Bali 2016: Caffeine Addicts @ Corner House, Seminyak

Fast forward the night by the pool eating supper, it was the start of a beautiful morning in Bali.  The Seminyak streets are not half as busy as Kuta, but the dead morning silence tells the story of the residents who probably had one too many to drink the night before.  As weird as it seems, the stillness of the morning was even more enjoyable without the crowd.  Merely 5 minutes from where I lived was another charming cafe where I was going to be spending the morning waking my stomach up for what was about to come for the rest of the day.  Corner House in Seminyak is a boutique coffee spot serving up Australian style breakfast in the Kayu Aya Cafe Strip.  But no worries, I was not going to go all Aussie in this tropical climate!  The drinks were just to get my caffeine addict friends started thats all.

Our duration at Corner House might be a hit and run scenario as our stay was short, but it did not stop me from admiring its stylish setting!  The bar counter looked reminiscent of a colonial bar counter from the past.  Have to praised its handsome marble top too.  Its distressed walls were particularly attractive when paired with its dark coloured columns and catchy fittings. Pictures of some potted plants by the table:

Friend's iced coffee:

Decor aside, the drinks were “OK”.   Food wise, it looked alright.  You have breakfast burritos and a range of "Eat Pray Love" dishes like mueslis with berries, or acai bla bla bla.  Alright, I'm having a dig at those health foodies out there but you catch my drift.  In saying that though, if you are a Bali expat looking for a taste of the Australian brunch scene then Corner House is definitely a good spot to start.

WenY

Bali 2016: Fish Dining @ Sardine, Seminyak.

Right after our cafe hopping we were left in a dilemma.  To go back to our hotel in Seminyak and wait for dinner or stay in Kerobokan until dinner time.  We end up choosing the latter and decided to go to our dinner spot early for some drinks.  Tonight’s dinner is none other than the famed Sardine, a fine dining restaurant famous for their fish dishes in an amazing Balinese setting.

In the evening just before the sunset, the outdoor sitting area is pretty special.  The rice field has now been swapped out with sunflowers for the next couple of months.  When it blooms, I can imagine Sardine to be the most welcoming place for a drink or even dinner.   After being wowed by the setting,  I was kept impressed by warm and attentive service.  From the moment we stepped in the ladies brought us to the lounge area and allowed us to choose our seats.  Once the drinks order were placed, a complimentary bowl of hand cut chips were served as a snack.

As our dinner was about to start, we decided against snacking but my colleague could not help but take a photo of another table’s satay.  It was a tough thing not losing my determination to not order any snacks!  Thankfully, time flew and we moved to the dining area.

Complimentary bread:

Have to say that the bread was good!  Easily on the same level like other fine dining places you would find in Australia.

After that was the amuse bouche of Tuna Nicoise Salad.

For dinner that night, we ordered a few things but I only took a few photos as the warm lighting prevented me from taking photos without flash.  

I ordered the lobster potstickers with a ginger and vinegar dipping sauce.  

Surprisingly Asian but still every bit tantalising.  There was not like a whole chunk of lobster in the dumplings but there was a good enough amount to give diners the bursty-briny flavours of the lobster that is rich in seafood sweetness.  The final kick of acidity came from the dipping sauce that mellowed nicely with the dumpling flavours.

Another of the other appetisers we ordered was the Vietnamese Beef Salad.

Have to say, the flavours were authentic but lacked the “wow” factor because it was something you could get easily in the Vietnamese restaurants back in Perth.  I guess, what I am trying to get at is that there could have been a little more surprise to the whole dish like the lobster potstickers which I ordered.  Perhaps, hitting the right notes like an authentic Vietnamese diner would is a good enough achievement? lol.

Finishing off the appetiser, my main arrived.  This time, another Asian inspired dish of Miso Seabass with a Soba salad.

This white fish is a favourite of mine because when cooked right its absolutely tender and smooth.  Sardine is well-known for their fish dishes and its smooth flesh did not disappoint!  Its accompaniment of soba was the perfect pairing for the miso basted fish.  My slight discontent though was the fact that the layer of miso on top could have been a bit more generous.  And to finish that good layer of miso, shall be a good broil to help all the miso caramelise to perfection.  Why more Miso?  For me the dish could have done with a little more salt and the caramelised miso also has an ability to accentuate the sweetness of the fish!

We skipped that dessert that night as it was probably the 4th or 5th meal we have had that day.  Sardine was an enjoyable dinner.  While the setting was worth raving about, the food as a whole felt a bit of a let down.  Do not get me wrong, it was in no way bad but it lacked that “special” touch and finish.  But if it’s the classics that you are looking for, Sardine will have plenty to offer.  Price wise, be prepared to pay around $40 for a full 3 course meal + drinks.  Not cheap by Balinese standards but still worth every penny.

WenY

Bali 2016: Cafe Hopping @ Kerobokan

After the delicious meal of Babi Guling at the Warung earlier, my friends and I decided to do something a little less typical of the usual Bali itinerary.  We decided to go cafe hopping!  In this run, my colleague picked some of Bali’s top cafes and we were pleasantly surprised how well presented some of these places are.

First stop was Livingstone, Kerobokan.  

This industrial building is a full time bakery that serves up some interesting lunches.  But after that heavy meal earlier, we were contented with fries and drinks.  While I cannot say much about the food, Livingstone in Kerobokan sure has a great environment to catch up with good friends!  

Drinks stretched the whole page length.  For the group, we had Matcha Latte, Avocado Chocolate Shake, and two juices!

Once we were done with that, we moved to our next spot just round the corner from where Livingstone is.  It’s another Patisserie but this time, with a touch of class.  Its Angelita Tea Salon and Patisserie.

Angelita was a place that I would not normally visit because as my colleague suggests, its a little “Princess-sy”.  But that is alright, I was in no way deterred to try it out!  Compared to Livingstone, everything here was very very well presented and finished like  a pro.

Once you have decided to sit in the air-conditioned cafe or out in their open garden, it is finally time to pick your cakes.  We shared two pastries’s amongst the four of us.  One was the Salted Egg Croissant (not pictured) and the other was an Early Grey cake, look how pretty it was!

But looks was just part of the story.  Its  fragrant tea smell was amazing even before I ate it.  The cream in the cake was light and the sponge in there sweetened just right.  In the centre was an delicious vanilla filling.  All of which complemented each other perfectly.  Just before I slept that night, I thought to myself it was a really good cake! Still thinking of the bergamot!

Colleague's Matcha Latte

While this was barely the most eventful afternoon, all the jokes and Pokemon Go talk really brought back memories of when we first started.  So if you are not craving for the sea breeze and prefer a nice cosy indoor to spend the afternoon in, keep in mind that Livingstone and Angelita are good options to sit back and just chill!

WenY