A while ago Epicurina received a media invitation to attend the Passion, Love, Life concert at Taman Bhagawan, Tanjung Benoa, Bali. While I'm no big fan of Jazz, my wife is, and it's been a while since she saw a good life Jazz concert so I think it will be worth our time to visit the concert. 

After all I considers Krakatau as one of the biggest music achievement of Indonesia hence it's a pleasure to watch Dwiki Dharmawan live on stage.

On that evening Taman Bhagawan was dressed up nicely with colorful banners, and there were some seating and pillows under the stars. Speaking of experience, they've been organizing one of the biggest Jazz event in Bali: Jazz Market by The Beach, which get a quite good response. 

The Hollywood Reporter recently published that Indonesia will have its own flavour of Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen soon, as ITV Studios Global Entertainment announced the selling of its first deal for the show in Asia, to Indonesian broadcaster SCTV.

SCTV has commissioned 25 of the 60 minute episodes of the show to be aired later this 2014, and it will be hosted by the local chef Juna Rorimpandey, a.k.a. Chef Juna (@JunaRorimpandey), the jury of Indonesian Master Chef, dubbed as "Indonesia's wildest, hell-raising chef" by CNN Travel.

The heavily tattooed, Harley-riding chef Juna will tests both the performance and gut of competing amateur chefs, eliminating them one by one until a champion is born.

Want to take a part? Visit Hell's Kitchen Indonesia to register for an audition.

With Indonesian TV stations practically thrown in every kind of drama possible for the sake of rating though, and Hell's Kitchen has been known worldwide for its dramatic quality, I hope this Indonesian Hell's Kitchen will also provide an educating and entertaining cooking show. (byms)

Source & photo of Hell's Kitchen from The Hollywood Reporter.

Photo of Chef Juna from CNN Travel.

Haute Tea Couture is the theme of a fashion show from Bali's designer Oka Diputra, shown at The Mulia Bali during its Afternoon Tea program.

The Mulia Afternoon Tea

Starting in early 2014, The Mulia offers two different kind of treats for its Afternoon tea: Classic or Indonesian. As you might have already guessed, the classic set offers international selection of snacks and desserts, ranging from the savoury bites like canapés, and the sweets like pies, pudding, and macaron.

The Indonesian selection on the other hand presents the refined version of Indonesian desserts and snacks, like lumpia, lemper, and the delicious Lapis Legit neatly decorated as a blue gift box.

With each set, there are no limitation to what drinks can you order, as The Mulia offers a range of tea and coffee to accompany your afternoon tea.

Thinking of having something energetic, initially I choose Ice Latte to go with my Afternoon Tea. However as the afternoon progress, and the heat of the Balinese sun was becoming more intense, I quickly switched my option to their Iced Tea, and happily sips through glasses of them as the waiter keep offering to refill my empty glass.

Beside of the delicious snack and desserts coming with your set, there are also selections of individual treats circulated around by the server.

Entry to The Cafe Dessert Station

As if those option are not plenty enough, along with any set of Afternoon Tea you order The Mulia offers as compliment, free entry to The Cafe's all you can eat dessert section! If you love desserts, then you better make sure there's plenty of room still available on your tummy, as this dessert station is quite a sweet-tooth heaven.

Standing as the main attraction of the dessert section is their Gelato corner which offers delicious selections of both gelato and sorbet, along with its colourful toppings ranging from jellies, chocolate rice, fruits, nuts, and berries. What's also good beside of the tons of matching possibilities, all of the gelato and sorbet are made in-house at The Cafe, thus its freshness and quality are well maintained.

There's also a dedicated cake and jellies display next door, not to mention various international and traditional snacks available for you to choose.

Haute Tea Couture Fashion Show

The fashion show itself started around 5 pm, where Oka Diputra showcasing his beautiful Haute Couture collection, mostly in black.

As with the fashion show itself, The Mulia's Assistant Communications Manager Kris Mikail Silitonga explained that it will become their regular part of their Afternoon Tea, as naturally the majority of guests for their Afternoon tea are women.

If you're planning to try out The Mulia's Afternoon Tea, I'd strongly suggest to dress down, as the seating area are facing directly to the West, hence you'll experience the afternoon Balinese sun in its full intensity.

Thank you The Mulia for introducing Epicurina readers to your sumptuous Afternoon Tea. (byms)

The Bar at The Mulia Bali

The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas - Nusa Dua, Bali

Jl. Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, Kawasan Sawangan,
Nusa Dua 80363, Bali, Indonesia
T: (62-361) 3017777

Other Photos:

It was not until a close attention to the trailers shown on TV, I discovered that Pak Bondan (Bondan Winarno) is now promoting a new catchphrase "Indonesian food is dangerously delicious" on his new food show "Taste of Indonesia" aired on AFC (Asian Food Channel) TV, starting November 2011.

So the big question is, is Indonesian food really dangerous, and why?

Well it is, since the risk of addiction is really high! as Pak Bondan replied himself on his Twitter account:

"Sbg warning box, krn akibatkan kecanduan" ("As a warning box, since it causes addiction").

Though Indonesian food is not everyone's dish, and still fairly less known compared to the food from its neighbouring countries, i.e.: Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, but those that has come to know about Indonesian food usually have one or two favourites -- at least.

Among the dishes foodies enjoyed the most, are Sate Ayam Madura, and Rendang Padang. While the first is an Indonesian BBQ made with skewered chicken chunks, marinated lightly in Indonesian sweet soy and peanut sauce and then grilled; the later is a "West Sumatran caramelized beef curry" to borrow the words of another Indonesian culinary expert, William Wongso. Just like Pak Bondan, Pak William can also be reached through his Twitter account.

The other obvious almost ubiquitous Indonesian dish is Gado-Gado Jakarta; Indonesian salad made with fresh vegetables, chopped tempe, tahu, potato cubes, boiled egg, and dressed heavily in a mixture of peanut sauce. For a heavier meal it usually includes lontong, i.e.: the rice cakes, and for a more succulent dressing some vendors added cashew nuts to the mixture as well.

Another favourite dish usually served in Indonesian food restaurants abroad is Nasi Campur; a dish that's very closely resembling the day to day eats in Indonesia: a steamed rice with various accompanying dishes, usually in the formula of protein + vegetables + sambal. Rendang Padang seems to be the favourite choice for protein, along with Telur Balado (Boiled egg in spicy hot seasoning). Other choices you might find are tempeh (soybean cake) and tahu (Indonesian tofu). Indonesian sambal is the national's pride; it takes so many different form and variations but that's the beauty of it: you get to taste so many varieties yet they are all dangerously delicious. The most common form of Indonesian Sambal usually consisting of red chillies, tomato, shallots, and seasoned with terasi: Indonesian shrimp paste. Be cautious though that in its natural setting, sambal are extremely, if not volcanic, hot.

As about the slogan "Indonesian food is dangerously delicious", it is strongly related with "Indonesia. Dangerously beautiful" slogan which was invented and popularized by Iwan Esjepe from "Indonesia Bertindak", in response to the travel warning issued by northern American countries and European as well some years ago.

“Several countries have issued travel warnings not to visit Indonesia. It's now your time to make a statement that Indonesia is too beautiful to be passed” wrote Iwan in his website.

So, have you find out how dangerous Indonesian Food is? Visit an Indonesian Restaurant around you and decide for yourself. (byms)

Indonesian celebrity chef, Farah Quinn, will appear on AFC (Asian Food Channel) on the show "Ala Chef". Originally shown on national television Trans TV, the show will be aired three times a week for the premier week.