Doppio is Dope, yo!

I keep coming back to Doppio Cafe for a good peaceful me time. Although the music they play is far from being quiet, depends on the mood but they tend to play classic oldies a lot, but the atmosphere here at this petite cafe is very enjoyable. Located at this particularly small alley at Jalan Kartika, Kuta, Doppio Cafe is the place to go for you early-birds who enjoy a good cup of Flat White and a hearty plate of Italian Classic Chicken Sandwich for breakfast. 

I’m a big fan of its’s Flat White. It came in two sizes, small and large, and I usually go for the small because it fulfills my daily need of caffeine just fine. The milk and coffee ratio is just on point and the flavor maintains from time to time; medium body, dominated with bitterness, with just a hint of acidity just like how I love my coffee to be. 

I can’t eat much during mornings because I can easily feel bloated from all the food intake, so my go to is usually the Smoothie Bowl. Once, I had me the Morning Delight, and on another day I tried to get a spoonful of the Organic Detox. Both are equally delightful and very refreshing. The texture of the smoothie bowl is not the least bit runny, yet not that solid either. Topped with colorful toppings, like pumpkin seeds, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, shredded coconut, and granola, this baby will definitely fill your stomach as quick as a snap of finger. 

When you feel like having something a bit heavy for lunch, you can always go for the sandwiches and wraps. They also have burgers for all of you burger lovers out there. 

One afternoon, after spending more than four hours at the cafe working on my writings, I got hungry and decided to order myself a nice meal. I went for the Italian Classic Chicken Wrap. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding and what served was a sandwich instead of a wrap. I was disappointed, really, but the waitress quickly composed the whole situation properly and offer me a swap. Of course I declined because, if I comply with her offer, the sandwich would probably be thrown away and I was not in the mood to be a bitch. So, I settled with the sandwich. 

To my surprise, the sandwich was very delicious! They used toasted sour dough to sandwiched my tier of chicken breast, cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and it was a nice change of air. I do enjoy a good sourdough, with all its’ chewy and crunchy texture, and the combination of all the ingredient used to make my dish worked well with each other. 

I didn’t take any pictures of my sandwich because, at that time, I was too disappointed to even approve the whole dish. Eventually, I ate all of it and made peace as it tasted so damn good!

Most of the people who visit Doppio Cafe are foreigners. On one particular day, I was the only local who dine in at the cafe. I was expecting a bad service, since most of the cafes here in Bali serve international tourists way friendlier than local tourists, but I was stand corrected. The waiters and waitress here at Doppio Cafe are friendly to all of their customers. Even the owner, who is not a local, sometimes lend a hand to handle the customers. 

The price range of the food and beverages is somewhat budget-friendly. You can get a nice cup of coffee for less than Rp30.000,00 depends on the type of coffee you order and the food here tasted as good as the price itself. Totally recommended for a good productive time!

Doppio Cafe Bali

Jalan Kartika, No. 18

Across Get Inked at Bali Ink

Kuta, Kabupaten Badung

Bali 80361

Opening Hours:

MON - SUN: 8AM - 6PM

Contact:

+61 400 262 462

Instagram

Website

Santi's Cake's Spiku Kenari

Just as I got home, there was the mail man with a big box just in front of my house. I took a quick glance and spotted the word “makanan”, which is “food” in English. I was expecting for a delivery, either today or tomorrow, and turned out my package was delivered today. “Is it for Kinan,” I asked the mail man. He nodded and handed me the big box that had stickers on it that said, “URGENT” and “FOOD. DO NOT FLIP”. I went inside the house, excitedly opened the box, and was welcomed with two boxes of Santi’s Cake Spiku Kenari, woohoo! 

Urgent delivery for Kinan!

Choose the size of your liking.

Quality check is a must!

Just how on earth shouldn't I be excited.

So, last week, the owner of Santi’s Cake, who goes by the name David, reached out to me and said that he wanted to send me his homemade Spiku. Spiku (most Indonesian are more familiar with the term Spikoe, or Lapis Surabaya) is actually derived from an Indonesian-Dutch dessert named Spekkoek. Although the two are somewhat different from one another, the basic method of baking the cake is pretty similar, which is baking stacks of layered batter. While Spekkoek, or Kue Lapis Legit, has numerous layers and consists of Indonesian spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg, Spiku has only two to three layers of cake and is made entirely of cake batter and natural food coloring, like cocoa powder. 

Mom holding the entire cake effortlessly. 

Walnuts galore!

Just a slice away and I couldn't wait any longer.

David might did some alteration to his cake by adding a dash of modernity because his Spiku Kenari has no layers. It’s just a large, yet light and fluffy, cake with a sprinkle of diced walnuts. (Now, the walnuts we have in Indonesia are much different than those walnuts you see on Tv. I may be wrong, because the two, when translated to Indonesian, are both “kacang kenari”, so I apologize in advance if I gave the wrong information. Do enlightenment on this subject!) It is very thick, but I bullshit you not about how light it was. Mom and I got to try lift one of the cakes, which was the big one, with each of our hands and we both agreed that the cake is far from heavy. I don’t think it even weights a kilo! 

Look at that cross-section!

Doesn't it reminds you of a sunflower?

Mom took the liberty of slicing the cake. She didn’t need any effort to ram the knive into the cake as it was very fluffy and moist. With one quick move, she managed to slice the cake evenly. No crumbs, no cracks, just a perfect cross-section of it, and boy was it beautiful. The brown surface of the cake hid a beautiful perfect yellow cake inside. I love how the color combination reminded me so much of a beautiful sunflower.  

It was a full house today, my aunty and my cousins were at home, so the five of use got to try a slice of the cake each. The first thing that popped in each of our heads was the same: fluffy. The cake was very fluffy and fairly moist. At first glance, I thought the cake would be dry, yet I stand corrected after my first bite. The texture reminded us of how a sponge cake should be, yet it was more moist and more dense. On the other hand, it was not as heavy, nor as solid, as a Lapis Surabaya. So, in terms of texture, it goes without saying that it ranks above sponge cake, yet below Lapis Surabaya. 

Another slice 'cause one will never be enough.

Hello, beautiful!

The sweet flavor is not sickening, although we could hint the piquant vanilla essence that dominated the whole flavor wheel. I assume no spices were used in the making of this cake because there was no significant kick of nutmeg, nor cardamom, whatsoever. Unfortunately, I’m no fan of walnut, so I did no justice in distinguishing its’ role in the cake. To me, walnuts taste bland. Period. But, I do love to have a different crunchy and chewy texture to chew on in between my cake, so it was good nonetheless. 

The color combination fulfill my aesthetic needs.

Don't you just want to have a bite of this Spiku Kenari?

The cake was probably sent all the way from Surabaya yesterday and it landed safely at Bekasi today, and the fact that it arrived safely intact and still have a good quality to it awes me. 

For those of you who live in Surabaya and Denpasar, or other cities in Indonesia, and want to get a bite of this cake, y’all can head straight to Santi’s Cake Instagram to obtain the information you needed on how to order this cake. It’s time to give modernity a shot! 

Dig in!

Santi's Cake

Available for online order

Contact:

Surabaya: +62 815 5211 1800, or +62 812 3262 767

Denpasar: +62 819 9906 5826

Instagram 

Website

Something Before the Drink

I continued to roam the alley of Poppies for a nice and aesthetic coffee place until I stumbled upon this hidden cafe named Crumb & Caster. Located on the side of a narrow street in Poppies alley, I didn’t have to think twice to park my tired ass on one of the outdoor seating as the scorching sun was tiring me to the bones. I was sweating like a goat during a Qurbani! The heat was excruciating, but that didn’t stop me from getting a nice cup of Flat White. 

I flopped at a table for two outside, accompanied with my laptop, a pack of Marlboro Ice Burst, and my Flat White that took around ten minutes to be served. The coffee was nice and creamy, just the right amount of milk and espresso to not make my fingers tremble as the result of caffeine overload. It was hot, but still enjoyable. And you know what can make my afternoon coffee more delightful? Is to have you sitting across me. 

Right across Crumb & Coasted is this aesthetic dining place named Paperboy. “Smoothie, but first, coffee,” was what written on the sign parked near the entrance. The outdoor seating of Paperboy was painted in pastel and tropical colors, just like paradise. The moment I finished my coffee, I grabbed all of my stuff and moved myself across the street. 

I hadn’t have lunch, so I decided to go for something that would be rather fulfilling, the Tuna Hawaiian Poke Bowl and a big glass of Bay Breeze that consists of blended cucumber, kale, apple, orange, and mint. 

My Tuna Hawaiian Poke Bowl was okay to say the least. The tuna was marinated with a generous amount of sauce that tasted sweet, yet savory. The drizzle of sesame seed on top brought out this smoky flavor onto the dish, while the other veggies were very plump and juicy. I enjoyed my lunch while reading an article about the amazing Ramengvrl on this very aesthetic magazine that was provided by the dinning place. Its’ name escapes me. I ended up spending hours at this place, despite the lousy service from the waiters towards locals, before I finally headed to the beach and got dead drunk. 

Paperboy

Jalan Benesari, No. 2

Kuta, Bali

Opening Hours:

MON - SUN: 7AM - 11PM

Instagram

Crumb & Coaster

Jalan Benesari No. 2E

Opening Hours:

MON - SUN: 10AM - 10PM

Contact:

+62 819 9959 6319

Instagram

The Burger Cartel, Ubud

Today’s lunch was burgers, woot! Dad was in the mood for some burgers and I decided to go along with his cravings, even though I didn’t feel like having carbs. We searched for a proper burger place in Ubud on Zomato and it leaded us with two choices: Halal Ubud Burger, and the Burger Cartel. It didn’t take long for us to decide which burger joint we want to visit. Can you guess?

Welcome to the Burger Cartel!

Oh, I'm satisfied alright! 

Yep, the Burger Cartel! Managed by the dynamic duo, Ricard and Koco, this restaurant is going places! Despite the fact of it being a newcomer in Ubud by being open for business for only three months, the Burger Cartel is currently climbing the ladder of success. The cozy and aesthetic interior design of the restaurant sure does attract a lot of visitors, both local and international, with its’ warm, yet vibrant tropical colors. Decorated with real and synthetic plants, the Burger Cartel managed to bring out the holiday spirit and positive vibe of Bali. 

The beautiful decoration of synthetic plants above our heads.

I'd spend hours at this place just for chilling.

If you're in the mood for some booz, head straight to the bar. 

I had a quick chat with one of the waitress who was serving us today, Mbok Pita, who patiently explained to us about the set of dishes they serve at the Burger Cartel as well about the restaurant itself. I love the way she treated us locals with friendly and polite manner, along with a smile that never seemed to fade away from the moment we stepped into the restaurant until the moment we left. After a wee while of scanning through the menu, Dad decided to go for a well-done Cartel Burger, while I settled with a medium-well Moody Meat Burger.

Lunch is served!

The crispy potato wedges that was plain delectable. 

It took a while for our burgers to be served, I managed to light around three cigarettes and finished half of my drink, but, I bullshit you not, the waiting is totally worth it. Mbok Pita came with both of our burgers, each stacked beautifully in this breakfast tray. My first impression on Dad’s burger was not that good as it looked a bit plain and pale. But, then, I saw mine. Good Lord. I had this momentary rush of excitement and happiness and I knew nothing can go wrong with this burger just judging from the look it self. I mean, look at it! Look at this beautiful baby!

Both burgers came with a bucket of crispy potato wedges, along with mayonnaise and ketchup on the side. The ketchup caught my attention as its’ presentation doesn’t look like the usual ketchup I had in any other restaurants, you know the one that came from the bottle and is manufactured in Indonesia, but it looked more like a homemade bolognese sauce or some kind? The texture of the ketchup really did remind me of how bolognese sauce looks like, and it taste slightly similar too! It had this sweetness of a tomato, yet a slight spicy kick into it. I am not against this sauce at all. 

My burger was big, but I didn't feel like sharing it.

My Moody Meat Burger is basically a humongous skewer of stuff. It consisted of pickled cucumber, sautéed mushroom, caramelized onion, a medium-well black angus beef, tomato slices, fresh onion, a slab of Old Amsterdam Cheese, two slices of home-dried bacon, and a handful of crisp rocket lettuce sandwiched in between bagel-like buns in which its’ inner part was smeared with mustard mayonnaise sauce. So breathtaking. 

Like always, I usually deconstruct my burger before devouring it. I couldn’t finish both buns in one go, so I took away the top part for take-away later. For the first bite, I stuff a bit of everything in my mouth barehanded. No fork, nor knife, just hands. Chomp chomp chomp! “Oh God, is this for real,” I thought to myself, “this is epic!”. 

Dad's Burger Cartel.

Boy, look at that melted cheese!

The meat, guys oh my God the meat, was very juicy! The seasoning used on the meat was on point as it had this umami kick that was just plain satisfying. The flavor combination from the meat and the sautéed mushroom was superb, followed by the crispy and savory bacons and the rich melted cheese that sticked on the beef patty like stamps on postcards. 

Now, I know how every main star can shine on their own, but sometimes they shine because of their supporting cast, in this case the onion rings. I don’t think I have ever seen such beautiful onion rings before in my life. The ones they serve at the Burger Cartel was thickly well-battered and very very crispy. There was a dash of black pepper on the deep fried batter and some chopped green inside, which made it not tasteless. Very enjoyable and delicious, and it brought the whole burger to a whole new level of deliciousness. 

Oh, and also, shout out to the buns as they were very delicious to be munched on itself! The texture of the bread was fluffy, yet chewy and very dense, like the texture of a bagel. Although it was a bit heavy, just eating one part of the bun itself already made me feel stuffed, but it was very enjoyable. It had this slight sweetness in every bite, which I love!

The thirst-quenching freshly squeezed orange juice, with no added anything.

It didn’t take long for Dad and I to finish our meal. 15 minutes tops. For the whole time when we had our first munch on our burgers, we focussed ourselves in devouring and enjoying our dish as if we hadn’t had any proper food for the past couple of days. After we were done with our meal, we finished it off with a couple of cigarettes and some final sips of our freshly squeezed orange juice. 

Care to join the challenge?

The Burger Cartel

Jalan Raya Pengosekan, No. 108

Ubud, Bali - 80571

Opening Hours: 

SUN - THU: 11 AM - 11 PM

FRI - SAT: 11AM - 11:45 PM

Contact:

+62 812 9586 5347

Instagram

Gluten-free Penne Bolognese

Gluten-free Penne Bolognese

Ingredients:

- gluten-free pasta (chose your pasta according to your preference. I was in the mood for some penne pasta today, so I settled with that baby)

- bolognese sauce (I got the one in a jar. I chose the one that has less preservatives, which is San Remo's Homestyle Pasta Sauce)

- minced beef

- pork sausage 

- 3 cloves of garlic

- water

How to Make: 

1. Boil your pasta with a boiling pan. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta gets into the texture that you like. I like mine al dente. 

2. Chop up some garlic, as well as the sausage, and fry them on a separate frying pan. Fry them sausages first because you don't want your garlic to be burnt from being fried too long.

3. When your sausage has changed its' color into brownish dark grey, put in the minced beef and fry 'em up nicely. 

4. When everything is well-fried, pour the bolognese sauce onto the frying pan, add some water, and stir well. I don't like runny sauce, so I only poured a bit of water and let the whole thing simmer until it thickens. 

5. Last, but not least, pour your al dente pasta onto the frying pan and mix until the whole thing gets covered by the meaty sauce. 

6. Y'all can add some garnish as you like. I added some gluten-free tortilla chips and some local chili flakes for that extra kick of spiciness.