The Dirty Duck of Ubud #3 – We Luv.

We walked to the back enticed by the luscious green padi rippling in the breeze. The darker green of older plants was split by a path. This contrasted beautifully with the lighter green of younger shoots in the distance. All these were framed by tall coconut trees against a bright blue sky with spotted low hanging clouds.

To add to the effect is a stoned fisherman who is happy just to fish, not worrying about catching anything.

A well endowed woman seated so comfortably that the weight on her head seemed as light as a headdress.

This pot of lotus perfectly in place among the padi.

Who could resist walking down this path to the inviting scene?

This was the view when I looked back to the restaurant which looked more like chalets.

No where in the world had I come across a modern restaurant with a back view like this.

To be continued.....

The Dirty Duck of Ubud #2 – We Came, We Saw.

The streets of Ubud are very narrow with no place to park so we decided to walk the short distance from Zen spa. The entrance was rather simply decorated by Bali standard but still have a number of interesting, creative and innovative sculptures.

Like this walkway over the drain that leads into the restaurant. Concrete ducks welcoming you in.

This child seemed to be saying – “the food here is so good that my mouth could not stop watering.” The owner has a sense of humor and is innovative for who would dare to call his restaurant “dirty” anything. Note the hibiscus on the stone sculpture. I love this Balinese touch of bringing life to inanimate objects.

When we walked in, the restaurant opened out to a much larger area than its front suggest. Similar to many Balinese restaurants, decoration is tastefully done with lots of wood. At this stage, I’m not yet overly impressed though I do have a favorable impression. We declined to take a seat and moved deeper into the restaurant which opened to a courtyard garden with lots of surprises.

A curious cat.

The Goddess of Fertility.

We would love to take one of the individual hut where we can sit cross-legged on raised wooden platform enjoying the breeze and unobstructed views but they were all taken.

We have to be satisfied with the solid but comfortable seating of the main dining hall but even then looked how relaxed everyone was. I just loved the very casual atmosphere of the whole place. It is like we are dining at home or among friends.

Once we got our seats, we stood up immediately and explored the place. I tried to present a number of photos to give you an idea of what the massive place look like. In spite of that, it told less than half the story. Which goes to show how artistically rich the place is.

If you think this is impressive, what you’ll see next will blow you away. The next post we will continue with the rest of the restaurant and we haven’t even got to the food yet!

To be continued...

(Please also see "Ghost Walk" for extended blog)

Rauch’s Old Commercial Room opposite St. Michaelis Church

A wise ghost once told me “Good dining is not just about food. It is An Experience.” While good food itself is worth the hunt, the right atmosphere with good company makes the occasion unforgettable. Thus, where the ambience is memorable, we savor it as much as the food. Ambience doesn’t have to be classy or posh, I’ve my fair share of roadside eateries. I remembered well that sunny afternoon when we hopped off the bike after rounding half of Phuket. On wooden benches under a makeshift hut and swaying coconut palms with white sandy beach and blue open sea on one side and the highway on the other, grinning shirtless boys barbequed our seafood on wires over charcoal. Those moments are deeply etched for they are magical.

When I stepped in the Old Commercial Room, I can smell the history. It is one of the oldest addresses for Hanseatic cuisine. Mementos covered every wall and every open space, each with a story of its own. Founded in 1795 by an English ship owner, it is decorated in the style of an English pub with lots of mahogany and brass. It is like stepping into a functioning museum. I wished I had the time and space (couldn’t be looking over diners’ shoulders) to take it all in. We got a seat by the window from where we can see the majestic St. Michaelis church with its copper covered bell tower where at the 82 meter high viewing platform, you can see the whole of Hamburg.

I was surprised to learn that Jackie Chan had eaten here. I was even more impressed that past diners included Helmut Schmidt, Willy Brandt, The Beatles, Tom Jones, Bon Jovi, Sting, George Clooney, Don King, Clint Eastwood, Paul Hogan, Sean Connery, Joan Collins, Charles Bronson, Charlie Sheen, John Denver, Kate Hudson, Nana Mouskouri, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Diamond, Franz Beckenbauer, Elke Sommer, Fats Domino among many, many other celebrities. Wow!

The Indian waiter was very professional and friendly and when we asked him to recommend some typical German food, he did not hesitate. He somehow mistaken me for a food writer and when I asked him for information, he gave me a complete photostat menu! Unfortunately it was in German and in our haste to catch the city tour bus, I forgot to ask him to mark down what we have eaten. Anyway, I have some of the details. This post is more about how the ambience can affect one’s appreciation of a restaurant.

The next post I will write about their most famous dish translated as “the food of tough men”.Please check out its website: www.oldcommercialroom.de and see more photos of St. Michealis Church and Jackie Chan memento under my profile.

A Walk Along Lake Aussenalster

The boats are docked for the evening. Across the calm water, the Atlantic Hotel stands majectically on the other shore.

I saw these ducks swimming in formation. How unafraid they are. Where I came from, they have good reasons to be fearful. But it is difficult to blame the hungry. This however is ideal, there is no reason to fear and there is no reason to hunt. Do the lucky inhabitants of this land know how much this peaceful scene means to some?

We have no leisurely dusk. From a hot afternoon to the rapidly approaching night, there is hardly anything in between. From a searing sun to a pitch dark night that brings out the feeding mosquitoes are just fleeting minutes that drown faster than a sinking ship. A walk for us is almost always in sweat. I love my land because I was born there and I love its imperfection too but at times I wish my land was different. Like the leisure of a creeping dusk and a walk in cool crisp air.

It was after nine p.m. There is still light. It was summer. It was still cool. You know, this is very difficult to explain to my country men if they had never been up North.

Swans on a lake. Our most romantic vision. Our dreams of beauty and grace. Can't think of our equivalent. The peacock? Too showy.

When swans go to sleep, what is their dreams?

In many ways Lake Aussenalter seems like a dream for someone like me. Yet, I know I don't belong or can be happy here for long. But I was happy to be there. And happy to take it back with me. I will probably never be back there again. That's okay for I never leave. I never leave any beautiful places I had been.

Paolino - By The Setting Sun of Lake Aussenalster

On a cool evening after a light rain had just wetted the ground, we stepped into Paolino, an Italian restaurant in Hamburg built on a platform that jutted into Lake Aussenalster. A slightly chilly summer breeze blew fresh scent of the lake which invigorated me after a long working day. We paused in the front of the restaurant taking in the reflection of the setting sun on gently ripping waves as white swans and sailing boats glided by. I felt a tug. Why do beautiful faraway places always reminded one of home or loved ones? I did not know about the food yet but I gave it a perfect 10 for atmosphere.



Inside the restaurant, we chose a table by the window overlooking the water at the majestic Hotel Atlantic with green roof. When I turned and saw a painting on an adjacent wall, it brought a smile. It was as if I was the one been painted that number of years ago for there I was sitting in that exact position. We ordered an Italian red wine recommended by the friendly stout Italian waiter who spoke little English but who understood perfectly what we wanted. The texture of the plain spaghetti with just olive oil was excellent. The lightly flavored succulent lamp chop was the best I have ever eaten. It has no need for mint sauce to overcome any strong taste for it was just mild enough to give it its characteristic flavor. The cooking was so good that I’ve tasted tougher steamed chicken. As I was enjoying the food, a rotund man with flowing white hair stepped out from the kitchen. He surveyed the diners. I gave him a nod in compliment which he returned. He must be that chef that owned this restaurant. There are many pictures of him with celebrities (I presume) hanging on the walls.So if you are in Hamburg, please visit that restaurant and write to me about your experience.