FEBRUARY 2016 VOLUME 17 NO. 189

www.baliandbeyond.co.id

+ BALI&BEYOND FEBRUARY 2016 1 &DELIGHTS DINE A FINE NEW WORLD UP IN THE HILLS OF UBUD, AMONGST THE LUSH GROUNDS OF THE BLANCO RENAISSANCE MUSEUM, A CULINARY REVOLUTION IS UNDERWAY AT BLANCO PAR MANDIF, A NEW RESTAURANT BY ’S AWARD- WINNING CHEF AND RESTAURATEUR OF THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL TEATRO GASTROTEQUE, MANDIF M. WAROKKA.

This page: Salad bengkuang. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: , Rempeyek, 28 BALI&BEYOND FEBRUARY 2016 Rajungan, . fi rst met Chef Mandif over a haute cuisine reigns the chef’s tasting degustation menu, ranging from fi ve year ago when I interviewed runway at BLANCO. Let’s have a to 13 courses, caters to sophisticated him about the opening of his taste… palates and reads like a delicious second restaurant, BLANCO trip down Chef Mandif’s memory par Mandif in Ubud. I left in CROSSING lane across the archipelago. Iawe of his passion and respect for BOUNDARIES Digging deep into the roots of Indonesian food as well as his grand Beyond the opulent wooden space, Indonesian food for customs and ambition to elevate the cuisine of the bustling open kitchen, the sleek traditions, heart-warming recipes his homeland to a higher level of eight-seater chef’s tasting table and from his childhood are dissected, gastronomic delight. Days after the theatrical culinary inventions, reconstructed and resurrected the hushed opening of BLANCO a nostalgic sentiment lingers in through innovative ideas, where par Mandif in June of 2015, he the air. The highly conceptualized classical culinary techniques meet invited me over for a dinner. Little did I know that I was witnessing an extraordinary culinary renaissance with a signed copy of the menu to take home! BLANCO par Mandif — the name is inspired by the fl amboyant late Spanish artist Antonio Blanco — has boldly served dishes that have never been done by any Indonesian chef or restaurateur. Chef Mandif is an infi nitely fascinating man who sees no distinction between life, food and art. While artful Asian-French fusion fare takes center stage at Teatro Gastroteque, Indonesian heritage

BALI&BEYOND FEBRUARY 2016 29 modern cooking technology and farmers and quality suppliers – with other ingredients is the opening act give birth to elegant plating and the exception of a few inevitable at BLANCO, re-imagined as crispy refi ned fl avors. Boundaries are imports. Everything is meticulously spinach, kale and river eel – bred crossed and palates challenged, made from scratch and brought locally by one of the staff. This and , as we know straight from bountiful nature to the dish is gracefully balanced on a it, is reborn. kitchen table. curious wire sculpture and served Innovations aside, this is also with a side of spicy tomato . where Mother Nature meets haute CULINARY HERITAGE Accompanied by a citrusy Kintamani cuisine. Mandif is so in touch with Eko Putro – BLANCO’s talented cocktail, it makes for a refreshing the earth that he insists on only using and sassy sommelier-cum-General start to a decadent evening. the fi nest seasonal produce ethically Manager with a healthy rebellious Comfort foods are revamped to sourced from local streak — takes beverage pairing up complex modernist gastronomy, but a notch with his fi erce homemade there is no shyness or compromise concoctions and aged cocktails on the fl avors, textures and tastes. matched perfectly to each dish. Rajungan — a dish of humble Rempeyek, a savory, origin — is a hearty of roasted ubiquitous Javanese corn, shredded crabmeat, sweet of deep and lime that is beautifully fried crackers presented in a unique ceramic bowl. made from I have to say, it is best paired with a fl our cool margarita shaken right in front and of you. The next dish that blows my mind is the Cakalang, a famous dish from North Sulawesi that consists of warm dashi poured over silky house-made noodles. A sumptuous broth is painstakingly prepared with Japanese style katsuobushi or skipjack tuna that has gone through a lengthy process of drying, fermenting and smoking. In the hands of Chef Mandif, it is transformed into a delectable delicacy that evokes nostalgia and provokes interest. Of course, don’t forget to try the Sambal , a tangy staple spicy of West Sumatra. It is the sweet starring sauce of the butter poached tiger prawn, complemented FIRST AND PAGE OPPOSITE TOP PHOTOS COURTESY PAGE OF SALIM MELIANA BY OTHERS ALL MANDIF, PAR BLANCO

30 BALI&BEYOND FEBRUARY 2016 Sambal Balado (left), the table setting at BLANCO par Mandif (above), and sommelier Eko in action (right bottom)

with crispy and notoriously stinky made with a and lemongrass petai beans – off-putting to some infused palm sugar reduction. but popular among Indonesians. Truth to be told, this is the best Eko swears by his signature barrel- cendol and wedang jahe I’ve ever aged Negroni to bring out the best had in my life. in this dish. There is soulfulness and an is most certainly not an element of playfulness in Chef afterthought at BLANCO. Cendol, Mandif’s creations. Alongside his has been globally disregarded for traditionally a sweet treat of rice young, equally passionate and too long. His statement is bold, loud fl our, palm sugar, and patriotic super team, he strives and clear. Close your eyes and just green worm-like jelly, is transformed to simply “make people happy” go with it. It’s about time. „ into an exquisite symphony of through his culinary articulation and By Meliana Salim delicate colorful jackfruit and inspire Indonesians to be proud pandan spheres, gourmet pandan of their cuisine. The BLANCO BLANCO par Mandif ice cream, slippery seeds par Mandif experience is a fi ne Jalan Raya Tjampuhan soaked in coconut milk foam and epicurean ride into the future of Museum Blanco Complex, fragrant coconut bubbles fl oating Indonesian cuisine. This is one man’s Ubud, Gianyar harmoniously in wedang jahe – a quest to reclaim national pride (0361) 479-2284 clever twist on the old , through a rich culinary heritage that www.blancoparmandif.com

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