I Wayan Wahyu Mahendranata, an entrepreneur born in Denpasar on June 3, 1995, started his career as a freelance photographer in 2010. He is currently busy with his first F&B business, Barishi, which began in July 2021 during the pandemic.
His daily activities included visiting Barishi to introduce his inventive Japanese fusion to his friends or discussing everything about the business with his team.
What is your favorite type of cuisine?
Everything except food that contains raw shallots. I really love Asian food that has creamy and tender textures, such as curry and steak.
What is your favorite food?
Pork ribs, dim sum, everything about Japanese food, any noodles, Thai food, and Indonesian cuisines for sure. It’s tough to decide, hahaha.
To you, what would make a perfect meal?
That meal has to be eaten with a precious person. It doesn’t need to be fancy as long as it creates a good memory for me or when the meal reminds me of good memory.
Do you have any memorable food trips?
It was from my Thailand trip last year. I spent three weeks in Thailand and ate delicious cuisine every day. I ate at a fine dining Authentic Thai restaurant named ‘Paii’ next to W Bangkok. I also ate one of Bangkok’s most popular Khao Soi dishes and dried Khao Soi in Chiang Mai. Although I had to wait an hour, it was worth it.
I had one of the best Fish and Chips from ‘Kai’ in Bangkok – I can say it’s way better than most Fish and Chips I have eaten in Australia! I also experienced a five-course of Thai Fusion cuisine in Chiang Mai owned by a local.
On this trip, I also visited one of the best steak restaurants I have ever tasted in Chiang Mai, owned by a French. The Foie gras on the steak melted like butter, giving this decadent flavor bomb. And yeah, I gained 5 kilograms after this trip, hahaha.
What do you look for in street food?
Anything that looks like local and authentic food.
What is your favorite street food, and where do you usually eat it?
Chicken porridge, grilled satay – I like anything on stick and grilled, and sashimi! Usually, I would get them at the local market.
What is the most unforgettable food experience you have had?
It was my recent family trip to Japan in December 2022. We visited one of Japan’s most remote villages on the South Coast. I don’t even remember the name of the village. However, it’s located in Yamaguchi prefecture.
The village is very, very quiet. Most of the villagers are elderly because the young generation has moved to a bigger city. Initially, we tried to find a good restaurant based on Google reviews. Surprisingly, three restaurants that we went to are no longer open. We weren’t sure where to eat. Thirty minutes later, we finally found a place still open after driving around.
All the staffs and even the chef are very old. We sat on a tatami – a mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms in an intimate dining room. That was the best meal in Japan so far. The sashimi was fresh and surprisingly tasted sweet; we ate all these amazing cuisines like ikura, uni, two sets of rare fish sashimi, scallops, fish soup, chicken karaage, and some local authentic foods; we really ate a lot! It was five of us, and we only paid 2 million rupiahs! Big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka will cost more than five million rupiah.
Is there any food you can eat every day without getting bored?
Tofu and egg!
Do you have any place you frequently go to for it?
Barishi! Hahaha, does it count?
Do you have any memorable food experiences?
One of my most memorable food experiences was in the Philippines. I was in a local restaurant in Cebu that sells ‘Lechon; a friend of mine owns it. My friend ordered a soup called Dinuguan. He said it tastes really good. I didn’t read the menu; well, I trusted my friend.
The soup looked unusual; he let me try it first, and I must say that it tasted fascinating. My friend, on the other hand, enjoyed it a lot.
I asked him, what kind of soup is this? He said it’s a pork blood soup. Honestly, I was taken aback.
Where do you usually hang out with friends or go for special occasions with family?
My girlfriend and I love eating at Sista dumpling – their truffle dumpling is so good. We also love ramen like Red Dragon, Kazumi, and Gyukaku if we miss eating meat.
What are your favorite local dishes, and where do you usually go to eat them?
Near my house is this one local warung in Padang Galak Beach with delicious, fresh, and thick fish satay. I don’t remember the name, but I know the exact place. I always go there whenever I miss Balinese fish satay.
Where are your top three dining places always on your favorite list? And which food do you recommend getting at those places?
Sista dumplings for their pork truffle dumplings, Café des Artistes, I recommend getting the Fresh Oyster, and Barishi’s Saikoro Negishio and Salmon Tataki.
What is your go-to comfort food, and where do you usually get them?
Fried tofu, I am a big fan of tofu. It is easy to cook, and we can find it everywhere.
