Three weeks ago, my brother and I returned to Bay Leaf with our mom for a late lunch. I had not looked up this initial report, and reading it now, I'm struck by how the same dishes called to me from the menu.
Sambal goreng udang pete - The one new dish for us, big shrimp stir-fried with chile paste with stink beans, long beans, peppers, and potatoes. The shrimp weren't overcooked, but the potatoes were unpleasantly mealy. The dish just wasn't that interesting.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9604511328/
Kangkung terasi - Water spinach sauteed with fermented shrimp paste was an umami bomb. Tasty even though a tad undercooked with crunchier/tougher stems than I'd like.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9601276037/
Ayam kalasan - Delicious especially when swabbed with the accompanying sauce, but some pieces were too dry.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9604512894/
Pepes ikan - The star of this meal, and as my brother said, anything would taste great cooked in this spicy sauce. Here's how the fish grilled in banana leaf is presented at the table,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9601275369/
Unwrapping the packet reveals a fillet of fish coated with a fragrant and highly seasoned paste.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9601275043/
We enjoyed the pepes ikan with coconut rice. And it was devoured in total, leaving only these stubs of lemon grass and the leaf wrapper.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9604512304/i
Mango sticky rice - The glutinous rice was formed into a patty and served warm. The mango was just a shade underripe, but good enough. The whole shebang was covered with coconut cream and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/9601276847/
http://bayleaf-restaurant.com/home
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