Things you wish you had known before your first trip to N Sulawesi...

[James R]

Don't bother bringing wide angle lens and dome port to Lembeh...I didn't use either in 9 dive days.

 

[jake11]

Do check out the Novotel Manado Golf Resort & Convention Center. We had amazing rooms for dirt cheap!!! They also had a free shuttle to and from the hotel. They also made us breakfast to take with us when we had a very early morning flight out of Manado!

 

[James R]

Also, if you are going to Bali for a few days, leave some room both in your suitcase and your budget for shopping!

 

[Pillpusher]

Okay, there's something I wish I had known before my trip to Lembeh (though it really applies to any dive resort): If you want to eat local food at the resort, make sure you tell the kitchen. My wife and I had been looking forward to some Indonesian food, which we love, but our resort (KLR) was hosting a group of Texans whom we were told were repeat guests, so the kitchen catered to their preferences, which evidently were for familiar American/"international" foods. After a couple of days we finally asked the staff what was up, because we were hoping for more local fare, and after explaining the foregoing, they were happy to oblige. After that discussion, a bottle of kecap pedas (sambal) was always sitting on our table waiting for us.

Obviously, if you go into Manado itself, you can find whatever you want. But if you want more local fare at a resort, sometimes you have to ask.

And in Singapore don't leave without eating chili crabs!

Thanks, will do. What is kacap pedas (sambal)? I've read great things about the food at both places, but I'll be sure to say something if I see nothing but burgers...lol. Another thing, while I love spicy food, my wife isn't so much of a fan. Is most Indonesian food spicy, and if so, can tamed down versions be ordered for her?

 

[pughio83]

Not all Indonesian food is spicey. Sambas varies in hotness just ask but it is amazing. Usually comes on the side of dishes. Manado-nese food is spicey but again variable. Many of the middle and rice dishes aren't too spicey but always ask if you have aversion to mild spices. Indonesian food on the whole is amazing, including satay, nasi goreng, Babi guling, mee goreng all usually not too spicey if not at all.

 

[Wingy]

Ive always found the food in Sulawesi pretty nice if not hugely varied but I tend to eat only at the dive op I am staying with. The manado-nese are always accomodating about pulling back on the spices if you ask.

Water spinach is a popular dish. Water spinach with rice, water spinach with chilli sambal, water spinach with everything

 

[Luko]

Thanks, will do. What is kacap pedas (sambal)? I've read great things about the food at both places, but I'll be sure to say something if I see nothing but burgers...lol. Another thing, while I love spicy food, my wife isn't so much of a fan. Is most Indonesian food spicy, and if so, can tamed down versions be ordered for her?

Pedas in indonesian means "hot", kecap is the bahasa for "sauce" it is pronounced kay-chap... rings a bell?
You will certainly have 3 plastic bottle of sauces on your table each time : kecap pedas, the chilli sauce, kecap manis which is a sweet tasting sauce, really good combined with chili but your wife will love it even without the spicy one, kecap asin which is more like bitter soja sauce.

The Indonesian food can be really hot if you don't tell them "tidak pedas" (no spice) or "sedikit pedas" (midly spicy), Sambal is anything "pedas", it can be the kecap pedas OR when at a more fancy or authentic local restaurants a very hot housemade sauce from small red chillies chunks. A variety of hot sauce is colo colo (cholo cholo) this is really good on grilled fish,a highly addictive lime, sugar and chilly sauce mostly served at seafood restaurants.

 

[Pillpusher]

Damn, my mouth is watering already...

 

[Indah]

Just be very careful what and where you eat if you know that you are sensitive to MSG in your food. All processed sauces contain large amounts of it. The only exception I know of is Kecap Bango, a little bit sweet soya sauce. Actually, many restorants and foodstalls use huge amounts of MSG. We do not have a law yet here that is has to be mentioned on the menu or the products. We banned it completely out of our kitchens long ago. The same with did with palm oil. This is the "normal" cooking and frying oil in Indonesia.

 

[octopuppy]

Do ask for banana pancakes. Really more of a crepe, with honey!!