Thursday, December 30, 2010

New Year's Eve Tasting Menu at Madison

If you were in any city aside from Shanghai during Christmas, it is highly doubtful you would even know Christmas was near if not for the calendar and colder weather. Trying to make the best of something celebrated elsewhere in a country not accustomed to recognizing it makes it a challenge. Why not then go balls to the walls with a fancy meal to celebrate a Western religious and cultural holiday tradition? Out of all the restaurants in Shanghai, Madison has left the greatest impression (though Avalon might have been up there if Hilary Ambrose did not leave), so why not try a holiday meal there? Austin Hu told us what he had in the works in early December, something slightly closer to home sounded great. There were two menus to choose from between 8 courses and 5 being set at 688RMB and 388RMB respectively. The set menu for each was about the same, but with the smaller 5-course dinner, out went the Smoked Trout - Housemade Trout Caviar, Pickled Water Celery, Chestnut Chips, Foie Gras Ravioli - Braised Goose Leg, Cranberry Compote, Hazelnut Crumble, and Yogurt Panna Cotta - Plum Compote, Prosecco. As much as the 8-courses tempted the stomach, the wallet (and waist line) was not having it.

I would also like to say as much as I am opposed to taking photos with flash in a dining room, the camera being used was not up to par for the task so concessions were made. Hence, the hodgepodge of flash and no-flash shots.

Warm Cauliflower Flan with Chinese CaviarFirst off was the Warm Cauliflower Flan with Chinese Caviar served in a shot glass and a little metal spoon (note this is not a "mother-of-pearl" spoon to avoid giving the caviar a metallic tinge, but this should not be something to complain about given the circumstances). The origins of the caviar was not made clear aside from the indication that it is "Chinese," but not even the sort of fish it was harvested from was known. The flan was light and delicately sweet, hinting only of cauliflower. The caviar was delightfully salty, slightly acidic, and bitter, cutting into each creamy, warm bite of eggy flan in a way that will widen the horizon of the palate.

Cured Kampachi - Hawthorne Jelly, Purple Gynura Next we were served the cured kampachi with hawthorne jelly and decorated with purple gynura leaves. As soon as the dish is set down, truffle aromas permeate the air. It was similar to the cured fish from Goga (Brad Turley's restaurant in Shanghai). It was not a heavy dish being cool and not over-seasoned to emphasize the cured kampachi and also anticipating the other courses to come in the meal. The Hawthorne jelly gave it a slightly sweet taste, bringing out the fresh sweetness of the fish.

Prawns - Saffron-Vanilla Sauce, Chinese Watercress Prawns - Saffron-Vanilla Sauce, Chinese Watercress: the perfect bite

Prawns had a saffron-vanilla sauce and rested on Chinese watercress. It was only one moderately sized prawn, which made you wish there were two instead of one. Following the cured kampachi, the saffron-vanilla sauce continued the slightly sweet savory palate. Perhaps this sweetness permeating the entire menu is an ode to the fact that the restaurant is in Shanghai and also is celebrating the Shanghainese sweet-tooth. Cutting into the prawn, watercress, and other roasted vegetables in the dish, I carefully put each equal-sized piece on my fork with a swirl in the saffron-vanilla sauce to get the perfect bite.

Pan-Roasted Goose Breast - Sunchoke Puree, Braised Treviso, Truffle VinaigretteA traditional American Christmas meal is not complete without the holiday goose. However, Austin Hu did not present the table with an entire goose, but rather a sliced pan-roasted goose breast with sunchoke puree, braised treviso, and truffle vinaigrette. The goose tasted game-like and rich, warming the senses as well as filling the stomach. Using goose instead of other fowl made this course taste more decadent only for its more rare use in Shanghai and everyday meals because of its rich flavor and fattiness.

Before the dessert course, there was a long break. The server asked if we would like coffee or tea to accompany our dessert or act as a digestif.

Peanut Butter / Chocolate Opera Cake With Raspberry Ice CreamThe dessert was a peanut butter chocolate opera cake with raspberry ice cream. The raspberry ice cream was more a sorbet than ice cream for the clear lack of silky dairy texture. The cake served at room temperature was not undercooked or too dry. The tartness of the raspberry balanced the richness of the chocolate.

Compared to the other courses in the meal, the cake was relatively large and you would almost say the portion was generous. If your stomach was not full from the small tastings, the peanut butter chocolate opera cake will definitely fill any voids left. A fellow diner had stated before the meal that everything was delicious, but so small. After consuming the incredibly rich cake, that same diner was decidedly full almost as if to say that the cake served the same function as rice at the end of a meal.

The Christmas Eve meal was thoroughly enjoyable. Eaten in small bites, the entire meal could be found as filling as the diner is meant to relish in the flavors and not find gluttonous satisfaction in a large volume of food. As a pillar of American fine dining in Shanghai, I would have hoped for more takes on classic American Christmas dishes than bringing in the fusion of Chinese culture. Though, being in Shanghai, the menu represented the finer touches of each.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Ethics of Foie Gras

A bit of foie gras hidden in the spreadI just read this fascinating article on Serious Eats by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on "The Physiology of Foie: Why Foie Gras is Not Unethical." For those skeptical to the idea of force feeding, a friend's impression of a Moulard duck during the gavage process struggling and shaking its throat did not help. A visit to a La Belle Farms in Hudson Valley cleared up a lot of hearsay and answered questions. At this farm, the ducks were found to look healthy and live comfortably. A lot of emphasis was placed on how humans must avoid anthropomorphizing the animals as the physiology of the animal may differ greatly from that of a human. One should also take into consideration the origin and the process of animal products when making purchases to support a good farm instead of a bad one or making generalized judgements based on the worst. Take some positive steps in consumer behavior to encourage change in standards. I was quite taken by this article and found it fascinating as a person appreciative of foie gras and curious about the process of producing a high-quality product. This is definitely worth a read and consideration.

Speaking of foie gras, does anyone know where one can find a whole, prepared lobe of foie gras in Shanghai for retail sale?

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Madison Brunch - A Locavore Delight

Madison's Scotch duck eggs with duck sausageBrunch is a weekend institution. It is not breakfast and it is not lunch. It is a way to spend time free of work responsibility and sharing conversation with friends over a comforting meal. Brunches are best when lazy requiring no set beginning or end, though dimming light is an indicator that perhaps Sunday dinner should have already started. In Shanghai, brunch tends to span between the hours of 11:00 to 15:00 accommodating the late-risers, church-goers, and everyone else in between needing midday nourishment. The options in Shanghai are endless, with the hotel brunches pushing their more expensive buffets in every free expat magazine. The majority of other brunch options involve a set meal with 2-3 courses, coffee or tea, and a pastry. Seeing the menu at Madison, everyone who had not brunched there before was surprised to see that there was no set meal option on the menu. With a decent-sized group ordering a myriad of items off the menu, the cost per person was actually less than the set menus of popular brunch spots, like Azul, which is right downstairs. You would expect the complete opposite when ordering a la carte!

Scrambled eggs with mushrooms and truffle oilAll the egg options had a great twist to them, though we neglected to try the deviled eggs. My indifference to the choice probably came from the fact that I know of university students who have made their own in their dining halls. The scotch eggs were completely devoted to duck. The duck eggs were encased in duck sausage and had a healthy dollop of whole-grain mustard and rocket on top. It was cut into quarters, which made it easy to share. The scrambled eggs were a favorite. The eggs were not dry nor runny with all sorts of mushrooms and served on top of a puff pastry round. Immediately when the server puts the plate down, you need to attack as the pastry would go soft from the wet egg on top. There was also a hint of truffle oil in the scrambled eggs. The eggs Benedict came out with a healthy serving of hollandaise sauce over pig trotters and muffin. The shredded pig trotters were compacted into a flat disk that flaked apart nicely when cutting into the egg and the bread it sat upon. The hollandaise sauce was thick and not too acidic, complimenting the pig trotter.

Eggs benedict with pig truffles Inside of Madison Shanghai's eggs benedict

Other highlights on the menu included the incredibly creamy Chili Biscuits, house-cured pancetta, potato pancakes with sweet house-made catsup, and the breads (chocolate bun and cinnamon bun). One good thing about the rolls were that the buns were cooked all the way through and you were not left with a doughy mess on the inside. Not so impressive were the beignets, which were more fried donut holes than the pillows of dough doused with powdered sugar from Cafe Du Monde an American commonly associates with the word "beignet." Being an American fine dining establishment, a refined take on the classic donut with chocolate, berry, and cinnamon dips could be forgiven, but to call it a beignet is something I do not agree with. The French toast with yogurt and berry was good, but not an outstanding point on the brunch menu. To top off an already slightly sweet meal, we recieved a s'mores and pb&j trifle. The s'mores trifle had bits of chocolate cake, thick marshmallow creme, chocolate pudding, and a giant graham cracker cookie stick. The pb&j trifle had their wonderfully creamy and rich peanut ice cream, berry, and creme with toast sticks as garnish to complete the "sandwich concept." Sprinkled on top of both were what seemed to be crushed pistachios with a sort of medium-ball sugaring.

Chili biscuits Chocolate bun and cinnamon bun
Madison French Toast with berries and yogurt Madison donut-like beignets with chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and berry sauce
Madison's potato pancakes with homemade catsup Madison's S'mores and PB&J Trifle

The brunch at Madison is really good, especially for the quality you get for the price. Taking into consideration the locavore trend in Shanghai is barely beginning, it is nice to see Austin Hu leading the pack. Madison is by far the best brunch in Shanghai when it comes to an American standard.

Madison. 3/F, 18 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu. 东平路18号, 近衡山路. Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Alchemist: Feeling Like a Stumped Scientist

The Alchemist second floorBefore its grand opening, I went with a couple of friends to check out Kelley Lee's newest venture, The Alchemist, which is focused on creations exploring the bounds of molecular gastronomy. Outside the kitchen, all the creations are overseen by Ryan Noreiks, from Brisbane, Australia. The atmosphere is swanky, cozy, and not so loud making it ideal for after-work drinks, conversation, or a date. The chandelier created out of spoons is a unique touch and gesture to experimentation.

The Hong was the first drink I ordered made of Tanqueray gin, quinquina dubonnet, rhubarb bitters, and grapefruit air. It came out in an elegant bowl-like vessel and a large atomizer (think giant perfume bottle) accompanied it. The server spritzed the drink with this "grapefruit air" before disappearing. The presentation was impressive and fun. It was a lovely take on a bramble and not so overpriced for a molecular cocktail. I also enjoyed the Dark Mystic, which tasted like a Christmas explosion from the chocolate and warm, spiced bite. However, when the Yangtze River cocktail came out, we immediately became confused. The table was also expecting a foie gras order with the knowledge that its presentation may be deceiving. With all the vials, vessels, cups, and bowls that the drinks were being served in, without experience you are unsure of what to expect. The Yangtze River take on a Long Island Iced Tea came out in two parts: 1 cup of alcoholic sorbet and an espresso cup of tea. We stared at it for a while wondering if the foie gras was hiding under a pear compote. Only until Kelley Lee came out we realized that it was not a foie gras concoction, but the cocktail. Oops. Only later did the foie gras plate come out and the sugared bits glittering on the plate were the candied bacon. Another issue arose when the fish tartar was presented with a large vial of gaseous liquid. Were we supposed to pour the whole bottle over the raw fish? Only when Kelley Lee came out again was it explained that the dry ice in the chardonnay made a gas to "perfume the dish." Without instruction, we could have ignorantly destroyed the dish. The transition from presentation to consumption could be eased if only the servers were better trained at this point to explain how everything is consumed immediately upon arrival to the table.

The experience at The Alchemist was fun, interactive, and highly entertaining. As a patron, you feel more involved with the food and drinks wondering what it is and how they did it. It is a place that food enthusiasts will enjoy and a place to impress your friends.

The Hong Foie gras plate with candided bacon

The Alchemist. Sinan Mansions, Block 32, 45 Sinan Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu 思南路45号32号楼,近复兴西路. Shanghai, China

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Yogu-La!

Blueberry frozen yogurt with the fruit worksThe frozen yogurt phenomena surged from California and hit the shores of Shanghai, receding and leaving a few shops behind. Yogu-la is a new frozen yogurt shop in the affluent Xintiandi boasting Italian roots and fresh fruit toppings reminiscent of those you would find at Pinkberry minus the Captain Crunch cereal. Why not? Xintiandi is an ideal place to wander around browsing shops and sitting outside during warm days. It has proved itself a location that several love to photograph. The walk through the re-created Shanghainese architecture would only be heightened with the accompaniment of a refreshing, sweet treat. Yogu-la is a word that the Chinese would use for the yogurt, ending it with "-la" because it sounds all so cute and endearing. Chinese love using "la" at the end of statements. It just makes everything sound a lot better.

There are six yogurt machines that were serving different flavors of yogurt: original, chocolate, passion fruit, mango, blueberry. The menu rotates depending on what batch is being made that day, but the full menu of the flavors are above the yogurt dispensers so if you miss something there is a sign that reminds you what you have to come back to. I still must try the pistachio, which is hopefully not too sweet. The blueberry was the best out of the flavored yogurts. The passion fruit flavor could have been stronger and not as tart, but it was promising. The original was also really nice, a bit on the tart side and not too sugary. The fruit toppings were all very fresh and not under-ripe adding a fresh texture to the creamy yogurt. There was kiwi, dragon fruit, mango, watermelon, cantaloupe, and papaya to choose from. At the time of tasting, the manager was present and readily welcomed all constructive criticisms to make the Italian-style frozen yogurt all the better. The prices are completely reasonable for the large serving of frozen yogurt you get - 25RMB for a regular cup and 45RMB for the big cup. The fall opening of Yogu-La baffled me as winters come too quickly in Shanghai offering less incentive to seek out frozen yogurt.

Yogu-la front entrance at Xintiandi Yogu-la frozen yogurt machines

Yogu-La. Xintiandi, Shanghai, People's Republic of China

Dim Sum Brunch at Ye Shanghai

Ye Shanghai dining setYe Shanghai ground floor dining roomYe Shanghai has this great weekend brunch deal for 98RMB all-you-can eat inclusive of tea. If you pay a little more, you can get an entree like roast duck. A little more RMB means that you can also get free-flow sparkling wine. That is not bad for a brunch deal, especially considering that the classy restaurant is located in Xintiandi, known for its more up-market establishments. Ye Shanghai takes a modern look at classic dim sum selections from both Shanghainese and Hong Kongese cuisine. The dining room reflects this philosophy and during brunch, it is well-lit and cozy without being so pretentious. Though, it is quite unfortunate to see that the patrons are mostly waiguoren instead of Chinese. That should not be a deterrent, however. The dim sum menu has an assortment of dishes perfect for sharing (ideally between 2 people as each order has two items). As it is a free-flow feeding frenzy, the parade of plates never has to stop. The server may look a bit perturbed by the length of the initial order of food, or she is balking at the amount of food seemingly small people can consume.

Ye Shanghai drunken chicken Ye Shanghai sliced pork terrine with Zhejiang black vinegar
Ye Shanghai pan-fried turnip cake Ye Shanghai sliced pork with garlic and chili
Barbecue pork puffs and stir-fried sliced beef with scallions served with pancakes Ye Shanghai Spring onion cakes

About every dish was ordered off the menu aside from the rice and noodle dishes (the dan dan mian (traditional Sichuan noodles) were a little on the oily and runny side). This includes the drunken chicken, sliced pork terrine with Zhejiang black vinegar, pan-fried turnip cake, sliced pork with garlic and chili, barbecue pork puffs, stir-fried beef with scallions and pancakes, spring onion cakes, steamed shrimp dumplings in XO chili sauce, smoked fish, steamed spare ribs, wheat gluten with mushroom and bamboo shoots, beancurd skin roll with mushroom, and wontons...to name a few. The spare ribs came out with pumpkin and was flavorless. The terrine was nothing special either. Overall, everything else was really lovely. If you do not like one item, someone at your table is bound to eat it. If you do like something, there is nothing stopping you from ordering more.

Ye Shanghai pork xiaolongbao Ye Shanghai pork xiaolongbao inside

Ahhh...xiaolongbao. Mornings in Shanghai feel even more complete with an order of xiaolongbao. The hot broth supporting a light, meaty filling all enveloped by a thin wrapper translates to a savory explosion in your mouth. The xiaolongbao at Ye Shanghai was nothing impressive. The wrapper was not of an extraordinary thinness aside from the bottom as it did often break when being lifted from the steamer releasing its precious contents. The wrapper should be of even thickness throughout the entire dumpling, even taking the little folds into consideration. The broth was not very salty, but not savory either. And the pork itself did not stand out. No matter though. Still being able to get a xiaolongbao fix is enough to start the day.

Glutinous rice ball with peanut paste Ye Shanghai mango pudding Ye Shanghai glutinous dumpling encased with papaya and coconut

Out of the desserts, I enjoyed the glutinous rice ball with peanut paste the most. The peanut paste was more of a pulverized peanut powder that was soft and melted slowly on your tongue. The mango pudding had a surprise of actual pieces of mango hidden within the pudding.

Ye Shanghai brunch is great for your wallet for what you get and has a classy dining area that will readily impress your dining partners. It is highly advisable to reserve in advance. The brunches are very popular and tables do get booked quickly.

Ye Shanghai. Xintiandi North Block, Lane 181 Taicang Lu (near Madang Lu), Shanghai, People's Republic of China. 太仓路181号 (近马当路) 新天地北里

Monday, November 15, 2010

KFC Egg Custard Tart

KFC custard egg tart KFC custard egg tart one bite in

KFC is a popular fast-food chain that has penetrated the Asian markets for its delicious fried chicken. I have heard of Hong Kongese actually requesting boxes of KFC egg tarts brought to them. News of this is kind of a shock considering the egg custard tarts are coming from a fast-food chain and not a specialty bakery. However, someone was kind enough to share a piping hot box (6 in this one, each with its own tart holder) of these delicate KFC tarts saving face of self-imposed shame. The puff pastry on this egg tart is incredibly flaky and you can see the countless layers developed from rolling out a proper puff pastry at the crust of the tart. The egg custard filling had a caramelized top from the baking, but was wonderfully light in the inside being firm and not hard nor gooey. No part of the tart was undercooked or tainted with random bites of dough or runny egg custard. It is sugary enough to tickle your sweet tooth, but not so much to drill a hole in your molars. The best egg custard tarts in Shanghai are said to be at Lillian Cake Shop (Lì Lián Dàn Tà - 莉莲蛋挞), a luxury yet to be indulged.

Lillian Cake Shop. 868 Huaihai Middle Road (near Maoming Road) / 卢湾区淮海中路868号(近茂名南路), Shanghai, People's Republic of China

Merci, Germany, for your chocolate

Merci milk chocolate variety sticksMerci - when associated with chocolate - is supposed to mean the "finest Assortment of European Chocolates with a brand name that literally means thank you, there is no better way of expressing heartfelt gratitude." Merci is actually a brand of French chocolate manufactured by a German company.

Merci Milk Chocolate variety box came with 20 milk chocolate, hazelnut-almond, hazelnut cream, and praline cream sticks lined up in two rows. The cellophane and paper wrapper was easy to open and did not stick to the chocolate. Its simplicity made it elegant and not too fussy. In the hazelnut creme stick, the milk chocolate encased a small bar of light-colored hazelnut creme, which was silky and nutty, but the hazelnut flavor started to dissipate after the next few nibbles. I preferred the hazelnut-almond stick the most with bits of hazelnut and almond in the chocolate. The crunchy texture was complimented by the smooth milk chocolate, though highlighting the chocolate over the nut flavors. The milk chocolate was smooth, creamy, but too sweet in comparison with the others. The praline creme is dryer than the hazelnut creme and the flavor, again, is very subtle with only hints of caramelized sugar. The chocolate is very, very, smooth. This was the overarching characteristic of the chocolate sticks that I noticed. However, I am not really a fan of milk chocolate though, preferring the bitterness of cocoa nibs. Someone get me the Dark Chocolate variety!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Getting Down to Business in Bali (& Gili T)

Urap Urap at Coral Beach Bungalows 2 in Indonesia, Lombok,Gili TrawanganIndonesia is littered with warungs offering a place to eat and displaying the dishes each specializes in with a large sign or by name. Most of them have typical dishes on their menu, each focusing on either rice (nasi) or noodles (mie). Considering that my hosts in Java took me around to try the special dish at whatever given place, I may have missed out on some of these items. Not eating with a host though has given me the opportunity to try the dishes that other travelers I have encountered have come to loathe due to the seeming lack of variety as the menus are consistent throughout. Research and a curious appetite will address these woes!

Sitting on the beach on Gili Trawangan in front of Coral Beach Bungalows 2, much farther up north of the pier, you have to flip through the menu to get to the Indonesian section, which was much cheaper relative to the Indonesian dishes closer to the village. There was no explanation for what each dish contained. The server said the urap urap was vegetables with coconut and rice. The choice sounded healthy enough not to leave a negatively affect a beach body. The vegetable dish was mostly dry with heaps of shredded coconut in the vegetables. It was still flavorable and looked a lot better than the gado-gado with a peanut sauce dressing covering an assortment of vegetables.

Warung Indonesia on Gili Trawangan - Nasi CampurIn the village of Gili Trawangan away from the beach side, there was only one small restaurant advertised on the main street for Indonesian food coincidentally called Warung Indonesia. The majority of places along the main drag focused more on the present Western clientele. The only exception was the market area where street carts set up in the evening to cook up local fare at a price substantially cheaper than an iced tea at a restaurant. I recalled a recommendation to order nasi campur, which I opted for. It is a mixed plate of vegetables, meats, and other items surrounding a mound of rice all salty, savory, slightly bitter, slightly sour. You get a little bit of everything, including tempe! Nasi campur is a great choice if you are having trouble deciding exactly what to eat. The combination is satisfying and it tastes delicious as well.

Indonesia,Bali,Ubud Warung Ijolumut - Mie Goreng with eggBack in Ubud, after all that rice, it was time to indulge in some noodles. Warung Ijolumut had a more environmental and spiritually-geared environment (and free wifi) compared to other warungs toting local food with flags bearing Chinese characters and bright green walls. This warung costs slightly more than others in the area, but you pay for other amenities that are found at that location. The mie goreng looked like instant ramen noodles tossed with vegetables and served with an egg on top. The noodles were nothing special and tasted like they were pan-fried in soy sauce with a hint of chili. It is your standard fried noodle dish, but is good for sensitive stomachs because it is not spicy, heavy or too oily.

Fish spread for 2 at Warung Mina Ubud, Bali, IndonesiaJust off the main road in Ubud is Warung Mina, specializing in seafood dishes. Ubud is at least an hour away from the coast, but no matter. Being a large group sitting crowded in one of the dining huts, we opted for a couple of the specialty fish platters. There was one grilled fish, a fried fish, tempe, raw sambal, sambal, a sort of fish cake, other smaller fish, kang kong greens, and other raw vegetables. The fried fish was cooked in coconut oil while the grilled fish had a lighter taste. Personally, I prefer the grilled fish since the coconut oil does not bode well with me for some reason. With the large platter, each bite can carry a different combination of items such as tempe with grilled fish and the acidic sambal. It gives you the opportunity to test out different combinations of flavors making the consumption of this place a great adventure that rapidly ends as your fellow diners are demolishing the plate at a similar, energetic rate.

Indonesia,Bali,Ubud Mangga Madu - Soto AyamThe bule crew in Ubud was raving about the soto ayam at Mangga Madu's. Soto ayam is a soup with chicken and some glass noodles or basically an Indonesian version of chicken noodle soup. It is not intended to be a main course (at least at this establishment) so the portion is small. The soup is not spicy at all, but the server will bring sambal if you so desire. The broth is flavorful and lines your insides with a comforting warmth. The chicken was not anything outstanding though, more serving as a source of protein lending its flavors to the broth. Considering the strong flavors associated with Indonesian cuisine, the soto ayam seemed relatively weak, but is a pleasant break from the traveler's grind.

So there we have it. I finally was able to try some of the items offered on what seemed to be every menu in Indonesia.

Coral Beach Bungalows 2. Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Warung Indonesia. The Village, Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
Warung Ijolumut. Jl. Sugriwa 14X, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. http://www.ijolumut-ubud.com/
Warung Mina, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Mangga Madu. Jl. Gunung Sari No. 1, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Tel: (0361) 977334

Naughty Nuri's Pork Barbecue Spare Ribs

The grill at Naughty Nuri's Warung in Ubud, BaliIn Jakarta, while my host was making this extensive list of dishes you have to try that are unique to a city in Indonesia, the rave reviews of the spare ribs at Nuri's stood out the most. It could be that the portion was so generous, one person could barely finish the rack. It could also be that the pork is so tender that it slips right off the bone. Or maybe the sweet sauce slathered on the ribs when they are cooking. Maybe the 70,000Rp price tag could be a deterrant for one Indonesian or a gastronomic investment with high returns. Either way, these ribs must have made a strong impression. After reaching Ubud, I had to stay true to my promise that I would visit Nuri's Warung to taste the prized deliciousness of pork flesh. The location of the restaurant is said to be "20 minutes walking from the center," at least according to the guy at the front desk who takes his motobike everywhere, even to go 20 meters around the corner. It did not look so far on the map, but it was a far trek and the journey seemed even longer since it was raining. If that much pork was supposed to be consumed, the least we could do for ourselves is burn a few calories beforehand. At the entrance of the restaurant, there is a vat of pork spare ribs already brined, seasoned, pre-cooked, or whatever has to be done to get the ribs ready for the grill. Once the order is placed, the ribs are placed immediately on the grill and the aroma swirls through the entire open-air restaurant. You can hear a faint sizzle from the sugars in the sauce caramelizing on your ribs. The ribs are served alone with no frills except for a wedge of lemon. If you want any sides, that will be added to your tab. My host was right. The spare ribs were tender, juicy, falling off the bone, and had a slight caramelization from the grill. Yum. The plate looked huge, but I managed to polish it off easily sparing no shred of meat. It was well worth the splurge if you are on a budget. Happy and full, the walk back in the pouring rain reminds you just how much that trek outside of the center of Ubud was worth it for those ribs.

Pork ribs ready for grilling Interior of Naughty Nuri's Warung in Ubud, Bali Finished spare ribs at Naughty Nuri's


Nuri's Warung and Grill, Jl Raya Sangiggan (opposite the Neka Art Museum half way up the hill heading north out of Ubud), ☎ +62 361 977547. 10AM-11PM daily.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Ibu Oka Babi Guling

Babi Guling Special at Ibu Oka, Ubud, Bali, IndonesiaJava chooses beef, but in Bali, pork reigns. Babi guling or suckling pig is the ultimate Balinese dish that made Warung Ibu Oka Babi Guling famous, now a site of foodie pilgrimage in Ubud (at least the Chowhounders or other tourists claim so and the push from Anthony Bourdain does not hurt either). The slow-cook spit-roasting process results in tender meat and crispy skin. This quest for babi guling was another solo mission backed by determination to taste luscious pork.

Ibu Oka Babi Guling, Ubud, Bali, IndonesiaI sat down at a table with two other small parties finishing their meals. I opted for the Babi Guling Special plate at 30,000Rp and an iced tea with no sugar. The menu centers around all that can be created from the roasted pig, particularly the skins and meat. There was another set plate at 50,000Rp that came with soup and the babi guling came out on a heaping portion on a plate separate from the rice, but it looked too filling. The Babi Guling Special was served in one plate. The base is rice, fried pork skin, roasted pork skin, pork meat, a sort of chunky, spiced vegetable sauce or marinade on top of the meat, and a special salad with a sour and bitter hint. Basically, the plate had the best of everything that comes from the roasted suckling pork. For every bite, I tried to create the "perfect" bite by adding a little bit of each thing on the plate to my spoon. The pork was very tender and savory. The pork skins were also extremely crispy and carried a nice flavor from the roasting. The special salad that came with the dish balanced out the flavors and the iced tea finished each bite nicely.

At the time of visiting, there were two locations of Ibu Oka, but the one closest to the center of Ubud was closed, probably due to the royal wedding that was taking place across the street. This location was about 150 meters farther north and in a traditional compound setting. Passing the entrance, there was a truck with three pigs in the back ready for butchering in the open kitchen (with an open sink nearby for washing hands). Diners sat at tables around the compound with strangers and friends. The atmosphere was familial and communal, perfect for this Balinese dining experience.

Ibu Oka Babi Guling, Jalan Suweta (just north of the Jl Raya Ubud-Jl Suweta-Monkey Forest Rd crossroads). Ubud, Bali, Indonesia