About 30 minutes by car from Naha Airport. You will arrive at a place called Plaza House Shopping Center in Okinawa City. On the first floor of the Plaza House Shopping Center, in the corner of a supermarket called Rogers, you will find a stylish and authentic Indonesian restaurant. It is interesting to think of Indonesia, which has many similarities with Okinawa!
Point 1: What is “Plaza House S.C.” where “BALINOON BALIMOON” is located?
BALINOON BALIMOON” is located in the Plaza House Shopping Center.
Plaza House Shopping Center was the first shopping center in Japan, which opened on July 4, 1954, the American Independence Day.
It was a dazzling shopping center in the eyes of Okinawans, with a record store, gift store, and American-made home appliances, which were rare at the time.
As time went by and the times changed, the stores were replaced, and “Balinon Balimon” became a tenant on the first floor of Rogers, a supermarket that sold wines and sweets from around the world.
A chef from Bali has been invited to the restaurant to create stimulating yet delicate and exotic dishes using Bumbu, an Asian herb-like seasoning. The restaurant also features a vegan menu, as it is a place frequented by foreigners.
Point 2: The interior of “Balinoon Balimoon” is beautiful!
The interior of Balinoon Balimoon is not in the typical Indonesian style, but is somewhat European, with Azulejo tiles under the counter, which are often seen in Portugal and Macau.
If you are expecting an ethnic interior with carved wooden cats and the like, you may be surprised.
Antique-style tables and bent-wood chairs. Studio-style lighting. It is not Indonesian in any way.
The water, which is self-pumped, comes in a stylish glass server and is served with orange & lemon and ginger & cinnamon. This is also not what you would expect to find in a conventional Indonesian restaurant!
Point 3: What is the recommended menu for “Balinoon Balimoon”?
Photo: Babi Ketchup
So what kind of menu does Balinoon Balimoon offer?
When I think of Indonesian food, the first thing that comes to mind is nasi goreng, the Indonesian version of fried rice, and nasi chanpuru, the Indonesian version of bukkake-bento, or rice topped with rice.
Interestingly, the word “chanpuru,” which I had thought was an Okinawan word, has its origin in the Indonesian language. As one would expect from Okinawa, which traded with Asia even during Japan’s period of national isolation.
I will not say much here, but there are many similarities between Indonesia and Okinawa, and I am probably not the only one who felt like I was traveling through Asia when I traveled to Okinawa.
Back to the main topic, though, there are some menu items that you can find in any Indonesian restaurant in this restaurant,
However, I was surprised to find dishes such as Ayam Nyanya (chicken stewed with herbs and rice salad) (1,375 yen), Babi Kecak (non-spicy pork stew) (1,350 yen) and Landan Sapi (Bali-style beef stew) (1,650 yen) on the menu, which can only be enjoyed locally!
Needless to say, the food tastes so good that even Indonesian residents come to eat here.
I was even more surprised to find Mediterranean dishes such as falafel sandwich (chickpea pita bread sandwich, 550 yen) and Spanish garlic soup (660 yen), even though this restaurant is supposed to be an Indonesian restaurant!
Come to think of it, the interior of this restaurant is more Mediterranean than Indonesian.
