CAFE BATU JIMBAR, Jalan Danau Tamblingan No. 152, is a casual sidewalk cafe and popular with regular visitors to Sanur and expatriates who meet here for breakfast, lunch or dinner under large trees. You can choose from a number of fresh fruit juices, healthy salads and light dishes; the vegetables and herbs are grown at the owner's farm near Bedugul. In the back of the outdoor restaurant is a good book shop which carries also international newspapers.
The air-conditioned KAFE WAYANG, Komplek Sanur Raya No. 12 - 14 at the By-Pass opposite the Radisson Hotel, has become quite popular during lunch time. Local business people enjoy the relaxing (indoor) tropical garden setting, the creative Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, and the excellent desserts. From 4 p.m. until late you can also choose from a variety of tasty "Tapas". Friday night is Jam Session from 9:00 p.m.
TELAGA NAGA (operated by the Bali Hyatt hotel in Sanur and located right opposite the hotel on the main road) has a beautiful garden setting with ponds and ducks, bridges, pavilions, and usually well prepared Chinese food. Try the "Smoked Duck". The birds served here are imported from the United States and have – unlike their Asian relatives – a lot of tender meat. I can also recommend the Chicken in Sesame Sauce (in many places known as 'Bon Bon Chicken'), the Hot & Sour Soup, and their Scallops in Black Bean Sauce. Expect to pay hotel prices, i.e. dinner for two around US$50 to US$60 with some beer but without wine.
The beautiful SLAVYANKA Russian Restaurant & Bar, Jalan By-Pass No. 121xx (the southern part of Sanur near Jalan Danau Poso) was opened in June 2007. The comfortable interior of the dining room features paintings of numerous Russian Tsars and is setting new standards for Sanur. The air-conditioning helps to relax even on hot and humid days, the service is attentive, and we enjoyed most of the dishes prepared under the supervision of the Chef from the Ukraine. Various fish specialties, chicken liver with apples and onions, Russian Borsht and various potatoe dishes and venisson with cranberries are quite unique. The small wine list is reasonably priced. Finally, fine dining has come to Sanur, and at reasonable prices.
Also relatively new for Sanur (although established in Seminyak and Kuta for some time already, see reviews below) is the open-air GATEWAY OF INDIA, Jalan Danau Tamblingan a bit South of the Bali Hyatt hotel and on the same side of the road. The Indian food here is delicious and irresistable, and it cannot be compared with any other restaurant in Sanur claiming to serve food from the sub-continent. The setting here is more pleasant than their other two branches, and prices are reasonable. For details please turn to the review of the Seminyak branch further down.
A great place for reasonably priced Thai Food is the MEZZANINE at Puri Santrian in Sanur. The Thai Chef Supachai definitely knows what he is doing, and we really enjoy his Beef Salad, Thom Yam Goong and other dishes. But talk to him personally to place your order and specify how spicy you like it..
The SANUR BEACH MARKET restaurant at the end of Jalan Segara serves from noon to 9:00 or 10.00 p.m. a choice of Indonesian, Chinese and Balinese dishes with an emphasis on seafood. Great location, good food in an unpretentious setting, and reasonable prices. For real local flavor, visit BABI GULING GIANYAR on the By-Pass near the SPLASH BAKERY between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. This very simple restaurant serves the most delicious "Babi Guling" (roasted suckling pig, a famous specialty of the town of Gianyar). Around 7:00 p.m. they are usually sold out!
THE BALI RESTAURANT GUIDE TO KUTA(incl. Tuban, Legian, Seminyak, Kerobokan, etc)
The largest number and variety of restaurants is located in this area stretching over about 4 to 6 miles from the airport to Basangkasa further North, and the following list covers just a few of my personal favorites:
KETUPAT, Jalan Legian Raya 109 (hidden behind Jonathan Gallery) in Kuta, serves a great variety of Indonesian specialties in very pleasant surroundings. You can sit either in the open-air restaurant or in several cozy alcoves scattered around the swimming pool. The extensive menu includes traditional Balinese food and dishes from all parts of the archipelago – with photographs to make your choice easier. You find different soups, chicken, beef, duck, lamb, seafood and vegetarian delicacies from Bali, Sumatra, Jawa, Sulawesi, Maluku, and other parts of Indonesia. In addition to the usual pork, beef, and chicken 'Sate' you find here barbecued skewers with goat meat, prawns, tuna, squid, and even 'Sate Lilit' with minced crab or duck meat. Seafood lovers can choose from different preparations of lobster, crabs, prawns, calamari and all kinds of fresh fish. Vegetarians will enjoy salads and tasty main courses with beans, potatoes, spinach, bean sprouts, young fern leaves, etc. The menu features photographs and explanations of each dish. well presented and served in surroundings which will please most visitors.
MADE'S WARUNG on Jalan Pantai in central Kuta near the Bemo Corner has been an institution in Kuta since the early 70's. This has been THE place to see and be seen for nearly 30 years. In the early days, MADE'S was the only 'after-hours' place in Kuta: they kept selling toilet paper, mosquito curls, snack food and drinks until 8:00 p.m. when everybody else closed around 7:00 p.m. Today you con choose from many local dishes including Sate and Nasi Campur as well as many international specialties such as Sashimi, steaks, noodle dishes etc. The owners Peter and Made opened in August 1996 a new, quite similar but larger and more comfortable MADE'S WARUNG in Seminyak/Basangkasa on the way to the Oberoi Hotel. Really close by and near the Bemo Corner on Jalan Pantai Kuta No. 11B (across Jalan Legian to the North) is a branch of GATEWAY OF INDIA which serves delicious Indian food in very simple surroundings at acceptable prices (for details read the review of the Seminyak branch further down).
POPPIES restaurant on Poppies Gang (lane) nearby has also been well-established for over 25 years. In a beautiful garden setting you can choose from a number of Asian and Western dishes including, soups, curries, lobster and steaks. It's very pleasant for a leisurely lunch in the shade of large trees, but in the evenings the place tends to become crowded with tourist groups. The food was never outstanding, and recently the prices have been increased considerably.
TJ'S Mexican Restaurant, also on Poppies Gang, has become an institution over the years and is well-known for tasty Mexican food, good music, excellent margaritas and strawberry daiquiris, and to meet regulars around the far corner of the long bar. Pleasant garden setting, good service, great salads and affordable prices.
KORI Restaurant, hidden away in nearby Poppies II Lane, offers comfortable open-air seating in pleasant surroundings. Service is attentive and the menu lists specialties from many countries such as Indonesian Satays, Thai beef salad, Thom Yam, and Green Chicken Curry, Singapore Chilli Crab, Australian beef steaks, tuna steaks, beef burgers, pork chops, Caesar salad, and Italian pasta. Good food, nice presentation, large portions and a good, reasonably priced wine list.
The well-known air-conditioned sushi bar RYOSHI, Jalan Raya Seminyak 17 (with branches in Jalan Melasti in Kuta as well as in Sanur and Ubud) serves Sashimi, Sushi, Tempura, Miso soup and other Japanese dishes at reasonable prices. It's interior is simple but comfortable, and the restaurant is often crowded during meal times. After having moved to the premises next door, it features also some garden seating in front and an open-air area upstairs.
TAKE, Jalan Patih Jelantik (the small road between Kuta and Jalan Imam Bonjol) with a second branch in Jalan Padma, offers a wider choice of well-prepared specialties from various areas of Japan. For good Sashimi or Teppanyaki, Shabu-Shabu and Sukiyaki prepared at your table visit either the KURUMAYA at the Bali Padma Hotel in Legian (Tuesday nights "All You Can Eat"), or the smaller but more elegant TEPPANYAKI restaurant at the Sofitel Hotel in Seminyak. KUNI's Japanese Restaurant is located at Jalan Laksmana No. 80. When you enter this modern open-air restaurant through the lounge you pass the bar and a small sushi counter. Dining tables are well-spaced with most of them on the open terrace and some tables in the narrow garden with Frangipani trees and Hibiscus. Choose from small but beautifully presented servings of Sashimi, delicious Spicy Tuna Rolls (a new experience even for Japanese), Beef Shabu Shabu Salad, Tempura, fried Kushiyaki skewers with chicken, chicken liver, sliced ox tongue etc, grilled sardines or swordfish, or Sukiyaki from Australian beef. There is also a choice of noodle and rice dishes including Unadon (with grilled eel). All dishes are well-prepared and presented, and the service from the Japanese manager and the local staff is attentive, very friendly and professional. Green tea, Japanese beer and sake are offered as expected, but there is also a small choice of wines from Australia and Chile. Monday closed.
The Japanese BLUEFIN Restaurant in Jalan Kartika Plaza opposite the KUTA PARADISO hotel serves excellent fusion cuisine in modern surroundings. The large menu lists many creative and delicious sushi rolls, foie gras and all traditional Japanese dishes. Specialties include Chilli Ayo, a combination of baked scallops, shrimps and squid topped with a chilli mayonaise and fish roe, Dobin Mushi, a clear mushroom-seafood soup, and there are Sushi Rolls filled with crab salad, eel, shrimps, squid, salmon, tuna, lobster, avocado, cucumber and even liver pate and cream cheese! Main courses include steak, seafood combination plates, lobster etc. In addition to Western deserts there are Red Bean and Green Tea Ice Creams. BLUEFIN has immediately become one of our regular places. Only opened in late 2007 is the modern, fully air-conditioned SUSHI TEI located at Sunset Road No. 99 in Kuta. When you sit at the bar you can watch the skills of the chefs in the open kitchen and help yourself to creative Japanese delicacies from the conveyor belt in front of you. This is Bali's first and currently only "Sushi Train". There are many different Sushi Rolls filled with combinations of eel, crab meat, tuna, salmon, prawns, mango etc., various kinds of Sashimi and Sushi including sword fish, scallops, smoked bonito, octopus, life lobster and sea urchin. The beautifully designed menu shows photographs of many specialties including grilled meats, various Tempura preparations, Japanese soups, noodles and rice dishes, many salads and a choice of desserts such as Green Tea ice cream, Black Sesame ice cream, peach sherbet, chocolate wafers, etc.
The "new" (opened in 1996) MADE'S WARUNG in Basangkasa on the way to the Oberoi Hotel offers a wide choice of dishes (on the menu and on notes on the walls) from many parts of the world: local "Nasi Campur" (a mini rijsttafel) and Gado Gado, Japanese Sashimi, their own version of a Thai "Tom Yam" soup, good prawn and squid dishes, pasta, acceptable steaks, etc), plus a variety of cakes, delicious home-made coconut ice-cream, fresh fruit juices and good Capuchino (served either hot or iced). Try the "Arak Madu" or "Arak Lemon di Blender" (the local rice liquor with either just honey, or with honey and lemon, prepared in a blender). They offer also a choice of imported wines at reasonable prices. From morning to late night you'll see many regulars who've been coming to Bali since Peter (the Dutch owner) and his Balinese wife Made started their first "Warung" in the center of Kuta in the early 70's. Have a look at the various shops adjacent to the restaurant, too.
The GOLDEN LOTUS inside the Bali Dynasty Resort in Tuban is well-known for a wide range of excellent Chinese dishes and 'Dim Sum' (during lunch on Sundays) which are served in comfortable hotel surroundings. Other recommended Chinese restaurants in the Kuta/Tuban area are FURAMA, Jalan Raya Tuban 52B, PLAZA BALI located between the By-Pass and Jalan Raya Kuta and EMA Restaurant, upper floor at the DFS (Duty Free Shoppers) complex at the circle on Jalan By-Pass. Both serve tasty food including 'Dim Sum' (also called 'Yum Cha') — a variety of small dumplings, steamed buns and other mini delights served in rattan baskets. Inside the baskets you find steamed dumplings filled with prawns, pork ('Siu Mai' and 'Har Gau') or shark fin ('Yu Chi Gau'), crisp-fried rolls with prawns, and 'Char Siu Bau', rather filling barbecued pork buns. EMA is a favourite of many expat residents and hotel people for Sunday brunch.
The very popular LA LUCCIOLA (with a truly outstanding beach front setting next to the Petitenget temple and great views of Kuta's famous sunsets) serves a range of modern Italian specialties. We think it's always been over-rated because food and service have never been reliable. Recommended only for a "sundowner". The long-time famous GADO GADO (at the end of Jalan Dhyana Pura) features a similar beach front location and has changed from a Disco to a restaurant again (that's how this legendary place started over 30 years ago). The setting is pleasant and the service attentive. The menu features freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters and fusion cuisine as well as some vegetarian dishes which are all well prepared and presented. The wine list is impressive for Bali standards.
Another popular eatery with an outstanding beach front location is ZANZIBAR, Jalan Pantai Arjuna – turn left at the end of Jalan Double Six. The menu lists a good choice of Western and local dishes, seafood specialties and many kinds of tasty pizza. All dishes are well prepared, prices are very reasonable and it's often difficult to find a table on the open terrace – especially on Sundays when there are performances of firedancers and djimbe drum players from 6 p.m. on the beach right in front of the restaurant. In the center of Seminyak not far from Jalan Double Six is PANTEREI, a beautiful modern restaurant serving Greek specialties in comfortable surroundings. Panos Bournias, the original Greek founder, has subsequently moved on to the NERO Bali Restaurant & Bar at Jalan Legian 384 right opposite AROMAS in Kuta. NERO's design is very stylish and simplistic with modern furniture, huge mirrors, hanging plants and water features, candles and well-placed spot lights. You find on the menu appetizers such as tuna carpaccio, Thai beef salad, and a Mezze platter, and for main courses Lemon Chicken, lamb chops, cooked (not char-grilled) steaks, Middle Eastern Kebabs, and a number of seafood preparations.. They serve food until 1:30 in the morning, and the street-side bar attracts walk-in guests during the whole evening.
Opened in May 2008 is SIP Wine Bar, Jalan Raya Seminyak No. 16A nearly opposite the BINTANG Supermarket. Owner Christian Vannequé (his brother owns the LIVING ROOM) become in the early 70's France's youngest Head Sommelier at LA TOUR D'ARGENT in Paris being responsible for the largest wine cellar in the world. This experience shows: SIP's wine list is divided into three categories to help wine novices and wine aficionados alike. The 'Easy-Going-Wines' category introduces straightforward, interesting, sometimes recognizable-brand, excellent value wines. 'The Sommelier's Corner' presents mostly proprietary wines, more obscure appellations, hard-to-find Chateaux 'second wines' and intriguing New World wines. The 'Wine Climax' features a few major outstanding and rare bottles from the Old and the New World including magnums. Although a constant 'work in process', SIP's wine list is currently comprised of 115 different wines. You can finish your meal with a variety of French cheeses or a number of tempting sweets including a delicious, freshly baked apple tart with ice cream. SIP is open from noon till late but closed on Sundays. Come early, from 9 p.m. the place is usually packed.
KAFE WARISAN, Jalan Raya Kerobokan, about one or two kilometers further north from Seminyak/Basangkasa, has become an institution in Bali and is run by the enthusiastic French chefs Said Alem and Nicolas Tourneville ("Doudou") who used to work as Chef for French Ambassadors in Indonesia and Algeria. This pleasant and trendy open-air restaurant shows attention to all details and an interesting and frequently changing menu (including a good number of vegetarian dishes). Entrees include Salmon & Tuna Tartar, Escargots served in Roasted Mushrooms, and there is a home-made Duck Liver Paté. However, the Pan-seared Hot Foie Gras with a Raspberry Vinaigrette is not to be missed. You can continue with a Mediterranean Seafood Soup, followed by one of the pasta dishes or Duck Confit with Puy Lentils, Roasted Rack of Lamb with Baby Beans and Artichokes, Half Grilled Baby Chicken, or Pan-fried Veal Medallions. For seafood lovers there are Grilled Tasmanian Salmon with Mushroom Fricassee, Prawn and Butterfish Meli Melo, or a Scallops and Mushroom Fricassee with Creamy Spinach and Saffron Veloute. To finish your meal you can choose either Créme Bruleé, Chocolate Mousse with Poached Pear, or Frozen Almond Souffleé. On the drink list you find a number of French wines, a good choice of cocktails, five different kinds of tea, Espresso, Capuchino and Bali Coffee. Service is attentive and prices are reasonable Don't go without a reservation (tel. 731-175).
THE LIVING ROOM is located at Jalan Petitenget between the Petitenget temple and the Intan Beach Village hotel. This elegant open-air restaurant features also a bar and lounge, many tables in the candle-lit garden and has a distinctive colonial atmosphere with terracotta floors, high ceilings, paintings, antique marble tables and carved chairs. The menu lists well prepared and presented "fusion cuisine" creations influenced by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam etc.
Very popular right from its soft opening in May 2008 is SARONG, Jalan Petitenget 19X near THE LIVING ROOM. English Chef Will Meyrick (ex SENTOSA and SOFITEL in Bali and LONGRAIN in Sydney) added some Indian, Malay, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes to his modern-Thai creations: there are "Asian Tapas" such as Betel leafs with raw tuna, lemon grass, shallots and lemon basil, Betel leafs with salmon, shrimps and coriander and grilled scallops topped with crispy duck, Thai basil and peanut Nam Jihm served on a tasting spoon, Chicken Martabak with pickled cucumber and sweet sambal etc. which all can be served in the "Tapas Bar & Lounge" in front of the elegant open-air Dining Room with luxurious curtains and furnished with comfortable sofas and dining chairs. We love the salad from grilled prawns, pomelo, garlic, lemon grass, mint and Nam Jihm dressing and the Sichuan cured tuna with grated carrot, sweet basil, peanuts and Chinese plum sauce. From India there are the Tandoori butter chicken, a lamb Boti Kebab and a fish Tikka cooked in saffron, cardamon, turmeric and dill, a Northern Indian prawn curry, a lamb Rogan Josh, a Vindaloo curry of pork belly as well as a Dahl Tadka. Indonesian grilled snapper, grilled baby pork ribs, twice cooked chicken and crispy duck with two sambals are as tempting as Thai-style crispy pork hog with tamarind tamarillo sauce and nam pla prik or stir fried Asian vegetables with Thai basil. Finish your meal with a duck egg & ginger custard with palm sugar caramel, taro cake with crispy shallot, mandarin and fig compote or durian pancakes with coconut lime caramel and durian ice cream. If the choice is too difficult, just order a sample plate of Indian and South East Asian desserts. The drink list offers a wide choice of imported wines. The service is attentive and a memorable dinner. For reservations call 737-809.
KU DE TA is currently Bali's most trendy restaurant in a top beach front location next to the Oberoi Hotel. The modern architecture and interior design of the bar and dining areas go well with the "fusion cuisine" of the Australian chef. On the menu you find a selection of freshly shucked oysters imported two times per week from Australia and France and served with a champagne vinaigrette. There are many salads, grilled Australian yabbies (small freshwater crayfish), seared scallops, a seafood stew, lamb rib eye, venison rib and beef tenderloin. The interesting wine list features many wines from Australia, California, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand and South Africa. This is a place to see and be seen, and from late afternoon on Fridays and Saturdays there is a rather noisy DJ entertaining Bali's beautiful people.
More quiet is THE BREEZE, the restaurant of the THE SAMAYA resort near KU DE TA and next to LA LUCCIOLA. The spectacular but relaxed beach front setting, great sunset views, the sound of the waves and imaculate service make this probably Bali's most romantic place for fine dining. The menu includes a delicious pan-seared Périgord Foie Gras with ginger compote, Crispy Soft Shell Crab with green mango-papaya salad, a Lobster & River Prawn Bisque and a very tasty Cream of Forest Mushrooms with essence of truffle. The "Pork Duo" consists of Asian braised pork belly with tamarind glaze, seared tenderloin, sweet & sour cabbage and a soy-star anise reduction; the "Duck Two Ways" of leg confit and seared French duck breast, roasted cauliflower and a port wine reduction, or choose the Roasted Lamb Loin or Black Angus Tenerloin with roasted mushrooms, blue cheese and potato hash. For seafood lovers there are Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Wild Baramundi on preserved lemon, Miso Glazed Alaskan Black Cod, Nori Wrapped Tasmanian Salmon or Local Wild Snapper with truffle scented mushroom risotto. There is a Unique Dish of Four Pastas: Oxtail Tortellini, Blue Swimmer Crab Bocaleoni, Calves Sweetbread Cannelloni and Goat Cheese Ravioli, and a range of Vegetarian Main Courses can be prepared by Californian Chef Michael Shaheen on request. There is also a choice of typical Balinese specialties, and from the Dessert Menu it's impossible to resit the Macerated Strawberry Tartar with White Pepper Ice Cream! The extensive, well chosen wine list is very reasonably priced imported wines from Australia, New Zealand, California, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Germany etc.
The Oberoi Hotel's open-air KURA KURA restaurant offers another of Bali's Fine Dining options. The German-born Executive Chef Enrico Wahl, who started his career in Dresden and worked subsequently in a number of Michelin star restaurants including Munich's TANTRIS, has introduced a very creative Tasting Menu. Dishes offered are changing depending on fresh ingredients available but can include a delicious Mushroom Nage with Espresso or a Pea Soup with Unagi, Alaskan Scallop Sashimi, Tandoori Baked Yabbies with Smoked Yoghurt & Black Salt, Warm Unagi (Japanese eel) or Flash Seared Abalone with Gome Wakame Seaweed Salad, Giant Atlantic Scallop with Apple 2 Ways and Foie Gras Foam, Pan Fried Sablefish with Black Pudding, Kangaroo Tartar with Quail Egg and Caper Vinaigrette, Duck Confit Pastilla with Pickled Mushrooms, Sweetbread Tempura with Savory Apricot. Highlights are the Seared Goose Foie Gras, the Foie Gras Créme Bruleé and the truly outstanding "Marble of Foie Gras" with thin films of Valrhona chocolate between layers of the foie gras terrine – just delicious and another reason to visit Bali! The "48 Hours Sous Vide Slow Poached Wagyu Beef Cheek" on Purple Potato Risotto and the Australian Prime Wagyu Beef Tenderloin are extraordinary tender but in our opinion over-rated. The Tasting Menu ends with a Cave Aged Cheese Selection, Mixed Berry Gratin with Rum Sabayon and its own Sorbet or a Baked Whole Plum with Plum & Green Asparagus Sorbet.
TRATTORIA Cucina Italiano is another simple open-air restaurant located in Jalan Oberoi and serving Italian home-cooking at reasonable prices. Choose from the regularly changing antipasti, salads, home-made pasta, tasty main courses and sweets. A limited wine list with still acceptable prices, friendly service and the relaxed atmosphere have made the TRATTORIA popular with the international and Italian crowd who often bring the whole family. Around 9 p.m. all tables are usually occupied (not open for lunch).
ULTIMO is an Italian eatery with modern interior next door to TRATTORIA. The front part is air-condioned and features a large square bar and a number of tables as well as the open kitchen, in the back is a pleasant garden section. On the standard menu you find Salmon Carpaccio, Tuna Tartar, Parma Ham with melon, Mozzarella, a seafood salad and a seafood soup as well as many Pasta courses including Spaghetti with hot chilli and garlic, Penne with mushrooms and smoked cheese, Cannelloni with ricota and spinach, Linguini with crab meat, Tagliatelle with lobster, Fettuccini with tuna and anchovis, Ravioli with fish or chicken and a traditional Lasagne al Forno. For your main course choose either a steak al Funghi, al Rosmarino, al Marsala, al Pepe Verde, al Gorgonzola etc. or Ossobuco, Saltimbocca alla Romana, tuna steaks, panfried red snapper, fried sole or grilled salmon, Frito Misto with prawns and squid. There are also many kinds of Pizza and over a dozen daily specials. The big surprise are the low prices. Don't come too late in the evening, after 8 p.m. the place is packed!
KHAIMA is a Moroccan restaurant in Jalan Oberoi with very friendly and efficient staff, delicious food and belly dancing performances on Fridays and Saturdays in a tent-like setting. Appetizers include tasty parcels of filo pastry filled with vegetables, minced lamb, tuna, chicken or goat cheese. There are salads of tomatoes and bell peppers, cinamon and carrots or eggplants, all with spices added to give them more flavour. As mains there a various stews such as lamb and eggplant slowly cooked in an earthenware pot – just delicious! Choose from different kinds of Couscous: with lamb, onions and raisins, chicken with many different vegetables, vegetables and sausage or a combination of all the above. And then there are the grilled kebabs with chicken, lamb, beef and minced meat. Finish your meal with an Arabic almond and walnut cake, Baclava or an orange salad, Moroccan coffee or green mint tea. There is a very limited wine list, and a large and very satisfying meal.
The Spanish restaurant LA SAL is located in Jalan Drupadi II, a small back lane which connects Jalan Oberoi and Jalan Gado Gado. You can sit either in the nice garden or in the open white building, and on the menu you find a good choice of Tapas such as delicious (and very expensive) Iberico gourmet cured ham from acorn-fed black pigs, Calamari with Aliolis, Squid Cooked in its own Ink, Grilled Chorizo Sausages, Garlic Prawns, Crunchy Mushrooms and a delicious Veal Carpaccio with Foie Gras and Manchego Cheese. There are also a Clam Casserole, Grilled King Prawns with Rock Salt, Crispy Pork Belly with Lentils and Mango, Twice Cooked Lamb Shoulder and a Mixed Paella with Chicken, Vegetables and Seafood. is also very popular and includes beef and chicken steaks, various sausages, pork ribs etc. as much as you can eat. There is a small but good choice of wines, but why not try the Sangria instead? The service is friendly and attentive, and a very nice meal.
Good news for lovers of Indian food: finally there are some restaurants in Bali where you can enjoy the real thing. GATEWAY OF INDIA in Seminyak, Jalan Dyana Pura (Gado Gado) No. 10, is located nearly opposite of SANTA FEE. They offer a good choice of Indian specialties which will NOT disappoint you. Regrettably there is no air-conditioning, and sometimes you have to listen to very loud music from nearby bars and pubs. Bring your own wine, as the wines offered are not exciting at all and never properly chilled. Newer branches are near the Bemo corner in Kuta and on Jalan Danau Tamblingan in Sanur.
The QUEEN'S TANDOOR, Jalan Seminyak 73 opposite MADE'S WARUNG, serves now the same delicious Indian specialties in Bali for which it has been famous in Jakarta since 1986. Enjoy the mouth-watering delicacies from the tandoor oven or the slowly cooked chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetable Curries, Masallas and Kormas with rich sauces full of fresh herbs, spices, fruits and nuts. Our favourites are Masala Papadum, Seekh Kebab, Gosht Shahi Korma, Mutton Pasanda, Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) and Butter Chicken Tikka, yellow and black Dhal, Aloo Gobi, Navratan Korma, Raita, Garlic Naan, Cheese Naan and the delicious Peshawari Naan. There are freshly baked other breads such as various Papadums and Chappati to accompany your meal, and Kulfi, the Indian ice cream, is the best way to finish it.
For German specialties and sausages you can try the open-air MAMA'S restaurant in Kuta which is open around the clock and serves substantial German homecooking at low prices. The wide choice includes hot dogs and many other sausages, Frikadellen (German meat balls) and burgers, spit-roasted chicken, pork roast, Rouladen (German beef rolls), and huge pork knuckles. In addition to local draft beer, imported beers and German schnaps there is also a limited but well-priced wine list. There are tables and a bar downstairs as well as on the upper floor where you also find a large billiards table and life music in the evening. Owner is the German Honorary Consul Reinhold Jantzen. (You like dining with Consuls? Then you should also visit the Swiss Consular Representative Jon Zurcher who entertains guests in his SWISS RESTAURANT at the new Istana Galleria in Kuta.)
Quite good Swiss-German meals at low prices are also served in plain surroundings in the PEPITO KAFE, Jalan Kediri 36A, next to the Pepito Supermarket in Tuban. Roger Jahn, a retired Swiss Guard of the Pope, offers a "Bavarian Breakfast" with Weisswurst, Brezn and a beer at any time of the day, a choice of smoked and dried hams with melon, asparagus and toast sliced pork leg "Castellan Style, various, and a number of Swiss and German sausages with onion sauce or gravy, French fries and salad. His nice Vol-au-vent (which he calls "Bouchees Royale"), two pastry shells filled with tender beef cubes in a creamy white sauce. There is only a limited selection of wines, but give it a try — you might become a regular!
If you like elegant surroundings in a top beach front setting and attentive service, there is no better choice than the new air-conditioned SAILFIN Seafood Restaurant, part of the THE WAVE entertainment complex at Jalan Pantai No. 1 in Kuta (opposite the Hard Rock Resort). After a drink in the spacious and comfortable lounge area with bar you can choose either a table inside or on the open terrace. Right now, prices are reasonable for both food and beverages but will probably increase after the intoductory period. On our first visit we loved the Coquilles Saint Jaques (delicious scallops), king prawns, baramundi fillet and Lobster Mornay, all well-prepared by the Australian chef. On the second visit we were disappointed by the "Sailfin Paradise Seafood Platter for Two" which consisted of a few prawns, squid, one small bug (or rock lobster), one not so fresh crab, and lots of local fruit. Most of the wines on the limited wine list were out of stock., not including drinks.
There are also several restaurants (INDAH SARI, MINI, SC, etc) along Jalan Legian in Kuta which display on the roadside fresh fish, lobster, crabs and prawns on ice. You select your favorites from the display and tell the staff how to prepare your dish (grilled, steamed, boiled etc). The BALI SEAFOOD MARKET and KUTA SEAFOOD on Jalan Kartika Plaza between Kuta and the airport offer a wide choice of fresh seafood and live entertainment including Balinese dances.
The best place for fresh seafood is still Jimbaran Beach with its rows of open restaurants right on the sandy beach near the Bali Inter-Continental Resort and between the Keraton Hotel and the airport. The number of eateries is fast increasing, but the original six restaurants on the airport side of the Keraton Hotel (LIA is our favorite) are still the most reasonably priced, and they serve the same delicious food. All kinds of fresh fish, squid, crabs, prawns, and lobsters are prepared on the open grill (burning coconut husks instead of charcoal) with exotic herbs and spices.
Opened only in February 2008 is the TRATTORIA Cucina Italiana Jimbaran, a more up-market branch of the restaurant with the same name in Seminyak. It's located on the road from Jalan Uluwatu to the Four Seasons, just 100 meters from the Jalan Uluwatu traffic light. Set on three levels it offers a beautiful view over Jimbaran beach, pleasant surroundings and basically the same menu and reasonable prices as the Seminyak branch. The wine list is rather limited. Open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The "Bukit", the hill south of Jimbaran Bay, is becoming more popular every day. An increasing number of residential buildings take advantage of the spectacular views of Kuta, Sanur and the mountains from the slope facing north, and there are also quite a number projects being developed on the steep cliffs facing the South.
The restaurants of the truly luxurious ST. REGIS BALI resort in Nusa Dua offer more choices for demanding gourmets: the stylish KAYUPUTI is the resort's beachfront fine dining venue open only for dinner; BONEKA is famous for sensational breakfasts (in addition to a buffet you can order freshly prepared fried eggs with seared foie gras, Eggs Benedict with salmon roe, Serrano ham and asparagus, a delicious Egg Nouvelle filled with lobster ragout, Sashimi, various oysters, a hot veal liver spread with sauted mushrooms, and ... and ... and ...). During the "Sunday Jazz Prime Time" from 12 noon to 3 p.m. the main feature is traditional prime rib from the trolley with baked potatoes and home-made Yorkshire Pudding, desserts and a selection of wines from the free-flow Wine Buffet. The best way to start the Sunday lunch is to have a delicious Bloody Mary or a "Bali Mary" (or two) in the resort's "King Cole Bar". Actually, the King Cole Room of the New York ST. REGIS HOTEL claims to be the birthplace of today's world-famous drink in 1934 when Fernand Petiot (who worked around 1920 at HARRY'S BAR in Paris) added Tabasco, lemon and spices to the plain vodka & tomato juice drink. At that time, the ST. REGIS served a hundred to hundred and fifty Bloody Marys every day!
Tasty Thai cuisine is served at THE TERRACE at the Amanusa Resort. The menu is small listing only six appetizers, three soups and seven main courses. We enjoyed the popular Gai Hor Bai Toey, tender chicken pieces deep fried in pandan leaves, a spicy Tom Yam Goong and the milder Tom Khar Gai, a chicken broth with coconut milk. This was followed by a sensational Red Duck Curry and King Prawns with Chilli and Basil. All dishes are prepared as spicy as you would get them in Thailand, and the service, surroundings and the view over the Nusa Dua golf course and the sea are outstanding. This unique combination is easily worth the rather high prices.
The nearby BUMBU BALI Restaurant in Tanjung Benoa adjacent to Nusa Dua, is operated by Heinz von Holzen, the author of the book "The Food of Bali" and former food guru of the Grand Hyatt and Ritz Carlton hotels in Bali. A visit here IS A MUST if you are interested in authentic local cuisine. In beautiful surroundings you can enjoy appetizers such as "Ayam Pelalah" (chicken with chillies and lime), beef, chicken and prawn Satay, or "Jokut Kakul", a tasty snail soup with lemon grass and black pepper. Main dishes include "Ayam Betutu" (roasted chicken in banana leaf), delicious "Siap Mapanggang" (ox tongue in sweet nutmeg sauce), "Satay Lilit" made from minced seafood, and "Ikan Pepes", and grilled fish in banana leaf. You can choose from a range of exotic desserts such as Black Rice Pudding, Coconut Pancakes, etc. Or indulge yourself by ordering the "Balinese Rijsttafel" which consists of 14 different dishes served together with white, yellow, and red rice (even a vegetarian version of this feast is available). You can end your meal with various gourmet coffee preparations or special flavoured Indonesian teas (apple, apricot, black currant, cinnamon, orange, peach, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, etc). Service is very attentive, and prices are very reasonable for the unique experience. On Fridays there are Balinese dance performances from about 8 p.m.
CAFE LOTUS has been an institution for many years. Located in the center of Ubud between the main street and a large, beautiful lotus pond in front of a temple (designed by the famous artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad) this pleasant open-air restaurant serves a variety of Italian pasta dishes, some Asian and local specialties such as the Balinese duck 'Bebek Betutu', and a good choice of cakes and fruit juices. Although the prices here are quite steep for Ubud standards, CAFE LOTUS is busy the whole day.
Nearly across the road is CASA LUNA offering a number of Balinese and Mediterranean dishes which look very interesting on the menu but can be a bit disappointing, and a branch of the well-known RYOSHI serving good Sushi, Sashimi and Tempura until midnight at rather low prices.
MURNI'S WARUNG, located next to the Campuan bridge, is another of Ubud's institutions. Built on several levels between the road and the river, this is an excellent place to try the 'Bebek Betutu' (order one day in advance to be sure) and other local specialties. The more elegant BRIDGE CAFE cascades also down over several levels – right opposite on the other side of the river – and offers creative 'Pacific Rim' cuisine i.e. tasty culinary creations with influences from Thailand, India, China and Japan as well as local specialties, salads and vegetarian dishes. Try the Szechuan Pancakes filled with deep fried duck, the Thai Chicken Pizza, or the Chilly Prawns. Very pleasant atmosphere and good service.
For many years rather popular is DIRTY DUCK or BEBEK BENGIL in Padang Tegal about one kilometer south of Ubud's main street. Forget their special "Crispy Duck" which is very dry and sometimes rather tough. Their range of other Indonesian and Western dishes, however, is quite tasty, the garden setting very pleasant, and the live background music in the evenings creates a nearly magic atmosphere.
Another of Ubud favorites is ARY'S WARUNG, a stylish side-walk bistro in the center of town with creative oriental/international cuisine and a choice of interesting vegetarian dishes. Expect delicacies such as Lobster Wonton, Tuna Parfait with caviar and Wasabi cream, Seared Sea Scallops, Sauted Green Pepercorn Pate with green papaya salad, Carpaccio of Venison, Steamed Snapper with red chilli butter, Jumbo River Prawns sauted with chilli, garlic and ginger, deboned Roasted Quail, Rack of Lamb with chilli mint sauce, and Roasted Veal Cutlets with Wasabi butter. The desserts are equally creative; try the Durian Créme Brulleé! The wine list offers a good choice of Australian and French wines, and the service is friendly AND professional.
On the way to Sayan between the Campuan Hotel and the Pita Maha Resort is the INDUS Restaurant operated by the same owner as Casa Luna. Well-spaced tables on two levels offer a beautiful view over the Campuan river valley, the service is very friendly, and they serve a wide range of health food. You can choose Italian pizza, ravioli and fettucini, Middle Eastern Mezze, Chinese spring rolls, Thai Thom Kha Kai soup, and Indonesian Nasi Campur, Gado Gado, and even a Balinese "Smoked Duck Feast". There are many seafood and vegetarian dishes, various interesting fresh fruit juices such as apple with mint juice or carrot, spinach, parsley & celery juice (to clean your blood and for detoxification), lassi, herbal teas and special coffees. If all this sounds too healthy, there are also delicious sweets, a (disappointingly) small selection of wines, but an acceptable choice of cocktails.
Evenings you used to meet many foreign residents in NAUGHTY NURI'S Warung on the same road to Sayan. Boston-born Brian, Nuri's husband, buys every Thursday fresh tuna in Benoa, and they serve on Thursday nights delicious tuna Sashimi, tuna steaks, and tuna satay. Daily fare includes various Indonesian dishes, steaks, lamb chops, and large slabs of ribs which are barbecued on a long charcoal grill in front of the place. But better go easy on their excellent Martinis – after a few of these you won't mind the price or the somewhat uncomfortable, often very smokey and extremely "local" surroundings, and the next day you might even not remember how you got home or where you've been the night before! However, recently they have started to accept reservations for busloads of Asian tourist, and many local expats are looking for other places to spend their time.
MOZAIC opened in 2001 on Jalan Raya Sanggingan, the road from Campuhan to Sayan, and is run by Franco-American Chef Chris Salans (ex Thomas Keller's French Laundry in Napa valley). It offers very pleasant out-door and in-door seating, excellent service and attractive presentation of Chris' creative cuisine. The menu changes daily and depends on the availability of fresh ingredients. You can choose one of the Chef's Tasting Menus: Each consists of six courses and there are three choices: either the "Classic" Menu Degustation, a "Vegetarian. On the well-chosen wine list you find 16 open wines. We always enjoy the truly outstanding food – probably the best you can find in Indonesia. (MOZAIC is one of only two restaurants in South East Asia to be recognized by "Grande Tables du Monde" – the second is LE NORMANDIE on top of the old wing of Bangkok's legendary Mandarin Oriental Hotel – and has also received the "Award of Excellence" by Wine Spectator for its wine cellar.) A meal at MOZAIC is a fine dining experience you won't forget; don't miss it! The restaurant is closed on Mondays, all other days reservations are required. Please call 975-768.
LAMAK Restaurant & Bar is another of Ubud's top eateries. It was opened in February 2002 and is located on Monkey Forest Road a bit South of the soccer field next to SAI SAI bar. The quite unique design is by Made Wijaya (Australian Michael White), and the restaurant is operated by the German Chef Roland Lickert. The tempting menus (different for lunch and dinner) include Asian, international and vegetarian dishes such as Seaweed Salad with Balinese Satay Lilit, various fried noodles with Spiced Szechuan Chicken, with Asian Greens and Glazed Tofu or with Black Bean Fish, Stir-fried Scallops on Green Tea Noodles and Bruschetta with Salmon Tartar. There is an great Shitake Mushroom Cappuccino soup and a unique Balinese Bouillabaisse, Escargots with delicious Cafe de Paris Butter or seared Foie Gras, and for your main course you can choose Crispy Salmon, Balsamic Glazed Beef Steak, Quail Saltimbocca, Pancetta-wrapped Pork Fillet, Lamb Cutlets, Duck Breast with Red Pepper Pesto and Seafood Pasta. Delicious sweets include Orange & Ginger Créme Bruleé, Fried Forest Berry Ice Cream on Baileys Cream and a Chilled Pina Colada Soufflé. Too difficult to decide what to chose from their Asian Fusion cuisine? Gourmets may be impressed, wine lovers will certainly be delighted: nearly 50 bottled wines from France, Italy, Australia and California. There is also a choice of Cuban cigars. The reasonable prices for food and wine help to relax in the open-air lounge and cocktail bar downstairs, in the upstairs dining area or in the air-conditioned section on the upper floor. LAMAK is open every day from 11:00 in the morning to 11:00 p.m. Roland runs also WARUNG ENAK in Pengosekan (south of Ubud) where he serves tasty specialties from Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Lombok, Bali and other islands of Indonesia in pleasant surroundings and at reasonable prices.
Other restaurants recommended by foreign residents and recent visitors are PESTO CAFE, Jalan Raya Campuhan, for tasty Indonesian dishes and international snacks at low prices, TERAZO, Jalan Suweta just North of the Royal Palace, and the CINTA GRILL on Monkey Forest Road for trendy fusion cuisine, BATAN WARU (Western and Indonesian Brasserie type food), CAFE DES ARTISTES, Jalan Bisma 9X, for Belgium cuisine and some Indonesian and Thai dishes at low prices, GAJAH BIRU for authentic Indian cuisine, GAYA for simple Italian dishes, located above the gallery with the same name in Sayan, the KOKOKAN CLUB in Pengosekan for tasty Thai dishes, COFFEE & SILVER on Jalan Monkeu Forest for breakfast, brunch and all-day dining with tasty snacks, tapas and international mains and an interesting children's menu, INDIAN DELITES, THREE MONKEYS, KAMPUNG KAFE, and TEPI SAWAH.
