'Knowing my love for warung food and my (now shamed) 'local' knowledge of special secret places, they called ahead and asked Ibu Eny to make dinner for us."
This is the unusual name of Ibu Eny's cooking school at her family warung in Petitenget, and for me it sort of works like this: The Love: Cooking. Because this is obviously what Ibu Eny, along with her family, loves. Ibu Eny has a wicked sense of humour and a real zest for life that she shares with her husband Wayan and their children.
From their garden green warung on the Petitenget Road, going past the temple towards Batu Belig it is on the right, they serve fresh and organic foods to all comers.
From their garden green warung on the Petitenget Road, going past the temple towards Batu Belig it is on the right, they serve fresh and organic foods to all comers.
There is a menu of sorts that tells you what is made, but for dinner you'll have what is freshly prepared…and be prepared!
Ibu Eny takes you in as a long lost family member; she has a charming way about her that warms you to her immediately. When she makes sure you have your napkin on your lap it isn't in the way of a trained waiter in a boutique dining place but a caring mother who is asking you to be careful of your clothes.
This wondrous find is such a diamond in the rough, and it was chanced upon not by me but by some friends from Australia who were staying nearby. Knowing my love for warung food and my (now shamed) 'local' knowledge of secret special places, they called ahead and asked Ibu Eny to make dinner for us.
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The warung is well furnished, the chairs are high backed and wooden, there is a fan and a fridge of cold drinks and the tables are solid. They need to be to carry the huge plates of food!
After being introduced to the family, husband Wayan, daughter Susan and some shy sons, we were given bowls of steaming soup full of minutely chopped fresh greens, carrots and chilli. A plate of Bakwan Jagung (fresh sweet corn fritters) accompanied it. It was a perfect stimulant for the main course that was already smoking on the grill at the front door.
During the cooking process Ibu Eny sat with us to share some jokes, my lack of Bahasa Indonesia causing much hilarity, so Eny agreed to teach my friends cooking and Indonesian at the same time, as they were eager to discover the secrets of the Balinese cuisine from both the practical and gastronomic viewpoints.
We didn't have to wait long. Our table was soon full of the most amazing butterfly prawns, center-sliced and dripping in garlic sauce, Ikan Pepes, a traditional preparation of tuna, lemongrass and other spices wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled. The sambal, homemade of course, was a piquant blend of fresh tomato and chillies with lemon. This is something you can eat by the spoonful it is so delicious.
We were next served a Balinese Urab of sliced greens and young baby coconuts. My friends admitted they had also eaten there the night before and had tasted for the first time the Balinese vegetable dish with fern tips, Sayur Pakis. Our table was groaning under the weight of all the food and the feast was sumptuous; we got messy and happy amongst the prawn shells and banana leaves and emerged a good time later with full bellies and a really satiated palette. There was dessert but even the gourmands amongst us were approaching the idea of more with caution, so we only ate from the fruit plate that was presented.
I have always encouraged visitors to this island to sample the extraordinary cuisine of the local warung and have even written an article of my personal favourites, and now I must add one more: Warung Eny. Eny and her delightful family are wonderful Balinese hosts who welcome you with open arms and warm hearts, sharing their laughter and food, their love of life and good food, and you leave knowing that you'll return again, and again!
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Have yourself a true home-cooked Balinese meal, or cook it yourself! Original post by our costumer :) | |
