Madania Restaurant: Kuta, Bali
“One Stop With No Doubt” is the slogan of an international restaurant called Madania, which serves halal food, acceptable in accordance with Islamic rules.
Since Bali now hosts a large number of tourists from Muslim countries such as Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and those from Middle Eastern countries, Madania Restaurant on Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai, in the Kuta tourism hub, caters successfully to diners with such dietary restrictions.
“We have been trying to offer something different in the highly competitive Balinese restaurant business by serving food for new holidaymakers from Muslim countries,” said Arief Fathkhul Muchtadi, operation manager of Madania Restaurant.
All food and beverages that appear on the menu of the restaurant establishment is free of alcohol and other haram, or forbidden, ingredients such as pork, pork derivatives and select seasonings.
The spacious restaurant has been designed carefully to reflect Islamic nuances. And even while serving strictly halal dishes, it offers a large variety of cuisines such as Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern and Western cuisines.
“We just replace certain ingredients that are not edible for Muslim clientele. But the flavor is still as delicious as the original,” Arief said.
With a seating capacity of 175 and its strategic location, Madania is easily accessible and only a five-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Open from 9 a.m. through 11 p.m., the restaurant is always crowded with both local and foreign diners.
In addition, a small mosque has been built in the corner of the facility to enable Muslim customers to observe daily prayers before, after or even during their visit.
“I don’t have to find a nearby mosque to pray and I really like the atmosphere of this restaurant,” commented Fatima, a visitor from Malaysia.
With Malaysian Air, Air Asia and Qatar Airlines plying direct routes to Bali, the number of visitors from Muslim countries has been increasing dramatically in the last few months.
Restaurants serving halal food is poised to become a red-hot business on the island of Bali, which is generally known for local specialties such as bebek Bali (duck with Balinese spices), sate babi (pork satay) and babi guling (roast pork).
Today, Bali is filled to bursting with hundreds of cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars catering to holidaymakers from traditional tourist markets like Japan, Australia, South Korea and Europe. But the tourism demographic has been shifting, with Bali welcoming more and more visitors from India, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Now, tourists from Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries are also flocking to the Island of the Gods.
“Hundreds of Malaysians fly to Bali on weekends and holidays to shop,” said Fatima, adding that she has just bought a bulk of garments and handicrafts from the Sukawati art market in Gianyar.
For local businesspeople, this shift in the market trend has opened new business opportunities.
“What is important is to set high cooking and serving standards in line with international standards,” said Arief.
At Mandania, dining guests can order delicious Yakiniku (Japanese-style braised beef, Soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) or fresh Chinese and seafood dishes at affordable prices.
“We can be so innovative in creating and serving food and beverages to meet the needs of Muslim customers,” Arief said.
For example, he said, Mandania’s bar staff have produced a mocktail that is as tasty and fresh as the alcoholic original. A myriad selection of ice cream, milk shakes and juices also appear on the menu.
The restaurant’s experience in providing catering services for Qatar Airlines, which now flies direct to Bali thrice weekly, stands testament to their quality, halal menu.
“We have to admit that only a very few Westerners eat here,” Arief added. “But we welcome them to come taste our food and drinks.”
Madania Restaurant
Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No.29F
Kuta, Bali
Phone: (0361) 764787
Fax: (0361) 764483
madania@telkom.net
Wasti Atmodjo