A new restaurant and coworking space has popped up in Canggu amid the pandemic, founded by a group of Indonesians who either lost their jobs or got furloughed this year. Despite the unprecedented challenges, the people behind Horeka Bistro are simply refusing to give up.
Horeka, which stands for Hotel, Restaurant and Kafe (the Indonesian spelling of café), was established by people from the hospitality industry in Bali who have been affected by the public health crisis. It opened its doors to the public earlier this year in August, and is slowly capturing the market.
The restaurant proudly adopts the tagline #KamiMenolakUntukMenyerah, which translates to “we refuse to give up,” as an embodiment of the team spirit that makes Horeka. Having been laid off, placed on unpaid leave, or had imposed pay cuts evidently did not stop them from getting creative in order to survive.
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Located on Jl. Raya Semat, Horeka is an alfresco dining venue that doubles as a coworking space, with a swimming pool for guests to dip their toes in on a hot day. They offer a day pass at IDR75K, which includes a free meal from their selected menu, coffee, free-flow infused water, as well as access to the swimming pool and a towel.
There are three monthly packages available offering varying benefits, such as F&B credit, discounts on wine, and a mail service. Their Silver package is priced at IDR1 million, whereas their Gold and Platinum Packages cost IDR1.5 million and IDR2 million, respectively.
Horeka also promises food with excellent quality at an affordable price, selections of which range from IDR25K to IDR110K. A quick look at their menu shows a pretty interesting mix of Western and Indonesian comfort food, from classic dishes like Pasta Carbonara (IDR50K) to the Canggu-must option of Smoothies Bowl (IDR40K), as well as satisfying Indonesian picks such as Mie Goreng Kecombrang (IDR30K) and Nasi Goreng Sambal Matah (IDR30K). Some chef’s picks include Beef Stroganoff (IDR63K) and Tinoransak Chicken (IDR75K), the latter of which is a spicy chicken dish from Manado, North Sulawesi.
Todohasi, Horeka Bistro’s Operations Manager, said Horeka also hosts weekend events that have attracted some regular customers. Videos on their Instagram show an eclectic mix of performances and themed acts, including live DJ sets and a Mermaid Night, with a Broadway Musical Christmas Dinner planned for Dec. 26.
All in all, Horeka Bistro seems like an exciting new venue to check out the next time we’re in Canggu. It’s also another chance to support the local community in surviving this pandemic, and well, we’re pretty keen on trying that Mie Goreng Kecombrang ourselves. Will you be checking this place out yourself, Coconauts? Don’t forget to stay safe and let us know about your visit in the comments.
(US$1 = IDR 14,153)
FIND IT:
Horeka Bistro Bali
Jl. Raya Semat Gg Dewi Subadra No. 1, Canggu, Bali
Opens everyday, 8am-10pm
Phone: +6281991000168
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