If you’ve been to Bali before, you may have visited Warung Eropa in Petitenget, famous for its crispy Balinese duck dish, “Bebek Bali”. I unfortunately regret not having visited the restaurant, despite having been to Bali a few times. Its reputation though for authentic and delicious Indonesian dishes has travelled impressively far with fans being able to enjoy the same delectable dishes now in Kuala Lumpur as well!
Dining in an elegant setting
Not having to choose kids’ activities over my wish-list of things to do (such as eating crispy duck!), I finally find the time to visit Warung Eropa KL. Opened since December 2023 and located on the 2nd floor of the new TRX Building, the restaurant’s warm wooden façade with its name in bright red neon letters beckons to come in and try. The interior is an exact copy of the one in Bali I am told. A touch of cosy and warmth with selective Balinese details added to the décor: the black and white pictures of Balinese life, the eye-catching room-sized painting of dancers, the rattan finishing of the bar and the decorated pillars against the wall. All of this adds to a pleasant ambience.
A showcase of Indonesian (culinary) culture
The menu includes many local Indonesian specialties, not just Balinese delicacies we learned from operations manager David. David oversees both Warung Eropa restaurants in Bali and Kuala Lumpur to ensure all items are up to standards in terms of quality and taste.
The soup section includes many Chef’s specialties: Sayur Asem Jakarta (vegetables in tamarind soup), Soto Ayam from the region of Surabaya (a turmeric base chicken soup) and the traditional Javanese Rawon Malang soup, which is a beef soup flavoured with traditional kluwek spice (Pangium seeds). The Sop Buntut and Sop Buntut Bakar both use high quality beef oxtail to ensure tenderness. The portions are quite generous and taste amazing.
Bebek Goreng at Warung Eropa
The duck for the signature Bebek Goreng at Warung Eropa is marinated with a range of spices first, then tenderised and ultimately prepared for frying. David explains the immense work going into sourcing the product and he knows his ducks by now: they all come in different sizes, taste, and fat percentage. Not to mention that the Balinese duck is very brittle in its bones! Yes, you heard it right, you could technically eat all pieces of the Bebek Goreng (which I did!).
Other duck dishes you can order are the Bebek Goreng Kremes set (fried with a crispy mixture of flour and toppings), the mouthwatering Bebek Rendang set, with the duck slowly cooked and caramelised in coconut milk and spices. We also tried the recommended Empal Goreng set with deep fried marinated slices of imported beef.
Other dishes served feature traditional favourites such as Nasi and Mie Goreng, Satay Lilit, Ayam Goreng, Nasi Campur Bali and Bali Urap salad (steamed mixed vegetables with grated coconut).
Drinks and desserts
Try the options for traditional Indonesian drinks such as Kunyit Asam, Wedang Jahe and Wedang Uwuh at Warung Eropa. The Kunyit Asam was a lovely refreshing drink made of turmeric, ginger, lemon, orange, black pepper and honey. We tried the Javanese tea as well, which had a strong Jasmine aroma and which according to an Indonesian lady ‘brought her straight back to her grandmother’s house’. Same went for the Bubur Sum Sum dessert, a traditional Indonesian dessert that any Oma in Indonesia can whip up made by cooking rice flour in coconut milk and served with palm sugar syrup, and in Warung Eropa’s case, mixed with pureed nangka (jackfruit). Do not forget to order one of the ice desserts: they are a must! We tried the signature Es Cendol and were mesmerised by it: green rice flour mixed with coconut and crunchy pieces of nangka, over which you pour warm palm sugar syrup.
Plan your visit
My advice for those planning to go: make a reservation first as the restaurant gets packed for lunch and dinner! Come hungry as portions are generous and come with a few friends (so you can share and try many more dishes). Be ready to hear stories about amazing Indonesian dishes if the manager is around as passion for food and pride of the dishes run deep at Warung Eropa.
While you’re in TRX, why not check out TRX City Park?
