When we talk about affordable Balinese food in Kuala Lumpur, we think generally think about Bumbu Bali, Waterlily or Ole ole Bali. In Bali today, you can eat extremely well, and choose from a variety of national cuisines. Street food in Bali is cheap enough and you would probably have to pay three times for the same quality of food, in any of the world’s major cities. Add to this, for no extra charge, some of the most magnificent dining settings that one could ever imagine, e.g. set against the back drop of some lush Ubud padi fields etc. it really makes one feel like flying straight out to Bali to get one some fried Bebek! Well, one can’t always do what one wants, so in light of not being able to travel to Bali on a whim just to eat my favourite dish, let me say rather, that there is a new Balinese restaurant in town. It’s name is Ori Bumbu.

Start off with the Chef’s recommendation of lovely refreshing Balinese drinks. The Teh Serai and the Air Bandung are great choices to go with your meal. Then pick your mains, from some moderately priced Balinese sets that possess food- enlivening flavorings including palate-stimulating chiles, fragrant coriander, biting garlic, pepper, lemongrass, tamarind, and ginger. At this trendy, casual eatery one should try the Dory fish that is barbecued in pandan leaf as it apparently comes all the way from New Zealand. Also the bebek (deep fried duck) set that is harmoniously paired with lemongrass, and chili sauces that is so super addictive, down to the last bite of crispy skin. The owner has set up shop in Section 17 for a mere 8 days and so, you can imagine that they might still be improving on their menu. However, this place should satisfy that Balinese food craving of yours for now, like it did mine, on this rainy afternoon.

low light ambiance at Ori Bumbu

Just hunky dory! The delicious Dori fish (RM12.90) and in the background , the Teh Serai (RM3) and Air Bandung(RM4)

Did I forget to metion that this place has free wifi..

Bebek goreng Set /Fried Duck set (RM20.90)

Mixed Balinese Platter(RM38.00)

This new Balinese Restaurant, The Waterlily, is just a stones throw from my office in Tropicana.  This place though unique looking in design (well, about as unique as a Balinese restaurant can be) is a franchise and falls under the same group as Ole-Ole Bali and Bumbu Bali. I have not been a fan of either Ole-ole nor Bumbu Bali in the recent years because their food is way too greasy and the taste is sub-par. It never use to be like this in the past. Bumbu Bali started off well, but the quality of their food has since dropped, in the recent years.

For drinks, my colleague ordered the Bubur Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice) which was unusual as this is normally served as dessert. Instead we got an ice-blended version and it made a nice change because the santan (coconut milk)  was fresh and did not have that engineered taste. Refreshing but a little too heavy as a drink accompanying rice .. as we soon found out.

Soto Ayam - I liked this dish a lot. They gave us massive chunks of white chicken breast meat , carrots, potatoes and rice cubes, in a clear, savory broth. Add the herbs on the side and a generous squeeze of lime and you have yourself a delightful dish. This is served with garlic bread.

Sotong Salad.. Another winner just because of the shear amount of Sotong(Squid) they used in the salad. I hope that these massive portions continue throughout their lifespan as a restaurant. With Bumbu Bali, we found that the quality of food dropped substantially after a time. Since waterlily is also a franchise, I hope that they do not follow in those footsteps.

Nasi campur – This was good too. The grilled lamb was mixed in with a generous amount of coriander and served with yellow rice, kangkung belacan (water convolvulus), a delicious ginger dip, chili dip and a crispy wafer (keropok). The plate looked huge, but my colleague said that the portion of rice was actually rather small. Just nice for one person to finish.

Would we come back to this place? Yes, because it is convenient for a working lunch. Whether or not the quality continues, remains to be seen.

Other reviews that I liked on this place:

1. masak-masak

2. TNG