THE UMA - AUTHENTICALLY BALINESE

On a day when a continuous flow of tributes are heaped upon truly deserving moms and moms-to-be, we headed to The Uma to celebrate this occassion. Having not made prior reservations, we were pleasantly surprised to find a vacant table in this cosy restaurant. The Uma occupies two floors. While the ground floor is more contemporary, the first floor is more inviting - diners are invited to sit and dine on the tatami floor while immersing themselves in a culture unique to the Balinese.

The Balinese love their pork. Babi Guling (Roast Suckling Pork) is probably one of their better known delicacies. While many other Balinese restaurants in the Valley claim to offer a unique Balinese experience, The Uma walks the talk by serving authentic pork dishes in addition to poultry and seafood. Understandably they do not serve beef here, since the majority of Balinese people are practitioners of Hindu-Dharma, a fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism.

At The Uma, they promote their Nasi Ratus - a reasonably priced set meal that consists of a main dish, four side vegetable/salad dishes, a stick of fish satay, two accompanying dips and rice. While the side dishes stay consistent across all sets, the rice (four or five different varieties) is carefully selected to blend in with the main dish. We wisely decided to share 3 sets of Nasi Ratus amongst six people as each serving is fairly substantial and definitely too much for one person of my size to handle.

Talking to the proprietor, I can expect that it wont be long before Babi Guling, Es Campur and other Balinese favourites end up being regular features on their menu.

Sate Celeng Asem (RM11.00 for half dozen) - Pork satay. A delicious change to chicken, beef and lamb which we are accustomed to. Grilled with pork fat too for added flavour.

Nasi Ratus Be Celeng Base Manis / Babi Kecap Manis (RM22.00) - Stewed pork in sweet sauce. A unique experience for those who have not set foot on Bali. Highly recommended.

Nasi Ratus Bebek Megoreng (RM25.00) - Crispy Fried Donald. Well marinated in an assortment of spices and deep-fried until the skin is crispy. Loved the Black-eyed Pea rice that accompanied the duck.

Nasi Ratus Lempet Be Tongkong (RM20.00) - Grilled Tuna ala Otak-Otak. Creamy and delicious. My personal favourite.

Calon Be Celeng (RM5.00) - Spicy Pork Balls in clear soup. I failed to taste the spice. Was quite salty too. Forgettable. 

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The Uma

Address: 7-G & 7-1, Jalan PJU 5/21, The Strand, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Contact number: 603-61422771.

GPS coordinates: N3 09.283 E101 35.541.
Reservation: Recommended.

Opening hours: 12.00 - 3.00pm (Lunch), 6.00 - 10.00pm (Dinner). Closed on Tuesdays.

Cuisine: Balinese (non Halal)
Must order: Be Celeng Base Manis, Lempet Be Tongkong, Bebek Megoreng.

Must not order: Calon Be Celeng
Budget for 4 pax: RM60 (sharing) or RM100 (individual sets)
My verdict: 4 stars