This is EAT!

I suggest that you grab some potato chips or popcorn to nibble while reading this post because it’ll be mouth-watering.

 During holidays, there is no reason for you not to enjoy. It’s compulsory! So, forget all those diets (as if I am dieting) for a while and seize the moment. Let your eyes feast on a spectrum of vivid colors and enjoy the pleasure of satisfying your palate in a wide variety of textures and flavors.

The beautiful Island of Bintan is is located just 45 kilometres south east of Singapore and twice its size. Northern Bintan is easily accessible via a 45-minute ride from Singapore's Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. It is the largest of 3,200 islands in the Riau Islands and the third largest of 27 provinces in Indonesia.

Our in-house restaurant in our resort hotel is Lotus Cafe which serves popular Indonesian and Asian specialties like Black Pepper Beef, Nasi Ayam and my favorite Laksa. Beef Sirloin, Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb, Grilled Salmon Fillet and Caesar Salad are some of the Western favorites that make it onto their à la carte menu. Staying there gives us the opportunity to try Indonesian cuisine.

I can boldly say that Lotus Cafe is the heart of Angsana Resort Bintan. It is strategically located opposite the Swimming Pool Area almost right after the main lobby. It has a high ceiling and uses natural air for ventilation, so you can hear sounds from nature while you dine.

Although, I didn’t take pictures of all the foods that we ate, here are some of the many dishes that we have had.

Nasi Goreng. Literally meaning "fried rice". In Indonesian and Malay, nasi means cooked rice and goreng means fried.

In the Lotus Cafe's version, the dish is served artistically on a painter’s palette-like dish which is accompanied by additional items such as a fried egg, chicken and beef satay, pickled vegetables, cucumber and tomatoes, tomato ketchup, and kerupuk (prawn crackers). Hmmm, that sounds like the Pinoy’s own crunchy snack kropek! Anyway, it was good!

Prawn Laksa. The origin of the name "laksa" is unclear. One theory traces it back to Hindi/Persian lakhshah, referring to a type of vermicelli. It has also been suggested that "laksa" may derive from the Chinese word "la sha" pronounced "latsa" in Cantonese, meaning "spicy sand" due to the ground dried prawns which gives a sandy or gritty texture to the sauce. The last theory is that the name comes from the similar sounding word "dirty" in Hokkien due to its appearance.

Quite different in taste, color and texture of what I usually eat in Singapore, this laksa has no cockles and no tofu puffs but has tomatoes in it. The king prawns are a bit chewy but tasty and indeed very delicious.

Beef Rendang. It’s a classic dish that originated from Indonesia but is also popular in Malaysia and Singapore. It is made from beef slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices for several hours until almost all the liquid is gone, allowing the meat to absorb the spicy condiments. The cooking process changes from boiling to frying as the liquid evaporates. The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the spices and to become tender. The spices may include ginger, galangal, turmeric leaf, lemon grass and chillies.

I always order this when buying from a Malay food stall here in Singapore. So, I definitely must taste an authentic one in Bintan. This serving doesn’t disappoint, it’s really outstanding although a bit spicy for me. Maybe I should have eaten it with a little bit more rice. Aah waiter, more rice please!

We have consumed a lot of good meals, too many to mention which includes two buffet breakfasts, one Barbeque Buffet Dinner plus à la carte meals. Here is a sample of one of our breakfast.

Now let’s have dessert!

Kueh Lapis. A bit of history first, Kuih (also kueh, kue, or kway) are bite-sized food items in the Malay Archipelago. They are usually—but not always—sweet and intricate creations, including cakes, cookies and puddings. It can also be described as pastry, however it is to be noted that the Asian concept of "cakes" and "pastries" is different from that of the Western one. Kuihs are more often steamed than baked, and thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries.

I buy my kueh lapis in Tang’s which is good but I believe Lotus Cafe’s offering is better. It should be, because it’s more expensive. Unlike the usual coconut shavings as a compliment for their layered cakes, they use chocolate and fruit syrups. Not so sweet, just right to end a good dinner. And a good segue to end this post.

Thank you for reading and Happy eating!

FoodFacts for this post is taken from Wikipedia.