ASIDE from offering the beauty of nature tourism like Sanur Beach, Serangan Island and Mangrove Forest, Denpasar still has some other attractions that usually draw the attention of visitors. One of them is food festival. It does not only offer local distinctive food to visitors, but also discover and preserve local culinary treasures.
Many modern and instant foods have been present to give something new in the lists or alternative for people. Due to this phenomenon, some foods perhaps already disappeared so that new generations do not even know about it at all. Naturally, people are indeed eager to try something new.
Amid the competitions with modern foods, local food continues to be discovered and preserved by local government. As an aspect of culture, cuisine does not only the matter of satisfying the hunger but also something important and supporting field of tourism. Preservation of traditional or local cuisine can go hand in hand with tourism promotion.
Denpasar, for instance, has two favorite food festivals, regularly organized in a series of the Sanur Village Festival (around August) and Denpasar Festival (yearend). In the festival, Balinese traditional food is always presented as one of the attraction to drive people to come. There are chicken betutu, tipat cantok, serombotan (assorted vegetables with hot spices), seafood satay, roasted suckling pig, fresh cakes and herbal drink.
Surely, visitors will be able to enrich their experience. Meanwhile, local people can re-discover their ‘disappeared’ foods that may happen in keeping with the passage of times. Through their innovative and creative ideas, they can present and become an appeal to visitors.
