Made’s Warung has grown in keeping with what has been going on around it. It is a busy, popular, happening place, although it still manages to retain the community feel of the authentic warung. Being on two levels, and being a hangout for the rich and famous, the hip and the cool, it is a great place for people watching. This development from a small, typical warung in the seventies to the popular hangout it is today was a slow and steady process. First came the buying of a stove, then some nicer chairs and tables. Eventually electricity was installed! Along with the arrival of the big Nusa Dua hotels came easier access to all kinds of supplies that weren’t available previously and Made could add more and more adventurous dishes to her menu, from the appetizers through to the desserts and coffees.

The menu today is extensive and covers most palettes across all mealtimes. Made and Peter love to experiment, working out the ingredients of a dish and then, if it is successful, putting it on the ever-changing menu. The menu itself is international in flavour with Indonesian fare, including traditional Balinese dishes such as babi guling (suckling pig) and bebek tutu (Balinese smoked duck), Japanese and various western style dishes including pasta.

Don’t imagine you can sit at a table all alone to savour this fine food. Dining alone is not the philosophy here - mixing and socializing is more the thing. So don’t be surprised to have other diners seated at your table. According to Made, some people like this concept, others don’t. It is worth noting that she has been thanked many times by those who met their future partners this way. So don’t be shy: you never know who you might meet! The atmosphere and ambience are just as important as the food and making new friends is part of the experience.

Made’s Warung 2, the Seminyak version on Jl Legian, is also in tune with the tone of its surrounding area. Seminyak is a little more up-market than Kuta with trendy bars, more expensive restaurants and chic nightspots. The Made’s here is therefore also more sophisticated and many of the local expats who have settled around this area are regular customers. It has the same split level style décor and eclectic menu as the original, but it is set back from the street in a pretty, European-style courtyard, surrounded by classy boutiques. All in all quite a cosmopolitan feel.

Locals still frequent Made’s along with expats, tourists and Indonesian regulars from Jakarta and Surabaya. Word of mouth and various guidebook articles pass on the experience that is Made’s and people return again and again. Both Peter and Made are, and have always been, constantly and enthusiastically involved in the running of their restaurants. They work alongside their staff, some of whom have been loyal employees for as long as 24 years! Made confesses to loving her job so much that she misses it if she is a way even for a short while. It is a way of life and, as Peter says: "Life is wonderful!"