A feast fit for Bali at Hyatt's food fest in Manila

A trip to Manila always promises interest. The city has always been a colorful source for food and culture. The Hyatt Regency Hotel and Casino Manila features both in its Balinese Food Festival, ongoing at Market Cafe until September 8. 

A Balinese live cooking station joins the buffet restaurant’s roster of cooking stations, each featuring a different type of cuisine. “The idea behind the Balinese Food Festival is to bring a new style of food to Market Cafe,” says Executive Chef Josef Miklav.

 

Heading the Balinese Food Festival are Chef Ni Made Sadnyani and Chef Kompyang Wikanta, both from Grand Hyatt Bali, who have prepared a feast fit for Bali, also known as the Island of the Gods. 

A mix of influences

 

Balinese cuisine is a mix of Indonesian, Chinese, and Indian influences. Since the island is predominantly Hindu, pork plays a big part in its cuisine; a big departure from the rest of predominantly Muslim Indonesia. 

There were Indonesian staples such as Gado Gado or mixed vegetables with peanut sauce; Rendang Sapi or braised beef in coconut sauce, and Nasi Goreng or Indonesian fried rice; as well as Balinese specialties like Lawar Kacang or long bean salad, Bebek Menyatnyat or braised duck with Balinese spices, and Babi Kecap or braised pork in soya sauce. 

 

The beef rendang was tender and faintly spicy, perfect with the nasi goreng. The gado gado, a personal favorite, is, to put it very simply, similar to our nilagang gulay except served with peanut sauce instead of bagoong. 

 

There was also a selection of sate, or meat and seafood skewers served with peanut sauce. 

“We have eight different sates on the menu from fish to meat, (all served) with peanut sauce. And they make this rice cake longing, (where) you put rice in a banana leaf and you boil it and the rice expands in there and keeps together. It's very compact, very nice, and goes with the peanut sauce and sate," Chef Josef says. 

 

Of all the sates, I liked the fish and beef the most. The peanut sauce that accompanied them was made fresh, and had complex notes of sweet and spice.

 

Another dish to look out for is the Karee Nangka or young jackfruit curry with eggplant, a rich vegetarian dish. 

 

“I think it’s a very unique dish,” says Chef Josef. I was very excited to try this dish but I couldn’t find it when I was there, giving me an excuse to return to the Food Fest for a round two. —KG, GMA News

 

Market Cafe’s Balinese Food Festival runs until Sunday, September 8 at Hyatt Regency Hotel & Casino Manila, 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. Del Pilar Streets, Manila. For queries and reservations, call (02) 247-8666 or book a reservation online via www.manila.casino.hyatt.com or send an email to cath.mn@hyatt.com.