If you’re looking for an authentic Indonesian meal in a pretty cool setting, Bale Udang is what you’re after.
Located on the Jl Nakula 2 across the highway from the other Jl Nakula, Bale Udang isn’t only an amazing shrimp restaurant, it’s a Sundanese gastronimical adventure. Orginally called Ma Enking, the restaurant has a very unique look and is a great place to enjoy traditional Indonesian cuisine in a very cool setting.
The very first impression that you get from Bale Udang is that this is a very different place. The restaurant’s cenerpiece is a giant fish pond filled with fish which is surrounded by bale’s that hover over the water on stilts. The bales are entirely above water which make for a pretty cool experience of watching fish swim all around you. You can even score some fish food and watch a full on fish frenzy in the pond.
Despite it’s name, Bale Udang has way more than just shrimp with a huge variety of Sundanese dishes printed in a fabulous picture menu that makes choosing food a breeze. Waiting staff either go directly to your bale or the more traditional main dining room located at the center of the restaurant. Family style dining is recommended at Bale Udang with a plethora of dishes seemingly designed for sharing. It’s a great place to bring an out of town guest to showcase traditional Indonesian food with a cool wow factor in that your dining space is over water.
We tried a bunch of items from their specials menu which is available through to the end of the year. First off we had the Udang Bakar Kemangi (100k) which is deep fried skewered shrimp slathered in chilli and honey sauce. If you’re into shrimp skin, it’ll be a delightfully crunchy experience and you’ll get the most of that sweet and spicy flavor. Another dish we had from their specials menu was the Ayam Panggang Sambal Matah (90k) which was grilled whole chicken with a ton of shallots and chili on oil (smabal matah) on top. The chickens spice and herb marinade was solid and if you like that onion/shallot taste, this is your dish.
One the most pleasing things on the menu was the Gurame Goreng Terbang (90k). Despite the menu saying that the fish is carp in the English translation, we can assure you that it is not. It’s actually gourami fish which they have mistranslated. The gourami was brilliantly fileted and deep fried in a way that made the flesh easily pulled from the bone in satisfyingly big chunks. The fish is arranged vertically which gives it a cool look.
Another great gourami dish is the Pepes Gurame (75k) which is the entire fish cooked in a banana leaf mixed with all sorts of herbs and spices. It’s cooked to an almost dumpling like consistancy which can be described as extremely soft with the loss of the flaking quality associated with the fish.
As for beverages, we tried their Ubud Avocado Float (25k) which was totally decadent. Avocado juice topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, it was delish. We drank the Segar Dinging (25k) from their specials menu mentioned earlier. It was herbal ice tea mixed with sprite and it was actually surprisingly tasty and refreshing. Another great beverage to top off the meal was the Bajigur (15k) which was a hot herbal tea of sorts with coconut milk, palm sugar and a hint of ginger.
All in all, Bale Udang is one of those places that if you found it yourself, you’d be proud of discovering this somewhat hidden gem on Nakula 2. But since you’re reading this, you heard it from us. So kudos to us for publishing this and Bale Udang for being delicious.
BALE UDANG
Jl. Nakula 88, Kuta
T. 8947119
www.baleudang.com
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