DJ Trava

Posts Tagged ‘Ayam Betutu’

“Taman Werdi Budaya?” we asked at the desk of the Hotel Bali Indonesia. The smartly dressed fellow in the powder blue Nehru jacket and ruffled shirt replied in perfect English. He sounded like he was part Texan, part Indonesian. “Well, lemme tell ya..” he drawled, and I could not tell if he was teasing us or not. No matter, we got directions he wrote on what looked like parchment paper from the nineteenth century and we were off to the train. In our room I had  boomed out “I want Malaysian culture and I want it now!” until Suzy told me to calm down and we would ask how to get to what is also known as the Bali art center. Suzy teaches art in high school and goes to art museums wherever she goes, and this trip to Bali was no exception. As it turned out the train let us fifteen minutes form the building, and we walked through the lotus gardens of the wonderful reddish building, heavy and beautifully decorated with Balinese symbolism. It was, well, and exhaustive display of Balinese art, carefully and lovingly displayed. Weaving crafts, work on silver, incredible paintings, and incredible blend of contemporary and traditional works of art. Kim seemed to really dig the digs here.

Later we decided dinner would be in order, and I had done my research, and stopped for Chicken with Balinese Spice, or, Ayam Betutu which is just fun to say, and even more fun to eat. A chicken is boiled with spices and chillies and somehow roasted to a tender, crisp tantalizing skin that was incredible. it came with white polished rice and vegetables. It came out so wonderfully crisp and brown, I immediately suggested that this was a true work of art, worthy to be in the art museum as much as any painting or sculpture!