50 Tras Street · Tanjong Pagar · Singapore
Michelin Bib Gourmand · Halal Certified · Est. 1986
A Comprehensive Culinary Dossier
Restaurant at a Glance
Established 1986
Cuisine Indonesian (Balinese-influenced)
Certification Halal · Michelin Bib Gourmand
Address 50 Tras Street, Singapore 078989
Nearest MRT Tanjong Pagar (~2 min walk)
Phone 6220 6619
Hours Daily 11:30am–2:30pm · 6:00pm–9:30pm
Price Range SGD $30–$60 per pax (approx.)
Reservations Strongly recommended for lunch & dinner
Full Restaurant Review
First Impressions
Cumi Bali occupies a quietly confident corner of Tanjong Pagar—Singapore’s restaurant-dense district where competition is fierce and turnover merciless. The fact that this institution has endured since 1986, surviving two relocations and earning a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction, says something immediate about its staying power. Arriving at 11:30am on a weekday, one already finds a cluster of regulars loitering near the entrance, hinting at the demand that would swell to capacity within the hour.
Overall Rating
Rating: 8.5 / 10
Cumi Bali delivers what premium casual Indonesian dining should: food that is assertively spiced without being aggressive, plated with evident pride, served in a room that makes you forget you are in the heart of a commercial district. It is a destination worth repeating, especially for those who prize authentic bumbu-driven cookery over the sanitised versions often served at hotel buffets.
Strengths
⦁ Every dish demonstrates a thorough command of Indonesian spice architecture—layers of sweet, savoury, smoky, and sometimes lightly spiced heat unfold sequentially rather than simultaneously.
⦁ The charcoal grill imparts genuine wood-smoke character, not the ersatz ‘grill flavour’ common in cheaper establishments.
⦁ The halal certification makes the restaurant inclusive, broadening its demographic without any apparent culinary compromise.
⦁ Nasi Kunyit, a detail often overlooked elsewhere, is elevated here with an eleven-spice blend that justifies ordering it even as a standalone.
⦁ The Es Cendol variant, using gula java over gula melaka, is a genuinely differentiated take on a ubiquitous dessert.
Weaknesses
⦁ Portions, particularly on the Cumi Bali ($38+) and Es Cendol ($5.50+), feel slightly inadequate relative to their price points.
⦁ Service staffing was lean on the reviewed visit, which could create friction during peak dining hours.
⦁ Pricing trends toward the premium end; diners seeking budget Indonesian food would be better directed toward hawker alternatives.
Ambience & Atmosphere
Spatial Character
The interior of Cumi Bali is a carefully curated evocation of Balinese warmth transplanted into a Singaporean shophouse context. Warm amber lighting dominates the space, cast from fixtures that glow like embers rather than flood the room with clinical brightness. The colour palette adheres to the terracotta-and-teak register one associates with boutique villas in Seminyak or Ubud: aged wood accents, woven textile panels, and artisan objects from the archipelago create a layered visual texture that rewards slow attention.
Sound & Sensory Environment
Background noise levels are moderate—conversation is easy at a table, though it becomes effortful near the open kitchen during peak service. The aromatic environment is distinctly Indonesian: the fat-rendered smokiness of the charcoal grill mingles with the galangal-lemongrass perfume of actively bubbling bumbu, creating an olfactory anticipation that begins at the entrance and builds throughout the meal.
Crowd Profile & Energy
The lunchtime crowd skews toward office professionals from the surrounding CBD, interspersed with tourists consulting travel guides and the occasional large family table. The energy is relaxed but purposeful—people are here to eat well, not to be seen. Tables are spaced generously enough to permit private conversation, a relative luxury in Singapore’s often compressed dining landscape.
Ambience Ratings
Lighting Quality 9 / 10
Interior Design 8.5 / 10
Noise Level (comfort) 7.5 / 10
Aromatic Environment 9 / 10
Table Spacing 8 / 10
Overall Ambience 8.5 / 10
In-Depth Menu Analysis
The menu at Cumi Bali is concise by design—a deliberate curation rather than an exhaustive catalogue. Each section foregrounds a particular cooking technique or ingredient class, reflecting the Balinese principle of treating a small number of things with great care.
Grilled & Charcoal Dishes
Cumi Bali (Charcoal-Grilled Bumbu Squid) — $38+
The restaurant’s signature and eponymous dish. Whole squid—selected for firm body and intact skin—is marinated for an extended period in a complex cooked paste (bumbu) incorporating shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, candlenut, coriander seed, and palm sugar. The squid is then positioned over live charcoal, where the sugars in the marinade caramelise rapidly, forming a lacquered, slightly charred exterior.
This is not a dish for those seeking subtlety. The flavour profile is declarative: the deep savouriness of the seafood merges with the sweetness of the paste, which is underscored by faint nuttiness from the candlenut and a long, smoky finish from the charcoal. Accompanying sambal belacha ($0.80+) can be ordered separately to introduce a fermented, prawn-paste heat dimension.
Ayam Sate Madura (Madura-Style Chicken Satay) — $20+
Madura-style satay diverges significantly from the peanut-sauce tradition most Singaporeans associate with satay. Here, thick-cut chicken pieces—substantially more generous than hawker-centre skewers—are threaded onto sticks and grilled over charcoal until caramelised at the edges while remaining juicy within. The finishing treatment involves a heavy scatter of crisp fried shallots, which provide both flavour (allium sweetness, Maillard depth) and textural contrast (crunch against tender meat). No peanut sauce is served, nor is it missed.
Vegetable & Tofu Dishes
Sayur Lodeh (Spiced Coconut Vegetable Stew) — $20+
Sayur lodeh is a classic Javanese dish that functions as the Indonesian counterpart to a Thai vegetable curry. The Cumi Bali version is particularly notable for its gravy—richer, more complex, and more deeply flavoured than most hawker iterations. The base is a coconut milk-fortified broth seasoned with turmeric, galangal, salam leaf, and lemongrass, producing a stew that is at once gently sweet, warmly spiced, and extraordinarily moreish. Cabbage, carrot, and fried egg tofu are the principal solids. The tofu, in particular, absorbs the broth effectively, offering a mild, eggy foil to the aromatic gravy.
Rice
Nasi Kunyit (Turmeric Rice) — $2+
Perhaps the most underrated item on the menu. Steamed with eleven spices—including turmeric (which imparts its distinctive golden hue), cinnamon, pandan leaf, lemongrass, and bay leaf—this is fragrant rice elevated to a ceremonial register. The resulting grain is fluffy, individually distinct, and suffused with a warm, herbaceous complexity that transforms every accompanying dish. Fried shallots are served atop, adding a savoury-sweet crunch at first encounter.
Desserts
Cumi Bali Es Cendol — $5.50+
The Es Cendol here uses gula java (Javanese palm sugar) rather than gula melaka, a substitution that results in a notably different character: less cloying, less coconutty, and more possessing of a dry, molasses-adjacent caramel depth. The cendol itself—thin, emerald-green rice-flour jelly strands—carries a clear pandan fragrance. Grass jelly blocks add a herbal bitterness that provides structural contrast to the sweetness of the syrup. Large, well-sweetened red beans complete the ensemble. The omission of sweet corn and attap chee (common in Singaporean versions) keeps the dessert clean and focused.
Dish Analysis: Textures, Hues & Flavour Architecture
The following analyses treat each dish as a compositional object, examining the interplay of sensory dimensions that constitute the eating experience.
Cumi Bali — Charcoal-Grilled Squid
Dish Cumi Bali (Charcoal-Grilled Bumbu Squid)
Price $38+ (nett ~$42–$43)
Flavour Profile Primary: sweet-savoury (caramelised palm sugar + soy reduction). Secondary: smoky (charcoal, Maillard crust). Tertiary: nutty (candlenut in bumbu). Finish: mild umami tail from fermented shrimp paste base.
Texture Exterior: firm, slightly resistant, with a thin caramelised shell. Interior: yielding, smooth, with a satisfying but not rubbery chew. Skin: silky where not charred; crisp and fragile at char points.
Visual Hue Exterior: deep mahogany to near-black char striations on caramelised bumbu crust. Interior cross-section: pearlescent ivory-white. Sauce/marinade residue: dark amber-brown.
Best Paired With Nasi Kunyit; Sambal Belacha ($0.80+) for contrast; plain jasmine rice if heat-sensitive
Ayam Sate Madura — Chicken Satay
Dish Ayam Sate Madura (Madura-Style Chicken Satay)
Price $20+ (nett ~$22–$23)
Flavour Profile Primary: sweet marinade with subtle soy depth. Secondary: smoky char from grill. Tertiary: allium sweetness and Maillard depth from fried shallots. No peanut sauce—this is intentional.
Texture Chicken: tender, pull-clean from skewer, not dry. Exterior: lightly caramelised, with faint char crust. Fried shallots: crisp, papery, dissolving to oily richness when chewed.
Visual Hue Chicken surface: golden-tan with amber-brown char marks. Shallot topping: deep copper-gold, semi-translucent where oil-saturated. Skewer char: matte black at contact points.
Best Paired With Nasi Kunyit; pickled cucumber or acar if available; a squeeze of lime to cut sweetness
Sayur Lodeh — Curried Vegetable Stew
Dish Sayur Lodeh (Spiced Coconut Vegetable Stew)
Price $20+ (nett ~$22–$23)
Flavour Profile Primary: warm coconut sweetness. Secondary: turmeric earthiness, galangal brightness. Tertiary: subtle lemongrass citrus. Heat: gentle, building slowly. Umami: moderate, from tempeh or shrimp paste in base.
Texture Broth: silky, slightly viscous from coconut milk reduction. Cabbage: soft, just yielding, retaining faint vegetal structure. Carrot: tender with slight resistance. Fried egg tofu: custard-soft interior with lightly set exterior skin.
Visual Hue Broth: warm turmeric gold with pale cream swirls. Cabbage: translucent sage-green. Carrot: vivid orange-red. Fried egg tofu: golden-yellow exterior, pale cream interior.
Best Paired With Nasi Kunyit or plain rice; pairs well with sambal on the side for those desiring heat
Nasi Kunyit — Turmeric Rice
Dish Nasi Kunyit (Eleven-Spice Turmeric Rice)
Price $2+ (nett ~$2.20)
Flavour Profile Primary: warm, herbaceous turmeric earthiness. Secondary: cinnamon sweetness, pandan floral fragrance. Tertiary: lemongrass citrus lift. Background: faint bay leaf resinousness.
Texture Individual grains: fluffy, distinct, not clumped. Mouthfeel: light, yielding with gentle spring. Shallot topping: crisp, then dissolving to savouriness. Overall: airy and fragrant, not heavy.
Visual Hue Rice body: vivid saffron-gold to deep ochre (dependent on turmeric concentration in cook). Shallot topping: burnished copper-gold. Pandan leaf fragments (if present): forest green.
Best Paired With Every dish on the menu; particularly excellent with Sayur Lodeh poured over
Es Cendol — Indonesian Shaved Ice Dessert
Dish Cumi Bali Es Cendol
Price $5.50+ (nett ~$6.05)
Flavour Profile Primary: caramel-molasses depth from gula java. Secondary: coconut cream richness. Tertiary: pandan vegetal-floral note from green jelly. Contrast: mild herbal bitterness from grass jelly. Finish: sweet, clean, not cloying.
Texture Shaved ice: snow-fine, melting rapidly into liquid base and slightly diluting the syrup pleasantly. Green cendol jelly: slippery, soft, yielding—minimal chew. Grass jelly blocks: firm, slightly elastic, semi-gelatinous. Red beans: large, slightly firm exterior, floury-soft interior.
Visual Hue Shaved ice: translucent white-blue. Gula java syrup: deep amber-brown, pooling at the base. Green cendol strands: vivid emerald to jade green. Grass jelly: near-black with faint greenish sheen. Red beans: dark burgundy-maroon.
Best Paired With Best consumed immediately; pairs with a hot kopi-o or teh tarik as a temperature contrast
Recipes & Cooking Instructions
The following recipes are home-kitchen adaptations inspired by the dishes served at Cumi Bali. They aim to replicate the flavour architecture and textural character of each dish within the constraints of a domestic stove and standard equipment. Professional charcoal grill temperatures (~600–700°C at the grate) cannot be fully replicated at home, but the methods below approximate the results as closely as possible.
Recipe 1: Cumi Bali — Balinese Charcoal-Grilled Bumbu Squid
Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
⦁ 500g whole fresh squid, cleaned (tubes intact, tentacles reserved)
⦁ 3 tbsp neutral oil (for marinade and grilling)
Bumbu Paste:
⦁ 6 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
⦁ 4 cloves garlic
⦁ 3 red chillies (seeds removed for mild version)
⦁ 2 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts as substitute)
⦁ 2 cm knob galangal, peeled
⦁ 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, sliced
⦁ 1 tsp coriander seed, toasted
⦁ 2 tbsp palm sugar (gula melaka or gula java), grated
⦁ 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
⦁ 1 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
⦁ 1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan), toasted
⦁ Salt to taste
Method
- Prepare the bumbu: Blend all paste ingredients in a food processor or pestle and mortar until smooth. Cook paste in a wok over medium heat with 3 tbsp neutral oil, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes until fragrant, darkened, and the oil separates visibly at the edges. Allow to cool.
- Score the squid tubes with shallow diagonal cuts (do not cut through) to prevent curling and aid marinade penetration. Coat squid thoroughly with cooled bumbu paste. Marinate for minimum 2 hours; overnight in the refrigerator is optimal.
- For charcoal grill: Establish a two-zone fire (high heat one side, medium the other). Grill squid over high heat for 2–3 minutes per side until char marks form and marinade caramelises. Move to medium zone to cook through for a further 2 minutes.
- For stovetop cast-iron: Heat cast-iron skillet to smoking point. Add minimal oil. Sear squid for 3 minutes per side, pressing lightly to maintain contact. The caramelisation will be less uniform but the flavour comparable.
- Rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately with sambal belacan and nasi kunyit (see Recipe 3).
Critical Notes:
⦁ Squid must be dry before grilling—pat with kitchen paper after marinating. Moisture causes steaming rather than searing.
⦁ Do not overcook. Squid crosses from tender to rubbery at approximately 65°C internal temperature.
⦁ The bumbu must be fully cooked (tempered) before marinating—raw shallot and garlic produce a sharp, acrid character rather than the round sweetness of the cooked paste.
Recipe 2: Ayam Sate Madura — Madura-Style Chicken Satay
Ingredients (Serves 3–4, ~16–20 skewers)
⦁ 600g boneless chicken thighs (skin-on for best flavour), cut into 3–4 cm chunks
⦁ 16–20 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Marinade:
⦁ 4 shallots, finely minced
⦁ 3 cloves garlic, minced
⦁ 2 tbsp kecap manis
⦁ 1 tbsp soy sauce
⦁ 1 tsp coriander powder
⦁ 1 tsp cumin powder
⦁ 1 tsp palm sugar, grated
⦁ ½ tsp turmeric powder
⦁ 2 tbsp coconut milk
⦁ Salt and white pepper to taste
Fried Shallot Topping:
⦁ 8 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
⦁ Neutral oil for frying (depth of 2 cm)
⦁ Pinch of salt
Method
- Combine all marinade ingredients. Coat chicken pieces thoroughly. Marinate for a minimum of 3 hours; overnight strongly preferred.
- Thread 3–4 chicken pieces per skewer, packing fairly tight to prevent overcooking at exposed ends.
- Fry shallots: Place sliced shallots in cold oil, bring to medium heat. Fry slowly, stirring, until deep golden (not brown). This low-and-slow method ensures even caramelisation. Drain on kitchen paper. They will crisp further upon cooling. Salt lightly.
- Grill skewers over high heat (charcoal preferred) or under a hot oven grill for 4–5 minutes per side, basting with excess marinade once. Edges should char lightly.
- Pile fried shallots generously over served skewers. Do not serve with peanut sauce—the shallot topping is the intended accompaniment.
Critical Notes:
⦁ Chicken thigh is non-negotiable. Breast will dry out and lose the tender-pull quality essential to this dish.
⦁ The shallots must be started in cold oil. Hot oil entry leads to uneven browning and potential bitterness.
Recipe 3: Nasi Kunyit — Eleven-Spice Turmeric Rice
Ingredients (Serves 4)
⦁ 400g jasmine rice, rinsed three times until water runs clear
⦁ 2 tsp fresh turmeric, grated (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
⦁ 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
⦁ 2 pandan leaves, knotted
⦁ 1 small cinnamon stick
⦁ 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
⦁ 2 cloves
⦁ 1 star anise
⦁ 2 salam leaves (Indonesian bay leaves; substitute regular bay if unavailable)
⦁ 1 kaffir lime leaf, torn
⦁ ½ tsp salt
⦁ 400ml water + 100ml coconut milk (for steaming liquid)
Method
- Combine all ingredients including the rinsed rice in a rice cooker or heavy-based saucepan. Ensure all aromatics are submerged.
- For rice cooker: Cook on standard white rice setting. Allow to rest, lid closed, for 10 minutes after completion.
- For stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Cover tightly and cook for 18 minutes. Turn off heat; rest covered for 12 minutes.
- Remove aromatics (lemongrass, pandan, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, bay leaves). Fluff rice gently with a fork.
- Top with crisp fried shallots immediately before serving.
Critical Notes:
⦁ Fresh turmeric produces a more vivid gold colour and cleaner flavour than ground. Wear gloves—it stains permanently.
⦁ The coconut milk addition is subtle but contributes a faint richness and slightly glossy finish to the grains.
Recipe 4: Sayur Lodeh — Spiced Coconut Vegetable Stew
Ingredients (Serves 4)
⦁ 200g cabbage, cut into 5 cm pieces
⦁ 150g carrot, oblique-cut
⦁ 200g firm tofu, cut into blocks and fried until golden
⦁ 100g long beans, cut into 5 cm lengths
⦁ 600ml coconut milk (full-fat)
⦁ 400ml water
Spice Paste:
⦁ 5 shallots
⦁ 3 cloves garlic
⦁ 3 candlenuts
⦁ 2 cm turmeric, fresh
⦁ 1 cm galangal
⦁ 1 tsp dried shrimp paste (belacan), toasted
⦁ 2 dried red chillies (rehydrated)
Aromatics:
⦁ 2 salam leaves
⦁ 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
⦁ Salt and palm sugar to taste
Method
- Blend spice paste ingredients until smooth. Fry in 3 tbsp neutral oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until fragrant and paste darkens slightly.
- Add lemongrass and salam leaves. Stir for 1 minute.
- Add water. Bring to boil. Add carrot and long beans. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Add cabbage. Simmer a further 4 minutes until just tender but not collapsed.
- Reduce to low. Pour in coconut milk in a slow stream, stirring constantly to prevent splitting. Do not boil after coconut milk addition.
- Add fried tofu. Season with salt and a pinch of palm sugar to round the flavour. Simmer gently on low for 5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust. The stew should be savoury, gently sweet, mildly spiced, and rich.
Critical Notes:
⦁ Never boil the stew after adding coconut milk—this causes the emulsion to split and produces a greasy, curdled result.
⦁ Fried tofu absorbs the broth better than raw tofu. Fry beforehand until golden for optimal texture.
Recipe 5: Es Cendol — Javanese Shaved Ice Dessert
Ingredients (Serves 3–4)
Cendol Jelly (Green Rice Flour Strands):
⦁ 100g rice flour
⦁ 1 tbsp mung bean flour (or tapioca starch)
⦁ 250ml pandan juice (blend 6 pandan leaves with 250ml water, strain)
⦁ ¼ tsp salt
Gula Java Syrup:
⦁ 150g gula java (Javanese palm sugar), grated or roughly chopped
⦁ 100ml water
⦁ 1 pandan leaf, knotted
Assembly:
⦁ 400ml coconut cream (full-fat, chilled)
⦁ ¼ tsp salt (to stir into coconut cream)
⦁ 150g cooked red beans (sweetened)
⦁ 100g grass jelly (cincau), cubed
⦁ Shaved ice (fine) — approximately 250g per serving
Method
- Make the cendol: Combine rice flour, mung bean flour, pandan juice, and salt. Whisk smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste that pulls away from the sides of the pan (approximately 8 minutes). Remove from heat immediately.
- While still hot, press paste through a colander with small holes (or cendol mould if available) into a bowl of iced water. The strands will set immediately upon contact with cold water. Refrigerate until assembly.
- Make gula java syrup: Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over low flame, stirring, until sugar fully dissolves. Simmer 3 minutes to intensify. Remove pandan. Cool to room temperature.
- Salt the coconut cream lightly (this heightens sweetness perception and prevents the cream from tasting flat).
- Assembly order: Place shaved ice in a bowl. Arrange cendol strands, grass jelly cubes, and red beans over the ice. Drizzle gula java syrup generously. Spoon salted coconut cream over the top.
- Serve immediately—shaved ice melts rapidly. The gradual dilution of the syrup as the ice melts is part of the intended eating experience.
Critical Notes:
⦁ Gula java produces a drier, less sweet result than gula melaka. Do not substitute with refined sugar—the molasses complexity is the point.
⦁ The cendol mixture will continue to thicken as it cools in the pan. Pull from heat the moment it reaches a sticky, translucent paste consistency.
Final Verdict
Cumi Bali is a rare thing in Singapore’s dining landscape: a restaurant whose longevity (nearly four decades) has not bred complacency. The cooking retains a vigorous authenticity, the spice work is precise, and the charcoal grill is employed with genuine skill rather than as a marketing prop. The Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition is warranted, though one might argue that the price-to-portion ratio on certain dishes edges beyond what that designation typically implies. For those seeking a considered, flavour-led experience of Indonesian cuisine—particularly Balinese and Madurese traditions—Cumi Bali remains an essential destination.
Recommended for: Special occasions, corporate lunches, culinary tourism, and anyone seeking to contextualise Indonesian cuisine beyond the familiar nasi padang paradigm.