I think there's a big difference between eating in Bali and eating like you're in Bali. For a long

I think there's a big difference between eating in Bali and eating like you're in Bali. For a long time, I played it pretty safe. I'd order the familiar dishes, stick to places with English menus and probably miss out on some incredible food simply because I didn't know what to ask for. The longer we've lived here, the more adventurous we've become, and now some of my favourite meals come from the little local warungs that many tourists would probably walk straight past. This place has quickly become one of my favourites. Every time I order the soto ayam, the lovely lady cooking asks me exactly the same question. "Ceker?" She's offering to add chicken feet to my soup. Every single time I smile, laugh and politely decline. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough... but today is not that day. The spicy eggs, on the other hand, looked like they should come with a warning label. They're covered in the brightest red chilli paste you've ever seen, and I was convinced they'd completely blow my head off. Spicy, yes. But packed with so much flavour. Even the kids surprised me. They tucked into the nasi campur without complaining about the spice, and I think that's one of the things I'm most proud of. We've always encouraged our kids to try something before deciding they don't like it, and over the years it's opened them up to so many flavours and foods we never would've discovered otherwise. The best part? This entire meal cost us about $2.50 Australian. That still blows my mind. Not because it's cheap, but because for that price we enjoyed food that was cooked with so much care, using recipes that have probably been made the same way for years. I think food has become one of my favourite ways to understand a place. Not the fancy restaurants. Not the places with long queues because they're trending online. The little family-run warungs where the menu is written in Indonesian, the soup comes out steaming hot, the cook already knows your order... and she still asks if you'd like the chicken feet, just in case today is finally the day I say yes. It hasn't happened yet. But she's not giving up on me... and I kind of love that. 😄🍜