When you drive down the narrow path beside and behind Jonathan's Gallery in Jalan Legian, in the middle of bustling Kuta, the last thing you expect to see is the serene and romantic setting of the Ketupat restaurant.
An open building faces the swimming pool on one side, whilst tables and chairs are scattered around the pool edges. Behind them, for the romantically inclined, are a series of private little cabana's. In the main building a series of small open balconies each accommodate a table for two, overhanging the swimming pool, with larger tables behind them in the room proper.
The food comes from all of the main islands of Indonesia, and to assist you with your choices, the menu has pictures of each dish and a detailed description of it as well as it's island of origin. The restaurant's name comes from one of the sole dishes available throughout all of Indonesia, the Ketupat, small bundles of rice, wrapped in coconut leaves and steamed for hours.
We braved the mosquitos and sat at the pool-edge, and after exploring the large menu for quite some time whilst enjoying cool fruit juices, placed our order and waited, in anticipation.
We were not to be disappointed. The food is simple, yet most flavoursome. If you order carefully, you will enjoy a wide variety of tastes.
To start, three simple entrees, all fried and all really good finger-food. Pangsit Ayam Goreng, little chicken ravioli's, Jalan Kote fried mystery pastries from Java, and a Pergedel Jagung, corn coquettes. The entrees came with small bowls of both chili and soy sauce.
For mains we covered the eastern half of Indonesia. A Sambal Udang Makassar, Prawns in Hot Sauce from Sulawesi, Cumi-Cumi Goreng Merauke, marinated Squid from Irian Jaya, and my favourite, Ayam Limao tender chicken pieces cooked in a lime sauce from Kalimantan.
I have had the Cumi-Cumi many times before at Ketupat. Sometimes the squid can be not so tender, but when it is OK, as it was on this occasion, this is a very special and savoury dish.
A most relaxing way of exploring Indonesian food. If you feel romantic, then book one of the Cabana's. There you may even close the curtains after the meal, and kiss the one who paid the bill.
Latest Visit: Still a wonderful setting, and always an enjoyable evening at a reasonable cost. But, was sad to see many changes from the kitchen. Old menu [one of Bali's best] has gone, replaced by a more touristy one!! No detailed description of dish, with island of origin. Cumi Cumi still fantastic, but some other dishes were disappointing.
