I've been reading "The Cult of Customers" for a while, and it's been a wonderful journey. Here in this book, Shep Hyken addresses the most important part of a business: customers, more specifically loyal evangelist customers.

The book explains the process of how one becomes customer to a business, which goes through several stages of cults; and how to achieve that.

It's a useful book for those who runs a business, in a business (practically all of us), or looking to understand how a business could achieve success with it's customers.

For more information visit this link; http://www.cultofthecustomer.com/

A must read. (byms)

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A colleague of mine shares his story during our lunch last week; he's into good food though is not very fond of visiting international restaurants in Bali which specializes in international cuisine, since they tend to serve foods which tastes bland for his taste buds, thus prefer to hunt for local geniuses instead.

One day, when his brother was visiting Bali and they were cruising around Kuta, his brother says that he heard of a "good gado-gado" in Seminyak area, and asked my colleague if he would try it. Seeing where this story will go, this is where I started to chuckles...

Now first thing first; in Indonesian culinary dictionary, gado-gado is a type of salad which consisted of various cooked vegetables, tahu (tofu), boiled eggs, then chopped, and combined with sweet finely grounded peanut sauce. It usually sold on cartwheels, warungs, and are national's favourite. It's usually are cheap, hard to go wrong, thus it's a safe yet delicious choice for all day meal.

So my colleague think it's a good idea and they went both to the Seminyak area, which is nothern Kuta, looking for this "good gado-gado".

When they finally find the place, imagine their surprise upon encountering not a gado-gado warung, but this establishment called "Gado-Gado Restaurant & Bar" which sat by the beach. Still in confusion, but thinking they're there anyway and the sign clearly says "Gado-Gado" so they entered the place.

Only after scouting through the menu they realizes this is not what they're expecting for, since instead of serving good gado-gado, this Gado-Gado restaurant in Seminyak is a fine dining restaurant; a famous one nonetheless hence his brother wasn't completely wrong when he heard that there's a "good gado-gado" in Seminyak.

Needless to say, after enjoying quote "a quite good meal, but with a just decent portion" there, as normally a fine dining restaurant would do, both my colleague and his brother still feels hungry, thus have to visits another eatery (this time a real warung), to satisfy their needs. (byms)

Image from http://www.theislandkey.com

Back in my Jakarta dwelling days when I'm still in the mid 20s, one of the special treat I always look forward to, beside of a sushi dinner at Tengoku, is the "Konro Bakar", or roasted rib in Makassar style at Daeng Tata.

Roasted over the coconut husk charcoal, and poured over with the creamy sweet peanut sauce, the gigantic meat on the gigantic rib bone commands respect from those who eats them.

Though some of my peers favours Karebosi in Kelapa Gading for taste concerns, I found Daeng Tata is still very much enjoyable, and the Kasablanka street, the by pass road which name are made up by mixing words from "Karet, Saharjo, Tebet, Lapangan Ros, Kampung Melayu"; the major areas the street passes, is within short reach from both my office and my home, making Daeng Tata my first preference.

However come to think of it, I realize then that beside of the taste, there is also another unique factor that I don't find anywhere else on eateries alike thus making this eatery unique; the free flow of red syrup and sweet condensed milk to accompany your dessert! Contained in humble plastic bottles, they are simply put on each tables, waiting for the action to happen. Now if you're an Indonesian like me, the "Susu Kental Manis", or sweet condensed milk is something of a treat we've been having since the early childhood; we mixed it with the iced water to create a soothing cold drink on the hot days, or with warm water to create a hot drink to help you recover from flu, pour it on a toast for simple breakfast, or simply just take them as it is; the super sweet thick sticky liquid that makes your brain goes "sweet freeze" upon consuming.

Growing old, the sweet condensed milk is also accompanying us in our everyday life, ranging from the milk coffee in the morning, to the sweet martabak filling for late snack, or poured over the "Pisang Keju" dessert which consisted of chopped roasted banana, topped with crusted roasted peanuts, a thick layer of shredded cheddar cheese, sprinkled with chocolate rice, and bathed with the sweet condensed milk.

There's also a place in Kemayoran area that is famous for serving ll day breakfast of hot sticky rice sprinkled with the steamed coconut grate, and poured over with the sweet condensed milk; a wonderful match.

And seeing its versatility, it's not a surprise then that the sweet condensed milk is also goes well with the famous dessert from the same region of Konro; the Pisang Ijo and Pallu Butung. And to me, the presence of the two free condiments on the table is a sure sign of invitation to the desserts. In fact, most of the times because of those two condiments I ordered the desserts; now that's a clever marketing tactic, for the sweet toothed customers like me.

Sadly now in Bali, and before that in Bandung, from several visits to the local eateries which are serving similar foods, I never found either the red syrup or the sweet condensed milk on the table. Though that the Pisang Ijo and Pallu Butung probably tastes the same, it feels like there's still something missing; its the liberty you have to adds those extra condiments, even though you might feel that is not necessary any more.

So before it becomes a widely practice, those two plastic bottles will always makes Daeng Tata a special place, and the main destination to have Konro Bakar and Sup Konro for me. (byms)

I just had a lunch at Warung Krishna, in Jalan Kutat Lestari, Sanur. Last time I remembered that their Nasi Ayam was quite hot; however now I felt they're just mildly spicy, without even creating the sweaty scalp I usually have upon encountering hot foods.

Have I got my resistance to chilli lowered, due to uncountable encounters with the traditional Balinese food here in Bali? Or have I become a sambal lover like most of Indonesians did?

However, according to Ms. Diah who owns and operates this eateries, the mild spicy taste of their food actually is well met the likes of both foreign tourists and locals, while domestic tourists especially from Java tends to think that their food is too "jamuistic" or jamu alike.

There are three kind o meals served here; Nasi ayam, Tipat ayam, and Bubur ayam; the last one however only serves during mornings for breakfast, while the two others are served throughout the day.

Among all the Nasi Ayam I've tried in Bali, this one has a specific aroma which sets the taste unique, I don't know what but it fits well to the term "jamuistic".

Warung Krishna is also the good example of how a business lasts through only word of mouth promotion alone; nine years in business, no single advertisement ever made on paper or magazine, yet customers are flourished in daily, and they are booked occasionally for large party gathering, or sponsored events. (byms)

My writing on the alternative food choices you can have when exploring Balinese eating scenery; "Alternative Bali Eating Agenda", has been published on the Hotelier Indonesia Magazine No.2 released this month, June 2011

You can get the digital edition online from Scoop Store or from Hotelier Indonesia Magazine website. (byms)

Warung is a term in Indonesian that refers to a commercial type of settlement used for either selling food, daily needs, or other items.

Warung is usually small, informal, casual, and sells limited amount of items. Warung it its original form occupies a permanent construction; though most likely it will be a part of another building, e.g. a house. Warung in a more casual references can also mean a stand alone outdoor semi permanent place.

Warung serving food often functions as a gathering and meeting place for the locals in the neighbourhood; this is how in the older days "Warung Kopi" has become the important part of a society in providing a melting pot and news exchanging (including gossips) station.

Before the coming of internet, warung kopi that opens up until the late hours often serves as the rich ground of creativity and innovation, as students, scholars, artists, and other free thinkers are known to hang out here and discuss about things happening around them, from gossips and hearsays, to a more intricate subjects like religion, philosophy, and politics.

Usage of warung term in modern and more established kind of businesses, are usually intended to create the impression of informality, down to earth, and cheap prices. (byms)

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