Hidden Gems: Meet Celene & Tara Carrara of Bungkus Bagus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Celene & Tara Carrara.

Hi Celene & Tara, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We were raised in Bali, Indonesia, and after moving back to the States, spent many summers living with our Dad outside of Ubud. Balinese food is central to our tastes and preferences, and we’ve spent years trying to figure out how to make dishes that tasted true to our memory while in LA. After the onset of Covid-19, we found ourselves out of work, adrift without a clear direction forward. Then we found fresh banana leaves at Vallarta market in Pasadena and realized we could make a real Balinese “nasi bungkus” – or “rice wrapped to go” – which is something we’ve never quite nailed. Our partners encouraged us to make nasi bungkus for our friends, to host a casual pop-up in our driveway, as so many other folks were doing at the time. So we spent a few weeks recipe testing, going to seemingly every Asian grocery store in LA, discovering ingredients otherwise lost to us: galangal, long beans, bird’s eye chilis, rhizome root. The first pop-up was a huge success, then the second, then the third – and it all just snowballed from there. We built a website, a following, and a pre-order system that carried us through the next year. Miraculously, it became our full-time job. We brought on employees and grew the operation all the way to Smorgasburg LA, where we find our current home every Sunday.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s so true that anything worth doing won’t be easy, but easy is not what we seek. Our vision from the beginning of this project was to create the flavor combinations and textures from our childhood and share them with other Angelenos, especially the Indonesian immigrants missing home. Bungkus Bagus has been our love letter to Bali, to the people and place that made us who we are. But we have truly poured blood, sweat and tears into every facet of this business. Any cook will tell you that the physical toll is massive, even with help. And any small business owner will tell you that the back end is just as grueling as the forward-facing operation. Not to mention, having a social media presence is a new and intimidating challenge for us both. As we told our accountant the other day, we’re tired but happy. And she, in her wisdom, said back to us, “That’s a good sign – you know you’re doing your job.”

We’ve been impressed with Bungkus Bagus, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are Celene and Tara, two sisters who run a Los Angeles-based Balinese street food pop-up called Bungkus Bagus (translation: “good package”). Our food isn’t strictly “Balinese,” as the thousands of islands in Indonesia inevitably influence each other’s cuisine; but our focus is on the flavors and textures we grew up loving in our first home of Ubud, Bali. The star of our menu is the Nasi Bungkus: eight dishes, including coconut rice, chicken curry, spicy/sweet tempe, long bean with toasted coconut, peanuts and desiccated pork, all wrapped in a fresh banana leaf. Unfolding the bungkus is like opening a gift – not only is it delicious, but it’s fun to eat! Included in every bungkus is a sprinkling of our Sambal Goreng or fried chili topping. We hand cut shallots, garlic and Thai chilis, then deep fry them and sprinkle them with coarse salt. Sambal Goreng is an addicting and versatile dish that pairs well with just about everything. We also make Kueh Lapis, a bouncy rainbow layer cake found in markets all over southeast Asia, but especially in (our favorite) the pasar malam, or “night market,” in Bali. Rounding out our menu are our Forbidden Rice Pudding with sweet and savory coconut milk and Es Cendol, a popular drinkable dessert with red bean, jackfruit, and the famous “green worm” dawet jellies. You can find us at Smorgasburg LA at the Row Downtown every Sunday. Look for the big yellow umbrella!

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The onset of Covid-19 turned our worlds upside down, but it also gave us an opportunity we may have otherwise never seized. We attribute a lot of our success as a pop-up to the brave diners who were searching for a culinary experience outside of their homes. While restaurants remained closed, driveway pop-ups and underground home operations were thriving because people were longing to be in community and to share in something delicious together – ourselves included. Our business was able to grow because of those people who pre-ordered a week in advance, picked up their food, and shared it with their loved ones. We’ve certainly learned that while in struggle, we are called upon to think creatively, find new pathways to solutions, and take risks outside of our comfort zones. So for many reasons, we are grateful for the unexpected gifts of this universally challenging era.

Pricing:

• Nasi Bungkus – $23
• Sambal Goreng – $15
• Kueh Lapis – $10
• Forbidden Rice Pudding – $8
• Es Cendol – $8

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.BungkusBagusLA.com
• Instagram: @BungkusBagusLA

Image Credits:
Ron Khy Patrick Manalo