Tags
Bali, Canggu, Indonesia, Rai Pasti restaurant, Rice paddies, Ubud
A couple of day trips in Bali
Whilst in Bali last year, I stayed in Seminyak but had heard a lot about Canggu so the girls and I hired a van and driver and off we went. The drive should be about thirty minutes but with traffic we were driving for over an hour. I think Canggu would be a lovely place to stay if you wanted peace away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta or even the quieter Seminyak. Lots of vegan cafes and restaurants there too. Unfortunately one poor car never made it; clearly misjudged the narrow road and was lodged in one of the gutters…oops!!
On our way to the seaside restaurant in Canggu we stopped off at a tourist site with a lovely waterfall. 
We then drove further to a lovely pub/restaurant overlooking the water. You could choose your own meat/vegetables/fish and the staff cooked it on an outside grill and then you selected your own salad – great selections and topped off with a glass of wine to take in the views.
My next day trip was this year to Ubud where with my brother, nephew and friend Kylie, we decided to visit the rice terraces but after being in the car for quite some time we decided against it. Traffic was dreadful so instead we popped into a large restaurant called Rai Pasti that overlooked rice paddies [rather than terraces]. Food was ok but really not spectacular but it was nice to have a break after being in the car for a long period.
The restaurant serves Balinese classics such as tempeh goreng [fried bean curd with a sweet sambal sauce], soto ayam (chicken noodle broth) and ikan pepes( fish with spice paste steamed in banana leaves). My nephew wanted more western food on this occasion and the menu was extensive serving pizza, fries and hamburgers. I think from memory he had a bowl of pasta. Whilst eating our meal, we did have nice views of the rice fields…
Great couple of days with lovely scenery out but traffic in Bali is horrendous…so just be prepared!
The views over the swimming pools, beach and ocean were beautiful…
We walked down towards the beachfront to the restaurant and because we were so keen we had arrived about fifteen minutes too early. We waited [hungrily] in the shade and soon were seated at a round table near the window.
Our waiter informed us we could eat from the buffet and we could also order anything from the menu – all included in the one cost ($100 AUD). And of course we could order any drink we wanted…
I stuck with my usual sauvignon blanc and the other girls ordered espresso martinis, the resort’s signature cocktail and mojitos.
There was a roast station, hot quiches, pizza, pasta with a large array of sauces and Asian food including all sorts of hand made noodles. I saw more bread and cheeses than I think I have ever seen. My photos absolutely do not show how incredible the food was unfortunately and I didn’t take photos of all stations.
I had become a vegan two months prior so there was so much food I could not eat. But there was so much I could. Tempura/lovely breads/amazing salads/warm vegetables/pasta/noodles just to name a few. I did order an open falafel burger from the menu which was very nice.
Then it came to the dessert area – oh my goodness! Anything you wanted was there and like the entrees and main meals you could also order from the menu. My friends ordered one dessert which was a chocolate ball which when arrived, hot chocolate was poured over. The outer layer of chocolate then melted onto the plate and inside was more chocolate; mousse – incredible! 
And this chocolate cake looked incredible and the chocolate fountain was a hit with the girls, well with all other diners really.
As we were eating dessert (I enjoyed some sorbet), the waiter came around with warm doughnuts and a hot chocolate sauce for those who wanted them…
By this stage we had been at the resort for about four hours and eaten our weight in food…time to say goodbye – what a day!
The weather on our last day in Seminyak whilst still hot and humid had rain looming along with dark clouds and strong winds. My brother and nephew wanted to take me out to lunch somewhere nice for our last day so I chose a place recommended by my friend Jane: Potato Head Beach Club.
I had quite a bit of food left over on our last day so my kind brother and lovely taxi driver were on the look out for dogs. My brother found one and we stopped and fed him. Next we found two dogs lying around so we got out of the taxi and fed them. I had a bit of food left and the locals told me that at this particular spot about four or five dogs came around. I asked if I could leave the food with them and they were very happy to take the food and feed the dogs later. I found the Balinese such lovely people; helpful and kind.
We walked a short distance walking past the open-air amphitheatre structure which was designed by an Indonesian architect and features a facade of coloured antique shutters, salvaged from across Indonesia.
The next structure we walked past was a tee-pee made from plastic bottles…
Then a sea of rubber thongs that have been lost by their owners…
And finally we arrived at the entrance to the restaurants and bars…
We were met by staff and shown to an area down towards the beach where there was a bar and restaurant and infinity pool. The bar and restaurant area is open air but covered and there are many chairs and tables and lounge chairs uncovered; all overlooking the Indian Ocean.
As can be seen by my photos, it was very winds so we sat on comfortable chairs undercover but with a view of the ocean. Whilst there were a couple of people in the pool but no-body on the beach or in the sea.
We were given our menu by a very friendly and helpful waiter. My brother and I ordered the Tropical Smoothie consisting of banana, mango, passion fruit, strawberry, citrus and coconut nectar. Our waiter, once informed I was vegan, went and checked on her own account to see if there was any yoghurt in the drink; there wasn’t! It was so good!!
I ordered the Jackfruit Nachos: corn tortilla, pulled jackfruit chili, coconut sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapeno, smashed edamame and grilled corn. I had not tasted jackfruit before and must say it was really good as was the coconut sour cream – dish was huge however so couldn’t finish it. [shame].
I also ordered a plate of sweet potato fries to share with my brother and nephew and these arrived with charcoal salt and a roasted capsicum sauce which the waitress told me was not vegan so I didn’t try it. Little did we know that both my brother’s and nephew’s dishes would arrive also with fries.
My brother ordered a steak sandwich which arrived on grape focaccia bread with charcoal grilled Tokusen beef, smoked cheese, onion jam, wild rucola, beefsteak tomato and duck-egg hollandaise sauce. As I mentioned this came with fries which my brother didn’t touch as the sandwich was very filling. My nephew ordered a Baby Huey Burger; prime beef patty with cheese, tomato sauce, pickles and spiced mayonnaise on a milky soft bun. Again arrived with fries which Braydon also didn’t eat. I was the only person who ate some fries that day. No surprises here!
I really liked this beach club. I know that in the later afternoon and evenings it is a place for the younger people with loud music and guess a lot of drinking; am sure it’s one of the places the younger Aussies tend to visit and on occasions sleep on the beach. So at night it would not be for me but for lunch it was superb.
And so many other little gardens areas as well as a pond with a few goldfish…
We spend most of our time on the super comfortable lounge downstairs overlooking the pool – its sort of inside/outside (ie no doors or windows but covered overhead). There is also an air-conditioned television room but we have not put the tv on once since arriving.
I have been getting up early to ensure I exercise so I walk through the tree lined streets then the shopping area down to the beach which is about an hour walk there and back – important for to get my 12,000 steps in ‘most’ days. On the way I feed the street dogs and try not to get run over by the mad scooter riders.
There are so many amazing restaurants in Seminyak and last night I chose an Italian restaurant called Ultimo. It’s so easy to travel in Seminyak, we booked a taxi and five minutes and $2 later we arrived!
This turned out to be an excellent choice as the food was truly delicious. Ambience and service was top notch also. I chose the Penne All’ Arabiana; a dish of penne pasta with fresh chilli and fresh tomato sauce with basil – wow this was good!
My brother chose the three pasta dish which had spaghetti pomodoro, penne formagi and fussili pesto. He couldn’t eat it all. My nephew chose the Fettuccini Alla Carbonara which like all our meals was delicious and huge; he is not a really big eater so he took half of it back home to our villa.
It was an early night which was good as we still have several nights here in Seminyak and we are returning to Seasalt restaurant tonight to enjoy great food and watch the sunset. Can’t wait!
I had never been to Bali but earlier this year my friend Sandy who lives in Timor Leste intended going there for a short break so I invited myself. We booked lovely accomodation at TS Suites on Luxury Escapes and I flew Qantas from Sydney. I try to fly Qantas not only because I like the airline but I also increase my Qantas Frequent Flyer points which enables me to either upgrade my seat or buy seats using my points.
Food at this restaurant is exceptional. 
They catered well for vegans which was wonderful for me. Two cobs arrived first; complimentary but this day I decided not to eat any as I had ordered quite a few dishes and didn’t want to fill up on bread.
My friends ordered a dessert to share but as it contained dairy I didn’t have any but must admit it looked pretty good. Our waiter offered me a fruit platter but was still too full after lunch so declined.
After our long lunch we decided to move closer to the water for an uninterrupted view of the sunset. We sat on comfortable large seats and our lovely waitress brought us drinks throughout the afternoon and evening whilst watching the Balinese flying their kites.
It became more vibrant as it was setting…the colour was absolutely gorgeous.
And just as the sun was reaching the water, the restaurant staff lit fires in large cauldrons, adding to the beauty of the sun setting.
