Gianyar, Regency

Laka-Leke, A Place to Eat and Learn

Lake Leke is a name of premises to eat at Ubud tourist resort. The words Laka Leke can be interpreted as ‘hidden’—from midst of drove of Ubud foremost tourist resort. The bistro of which half share owned by Mande Sudarta, strategically located between two renowned areas in Ubud, namely Monkey Forest and Nyuh Kuning Village tourist resort.

To reach the bistro that resembles a refreshing place, you can enter the forest inhabited by hundreds of monkeys, or through the unique village of Nyuh Kuning. On leaving the vehicle at parking lot at this bistro, you will not at all feel to enter the area of a bistro. This is caused by the appearance of comfortable and tranquil feeling as soon as entering the bistro area. Paddy that is turning yellow grows flourishingly in the vicinity of the eating gazebos. A variety of other plants like jackfruit, frangipani, sapodilla, palm and so on are let grow naturally. This gives an image that you are surrounded by a lush tropical garden.
Premises of Laka Leke implement the concept of Balinese house compound that functioned as place to enjoy food. Varied arresting flowers, grasses, kitchen spices and mixed tress that grow naturally extend cool atmosphere at all times. This place is just like a convenient refreshing place for family or relatives. Image of Bali is apparently discernible at this place by the presence of tens of artists like sculptor, painter, plaiter, dancer and gamelan player doing their day-to-day activity that is brought under one roof of a special building. “Total concept of these premises indeed fuse the ambience of eating with rural nuance, so consumers really feel to be in Bali,” said Mande Sudarta, who was formerly a co-founder of Bebek Bengil restaurant.
Other than offering favourable place of eating, Laka Leke also portrays several activities packed in a ‘cultural workshop’ such as cooking, painting, sculpting, decorating eggshell, making a kite, plaiting basket, playing gamelan and dancing. Visitors that put an interest to join one of them are charged IDR 50,000 and the works can be brought home as souvenir. Instructors of this workshop are local artists who are expert at their own subject.
One thing that is worth praising to Made Sudarta who is also a restaurateur and designer of this place is the great involvement of local community in every single activity. “Involving as many local community as possible indeed becomes my commitment as the spirit of this place lies in them. Through this restaurant, I would like to maintain and promote Balinese costumes,” explained Mande who is also a spiritual designer.
Every Monday night is performed kecak dance engaging 130 local dancers and on Thursdays visitors can dance together with lovely dancers through joged bumbung dance. In the meantime, cooking class is greatly favoured by visitors, mainly those that come with family because, through this program, they can bring about cooking activity starting from picking the ingredients that grow around the kitchen till savouring Balinese food that has been prepared by them. Various Balinese foods can be learned in this kitchen. Mrs. Wayan, the owner of Café Wayan will teach whoever attends this cooking class. (BTN/Made Suambara)