Foodie in Bali

Missing Bali and one of my favourite restaurants, Merah Putih. This sharing plate came bearing succulent king prawn, sea bream woku (an Indonesian spice mixture) and basil leaves – they are bathed in a shower of aromatic yellow curry that sings with notes of rich coconut milk.

Can't believe a month has already passed since I was in Bali. Am now reminiscing about all the food I savoured then, while counting down to all the goodies I'm aiming to stuff my face with in Paris and London next month.

These green tea churros, served with salted dulce de leche (caramelised milk) were sadly far too crispy, lacking that gooey interior that I look forward to in any churro. Despite that, The Fat Turtle remains one of my favourite cafes to chill at – just stick to their savoury items and pancakes!

It seems that the Babi Guling here is more popular, but I preferred this chicken dish, which is also a specialty of Merah Putih's. The one-dish meal has tender shreds of braised chicken, roasted peanuts, quail eggs, peanut crackers, and sambal bongkot (Balinese torch ginger sambal) – the spicy gravy is utterly lipsmacking and so satisfying when wolfed down with spoonfuls of rice.

Tasty and hearty, this definitely ranks among the top 3 meals I had in Bali, ever.

It seems desserts aren't quite a forte in Balinese restaurants in general, but if you have to have one, this would be your best bet.

The pudding is dense and smooth, providing a slight resistance as you sink your teeth in it; the flavour has depth, but isn't too sweet, its caramelly richness tempered nicely with the icy coffee granita. The buttery avocado ice cream is a nice touch, adding a fresh pop of colour.

If you're in Bali, it's the last three days for you to try this limited-time-only creation, comprising stubby pillars of watermelon and lychee pieces between pancakes, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream perched on top. The fruit on the lower deck are smothered in a subtle rosewater cream, while crunchy elements of meringue and almond crumbs are scattered around the centerpiece.

Load up on these criss-cut fries – grid-patterned things that are fried perfectly crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy inside – which come loaded with scrumptious clumps of pulled pork, grilled Mexican white cheese, sliced jalapeño and spicy chipotle mayo. That's a whole load of fingerlickin' goodness right there, a must-have if you're in Bali.

Throwback to Bali (again) with one of my all-time favourites at Sarong – plump crabmeat dumplings sitting in a luxurious broth streaked with coconut milk. The thick bisque is absolutely divine, whether savoured on its own or soaked into rice.

My method of trying not to miss Bali: think about the food that I DIDN'T like.

Case in point: this lobster roll, which is also proof that you get what you pay for. At $15, there was hardly any crustacean meat; whatever little there was, was lost in the sea of chopped tomatoes and celery tossed in garlic mayo, smushed between walls of toasted brioche.

Now that I got that off my chest, I feel a bit better 😌 Goodnight, friends.

Caramelised this and banana that. Lots of sweet, dense, sticky, pillowy things on a plate. I like.

Desserts here at Merah Putih are less refined than the savoury items, but at about S$4.50 each, I'm really not complaining.

This was my favourite – Borneo honey ice cream "spilling" out of a ginger tuille cone, onto a bed of buttery crumble, next to a dollop of chocolate ganache. Hidden inside the ice cream cone – almost like a Cornetto – is a core of chocolate ice cream. I thought the tuille could have been thinner and more delicate, but that's about the only imperfection I can nitpick on.

One week ago at this time, I'd just landed in Bali, mere hours away from tucking into this slab of fatty pork belly. The slow-cooked meat was meltingly tender and succulent, but was let down by a chewy skin that wasn't crisped up enough. The Asian slaw on the side was nice and bright, though it could have done with a spark more acidity and chilli.

Unfortunately, the choux was no match for Singapore's merciless humidity and turned soggy. But none of the moussey fillings disappointed – I love how the cavity of every sphere of pastry is piped to the brim.

The pistachio and salted caramel are my picks!