My assignment is my boyfriend: clingy, high-maintenance, doesn’t listen.
I left him on read and booked a two-day errand in Surabaya. Call it avoidance with receipts.
Before the airport, I did what any emotionally responsible young adult would do:
chase spice.
Bali
Warung Pepe (Dewi Sri): Carbonara Loyalty, Bacon Trust Issues, and Teens Louder Than My Deadlines
Last night I wandered into Warung Pepe and remembered I’ve been hoarding Pepe photos like a dragon hoards coins… and then forgets to blog.
Bali’s youth already knows this place.
Me? I’m the cryptid who stays home “doing assignments” and ends up streaming concert clips while writing this post.
Balance.
Vibe check (a.k.a. why it’s always “crowdead”)
Where: Jl. Dewi Sri 88x, Kuta, the eternal traffic soundtrack.
Who: Balinese famous teenagers™ (don’t ask), plus bules on dates.
Look: that indoor-outdoor thing with wood everywhere, which auto-translates to “IG works here.”
Me: pretending to be invisible, ordering like a regular, judging nothing, judging everything.
What I order (and what betrayed me)
- 🥓🍃 Bacon Pesto IDR 45k
Good, herby, reliable. But once upon a menu I swapped beef bacon → pork bacon on a different bacon pizza and it was… awful. The only time bacon broke my heart.
Since then, I’m on Bacon Trust Issues™ and walk carefully.
- 🧀🥚 Carbonara IDR 50k (my forever)
Creamy-salty, the kind of pizza that shuts up your inner critic for exactly eight minutes. I keep coming back to this like it owes me money.
If I cheat on Carbonara, it’s with… no one. I don’t cheat.
Photo apologies in advance: I shoot with an iPhone 5 and hope for grace.
Not just pizza (but also… mostly pizza)
- They do burgers, salads, coffee, spaghetti, and even Indonesian dishes.
- My brother’s salad was fine, lettuce + tomato + mayo energy, priced kindly.
- If you’re here for a salad, you’re stronger than me.
Bill note: prices are friendly; remember the tax so your wallet doesn’t flinch last minute.
Pros & cons (speed run)
Pros
- 🍕 Carbonara slaps (creamy, comforting)
- 💸 Good value pies (Rp45–50k bracket for faves)
- 📸 Indoor-outdoor wood = easy photos
- 👥 People-watching is elite
Cons
- 🧑🎤 Teen energy can be loud (bring your mysterious aura)
- 🥓 Bacon quality swings, play it safe or be brave
- 🚗 Dewi Sri parking requires patience and three deep breaths
Order like a local goblin
- First-timer? Carbonara. If you must stray, Bacon Pesto—but don’t @ me if bacon betrays you.
- Add a coffee or cold drink; Bali night air + carbs = correct.
- Snap your slice at the table—not the best light, but the wood background helps.
I think I just missed Demi, gotta back watching her!
I probably just missed Demi, so back to streaming.
ikkeru
Jl. Dewi Sri 88x
Kuta, Bali
Kuta, Bali
Indonesia
Monday-Sunday : 12:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Phone : +62 361 882 8899
Bali
Ayam Geprek on Jl. Nakula: Procrastination Chicken, Chili Slider, and a Paket A That Forgives You
I should be doing assignments. Instead I’m speed-blogging before Tetris Battle kidnaps me again. Priorities:
a) Ayam geprek
b) panic later.
Where it is (and why I went)
Location: Jl. Nakula, Bali, near Bale Udang Mang Engking.
Origin discourse says Surabaya? Yogyakarta?
Origin discourse says Surabaya? Yogyakarta?
I’m not the Ministry of Ancestry; I’m here to eat.
What is ayam geprek (translation: therapy with sambal)
- Deep-fried chicken (think KFC/McD energy), then smashed and tossed with chilies + garlic + seasonings.
- The garlic is loud. The chili is louder. My inner child is quiet for five minutes.
- Rice options: white or red (+Rp2k). I go red when I want to feel responsible.
Ordering & prices (what I paid)
- Paket A: Rp 20.000 (chicken + rice + fixings)
- Red rice add Rp 2.000
- Chili levels are choose-your-pain:
- 2–4 chilies = mortals (me, pretending to be brave)
- 10+ = my brother and other cryptids
- If you overshoot your spice ego, only your diary will forgive you.
Taste notes (speed run)
- Crunch survives the smash, garlic blooms, sambal travels.
- 2 chilies = warm hello.
- 4 chilies = small consequences.
- 10 chilies = phone a friend.
Pros & cons
Pros
- 💸 Budget-friendly (Paket A Rp20k)
- 🌶️ Custom chili levels; you control the chaos
- 🧄 Bold garlic flavor (the plot)
Cons
- 🥵 Spice hubris = tears
- 🪑 Simple setup; come for food, not chandeliers
- 🕒 Peak hours = queue (procrastinators suffer)
How to not cry (too much)
First time? Order 2–3 chilies and keep sambal on the side.
Pick red rice if you want extra chew/virtue points.
Bring water! iced tea won’t negotiate with capsaicin.
I’ll be back! After...
“one last” Tetris round.
ikkeru
Bali
Hakata Ikkousha (Sunset Road): Silver Pork Devotion, Tamtam Curiosity, and Why I Avoid Lunch Hour
First came Marugame Udon, then Hakata Ikkousha. Now I’m manifesting Yoshinoya and Ikkudo Ichi like a woman with priorities. I’ve eaten at this Hakata more than once.
Last time was ~7 months ago and it’s still crowdead enough to make patience a side dish.
Where & when (survival tips)
Location: Jl. Sunset Road 225x, Kuta, Bali.
Crowd pattern:
Night = busy,
lunch hour = chaos.
Best bet: late afternoon (post-lunch, pre-dinner).
Wait time this round: we were seated and served in ~5-10 minutes, which is miracle speed for this place.
What we ordered (prices I paid)
🌶️ Buta Tamtam Ramen IDR 64.000
Three slices chashu, two halves ajitama, sesame, leeks, and a red, oily house broth.
Menu says spicy, my mouth says pleasantly warm.
If you fear fire, you’ll live.
If you worship it, grab extra chili oil at the table.
🥇 Silver Pork Ramen IDR 69.000 (the superstar)
Ultra-thick tonkotsu broth, three chashu, ajitama. Dense enough to cancel small talk.
I love it, even though I’m usually full before I finish the bowl.
“Women avoid thick broth”? I am not women.
I am hungry (except on date nights when I pretend to be delicate).
Spice & tweaks
Pros & cons (speed run)
Ikkery Ikkosha (yes I said it)
Table has chili oil, sambal, salt, pepper.
I keep the original flavor (the broth is the whole point).
Heat-seekers: add chili oil gradually unless you enjoy regret cosplay.
If ramen fatigue hits
There’s gyoza and curry available.
I haven’t cheated on my broth yet, but friends swear the non-ramen dishes are legit.
Someday, when loyalty wavers.
Pros & cons (speed run)
Pros
- 🍜 Silver Pork broth is rich, silky, deeply porky
- ⏱️ Surprisingly fast service even when busy (your mileage may vary)
- 🔧 Easy spice customization at the table
Cons
- 🧍♀️ Waitlist common at peak times
- 🥣 Thick broth = fills you fast (not a con if you’re me)
- 🅿️ Sunset Road energy (traffic patience required)
Ikkery Ikkosha (yes I said it)
Hakata Ikkousha Ramen
Jl. Sunset Road 225x
Kuta, Bali
Indonesia
Monday-Saturday : 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Phone : +62 361 8947 019
Friends wouldn’t stop name-dropping Eatwell, so I went to see if the hype could bench-press my appetite.
It’s in Seminyak (on your right if you’re coming from Kuta), smaller than the glossy photos I remembered from TripAdvisor 2012, because time exists, apparently.
It was raining like a plot twist and I wanted a latte. Kuta was too far, too late, too soggy, so we circled Renon and found Urban Cafe.
Right by the park, easy to spot, zero AC (just fans), which is fine when clouds are crying and less fine when they’re not.
The room was pretty dim, so my photos look like they were taken by a romantic flashlight. You’re welcome.
Menu & prices (already include tax, bless)
Range: about IDR 25-50k.
There’s burger, pizza, chips, cakes, and a spicy noodle with price scaling to how much chili your ego can handle.
What we ordered (prices I paid)
☕ Vanilla Latte IDR 30.000
Warm, smooth, with a bonus biscuit. Latte art decent; they post their wins on Instagram. I sipped and forgave the weather.
🍰 Strawberry Shortcake IDR 35.000
Light, sweet, very shareable. I needed a co-pilot because cake is a team sport.
🍕 Grilled Chicken Pizza IDR 38.000
Crust ran a bit firm, still edible (and filling). Quite possibly the cheapest pizza I’ve bought in Denpasar. One pizza + one cake = full.
🟩 Green Tea Smoothies IDR 30.000
For the matcha loyalists who like their leaves blended and cold.
Pros & cons (speed run)
Pros
- 💸 Tax-included pricing (no math boss fights)
- ☕ Latte hits the spot, cute biscuit
- 🍕 Budget pizza that actually fills you
- 📍 Near Renon Park; easy target on rainy nights
Cons
- 🌡️ No AC, can feel warm on dry days
- 💡 Dim lighting (moody for dates, rude to cameras)
- 🍕 Crust leans hard; not for soft-dough romantics
Tips to win your rainy-night coffee
- If it’s not raining, sit near a fan.
- Cake is best shared (or bring ambition).
- Chili noodle sounds fun until your future self writes about regret, pace it.
- Prices already include tax, so treat yourself to the latte and the cake.
Quick post, promise kept.
Ikkel
Jl. Puputan I No. 21 Renon
Denpasar, Bali
Denpasar, Bali
Indonesia
Monday-Saturday : 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Phone : +62 361 905 0404
+62 361 905 0606
+62 361 905 0606
Bali
Dapoer Bunda (Pulau Natuna): Cheap Pork Ribs, Plecing Kangkung, and Wi-Fi for When You Pretend to Study
Found this spot on Instagram, got bullied by the reviews, and my brain whispered: “kangkung now.” So we pointed ourselves to Jl. Pulau Natuna (near Jl. Diponegoro, before Toko Puri Jam), walked into a place that looked quiet and turned out secretly crowded.
Bonus: free Wi-Fi for people who “do assignments” (open twelve tabs, write two sentences).
Menu snapshot (Balinese greatest hits)
Rujak kuah pindang, tipat plecing, tipat kuah lawar ayam, and more.
Not in a Balinese mood?
They also do Pork Ribs and Chicken BBQ.
Price range: ~Rp5k - Rp40k.
Teen budget and adult appetite can finally shake hands.
What we ordered (prices I paid)
🍖 Pork Ribs IDR 35.000
Not life-changing, but for the price? I’m not complaining.
Sticky, satisfying, and keeps you from texting your ex.
🍗 Chicken BBQ IDR 25.000
Also fine, sauce leans sweet-savory.
If you’re ribs-curious, just get the ribs.
🥤 Es Gula IDR 5.000
Sugar syrup + lime + ice = budget lemonade with local lore.
Works.
Works.
🌶️ Plecing Kangkung IDR 7.000
Kangkung = water spinach (aka kang kong / Ipomoea aquatica).
Blanched greens with fiery sambal on top.
My childhood favorite and still the vegetable I’d fight for. I’m spice-weaker now, but I still cried happily.
(I was already full, so I’ll come back for the tipat and lawar like a responsible adult with unresolved cravings.)
Vibe & comfort
- Fan-cooled (no AC) but surprisingly not panas when I went.
- Tables turn quickly; still comfy enough to park with a laptop and pretend to be productive.
Pros & cons (speed run)
Pros
- 💸 Cheap eats (Rp5k - Rp40k)
- 📶 Wi-Fi for study cosplay
- 🌶️ Solid Balinese staples (plecing kangkung, rujak, tipat)
- 🍖 Ribs at wallet-friendly pricing
Cons
- 🔥 Sambal can humble you. Ask for less pedas if needed
- 🪑 Simple setup; come for food, not ambience auditions
- 👥 Can get busy despite looking low-key from outside
How to win lunch
- Order plecing kangkung (non-negotiable).
- If curious, pair with pork ribs, value play.
- Say “sambal sedikit” if you’re spice-shy, “terpisah” if you want control.
- Bring cash or small change; your stomach and the queue will thank you.
I’ll be back for tipat and lawar.
ikkeru
Dapoer Bunda
Jl. Pulau Natuna no 08
Denpasar, Bali
Denpasar, Bali
Indonesia
Monday-Saturday : 11:00 AM - 06:00 PM
Phone : +62 361 4723 793
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