Every nook and Crany, Umalas, Bali

Umalas has always been known as one of the greenest parts of the south west coast of Bali. A decade, and many villas later, it has transformed into a cosmopolitan village with an interesting food scene. The latest spot to grab lunch is Nook which overlooks some of the remaining rice fields. Opened on April 2013, Nook is one of those effortless eateries where word of mouth is the only advertising it needs to take off. It’s definitely understandable why the open air restaurant has already gained avid followers. Owned and managed by a Balinese family who loves to cook, it was started as a humble warung. “The initial concept was to have a simple warung where people come and go, but we kept putting all kinds of food that we love into the menu and it sort of evolved from there,” explains the owner, who is as open and warm as the restaurant. The rice fields surrounding Nook are lush and green when we arrive. A few lazy guests are lounging and chatting idly with their companions. Nook is housed in a simple house, dominated by white and green, and is artfully decorated with pretty things made in Bali. It definitely goes well with the surrounding rice fields.

We start our late lunch with a wonderful Strawberry and Feta Salad and Ahi Poki, a tasty raw tuna sashimi salad. Both dishes taste exceptionally well with generous portions. Nasi Campur Special is my main course and it comes in 12 delightful variations of meats and vegetables, truly a feast for the eyes as well as tastebuds. Each component is carefully cooked and tastes well with each other.

My partner has the Currywurst, which is thoughtfully sliced and served with home-made fries and side salad. Indeed, the menu has so many options to cater all tastes. The owner stops by our table when we finish our main course and suggests we close the lunch with a Mango Parfait, a tall glass filled with fresh cubes of mango mixed with yoghurt and topped with crunchy muesli and honey. We spend the rest of our stay in Nook in silence, simply happy to be able to experience a certain stillness despite being not far from the city. The rain starts to drip softly, creating a welcome breezy mist as we leave. “Thanks for coming! Looking forward for your next visit,” calls the owner who is busy setting up a vase full of flowers. Eve

Nook Restaurant | Jl. Umalas | Gg Nook | P +62 813 338 060060 | Open 8am-11pm