preparing for indonesian culture?

[Luko]

What I have found is mostly that it is tremendously spicy -- with peppers only. Take the peppers out and there's no flavor. That, to me, is bad cooking.

Can't disagree. However have you tried Babi Guling like for instance at Ibu Oka in Ubud? not spicy and really savory.
Also did you go to Hujan Locale in Ubud, excellent fusion food with an indonesian twist.

(* just added that for you, Luko. )

It's Ok, we're accustomed to american bad taste, we had the Donald visiting Paris today, our president had a raw lobster meal prepared for him, knowing he despised seafood and only ate burgers.
If ever you come to Paris let me know, I'll have some great french food prepared for you. Usually I start the accostumance process with andouillettes.

 

[billt4sf]

It's Ok, we're accustomed to american bad taste, we had the Donald visiting Paris today, our president had a raw lobster meal prepared for him, knowing he despised seafood and only ate burgers.

Be careful what you feed him. If you "stop him up" he's going to be "on the can" for hours, that's when he tweets you know.

- Bill

 

[Centrals]

Well I am lost when it comes to Indo food. I hate the stuff, basically. What I have found is mostly that it is tremendously spicy -- with peppers only. Take the peppers out and there's no flavor. That, to me, is bad cooking.

Maybe I stared off on the wrong foot or something. I admit that I am conservative when it comes to food -- guilty as charged. Still, there is a wide variety of food that I like: Pilipino food, Chinese is OK, Indian when it's not too spicy, and most all the Western palates except some of the weird French stuff*. Not a seafood lover. Not a fish eater much.

We went to one of the "best" Indo food places in Ubud (people come from al over the planet) and to me it was boring. Baked tofu, yeech. I find that when I am traveling off-island in Indo, I end up eating the stuff I never eat at home: pizza, fried anything, McDonald's -- NEVER eat that at home.

There are good restaurants in Ubud, I usually end up with a western-type dish.

What am I missing?

Thanks,

Bill

(* just added that for you, Luko. )

We all have different taste and nobody is right or wrong!
Be more adventurous but that is easy said than done. After all these yr visiting Philippines I still refuse to try the fertilized duck egg.
Just eat healthy.

 

[Searcaigh]

Be more adventurous but that is easy said than done. After all these yr visiting Philippines I still refuse to try the fertilized duck egg.

Baloot

I remember many years ago in Riyadh when one of my staff gave me this egg to eat at lunch time and everyone staring at me to watch my reaction when I opened it (I thought it was just a boiled egg).

Not for me thanks

 

[WetPup]

I put sambal on nearly everything. The spicier the better The kitchen staff always know to bring me my own bowl of sambal at every meal.

I love Indo food!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Can't disagree. However have you tried Babi Guling like for instance at Ibu Oka in Ubud? not spicy and really savory.
Also did you go to Hujan Locale in Ubud, excellent fusion food with an indonesian twist.

There's Indonesian food, and then there's Balinese food. Both have their merits. The babi guling at Ibu Oka was probably the best pork I have ever eaten, and that includes all the barbecue we have in this part of the US.

 

[Wingy]

If you happen to be in South Sumatra try an authentic Padang Rendang - not a single "pepper" cooked the traditional way taking around 18 hours to cook - magnificent.

TBH I find bali island Indonesian food to be mostly modified to suit the western expectation.

 

[Luko]

TBH I find bali island Indonesian food to be mostly modified to suit the western expectation.

Try ayam betutu in a warung nearby Gilimanuk on your way to Secret bay, you'll probably won't write this anymore.

Indonesian food is not all spicy, if you eat in Maluku for instance, you'll see it's a creamier and milder fare with kenari almonds, smoked fish.
Of course colo colo is still on the side of the dish but it's not as terrifying as it can be in Java or some parts of Bali.

Anyway, after you survive Sri Lanka curries or some crab curries in southern Thailand, Indonesia is for girly palates. I don't even mention Mozambique where the first taste of piri piri sauce is like having your tongue slammed with a hammer

 

[Wingy]

I actually also quite like bland indo food - give me a plate of water spinach and I'm a happy girl. I lived in southern Thailand - there's a yellow curry with the name loosely translated as "crab cooks whore dust" - the dust being powdered turmeric believed to keep nasty little diseases at bay.

My dining experience in Bali pales in comparison to yours - Bali is the least favourite of the Indo islands so I tend to be there in transit only (too many Australians everywhere)

I think the hottest thing I have ever eaten was thinking a lime green object on my plate in Budapest was a capsicum ... it wasn't...a whole new form of Paprika hell.

Back to Indo culture - you will probably find the guides etc all have Facebook and Instagram accounts and are into music. Loud music ... particularly rap it seems. Most LOBs have a guitar around - I find music is always a good ice breaker

 

[billt4sf]

The type of food I like to get in Bali.

Wingy - don't know where you have been in Bali, but there are some nice places, though impossible to avoid Aussies, true that. Ubud, for example, is crowded as H during peak periods, but many other times it settles down pretty well. If you get away from the main drags, it's nice.

Have had some great guitar songs provided by boat staff! (What seemed to me to be "Indo folk songs". REALLY nice!).