Drinking & Dining Hotspots in Timor Leste (Week 2)
If you read my last post you will know that over the Christmas break I spent a couple of weeks in Dili, Timor Leste (formerly known as East Timor). It’s not the typical holiday destination for a wine blogger seeing as it’s a third world country that’s hotter than a frypan on heat but rest assured I did sniff out some good wine and food!
In my Wining & Dining in Dili week 1 post I wrote about where you can shop for wine in Timor’s capital city of Dili as well as a few foodie highlights in my first week. The second week was just as scrumptious, which is proven by the fact of my +3kg muffin top gain!
So here are a few more lovely little spots to wine and dine in Timor Leste, if you have any questions just leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Obrigada!
Abang Manis House – Thai Restaurant (Farol, Dili +67 077 994 739)
Hidden in the backstreets of Dili you’ll find this authentic little outdoor Thai restaurant. Owned and operated by a lovely Thai lady who’ll make you feel overly welcomed. The menu is extensive, the beer is cold and you’re provided with free bug repellent (something which you need on all the time when in Timor to defend yourself against the likes of malaria). During our visit we were even given a free plate of garden rolls seeing as my parents frequent this spot quite often which was lovely. The meals were all fab, lovely big servings of authentic Thai delicacies. Definitely value for money!
Diya Restaurant at Discovery Inn
This is the Nobu of Dili, its fine dining which is reflected in the service and menu. When dining at Diya you could virtually be anywhere in the world, it actually seems a little bit out-of-place for a third world country. We were treated like absolute kings and queens, the wine was in good condition and my fave dish had to be Mr. Spittoon’s baked camenbert – scrumptious. Possibly the best western fusion cuisine in Dili.
Pousada Baucau
After a 3 hour drive from Dili and a half an hour fish off a wharf on the way we ended up in the second biggest town in Timor, Baucau. The drive was quite spectacular along steep coastal roads, past rice fields, through small villages of tiny thatched houses and of course seeing a ton of goats, chickens, dogs and water buffalo along the way. This may be up there with on of my fave meals during my trip. The view was beautiful, the monkeys cute, wine was cold and good quality (thanks Lindemans Australia) and the food was good even though we had to wait an hour for it. Favourite dish had to be the fried chicken and banana – amazing to say the least!
Gion Japanese Restaurant at Timor Plaza
New Years Eve dinner was here and we were already stuffed from lunch in Baucau but when in Timor! This lovely little Japanese restaurant is at the bottom floor of Timor Plaza and it’s a fave lunch spot of my parents, apparently the sushi rolls are to die for. My bento box was awesome, delicious miso which is always my fave Japanese dish. Though the favourite part of my meal had to be the Heineken! This wasn’t any old Heinekin but one with green apple or lychee flavouring in and the bottle of beer literally came upside down in the glass (se picture at the top of this post). Haha I loved it! Cocktail gastronomy in Dili. Plus I heard through the grapevine that Heiniken Asia Pacific are planning to build a plant in Timor! I wonder what they’ll think of this concoction!
Letefoho Specialty Coffee Roaster
Seeing as coffee is Timor’s biggest export (and maybe only export) I had to stop in to this oh so cute coffee shop across from the beach. The service impeccable, prices fair and coffee superb. I loved the theatre of my hand drip aero press coffee. Naturally now, me the herbal tea drinker, has to have a coffee every morning before work now using the 3kg of coffee beans I brought back to Perth with me. Looks like Iim back on the coffee train, thanks Timor!
Maria Vahnnia’s Chicken & Pork Grilled (Rua Palapaso, Dili)
It’s literally a little stall on the side of a main row. From what I gather they use an open fire and rotisserie the meat this way and boy oh boy the meat from the hole in the wall Timor takeaway shop is divine! The pork belly was mouth-watering and the chicken just had the most beautiful spice flavour. Give me this with some local Portuguese bread over KFC any day! Definitely up there as one of my fave meals of the trip.
Tibar Beach Retreat
Such a pretty spot and the manager was so lovely and chatty!! Fabulous sangria, food and wine but that view.. I simply couldn’t get enough of it.
Padaria Brasao Portuguese Bakery
Both Mr.Spittoon and I fell in love with the Portuguese baked goods! The bread buns, bread loaves and those little bites of heaven, the Portuguese tarts were exactly what this wine loving girl needed to soak up all her ‘beverages’. Also the bread is virtually preservative free so it goes down an absolute treat even for those with iffy stomach and gluten issues.
All up it was an awesome holiday, definitely a little bit different but what a great experience and my Mum and Dad really did treat us to some awesome wine and food experiences, thank-you!! x