When you visit Nusa Penida, Bali, you might want to explore the local food. Indonesian foods are commonly known to have a rich taste. It comes from different spices that they used during the cooking process. Ginger, cardamom, bay leaf, nutmeg, and other spices are highly used in Indonesian dishes. For some people, it might not suit their taste buds, but it’s a must-try in Nusa Penida best restaurant. Here’s a list of menus that you can try on your visit to Nusa Penida.
1) Nasi Campur
If you are looking for a big lunch that could refill your energy, you can try Nasi Campur. You can actually find this dish all around Indonesia. The difference is in the content of the dish. Nasi campur is a bowl of rice complete with a variant of a side dish. You could choose from Balado egg, spicy shredded chicken, or even fish satay. You can also eat vegetables sauté or boiled vegetables with coconut spices. It’s a very common food to find around Nusa Penida and you can find this food at any time of day. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner.
2) Tipat Cantok
If you are looking for more vegan-friendly food, then you can try Tipat Cantok. You can eat this at Nusa Penida best restaurant. It is a combination of Indonesian native vegetables. The dish used ketupat as a rice substitute. If you don’t know, ketupat or tipat is a rice cake packed inside a diamond-shaped container. What makes tipat unique is that the container is made from woven palm leaves. It is a handmade process through and through. Tipat Cantok is a great food choice, it is filled with vegetables, such as long beans, basil, and bean sprouts. For the protein intake, you’ll get tofu and tempeh. The dish is then completed with peanut sauce.
3) Fish Satay
Usually, Satay is made from red meat, skewered, and then grilled on top of the charcoal. However, in Nusa Penida, you might find fish satay. And instead of being skewered with a wooden stick, it is wrapped on a stick of lemongrass. The fish satay consists of mackerel fish with a combination of chicken meat. After being wrapped on a stick of lemongrass, it is grilled. The lemongrass gives the satay a unique smell and taste that could make your mouth water. In Nusa Penida best restaurant, satay is served with sambal matah that makes the eating experience fresh as a whole.
4) Pepes
Another fish dish that you can enjoy in Nusa Penida is Pepes. First, the fish is steamed. After that, the fish is seasoned with spices such as turmeric, chili, basil, and lemongrass. After thoroughly seasoned, the fish is wrapped in banana leaf and grilled on charcoal. The combination of the rich spices and the banana leaf gives the fish a very unique taste. Usually, pepes are served with a bowl of hot rice. If you think that the fish will be dry, it’s not. Instead, it’s very juicy and blends well with the seasoning.
5) Jukut-Jukut
Another food that you can enjoy in Nusa Penida best restaurant is Jukut-jukut. It is a traditional food that you could try on your visit to Nusa Penida. It is a soup filled with red beans, corn, moringa leaves, and cassava. Feel the comfort of the food while you’re staying in Nusa Penida. It is a great dish to end your cold night.
These are all the food recommendations that you should try in Nusa Penida best restaurant. Experience a lot of spices in Nusa Penida local food and give yourself a good time eating new things.