FRV Travel 10.3

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edition 10.3, october - november ‘13 Rp. 60.000

SINGAPORE

Artichoke

PHILLIPPINES

TOKYO

Blue Lagoons

Oak Door

Escapades of a Travelling DJ

BALI FASHION FESTIVAL

IBIZA

MYANMAR

On Board Orcaella

Vacation Shopisticated

Komune

BALI FOOD

Viva la Mexico Ben Cross BALI VILLAS

Casa Brio | Puri Tirta Rp. 60.000

Jakarta

Auroz RuslyTjohnardi design

food

architecture

fashion

art

wine

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restaurants

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10.3

CONTENTS October - November 2013

FEATURES 052 & 072 Bali Fashion

With help from Bali Stars and Charlie X.

066 Bali Fashion Festival

A recap in words and images of Bali’s recent fashion extravaganza - one of many to come.

96 The Travelling DJ vol 3

Tony Montana spins around the best restaurants, clubs and beaches of Ibiza.

102 La Residence Angkor

Melanie Lee gets the royal treatment in Siem Riep and enjoys a behind the scenes look at the Angkor Wat.

106 Blue Lagoons

One of the Philippines best kept secrets and paradisiacal islands explored by Ian Nuebauer.

Cover FRV Travel:

Photo: Adam Rasyid

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10.3

CONTENTS OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

024 032 034 062 070 082 092 100 104 108

A look at Bali’s latest food trend.

Gastro Deli

Mediterranean flavours in Tanah Lot.

AUROZ Gourmet Grill

Gilles Marx’s latest restaurant.

Artichoke

Singapore’s Tuesday night special.

Couture to Future

Jakarta atelier Rusly Tjohnardi.

Rob Peetoom

The Dutch hairsylist and his styles.

Casa Brio

A chic, minimalist Seminyak villa.

42 Oak Door

Grand Hyatt Tokyo

Tokyo’s go-to place for a great steak.

The most central beds in Tokyo.

Two Days in Hong Kong

Taking in the Orient’s pearl.

Myanmar’s Orcaella

30 Ku’s New exec Chef Trauts talks to Ben Cross.

Melanie cruises Myanmar.

90 Raffles Hotel

East Timor

Singapore’s colonial icon.

Eco-tourism’s new frontier.

1 4 Events 3 6 Recipes 4 8 Cheese 8 0 Overnight 8 8 Puri Tirta 1 1 4 Listings

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026 Viva la Mexico

1 6 Bits & Pieces 4 4 Wine 5 0 Fashion Bits 8 6 Cendrawasih 9 4 Overnight 1 3 0 Last Word

110

Dealing in Art

One of Ubud’s most prolific dealers, Nyoman Purpa.

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P T K ubu Dua M edi a J l. Petitenget 12A, Kerobokan, Bali, Indonesia Te l. +62 361 746 3751/52 | Fa x. +62 361 847 5458 email: info@frvtravel.com www.frvtra ve l.c om Di recto r Guna wa n I nd rob a skoro Graphics Coordinator Te guh Ana nta (artwork@frvtra ve l.c om) Graphi cs He lmi Nursya h, Ric ky Afd i P ho to g raphy Moc h. Sulthon, R a ma d ha n, Ad a m Ra syid Di stri buti o n Nyoman Rupma Ii n I nd ra p utra , I ma m, Ma d e , Burha nud d in i nfo@frvtra ve l.c om Fi nance Sri W ita ri, B a gus Oka Mark eti ng Gina , Oc hy (sales@frvtravel.com) A dmi ni strati o n Dya h, Poojie , Ta ri Co ntri buto rs T homa s Jone s, Da vid Tra uts, Erza ST, Nic hola s Wa lton, Katie Truman, Rachel Love, Herman Von Ber nhardi Aguayo, Ia n Ne ub a ue r, Jo Fre a rson, Da rre n Dyla n.

S ubscri pti o n Yearly subscription available in Indonesia - Rupiah 315,000 Conta c t: sub sc rib e @frvtra ve l.c om Send e-mail to the above for details.

Consulting Stua rt D W ilford (stua rt@frvtra ve l.c om) L eg al Asso ci ates Nyoma n Ge d e Anta guna SE, SH, MH ACS La w Offic e J l. Mertanadi 88A, Kuta, Bali.

Te l: 082145689996 Fine Restaurants and Villas Travel magazine is an independent, b i -mo nthl y publ i cati o n. N ex t edi ti o n deadl i ne N o vember 15, 2013

FR V Tr a v e l m a g a z i n e i s p r i n t e d u n d e r l i c e n s e d t r a d e m a r k . N o p a r t o f t h i s m a g a z i n e shou ld be re produ c e d with ou t th e wr itte n pe r m ission of th e pu blish e r.

A l l r i g h t s re s e r v e d . A r t i c l e s re f l e c t t h e o p i n i o n s o f t h e a u t h o r s , a n d n o t n e c e s s a r i l y t h o s e of t h e p u b l i s h e r s . F R V Tr a v e l m a g a z i n e i s p r i n t e d b y P T M e g a I n d a h ( T: 0 2 1 - 6 1 9 0 5 2 9 w w w. m e g a i n d a h o ff s e t . c o m ) a n d d i s t r i b u t e d b y ; P T K u b u D u a M e d i a ( I n d o n e s i a ) , P e r i p l u s - J a v a B o o k s ( I n d o n e s i a ) , P T I n d o p ro m ( I n d o n e s i a ) , N a t i o n B o o k s ( T h a i l a n d ) .

Con ta c t th e e -m a il a ddre sse s a bove f or f u r th e r in f or m a tion .

F R V Trav el Mag az ine

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Oct o ber - No v ember ‘ 13

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Editor’s Note FRV Travel – It takes you places This October Bali is abuzz with the APEC Summit being held in Nusa Dua, where most of the world’s leaders and main policy makers will be gathered to sort out the world’s, or at least the Asia Pacific’s woes and issues. Once again the name of Bali will be splashed across newsfeeds all over the planet creating more interest in the island that continues to appear to be gravitating every year closer to the centre of the universe, something that any Balinese person has always believed, and would be happy to tell you, since birth.

Another great plus for the island, and only due to the APEC Summit, has been the improved infrastructure built over the last two years. Residents and visitors to the island, can now enjoy a new 21st century, state of the art airport, and new roads including a toll road connecting the airport to Nusa Dua and Benoa, and the underpass at Simpang Siur, which has all helped to alleviate the traffic chaos we have all had to live with for the past few

years. The latest internet technology has arrived to the Nusa Dua area for the summit too which will no doubt filter through to the rest of the island in due course.

We will probably need another APEC or similar soon to generate more of those infrastructural needs, but for the moment, we can all be thankful for the APEC coming to our shores no matter what they decide in the week they are here.

In this edition of FRV Travel you may notice a few changes again. We have re-organised the layout order from a geographical to a subject focus, grouping articles into four sections of Food, Fashion, Accommodation and Getaway. We group those sections geographically too and we believe with these changes FRV Travel will become easier to read and understand.

Let us know your thoughts by sending an email to editor@frvtravel.com.

FRV CONTRIBUTORS

David Trauts Correspondent, English.

Trauts has been spending beautiful blue skied days on Bali and racy nights of fun in Jakarta and in between caught up with the new Exec Chef at KU DE TA, tried a new cafe in Pan Pacific Nirwana and spent a few nights at the Fashion Festival at The Stones in Kuta. What a great time to be on the island of Bali.

Erza S.T. In between the preparation for his annual opera gala this month, this opera producer sneaks out to eat in Chef Gilles Marx’s latest establishment called Auroz and also has a quick chat with one of Indonesia’s famous fashion designers, Rusly Tjohnardi. Erza desperately needs a holiday!

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Thomas Jones Thomas gets to dine in two of Asia’s most functioning cities; Tokyo and Singapore, where he also gets to spend a few nights enjoying some of their best beds to boot. It’s also time for a taste of a couple of Bali’s best villa accommodations alongside some culinary delights from a few of the groovy Mexican joints about town.

Rachel Love Told by a fortune teller that her life would take a dramatic change in a move to the East, she arrived in Bali with a few hundred pounds and a vision to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a writer on a tropical island. FRV’s resident arts writer, Rachel writes extensively on all things lifestyle and travel related.

Nick Walton Nick has been writing on travel for over 10 years, including most recently as the travel editor for the South China Morning Post. From his home in Hong Kong he regularly travels throughout Asia and beyond, looking for new experiences, trends and destinations, both for his travel pieces in over 60 magazines globally, as well as his weekly radio show.

Ian Neubauer Ian is a Sydney-based freelance journalist specializing in adventure travel. He has reported extensively across East Asia and the South Pacific for many publications. He is also the author of two travel novels, Getafix (2004) and Maquis (2006), and an advocate for Topu Honis, an orphanage and women’s shelter in East Timor.

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regionalevents

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2013

Readin’ and wRitin’ – Bali It’s time again for literary junkies to get their fix from the international line up of writers, poets and journalists at this year’s Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Bali. This year’s highlights include Sebastian Faulks (Birdsong), Lionel Shriver (We Need to Talk about Kevin), and publishing entrepreneur and Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler.

Oct 11–15

Waxing Lyrical – Thailand The Wax Castle Festival is held at the end of

Opera Outback - Australia The night air will be alive with the dulcet tones of tenors and sopranos in the Australian Outback later this year, with a unique open-air performance with Queensland’s lavasculpted landscape of Undara, 275km west of Cairns, as a natural outdoor amphitheatre.

Guests, who will stay in tents, campervans and caravans, are expected to dress for the event in style. Oct 3-5

the Buddhist Lent to pay homage to the gods and to wish for a happy life. Using beeswax, the local people create moulded Buddhist temples, shrines, and other wonderful wax castles with the best being shown off in a procession for all to see. In addition to the procession, there are boat races and other cultural performances that showcase rural cultural and the spirit of the local inhabitants. All of October.

Wining and Dining – Hong Kong An intoxicating combination of fine wines and culinary delights amid a stunning harbour backdrop landed this four-day Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival on the Forbes Traveler’s top 10 list of international festivals in its inaugural year and it once again offers another memorable gourmet extravaganza, with the usual great wines and culinary creations, wine culture events and superb live entertainment. Oct 31–Nov 3

Movie Nights - Bali

Meat-free - Phuket

The Balinale Film Festival has received official recognition

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival sees local inhabitants of

from the International Federation of Film Producers

Chinese ancestry strictly observing a 10-day vegetarian

means ‘crayfish’ and it’s only fitting that this is

Associations for their contribution to the cause and they

or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and

the location for one of the best seafood festivals

are back stronger than ever in October with their delectable

merit making. Rituals are performed at various shrines and

in the Southern Hemisphere. Seafest is an

line up of great filmmakers, films, documentaries and

temples such as walking barefooted over hot coals and

annual homage to the bounty of the oceans with

shorts to entertain and raise questions, as well as the

ascending ladders with bladed rungs as well as sliding

wine, beer, music, entertainment and all manner

usual workshops and seminars. Oct 4–10

sharp objects through their faces. Oct 5–13

of tasty delights from the land and sea. Do some

Seafood Extravaganza - NZ Kaikoura in New Zealand’s South Island literally

whale watching while you’re there. Oct 5

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A Jumbo Party - Thailand In Thailand the elephant is highly revered and this annual performance by some 100 trained elephants attract crowds from around the world who come to see simulated wild elephant taming, tugs of war, log pulling demonstrations, talent contests, football games and a parade of elephants in medieval warfare kit that display the strength and skill of the animals and their devoted trainers. Nov 17–18

A Night of R&B– Jakarta Alicia Keys will turn the heat on in Indonesia’s capital with her distinctly exceptional singing, great music and fascinating performance as she stages the “Set the world on Fire Tour” Live in Jakarta at the Skenoo Exhibition Hall, Gandaria City Mall. Nov 29

And They’re Racing – Australia The ‘First Tuesday in November’ falls on the fifth of the month this year and the hats, heartaches and fireworks will be out in force for the Melbourne Cup. When a whole city gets a paid day off for a horse race and productivity

What? No Bananas – Thailand Another strange cultural celebration from

grinds to a halt across the rest of the nation, you know it has to be something special. Place your bets! Nov 5

Thailand is the Monkey Buffet Festival held in Lop Buri in the centre of the country. Believed to be descendants of the Hindu god Hanuman, the locals put on a humungous spread of all the foods the monkeys love to eat, (and throw) on the last Sunday of November while the primates gorge and pose for the cameras. With no please or thank you table manners are not to be expected. Nov 25

ABBA-gain - Singapore Definitely a band with a hook in everyone old enough to remember phones with dials attached to the wall. After a sellout season around Australia, the World’s Number 1 ABBA show and most successful tribute band of all time, Bjorn Again will perform at the at Marina Bay Sands for two nights only bringing seventies nostalgia and good times to the masses. Nov 8–9

Cheers To That – New Zealand After a long and brutal winter the Kiwi wine festival circuit gets underway for the summer northeast of Wellington with Toast Martinborough, New Zealand’s Premier Wine, Food and Music Festival. Celebrating 21 years of fun in the sun it brings together the unbeatable combination of premium wines, outstanding food and great music, all within a charming wine village atmosphere. Nov 17

Getting The Hump - India If you don’t like camels then stop reading now.

In November an astonishing 50,000 camels and their owners will converge on the tiny desert town of Pushkar, in Rajasthan, for the annual Pushkar Fair, a fascinating and peculiar event dating back centuries and an insight into an age-old tradition of commerce, religion and simply catching up with old friends you haven’t seen all year. November 9–17

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MÉTIS 4th Anniversary

BITS&PIECES

MÉTIS is celebrating four years at the top of their game and this year’s anniversary party will be bringing the magic and style of Enchanting Arabia to Bali on Saturday, October 19, 2013. As Said Alem said, “It’s time to toast the success of the past four years and look to the future as we move towards 2014.” Starting at 7.30 PM, guests will be pampered by delectable cocktails and canapés before enjoying an exquisite three-course dinner designed

by Executive Chef Arief Wicaksono. Just when you think the night couldn’t be better, the exoticism of Arabia will be presented through spectacular belly dance performances to the theme of Cleopatra’s love story. As the night progresses, the celebration goes on with a DJ set from The Loco Heroes in the MÉTIS beautiful Arabian setting. Be sure to dress in a touch of Arabian finery.

For reservations contact Nina (nina@metisbali.com) or Manda (manda@metisbali.com) or call +62 361 473 888. Tickets for dinner: IDR 1,650,000 net/person. Party Tickets: IDR 250,000 net/person. www.metisbali.com

bits&PIECES

Putting stars in their eyes.

InterContinental Italian

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From the 11th to the 16th of September Michelinstarred Chef Ezio Gritti was in residence at InterContinental Bali’s Bella Cucina restaurant cooking up a storm for guests and VIPs and they sampled the delights of his Italian talents in this most elegant of venues. A consummate professional, Chef Ezio is an ambassador for Italian cuisine with numerous television appearances under his belt and during his time at Bella Cucina, he presented an enticing menu that showed off Italian cuisine with a special emphasis on local produce, and in an unusual twist he brought his personal collection of pure gold and silver pots to cook with as these two elements help with heat conductivity. The meals were also paired with a wide choice of boutique wines from the Bella Cucina’s extensive cellar. It was all in a good cause as well with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Sole Men Foundation Indonesia- something to leave an even better taste in the mouth.

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BITS&PIECES

THE BISTROT

The Bistrot, a fabulously buzzing metro-meets-retro hub of good taste and creative culinary keeps things moving along with the welcome of Chef Frazer Wood. With his vast experience of travel across the globe, most recently cooking up a storm in London and Australia, Frazer is looking forward to continuing the success of The Bistrot, and working with the excellent Bistrot team.

Discreetly situated on Seminyak’s ‘Eat Street’ this restaurant and bar has been conceptualized and lovingly put together by the formidable team of Zohra and Blaise. An impressive wooden air-conditioned, yet high-ceilinged open space, upon entering you immediately feel welcomed and reminded of a New York loft/factory space with a distinct industrial feel. However, the interior furnishings pay homage to the many antiques and artifacts sourced from around the Indonesian archipelago, most being from the couple’s personal collection, and the upstairs bar provides a space that Hemingway would be proud of. Bistrot is original, fun, delicious and well worth a try.

New York Meets Bali

New York’s nightlife godfather, Mark Baker - from Lotus, The Double Seven, Mansion, Buddha Bar fame, and his multi-talented team have opened Bali and Southeast Asia’s hottest new venue on Jalan Oberoi in Seminyak during September. Called Townhouse, it is a five-level, multi-functional venue that includes a gourmet cafe, photo gallery, lounge club, roof garden and organic juice bar.

Mark and his group are widely considered to be among the world’s top nightlife entrepreneurs and they have proven it again with this latest venture. Stylish cool, intimate, with great sounds and New York atmosphere, Townhouse is set to bring Seminyak’s nightlife to a higher level.

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townhouse

The hu’u Villas almost online

For fans of contemporary Seminyak, who enjoy the good life and an opportunity to be part of it, welcome to a unique interpretation of hospitality, the hu’u Villas Seminyak-Bali.

Just a minute’s walk to Petitenget Beach, the hu’u Villas Seminyak Bali is a group of ten individual villas, consisting of one- two- and three- bedroom villas; all with private pools, serene landscaped gardens and plush interiors and exteriors to ensure pure relaxation. Guests and owners of the hu’u Villas Seminyak - Bali have full access to the entire hu’u estate, including the restaurant, bar, club, garden lounge and main pool area. The project is slated to be finished at the end of this year. Contact salesmgr@ huuvillasbali.com. www. huuvillasbali.com

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BITS&PIECES

Lv8 Resort Hotel

Any closer to the water you could touch it Right on the beach in Berawa, Canggu is the new Lv8 Resort featuring a colonial chic façade and ultra-modern interiors, offering much of the Seminyak Bali lifestyle but still far enough away to find a restful and unique holiday. Penthouses and suites with ocean views are available with 124 in total. Lv8 also offers great dining and entertainment options right on the premises with culinary delights at Ning Bar Lounge at the Lobby, enchanting and opulent “Eight” with its classic signature dishes, and why not party a little with world famous entertainers and performers at VUE – the hip and glamorous beach club right next on the beach with an enormous swimming pool. Don’t forget to pamper yourself at the Victus Spa & Wellness with a rejuvenating massage while you are there. A special offer right now till the end of this year is the Honeymooning in Bali package that consists of five nights with a load of extras for US$2013.00. Check www.lv8bali.com for more details.

A Fashionable Commute Those breathing the rarefied air at the top of the fashion industry don’t think by halves and so in early September, at the height of the Bali Fashion Festival, a group of VIPs and media were helicoptered from The Stones Hotel in Legian, venue of the Festival, to the Semara Resort & Spa on the Bukit Cliffs for cocktails and lunch, courtesy of Bali Air. Bali has recently started flights to Gili Trawangan and beyond. Go to www.airbali.com for the full details.

With the birth of the new Singapore Airlines, almost 40 years ago, the ‘Singapore Girl’, dressed in a Malay-style baju kebaya, was an icon of airline advertising worldwide with her gentle smile and incredible grace becoming one of the most powerful marketing tools of any airline in Asia. Yet, as successful and popular as she became it was not without controversy and many branded the campaign as sexist and degrading for Asian woman, who were portrayed as submissive.

Now after four decades the Singapore Girl is leaving the limelight, but not the airline. Singapore Airlines’ efforts to deliver the best travel experience to its customers are still epitomised by the iconic Singapore Girl, but the airline’s new brand campaign “The Lengths We Go To”, focuses more on the passenger’s experience than on the Singapore Girl’s appeal. The airline wants to showcase their unwavering commitment to putting the customer at the heart of everything it does, in all classes of travel. “As the essence of the Singapore Girl and her gentle, caring ways remain especially relevant today, in this ever-changing world it is even more important for service excellence to be the key differentiator,” saysthe airline, explaining the thinking behind the brand campaign. “Making every customer feel at home when they fly with us has always been the cornerstone of our service philosophy.”

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Still a Great Way to Fly The Singapore Girl takes a back seat

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BITS&PIECES

VILLA KUBU SEMINYAK’S JEWEL Villa Kubu welcomes two brand new, stunning additions to its picturesque village. One bedroom Villa 5 represents the highest of standards in both privacy and secluded charm, whilst two bedroom Villa 6 offers a spacious and enchanting retreat for families and friends alike.

One-bedroom Villa 5

N

ew Villa 5’s supreme privacy makes it an ideal oasis for honeymooners or couples looking for an intimate getaway. The bedroom overlooks a sparkling pool, where guests can enjoy a delicious morning breakfast poolside, or a candlelit dinner at night, the bathroom is wonderfully spacious and features a large tub and outdoor rainshower, and the beautifully designed garden provides a stunning backdrop to this quintessentially romantic villa.

Two-bedroom Villa 6 The open plan nature of this two-bedroom villa floods it with light and a sense of space creating the perfect sanctuary for a family or group looking for privacy and a tropical escape.

The bedrooms have large doors opening directly onto the pool and garden, and have beautiful open-air tropical ensuite bathrooms, with stand-alone bathtubs. Sit on the long curved sofa in the open living area, curl up at night and enjoy the views across the pool to the traditional bale, or recline in the air-conditioned media room and watch TV; it’s all about the relaxation. www.villakubu.com

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BALI DINING

The European flavours of

Gastro Deli

P

eople in the Tanah Lot or Canggu area north of Kuta and Seminyak, where options have been quite limited in the culinary world, can now rejoice having a new restaurant/cafe to enjoy, with a tasty menu and in beautiful surroundings. Perfect for sunsets or late breakfasts and lunches, Tanah Lot Gastro Deli has just opened in the Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort.

The outdoor and indoor space has a casual rustic charm, overlooking the Indian Ocean, rice paddy fields and the Greg Norman designed 7th hole of the famous Nirwana Bali Golf Club. The cafe is serving some delicious tapas, organic salads and other morsels from Canadian-born Executive Chef, Bradley Froehlich’s kitchen. He has worked with the Pan Pacific group for many years and recently came from their Perth hotel to oversee the kitchens of Tanah Lot. The Gastro Deli, has a European flare and offers all the typical deli goodies such as cold meats, cheeses, sandwiches, salads and has a great selection of wines. There is also an all-day breakfast menu for late starters. There are two dining areas to

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choose from; inside with air-conditioning or outside on the terrace. The terrace is the most popular spot overlooking the gardens of the resort and the ocean beyond, and at sunset and in the evenings it has a bustling, alfresco atmosphere as hotel guests and visitors take a seat to enjoy the food, wine and conversation.

On a recent visit we tried an array of tapas which filled our table and senses with dishes of calamari Rp40k, mixed satay Rp50k, cheese croquettes Rp50k, baked brie Rp40k, a tasting of sashimi Rp60k, and a citrus salad Rp70k. It was enough for the three of us and everything came out tasty, fresh and on time. A bottle of wine was in order so we chose a 2009 Australian Merlot 550k and proceeded to get into the swing of things.

A visit to Gastro Deli is not only a fantastic opportunity to savour the tastes of the restaurant but also the sights and surroundings of the Nirwana resort; a beautiful worldrenown retreat featuring a 18-hole golf course and spectacular views over the Indian Ocean and Tanah Lot temple. FRV

Gastro Deli Gastro Deli is open every day from 10am to midnight.

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BALI FOOD

Text: Thomas Jones

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F

rom hole-in-the-wall cantinas serving beef tacos and beers, to massive party venues with margaritas and gourmet chimichangas, everywhere you look in Bali at the moment there’s a Mexican restaurant opening up with the regularity of Montezuma’s Revenge after a big night out in Tijuana. With more than 12 at last count and more on the way and you could be forgiven for thinking that Mexico was Bali’s number one tourist market, not Australia. As it turns out, the two are deeply connected, and it’s all linked to a similar culinary explosion that has

taken place over the past few years in eastern Australia, where the high cost of living has created a demand for quality food in quantity and at a good price. Being Bali’s number one source of tourist arrivals, it was just a matter of time before it took off here.

“Mexican is trending globally right now,” says Bob Nicksic, owner and proprietor of Taco Beach Grill, a north-of-the-border tribute to Mexicana on Jalan Kunti. “Mexican food is a late bloomer here, but it’s catching on because of Australia, which makes up a

Mexican food is diverse, it can be light, fresh, complex or subtle. There are a lot of delicious creations that people are trying and loving…it’s overdue really.

Top: The Lacalaca Jalapeno Margarita - not for the faint hearted; Motel Mexicola’s mass of colour and wrought iron by night.

Left: Lacalaca’s bar before the stampede; and Taco Beach’s popular Babi Guling taco.

large proportion of the dining population here.

Australia is an expensive place to live and as people are downscaling their dining budgets they are discovering by default that Mexican can be produced cheaper for the most part than many other forms of dining,” he explains.

Others concur. “People now know that Mexican food is not limited to stodgy fast food creations popularised way back when, but that it offers so much more,” says Will Lovejoy, owner of Lacalaca, an upbeat dining and party venue that really gets rocking when the tequila takes hold. “It’s diverse, it can be light, fresh, complex or subtle. There are a lot of delicious Mexican creations that people are trying and loving…it’s overdue really.”

Lacalaca’s funky design is drawn from the vibrancy of colour found throughout Mexico, with art inspired by The Day of the Dead, a bit of surf and anything else that takes their fancy.

“It’s an informal, intimate cantina serving our FRV Travel l 27

take on classic Mexican dishes and cocktails using only fresh fruits and herbs, and as broad a range of tequilas as we can get in Indonesia…

Oh and we do love a party! You have to try our jalapeño-infused Lacalaca Margarita, it’ll blow your socks off!”

Adrian Reed’s Motel Mexicola on Jalan Kayujati, is a big adventure fair dripping with colour, candle wax and Catholic guilt. It’s like living in someone else’s dream; just someone who doesn’t speak your language. The style is Sixties Acapulco interpreted from Adrian’s head by some clever artists who, as he puts it, “cracked it,” and it’s filled with Mexican street art, long communal tables, booths, three bars, lighting from all colours of the spectrum and more rosaries. There’s more Jesus imagery than you can shake a crucifix at! With two Mexican chefs the food is nothing if not authentic, and through Adrian’s travels and influences, is heavily Caribbean-inspired and served in bite sizes or as massive mains designed to share the love. This is a place to arrive early and lose yourself till closing time. As one American visitor was heard to remark at the bar, “It’s just like going to a party at my friend’s Mexican grandmother’s back yard in L.A. I love it!” FRV 28 l FRV Travel

From top: Riding the wave - Taco Beach’s cheeky Bali-Mex logo; Night time anticipation at Motel

Mexicola; Waxing lyrical at an MM shrine; and Lacalaca in early evening repose.

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