Indonesian Food from Rumari: A Dining You Shouldn’t Miss in Bali
When talking about Southeast Asian food, people seem to know so little about Indonesian food. Some says there are lots of different flavors and styles and it’s very delicious, some thinks Indonesian food is heavily sweet and spicy seasoned. But what is actually an Indonesian cuisine? Chef Gaetan Biesuz who use his memory of Southeast Asian will show you a fine Indonesian food at his restaurant; Rumari.
Despite being born in France, Chef Gaetan Biesuz has spent most of his career discovering and understanding the Southeast Asian ingredients and flavors. He worked in fine dining restaurants in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. And now Chef Gaetan Biesuz is an executive chef at Rumari, Ruffles Bali.
CR: Destinasian
His restaurant, Rumari, is a part of Raffles Hotel. It’s located in Jl. Karang Mas Sejahtera No.1A, near Jimbaran Bay in Bali. The name 'Rumari' means the house of the sun and the full moon. The highlight of the place is the location which is on the top of the hill with large sea views and on the day of full moon, Rumari will have a special event for dinner. You might think this is all, but not yet. They have a secret cave for dinner! A CAVE! How many times have you had your dinner in a cave? Well, for us is never before. Our suggestion is you should try it, it will be a wonderful experience.
CR: Rumari
Another highlight we can’t miss is most of the areas in Raffles are gardens which is why chef Gaetan always gets the freshest ingredients. He usually tries to find the best spot around the Raffles property to grow different ingredients.
Before we begin having a dinner, there will be a hand washing ritual called “Mewacik”, used to be a tradition for royal family. After finishing the ritual, appetizers are served. One that is memorable for our opinion is Rujakl, a fruit salad made with tamarind and put some spiny lobster. With fresh ingredients, you can expect the salad dish to refresh your energy and gain appetite.
Moving to the main, I recommend Beef Rendang. The beef is Tokusen Wagyu beef, then stuffed with stir-fried green eggplant and served with rendang sauce. This traditional dish can’t be missed if you want to know about the Indonesian food.
CR: Rumari
Ever heard of Indonesian dessert? Here we think this one pick our interest the most; Klepon. Klepon is also a traditional dish from Indonesia which is a pandan sweet rice cake balls filled with molten palm sugar and coated in grated coconut. However, Chef Gaetan present it as a pandan coconut ice cream with a caramelized sugar palm inside it.
CR: Rumari
Despite the traditional dishes Chef Gaetan keeps, there are some developments and transformations based on his memories and creativity. How he acquires the ingredients is also a supporting cause to these unique dishes. Not to mention the atmosphere and experience while having a dinner in such a wonderful place. Rumari dining experience will be so much memorable for those who decide to take a trip to Bali.