Explore Seminyak’s dining scene as we take you restaurant hopping from aperitivo to dessert. Take in the sunset at a legendary beach club, explore natural flavours in a ‘space bunker’ before firing up the grill for mains and closing with treats from a charming tea lounge.
Aperitivo: KU DE TA
We start this Seminyak experience with sunset at KU DE TA, the iconic beach club that arguably pioneered Bali’s beach club craze with its combined offering of beachfront pool, stylish venue, great drinks, food and vibrant music. For the best views, settle into the Sunset Box, that comes right to the sand, or head up to Palm Deck on the first floor for an elevated perspective of the coastline.
Of course, as sunset hour experts, the beach club has cocktails created just for the occasion. KU DE TA’s take on the Bloody Mary is a must-try, with grilled tomato mix giving it a smoky, savoury twist (also a brunch favourite); Pomelo Blossom offers a zestier, refreshing sip, using East Indies Pomelo Gin and rose-blossom tonic, giving this cocktail its smooth and floral flavour. Finally, the Kramble, sweet, playful and photogenic: ripe raspberry, blackcurrant liqueur and a tropical passion fruit foam gives this sunset concoction a delicious fruit-forward flavour.
+62 361 73 69 69
@kudetabali
kudeta.com
Appetiser: Dome
From beachfront to space bunker, the next stop is Desa Potato Head’s ‘dome’, where you’ll enter a retro-future, vintage-cosmic world inside a concave earthen-style structure. Inspired by the Dome Home of futurist Buckminster Fuller, godfather of the green movement, dome celebrates Earth by serving all things natural, from wines to bites. Try Bali’s own pet-nat, Lazarus Pulp, or savour the Chilean Longavi Glip Naranjo, an orange natural wine developed from six months of (grape) skin contact. All the cocktails have an element of ‘wine’ too, like the Dome Spritz with passion fruit wine and vermouth. As for food, dome’s shared plates make for the perfect appetiser venue: Head Chef Diego Recarte and team cook up modern European bites using locally-sourced ingredients. Order a few plates to share and savour, we recommend: Balinese Black Pig Cold Cut, Organic Chicken Liver Parfait and Roasted Eggplant with smoked yoghurt. The perfect tapas combo to whet the appetite.
+62 811-3800-7979
@dome_restaurant
seminyak.potatohead.co/feast/dome
Main Course: FIRE
For hearty mains, it’s off to W Bali Seminyak’s signature steak and grill restaurant, FIRE, that draws inspiration from the island’s own fiery dance, the Kecak. Inside is the stage for this performance: a dramatic open kitchen, with a fire-ball chandelier centrepiece that sets the scene.
FIRE certainly lives up to its name as Argentinian-born Culinary Director, Norberto Palacios, prepares flame-cooked dry-aged meats, sizzling seafood, slow-cooked chickens and juicy pork belly all on the menu. As for steaks, there are many cuts to choose from, with the most premium being the Japanese Miyazaki Wagyu A5 and the Signature 21-day Dry-aged Black Angus Tomahawk. Since this a tasting tour, we recommend FIRE’s option of ‘A Bit of Each’, allowing you to select four meats (steaks, chicken, pork belly, etc) and a side dish of your choice. The fresh seafood is another great option, with Grilled Lobster, King Prawn, Tasmanian Salmon, Yellowfin tuna all put to the flame, promising smoky flavours.
+62 361 3000 106
@fireseminyak
firerestaurantbali.com
Dessert: Biku
To close, we head to one of Seminyak’s institutions. Inside a 150-year old wooden ‘joglo’ building, Biku welcomes guests into its restaurant and tea lounge meets homeware store, defined by its classic Indonesian flair and homey atmosphere. Biku is laidback and casual, with a steady stream of loyal customers returning for its familiar family feel.
What put Biku on the map originally was its afternoon tea experience and a now legendary cake table–which they describe as being “quite literally the heart of the restaurant”– with decadent daily bakes that have the undeniable homecooked, ‘like Grandma used to make’ appeal. Indeed this is what we’re here for, so make room. On the dessert menu you’ll find Banoffee Pie, Raspberry & Strawberry Trifle, Pavlova with tropical fruits, Apple and Raspberry Crumble, or for the indecisive the Trio Tasting Sensation (Chocolate Mousse, Pannacotta and Campari Jelly). But it’s certainly worth checking the table for the cake of the day, and if you’re lucky there’ll be a slice of Biku’s cult-status carrot cake.
+62 851 00570888
@bikubali
bikubali.com
