frangipani bali nasi campur

I like picture menus, it's like the trailer to a movie, the blurb to a book. You can decide from the photos if the food is to your liking before committing to a restaurant.

The trouble with picture menus is the food served is almost always not presented as beautifully and the portions not as big as depicted in the picture menu.

But we knew that, so we always take it with a grain of salt.

Bali nasi campur - Rp 62,000

In this occasion, the picture menu did not gave us any indication what we were in for at Frangipani Bali.

Having had real Balinese food the past few days, the caricature of what they call Balinese food served here is laughable.

The nasi campur just tasted OFF.

Chilli prawns - Rp 85,000

We can blame no one, but ourselves. I mean, what did we expect, going to an “international fusion” restaurant ordering indonesian food, hoping to find some authenticity.

Nasi goreng - Rp 49,000

The spices were not as vibrant, dulled down, perhaps, in an attempt to accommodate the western palate.

We were in Nusa Dua after all, the posh-er end of Bali.

Avocado juice - Rp 24,000

But our downfall I suspect was not the food, but the avocado juice. It wasn’t so much the avocado I’m suspicious of, but the whipped cream adorning it.

At that point, we’ve been in Bali for many days, eating all sorts of things without a hint of any problem. But after our meal at this restaurant, both of us instantly had bowel “problems” that forced us to stay close to a bathroom for the next 24 hours. It was not pretty.

Just goes to show that posh doesn't always mean good. Such is the peril of eating in countries like Indonesia.

Frangipani Bali

Bali Collection, shop A17 #1
BTDC Complex Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua BALI
Open 7 days 11am-10pm