This hungry traveller is thankful that there are takeaway options around Auckland that take me right back to a few of my favourite food destinations around the world.
In Ubud, Bali, the smell of food grilling over charcoal permeates the night air. The region's famous Bebek Bengil (affectionately known as the "Dirty Duck Diner") is the inspiration behind the bebek tengil on the menu at Ponsonby restaurant Bali Nights (4 Williamson Ave, Ponsonby). A quarter duck (In Bali it's a half duck, but Kiwi ducks are fat and healthy so even a quarter is huge, explains co-owner Adriana Ferdian) is marinated, fried till crisp, and served with a side of sayur urap, fried tofu and sambal matah. "It's scary recreating a dish that's been loved for generations, but we've been told our version is super close to the Ubud OG".
A favourite late-night snack of ours when staying in the Ubud village of Penestanan are the petite chicken skewers which vendors cook on the roadside – we'd order them by the dozen, smothered in spicy peanut sauce and wrapped up in brown paper. Bali Nights' version hits all the right notes. The chicken starts out marinating in kecap manis and a "mother sauce" which is chef Wawan's secret family recipe, and is then, as Adriana describes "Grilled to smoky perfection". If you've travelled further afield in Indonesia there's more than only Balinese specialities on the menu to spark memories. The restaurant is owned by three young Indonesian couples, who "Feel a responsibility to our country to help educate the masses on the wonders and the variety of Indonesian food", says Adriana. "A majority of our menu is "Nusantara" food (from the sanskrit nusa – island, and antara - in between, or including): so, hero dishes from different parts of Indonesia."
