Finding authentic Asian food in Rome is not super easy, so thank heavens for Bali Bar. Centrally located in Trastevere, it’s a great spot serving food from Thailand, Bali, Vietnam and China – in a really cosy, hidden restaurant.
Tucked down a side street, it’s not obvious from the outside that it’s a restaurant – it’s a single door, and you have to ring a bell to be let in. Once you’re in though, you’re magically transported to another country – there are rooms with lounge seating and an outside bar, where you can smoke shisha.
At the back there’s the restaurant area, lit by candles with tons of cosy sofas and low tables to eat at. What I like about it is that it’s not just classic Chinese food but, as the name suggests, dishes from Bali and other parts of Asia too. For me, it’s always tricky to choose between the pad thai and the Balinese dish Beef Rendang – amazingly tender meat stewed in a a coconut-y, spicy sauce.