Kafe - A Taste of Healthy Living in Ubud

The fried foods that permeate my diet in Indonesia has left me craving something healthy and fresh. Ubud is the center of culture and arts in Bali, a beautiful area with rice fields scattered through the traditional Balinese architecture and temples. It seems small, but it is really made up of fourteen villages with the focal point being Monkey Forst Road, Jalan Hanoman, and Jalan Raya Ubud. At an elevation of around 600 meters, it is cooler than the coastal towns, though attracting more of the rain. The relaxing ambiance of Ubud and the convenience of its amenities along with the assortment of shops, restaurants, cultural events, and arts makes it a bit of an expat magnet in Bali. The Zen-like nature and affinity to preserve what is there makes Kafe a natural fit in Central Ubud. It is a comfortable place to lounge around and spend the whole afternoon reading, working, using their wifi, meeting with friends, and relaxing. Kafe promotes a healthy lifestyle with its environmentally conscious policies choosing not to serve drinks with plastic straws, advocating Bali Storm Brewery local beers, using organic products, as well as hosting community-oriented events. The major attraction at Kafe is its cafe culture and delicious, healthy vegetarian (and non-vegetarian) cuisine.


The food at Kafe is fresh and it does not make you feel guilty in the least for making your order (unless that is in excess). Some of the portions seemed unfairly small, especially compared to the price of a bigger meal you can get at a local warung. My first meal there was off the "Bowl Food" section of their menu (not listed online) which was a bowl of lentils and rice with broccoli and cauliflower florets flavored with curry spices, which made the dish a deep gold color. It came with a side of yogurt and the contrast between cool and warm made the eating experience very interesting. The Banana Spice Smoothie with hazelnut and nutmeg (21,000Rp) complimented the meal well, though the texture of the smoothie was very thin, giving the impression only a few spoonfuls of banana were actually in the smoothie. I also tried the Vegetarian Lumpia (23,000Rp) with tofu, ginger, spinach and mushrooms served with lemongrass dipping sauce. There were only 2 lumpias on the well-presented plate and each disappeared in a few bites. I liked the meaty quality the mushroom brought to the filling chock full of vegetables. The Grilled Vegetable and Feta Sandwich (37,000Rp) served warm and open-faced came with fried cassava chips. The feta cheese on this sandwich was generously scooped on top mixed with sun-dried tomato and basil. The vegetables in the sandwich were a tower of zucchini, aubergine, tomato, onion, and leafy greens that hid the small piece of country bread underneath. The vegetables were not too oily and cooked all the way through. This sandwich was best eaten with a knife and fork.

The food, drink, ambiance, and philosophy of Kafe is one to experience whilst invigorating and re-energizing the spirit and body in Ubud.

Kafe. Kafe, next to Tegun Galeri, at Jalan Hanoman # 44B, Padang Tegal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Tel. +62 361 7803802 or kafe@balispirit.com. www.balispirit.com/kafe.

Eating in Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta is a hot spot in Java for foodies. Any traveler you come across will say, "There is great food in Yogyakarta." It is a cultural center in Java close to the ocean and has several historic sites as well as surrounding nature to enjoy, such as climbing the steep slopes of Mt. Merapi. As the city is so big, it attracts people from all over, contributing to the growing diversity of flavors in the city. The cuisine in Yogyakarta is characterized by a sweetness, similar to the characteristic flavor of Shanghai (also sweetness). Being in Indonesia, you can still get the fiery chili taste with any local dish. Just ask for it (or the omittance thereof).

Going for something on the healthy side, attempting to stray away from all that is fried (a difficult task), I was taken Warung Pecel Madiun for nasi pecel madiun. In English, I was told it is a "traditional Indonesian salad." It is not exactly salad in the traditional sense being served atop a serving of rice, but it was not considered a hot dish. Pecel is actually a classic Javanese peanut sauce commonly served with vegetables. It was poured atop raw spinach, sprouts, beans, a type of cucumber, and other leaves. On the side was a type of tempe cracker and salt-preserved, shredded meat. The nasi pecel madiun tasted very fresh and the selection of ingredients showcased this. The peanuts gave whole salad a more meaty taste. The pecel sauce also brought some spiciness to the salad, making it more exciting. It was difficult to get the perfect bite in with pecel, vegetable, rice, cracker, and that salted meat on one spoon. The meal as a whole is not heavy at all, even with all the rice. Needless to say, I felt a lot healthier after several meals that centered on something that was fried.

My companion was eager to show me how hot Indonesian food can get, claiming to only eat ayam penyet pedas once a month because it can wreak havoc on the digestive system. Here is to hoping I am not reminded of the meal the following day from something other than memory. Warung Sambal is another simple restaurant in the Yogyakarta area of Sleman. I was told initially that the famous dish is "chicken cooked with hot spices" and not "fried smashed chicken" as the translation implies. However, I was not expecting this. It was a thigh and leg piece of fried chicken, bone in, of course, first boiled with a spice mixture, coconut milk, and lemongrass before it is fried, ensuring that the chicken remains tender. Dark meat is appreciated for its flavor, enhanced further if the bone is in. Asians are more concerned with flavor - not health factor - preferring dark meat over white meat. I did not get the impression that the chicken was cooked with hot spices, but rather a paste dominated by green chili was spread over the fried chicken. Ayam penyet pedas is, indeed, incredibly spicy. You can make it even spicier by asking for sambal. Only the cucumber the chicken came with is able to save the mouth from spontaneously combusting due to the concentration of chili. The rice is only a small way to falsely dilute the scoville level from the chicken. It was really flavorful, though. My innards were screaming from the concentrated bites of heat that it was not used to.


Yogyakarta is most famous for gudeg, a curry made with young jackfruit and coconut milk with chicken. The sugars of the jackfruit give the gudeg its very sweet characteristic. We tried it at a roadside restaurant called Warung Kayu, popular for late-night eating. It is a simple wooden structure with all the food laid out in the middle and an old woman scooping up gudeg and ripping chicken bits onto your plate with her bare hands (slightly horrifying for the germaphobes out there). Whatever. You are in Indonesia, so this is something you have to get over. There goes the rice, the gudeg, slices of tempe, egg, and a big piece of chicken. Looking at the gudeg, it appears to be brown slop after taking in color from teak leaves, but do not let that deter you. It goes down nicely with the sweetened ice tea, which can be asked for unsweetened. The gudeg was really tasty and not as sweet as I originally imagined, most likely because the jackfruit was not completely ripe at its height of sweeetness. The combination of spices used in cooking while the coconut milk boiled down to almost nothing gave the gudeg extra depth appealing to other taste palates. The chicken was also very tender and moist taking in the flavor of the curry. After a taste, you understand why gudeg is very much associated with its mother city of Yogyakarta.

Waroeng Pecel Madiun. Moh. Kahfi II No. 40 A, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia.

Reason to Eat

A long morning of browsing the extensive shops and stalls at Camden Market calls for an immediate energy booster that will not weigh you down. What you need is Reason to Eat. Located a short walk down from the busier end of Camden High Street, the cafe offers a haven to collect your thoughts and review your purchases. It is basically a cafe offering the usual espresso selections and sandwiches, salads, soup and a few thoughtful baked goods.

The selection is simple, but incredibly fresh and made to order. The people working the counter were extremely helpful and eager to assist, offering an ease in the mindset of indecision. In addition to the specialty salads and sandwiches, you can also elect to design your own salad or sandwich for an incredibly cheap price (£3.75 and £2.75, respectively, at time of visit). The first visit called for the Classic Spinach Salad of baby spinach, wild mushrooms, chopped egg, bacon bits, tossed in mustard vinaigrette and accompanied by a big piece of fresh bread. The salad was prepared in a large tossing bowl right before your eyes scooping up generous portions from the protected case of salad fixings. It was tempting to order one of the cookies or bars, which would totally offset the purpose of ordering a delicious salad in the first place.


The dining area in the back was quiet with softly playing music, perfect to relax and enjoy the meal. The salad portion was quite large and extremely satisfying that the baguette that came with the salad was almost unnecessary. This place could easily turn into your daily lunch and breakfast spot with its cheap prices and healthy selection. Reason to Eat is a great offshoot to the increasingly growing trend toward health conscious eating in London.

Reason to Eat. 104 Candon High Street, London, NW1 OLU. www.reasontoeat.com