restaurant review #267 – This review is from a visit to Bali James in 2019 (before the lockdown and COVID19measures). Although it’s from a long time ago, I still like to post it for archival reasons for myself, as I like to have the photos and impressions on my blog!
Bali James is an Indonesian restaurant (well the name does give it away!) in Breda, the Netherlands. Breda is just across the border from Belgium, not so far from Antwerp. The restaurant is just outside, but within walking distance from the city center.
There are plenty of Indonesian restaurants in The Netherlands (given the historical link with the country), but unfortunately they are a rarity in Belgium. So whenever we are in the Netherlands, we try to go to an Indonesian restaurant, because they always have vegan dishes availble, and we love the cuisine!
front, Bali James, Breda (NL)
interior, Bali James, Breda (NL)
vegetarian ricetable on menu – we asked for it to be veganised, Bali James, Breda (NL)
We asked for the vegetarian ricetable, and to have not any dishes with egg included (was no problem). The waitress said there were two dishes with egg. They were replaced by a double of the other dishes that are already included in the ricetable (pity they couldn’t relace them with something original). That meant that there was less variety than other rictables that we have eaten at Indonesian restaurants.
The ricetable was 24 euro per person (a bit on the expensive side).
Service was very quick and friendly.
vegan ricetable, Bali James, Breda (NL)
vegan ricetable, Bali James, Breda (NL)
vegan ricetable, Bali James, Breda (NL)
selection of the dishes on my plate, Bali James, Breda (NL)
The restaurant room is not accessible: there is one large step to get in. Didn’t see an accessible toilet.
Toilets were clean.
toilets at Bali James, Breda, NL. Why do I include a pic of the toilet? Read about it HERE.
at the entrance, Bali James, Breda (NL)
interior, Bali James, Breda (NL)
All in all: fair, albeit on the expensive side. We’ve had better vegan rice tables for that price at other Indonesian restaurants.
This review is from before a visit before the lockdown, so please be aware that the setting, menu, etc may have changed meanwhile.
Bali James, location
Markendaalseweg 68
4811 KD Breda
Netherlands
+31 76 521 3206
website: https://restaurantbali.com/
Looking for restaurants?
See my lists of restaurants where vegans are welcome in the menu section of The Bruges vegan! List restaurants in Bruges and outside Bruges.
at the entrance, Bali James, Breda (NL)
entrance, not accessible, Bali James, Breda (NL)
center Breda, very busy!
The Bruges Vegan 
Hi Trudi, yeah, Indonesian food can be pretty great, just beware of one especially notorious ingredient; Trassi.
Trassi is a fermented shrimp paste that is used to flavour most dishes in Indonesian cuisine, and unfortunately most Dutch Indonesian restaurants use it in the dishes that make up a vegetarian rice table too. (i lived in Breda for 25 years and I don’t know how Bali is these days, but i have been there on a work diner once and the only thing i could eat was the GadoGado)
So, a lot of these vegetable dishes may look tempting, but most of them are actually not even vegetarian.
To be safe, just ask for a list of allergens, and once you get to know the taste and smell of Trassi, you’ll easily identify it 😉
Hi Mattijs, yes we are aware about the use of Trassi in Indonesian restaurants, and on most occassions we ask about it. Similar issue with oyster sauce in Thai and Chinese restaurants. As this is a review of a visit long time ago, can’t remember whether we inquired about it here specifically.
Obviously, even when they reply negatively, one still can’t be 100% sure, but then it comes down trust, as is always the case when visisting restaurants as a vegan.
Pick up at Bali James: don’t do it!
We bought a three take out rice tables for almost € 100 yesterday from Bali James. The prawn crackers (shrimp and vegetarian) were both old and chewy. The food was not really dirty, but seemed to have been reheated and at one point we noticed that five dishes were missing. We called immediately, but the answering machine (20:30) was already on. Today we called back and were approached very angry by a lady who found it scandalous that we complained about the prawn crackers. She thought that was an insult. Moreover, it was not possible that five dishes were missing because everything was checked three times and was stored in the computer. And she repeated that message many times, getting more and more angry.
Picking up at Bali James is therefore not recommended.