Since opening the original Motel Mexicola in Seminyak, The Mexicola Group has built its reputation around creating diners that feel as much like destinations as they do places to eat. This July, it opens its most ambitious project yet in Uluwatu, drawing inspiration from Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.
Designed once again by Mexico City architect Carlos Cole of Sensibilidad Applicada, the venue is inspired by Baja’s historic Spanish missions, with weathered stone, sweeping archways, fountains and shrines across multiple indoor and outdoor spaces. Over 65 custom tile designs feature throughout the property, while Australian artist Brent Smith returns to contribute his distinctive murals, giving the restaurant the familiar Motel Mexicola energy.
When complete, the venue will accommodate up to 350 guests across a series of interconnected dining and social spaces. A striking 21-metre bell tower forms the centrepiece, housing two separate bars, while custom-made equipales from Mexico, intimate “kissing booths”, an open taqueria and asador, a live music stage, and a DJ booth create a vibe designed to evolve from calm afternoons into lively evenings.
In the kitchen, Culinary Director Manuel Santos and Head Chef Manuel Bernal have developed a menu that celebrates Mexico’s coastal cuisine, balancing familiar favourites with new regional influences. House-made tortillas remain at the heart of the offering, filled with everything from beer-battered mahi mahi and lamb barbacoa to slow-cooked beef cheek and braised pork ribs, and fresh seafood remains prominent in dishes such as prawn aguachile, tuna and scallop tiradito, and smoked tuna empanadas.
The custom-built three-metre asador anchors the kitchen, turning out whole grilled snapper, Baja-style lobster, Australian flank steak and achiote-marinated chicken cooked over rambutan and coffee wood, bringing smoky depth to dishes inspired by northern Mexico’s outdoor cooking traditions.
Behind the bar, Group Beverage Director Denny Bakiev expands the drinks programme with cocktails that reflect the diversity of Mexican spirits and regional flavours. Margaritas remain a signature, joined by modern interpretations of classics such as the Paloma and Carajillo. Tropical fruit, desert botanicals and more than 45 Mexican spirits ensure the drinks list is every bit as considered as the food.
For the Mexicola Group, however, the new venue is less about opening another restaurant than continuing a journey through Mexico’s regional identities. Founder and co-owner Nicolaza Que Pasa said, “For me, Baja has always represented a different side of Mexico – fresh, wild, unpretentious and deeply connected to the ocean. Uluwatu carries that same laidback energy, with afternoons revolving around the waves and epic sunsets leading into late nights full of great food and music.”
“This project is more than two years in the making,” says Que Pasa. “We’ve looked well beyond the obvious references in order to introduce people to another side of Mexico they’ve never discovered before. We want to leave people in wonder.”
Motel Mexicola Uluwatu
Jl. Pantai Bingin No. 08
motelmexicola.info
@motelmexicola
