Lombok foods - Day 4

Gosh, how long has this one been hibernating as a draft..??

Yes, still on Lombok foods, believe it or not.

Rice Krispies

I decide to try out a new breakfast set from the resort's Quali restaurant.

The Sunrise set. Ermm... I hope I got that name right.

Pineapple & Banana pancake

Quite delightful, this one. I didn't know pineapples go well with pancakes. Maybe the tangy taste complement the coyingly sweet maple syrup.

Mie Goreng (fried noodles)

Hubby's order. The portion came out to be quite small. Maybe they ran out of noodles....?
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Anyway, after swimming non-stop till noon, we finally decide to ask the hotel to get us a cab. We thought of getting more souvenirs and get some shopping done.

And of course get some lunch.

Here's our lunch and the one and only mall in the WHOLE of Lombok, the Mataram Mall.

The taxi driver had recommended that we head to Dua Em, a restaurant that's almost similar to Taliwang Irama, both in popularity as well as the type of food served.

But hubby wasn't too keen on the fact that it's a bit far from anywhere (just his imagination!)

So we head straight for the lone mall.

I was wondering as to where the heck can I get local food at the mall, amongst the McD and KFC... Until I remembered the restaurant that we chanced upon when wandering around the mall's new wing a couple of days back.

However, when I asked the salesgirl and the surfshop, as to where can I get nice, local food at the mall; she mentioned Mirasa.

We went ahead and found out that Mirasa is actually a confectionery shop. Queer, wasn't it? When I peeked in however, I noticed that they have this small eatery at the back, like it's some kinda' underground business.

But it seemed popular with the locals, though. So popular that it's packed. My hubby naturally, walked away... Le Sigh.

I kept my hopes up, knowing that there's still the restaurant that I spotted previously. And true enough, it is there alright. Phew!


Jus Alpukat (avocado juice)

My fave! High in (good) cholesterol and definitely good for the skin. And great on the tastebuds, too.

Nasi Goreng Jawa

I asked the waiter, what's so Javanese about this fried rice? He simple mentioned that its spicy.

And how is that, 'Javanese'?

Spicy.... I like the sound of that.

Nasi Goreng Spesial (special)

I don't see what's special about this fried rice here. The egg, perhaps? Wow, the fried rice at Jakarta must be really something, then.

errr... what's this? sayur pecel...?

I checked the receipt and it said there: 'Karedok'. Goodness, all of these veggie dishes are similar to the 'Sambal pecel' yet they are called differently.

Reminds me a lot like the famed 'gado-gado'.

Ayam bakar (grilled chicken)

A Javanese myself, I naturally have an affinity for sweet-tasting foods. This chicken grilled in sweet soy sauce marinade was no exception.

We ordered a portion of the fried chicken and a portion of this grilled chicken and yet both portions came similarly. The waiter hurriedly came over with a sheepish look, remarking that the kitchen had made a blunder, but we aren't the type to kick up a fuss so I guess we don't have luck with the fried chicken, I guess.

Chili 1

This one here came with the chicken. Slightly sweet and belachan-less, yet good enough.

'Gurame' bakar

We were up for a fish dish and I suddenly thought of my family's favourite. To keep up with the tradition, I opted for freshwater fish.

There's a choice between the 'Nila' (similar to the Tilapia) or the 'Gurame'.

The Gurame is not only more spicy, but tastier too.

This kinda' dish, is not 100% grilled, actually. I learn from working at an Indonesian restaurant during my school days.

They fry the fish till in very hot oil to crisp the outer layer, then dipped in sauce before actually grilling it. Otherwise, it'll be really difficult to get such a crisp fish.

Sambal Belachan

The sauce that comes with the fish. So spicy that it left me working out a sweat, all teary. But I like!

The food's kinda good actually. Although I know that this one here is a tad pricier than the recommended Mirasa, at least the food is not something regrettable..

Rumah Makan Ikan Cianjur
Level 1 Mataram Mall