Manik Organik

To eat is a necessity, to eat intelligently is an art

This charming little cafe in Sanur has always been about wellness, serving healthy organic food that tastes good as well as being good for you. A recent revamp has created a smarter look  for the cafe but the warm and welcoming ambience remains. An outside deck features simple furnishings and a cosy corner filled with sofas and brightly coloured cushions. A cheery shade of vibrant green dominates the decor, a theme continued in the ac interior where you can also find a range of healing jewellery, natural remedies, organic cotton clothing, health foods and a good assortment of books about Bali. The spacious studio upstairs is used for yoga, belly dance and art classes, as well as special events like exhibitions and workshops. Taking the wellness concept even further is the therapist room with practitioners including craniosacral, massage and homeopathy.

Previously totally vegetarian, Manik Organik have now expanded the menu (which is printed on a recycled rice sack) to include organic chicken and fish, a good range of Indonesian cuisine, as well as a greater selection of raw food and gluten free choices. Healthy drinks have evocative names like The Rejuvenator,  Vege Vitality and Anti Ageing] a dark green, earthy concoction of spirulina, spinach, flax seed, apple and lemon juice. The texture is grassy, and the taste is sweet and oddly compelling – it feels like a gift for my body. The creamy and mild Berry Delicious Smoothy features a naturally sweet blend of strawberry, coconut milk and banana. While the Magic Minted provides the fire of ginger in an ice cool drink.

We start with a Tapas Tasting Plate featuring bruschetta  made with gluten free bread,  creamy babaganoush, falafel, and light and crunchy spring rolls. The rice bread is particularly good, and not at all heavy as some gluten free breads tend to be. From the Raw Treats menu we choose a Raw Pad Thai Salad a delightful fresh salad with a combination of grated carrots, bean sprouts, thick slices of tomato and cucumber, lightly doused in lime cilantro dressing and a topping of almonds. There is also a Raw Spaghetti the pasta has been substituted  with shredded zucchini served in a pretty circle of basil leaves and cherry tomatoes and topped with a tangy tomato sauce. The Tempe Steak is marinated in tamarind and palm sugar creating a sweet and juicy flavour and finished with an unusual but very good mushroom sauce made with a coconut milk base. Gluten free choices include the deliciously soft and juicy Steamed Fish with Sambal Matah, drizzled with virgin coconut oil, topped with fresh sambal,  and accompanied by nutty brown rice and authentic Balinese style urap urap (vegetables.)  Challenging the notion that dessert needs to be naughty are the Spirulina Balls which are dense, dark green and loaded with dates, honey, raisins and seeds. The first bite is odd but the taste steadily grows on me and I end up eating two of them.

Manik Organik is much more than just a cafe, it  represents a way of life that is holistic, sustainable and ethical.

Manik Oranik

Jalan Danau Tamblingan 85

Sanur

+62 361 8553380