After a light breakfast at Biku, we headed over to the famous Kudeta to chill out. Guess what? It ended becoming an intense Pokemon stout as the waves kept gushing Magikarps our way haha. No comments to that activity. After exercising our fingers, it was finally time to settle for a more enjoyable activity. A meal at what was possibly the best meal I ever had in Bali. Merah Putih which literally translates to Red - White in English are the colours of the Indonesian flag. The entrance to this modern diner is nothing more than a gateway to awesomeness. With soaring high ceilings, and glass panels through the dining area, it was a tropical green house in its finest.
The menu at Merah Putih is a salvation to the morning at Biku. In sight were some really fancy sounding Indonesian dishes which had me salivating. To go round the table we ordered a few share plates. But to get us started, Merah Putih served us a much loved Indonesian classic, the Soto Ayam.
To start was a Duck Spring Roll which which felt like a unique twist of the Peking Duck. Instead of utilising a roasted duck, Merah Putih cooks up a super crisp fried duck. Best of all, it was not even one bit dry. The pickled cucumber and other crisp vegetables gave it additional texture and that dash of kecap manis brought the dish home! Wrap it all in that thin piece of pancake and voila! “Peking Duck” :P!
Bebek Goreng “Popia”; Fried Boneless Duck, palm hearts, kecap manis, pancake
Our next appetiser was the soft shell crab. It is hard to go wrong with a seafood produce that is so elementary. Deep fried soft shell crabs has always been a crowd pleaser, and this was no different. Add a dipping sauce and egg yolk, for a touch of indulgence. Its presentation was another element worth mentioning. But despite all the ups, what felt a little bit of a let down was the batter of the crab. It was on the hard side and I would have preferred a milder crunch to this.
Jangkang; Soft Shell Crab, salted egg, leek, coriander.
Another stunningly presented dish was the Puyuh Panggang Sumatra. The chargrilled marks were equally brilliant to the smoky flavours of the quail sat upon the rice cakes. Shame though, that it just was not as juicy as I had expected it to be. It did not quite fall off the bone on first bite. Probably 2-3 minutes over-cooked. Luckily, its lip-smacking sauce help salvage its position. The spices were super potent, with a mild sweetness and acidity. The whole thing was just delicious!
Puyuh Panggang Sumatra; Chargrilled Quail, onions rice cake, curry leaf.
This was the shared main of Sapi Bumbu Rujak. Its like a Beef Bourguineon minus the wine and Western Spices, ok so its an Indonesian beef stew. But an amazing Indonesian one that had my tongue wagging. The beef cheeks were super tender and fell apart effortlessly. Then you have the perfectly plump Shimeji shroom sauteed and topping the beef. All of which are put in a sauce so good that I could not stop spooning it on to my bowl of rice. Not sure how to even describe the sauce but it was flavoured sensationally!
Sapi Bumbu Rujak; Javanese Beef Cheek, tomato, shimiji, chilli
After a satisfying lunch, I could not help but suggest ordering desserts to share. How could I resist after seeing Merah Putih do so well with the savoury courses?
First dessert was Madu. The word “Madu” is honey and this simply presented dish allowed the main ingredient of honey to shine. Creamy ice-cream, and wafer thin tuile was a great pairing. The ice cream was silky smooth and the ginger helped accentuate the glorious honey notes.
Madu; Borneo Honeycomb Ice Cream, chocolate, ginger tuile
Next was a coconut dessert which consisted of Meringue and Ice Cream. While I am usually not a fan of the overly sweet Meringue, the combination of Kalamansi and coconut along with sago helped balanced the dessert that night. So many layers of flavours and textures to enjoy. Not just a one note dessert. You get the citrusy-zesty flavours of the Chinese Orange clashing with the creamy coconut. At the same time there is the frothy Meringue and springy sago bits. So much to like on the plate.
Kelapa; Coconut Ice Cream, kalamansi meringue, boni sago
This modern Indonesian restaurant has reinvented the wheel with its modern rendition on some Indonesian staples. While this is an act considered taboo by some, the strong combination of top notch ingredients and fresh plating, all of which are done simultaneously while maintaining the dish's authentic Indonesian flavours makes Merah Putih the favourite of my trip.
WenY
WenY
