing that we had the poster, cuz without it, I would have freaked out when we had our first cat visit. Now that I’m aware that such animals exist, I know not to be afraid of them and not scream when I see one. We’ve actually had a few cats visit us at home. They’re really not scared of people. We’ve been told that having a cat can be very practical here in Bali. If you don’t want weird creatures coming into your house, such as mice/rats/snakes/etc, then it is a good idea to befriend a cat…

While I’m doing my morning workout, dad is normally still passed out but it’s great cuz I can do my climb-over-mushy-body exercises over him without any problems. Somehow, he always seems to wake up on time to save me from a dreadful slip-off-the-side-of-the-bed fall. Phew!

After some quality family time, we’re off to start our day. I love my morning routine and hope that everyone can get a great jump-start of love, energy or whatever Mojo you need to get your day off to a great start! Have a good one!

 

Resto Review – Mang EngKing

27 Feb 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Restos & Food, Travel Tags:

On February 12th, a couple of friends came to Bali for a visit. Since they were doing an express visit, we met up for dinner…way past my bedtime, but who’s complaining…Any chance I get to stay up late is good for me!

After a taxi drive through the busy streets of Legian and Oberoi on a Saturday night, we got out in the hopes of finding a cool resto on foot. Well, I wasn’t actually doing any walking as I was nicely snuggled in mom’s arms 🙂 But, after five minutes through the chaos, we hailed another taxi and headed to a restaurant, of which no one knew the name, and had a vague idea of where it was situated. All my parents knew was that the structure was made of bamboo and that they served Indonesian food…Hmmmm….That should be easy enough to find, there are hardly no bamboos here in Bali, only a few Indonesian restaurants!! (Boy, when I grow up I hope I’m not going to be as naïve as my parents). We finally made it to the restaurant, but it wasn’t without some ‘communication’ challenges with the new taxi driver…

When we first entered Mang EngKing, we still weren’t sure to be at the right place. But as we arrived at the main reception counter, we knew we had found it! Finally, cuz I was starting to get hungry!

We ask the hostess for a table. Since we don’t have a reservation and there are no tables left, she informs us that we will be on the waiting list – approximately a 30-minute wait! I’m going to die…I’m starving. My parents better have some backup stash to feed me with! We ask if there’s a bar where my parents and friends can have a drink while we wait, and while they start feeding me! The hostess leaves us there without an answer. We assume it’s because she did not understand us. It’s alright cuz it gives us a chance to take a good look at the setting. The restaurant is essentially outdoors, as if floating on a little pond, with bamboo huts and private tables all around the pond. The setting was quite impressive…

A few minutes later, a waitress comes to see us. First, she asks if we speak English – my parents and friends all answer yes. She nods her head, and starts speaking Bahasa Indonesia at an incredible speed. Huh? did we misunderstand something? Anyhow, it doesn’t really matter as she shows us to our table…YES – Food! It’s funny cuz we were supposed to be on the waiting list, but we got a table within less than 5 minutes. Perhaps, they were trying to say there were no more Private tables/huts…Aaahh! This is what happens when you have language barriers. Luckily I don’t have to worry about this too much, cuz my parents know my routine and I make it pretty clear my ‘Likes’ and ‘Dislikes’!

The adults order 3 coconut drinks and one large Bintang. The waiter comes back to tell us there are no more coconuts. They look at the menu and start ordering different drinks, but when they ask if there is Coconut on Ice. “Yes, there is… No problem”, the waiter replies! …ah so there are still coconut drinks, just no Whole coconuts…Boy, did I mention there were communication challenges tonight? Apparently, the coconut drinks on ice were sweeter than expected, so they most likely added syrup. Not like I really could say, since I still only drink milk and water…boring!

I was dying to go crawling on the floor, but mom did not let me for fear that I would fall into the pond. And besides, while waiting for our drinks, we noticed a little movement on the floor. It was a little mouse. Another reason why mom would never let me go on the floor. She would freak out from the germs, and she’s afraid of mice/rats and every kind of rodent for that mother. I think she had her feet in the air for the next 5 minutes.

They order a menu packet for 4, which is very reasonably priced – less than 400K Rp. The food comes quite quickly and consists of:

  • Giant prawns on sticks (sweet sauce) – tasty, but a bit of a hastle to eat since you have to remove the shells yourself.
  • Stir-fried prawns with veggies that looked like Okra, but when you looked closer you notice that it is in fact green chilly slices – Heats up the mouth pretty quickly.
  • Vegetable plate with peanut sauce – Tasted good, but came with shrimp chips on top, which were not fresh and all soft
  • Grilled carpe with a little sweet taste – yummy!
  • Another whole grilled fish – which was quite tender!
  • Sambal and a green sauce – which were not necessary since the dishes were all quite spicy enough for our taste
  • Steamed rice
    Note: I did not end up actually tasting the food, as my parents gave me my backup dinner, which turned out to be for the best, as I never would have survived the ‘heat’ in my mouth. The food critique comes from the adults…

Overall, everyone enjoyed the meal and the setting. The staff was very friendly and the service fine, considering the minor communication issues. It was a pleasant evening in good company, which finished with a Large Bintang (beer) that was ordered at ‘The last Call’ at 10pm. Guess they don’t stay open too late, even on Saturdays…

The resto was starting to close around 10:30pm. They brought us the bill and our friend offered to pay, but mom told the waiter No, and he listened to her. It must be because she looks Indonesian now…Or she must’ve figured out how to breakthrough the language barrier, without even speaking!

Food: ***1/2
Deco/setting: ****
Service: ***
(out of 5 stars)

Here is the website, so you can see some photos and the menu. Unfortunately, they don’t have an English version, only Indonesian.

http://mangengkingbali.com/

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