Week 1 in Bali: Food Review

Are you nervous about the new food? Same! Do you consider yourself a "picky" eater? Same! After spending a week in Bali, Indonesia, and not being sure what to expect, I can tell you that it will be okay! I've always been a pretty picky eater and have struggled to try new things because I feel like I won't like them. Before I came to Bali, I knew that this was a concern of mine, so I made sure to come with an open mind and a few strategies. 

When I first arrived in Bali, I stayed in a place called Sanur. Sanur is a city located right by the beach. I wasn't sure what to expect, but for my very first meal and a few meals afterward, I tried something new! For lunch, I tried this soup that had chicken, egg, sprouts, and glass noodles. I have only ever tried ramen once which was the most similar dish that I could think of. I was nervous to try this dish, but I asked the staff to explain what would be in this soup. Tip #1 - when trying something new, ask what ingredients the dish comes with and use your best judgment to determine if you think you'll like it. I knew that I liked the ingredients that this soup was made from, so I decided to give it a try. I loved it! 

The next dish that I tried was from a restaurant called Soul on the Beach. Many friends who had previously eaten at this place recommended this dish, Nasi Campur. I was thinking of getting a burger, but I came to the conclusion that I wanted to keep trying new things. These were Balinese dishes that I could only get here. I could get a burger literally anytime back in the U.S. Nasi Campur is a Balinese Style Plate with Coconut Rice, Sayur Urap, Fried Tempe, Tofu, Chicken Satay, and more. I had never tried some of the food that came on this plate, so I knew that there would be a chance that I wouldn't like something. So here is what I did. Tip #2 - If a friend has already tried something, ask them what it tastes like. If their description seems to be something you think you won't like, then don't try it. If you want to try it, take a small bite and have a glass of water or some sort of drink ready in case you don't like it. You'll forget that you even tried it within a few minutes. I took a bite of everything and realized what I liked and didn't like. I made sure that this plate had a few things that I knew I liked like rice and chicken so I would be full and well-fed.  

After a few days of eating Balinese food, I realized that I was getting a bit tired of it. I proceeded to look up places that had pasta, pizza, burgers, etc., and was surprised to realize that there were a lot of places that had these dishes. Tip #3 - Google! Use the internet to look up restaurants and what type of food they sell. Sometimes comfort food is needed. You may be surprised by the variety they have. I chose to get a traditional burger with fries in Ubud. Ubud is a different city than Sanur and has a lot of tourists. The burger was delicious and was definitely comforting. An important thing I realized was that even though Bali is a new place, there will definitely be something I enjoy. 

Overall, I have been doing a much better job trying new foods and being open-minded. I hope these tips help! 

By: Carolina Lopez