Exquisite Taste / May-July 2015

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MIXOLOGY AND FOOD PAIRING DEGUSTATION EXPERIENCE The St. Regis Bali Resort invites you to embark on a visionary gastronomic journey of Mixology with food pairing degustation at Kayuputi restaurant.

Curate your own taste of St. Regis by pairing your dish with your favorite cocktail or wine. Alternatively, allow our experienced team of Mixologists to guide you to an unforgettable degustation experience.

Mixology and food pairing degustation is available daily for dinner.

On Sundays, join us for the opulent “Astor Diamond Champagne Brunch� from 11 AM.

for reservations, please call +62 361 300 6786 or e-mail kayuputi.bali@stregis.com kawasan pariwisata nusa dua lot s6, bali, indonesia 80363 tel: +62 361 8478111 stregisbali.com

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Fly Comfortably Above the Rest on Our Business Class Enjoy the comfort of our spacious Business Class cabins, complete with ergonomic seats that adjusts to the exact way you like and converts into a fully flat bed. The plush seat, headrest, pillow and soft blanket ensure your restful sleep and arrive feeling fresh.

Reserve now via www.garuda-indonesia.com, 24-hour call centre at +62 (21) 2351 9999 / 0 804 1 807 807, your nearest Garuda Indonesia ticketing offices or travel agent.

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CHEF DE CUISINE

CHEF MATTHEW HAS BEEN AWARDED THE HIGHEST RATING OF THREE HATS BY 2014 GAULT & MILLAU SYDNEY FOR ALTITUDE RESTAURANT. PRIOR TO JOINING STARFISH BLOO HE HAS SPENT MORE THAN 14 YEARS WORKING IN MICHELIN STARRED RESTAURANTS IN LONDON, SICILY BEIJING AND SYDNEY INCLUDING GORDON RAMSEY, TOM AIKENS AND PETER GILMORE. HE NOW GIVES HIS GLOBALEXPERIENCE INTO A UNIQUE PAN-ASIAN DINING EXPERIENCE

STARFISH BLOO MON - SUN 6.30 AM - 11 PM EXPLORE STARFISHBLOORESTAURANT.COM

Progressive Indonesian Cuisine Sriwijaya Restaurant presents the new dining concept of Progressive Indonesian cuisine, a modern approach of Indonesian dishes combining the flavors of East and West.

Indulge your palate with our Executive Chef Felix Budisetiawan’s new intriguing dessert of Indonesian spiced dark and white chocolate mousse in “Lapis Legit”, a Dutch-Indonesian layered cake, developed based on Dutch recipes made with Indonesian ingredients, which literally means “delicious layers”.

Opens daily for dinner from 6.30 PM – 11 PM Jl. Brawijaya Raya No. 26, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12160, Indonesia Tel: (62-21) 725 8181 | Fax: (62-21) 725 8383 | reservation@the-dharmawangsa.com | www.the-dharmawangsa.com

In this issue of Exquisite Taste, we lift the lid on “fusion” cuisine – or culinary synthesis – an exciting culinary trend burgeoning across the globe and, indeed, in our region. The term fusion, however, gets applied so liberally (in every sense), it can sometimes get confusing for even the most discerning gastronomes. In this month’s cover theme, East meets West Fusion Cuisine, our insightful introduction to fusion cuisine hopefully gives a greater understanding of this culinary phenomenon, without any con-fusion!

We take a look at the history of fusion cuisine from when it first burst onto the dining scene in the 1970s, through the ensuing decades of “East meets West” eateries emerging throughout the US and far beyond, as well as some of our own favourite iconic fusion dishes. We also pay homage to world-renowned, Austrian-born celebrity chefrestaurateur Wolfgang Puck, who spearheaded the fusion cooking scene in the US and laid the groundwork for one of the most commonly fused pairings, Euro-Asian cuisine.

We also sample some of the most innovative fusion restaurants in the region, focusing on two distinct culinary concepts: using different cuisines, culinary techniques and ingredients, or different culturally intact cuisines within the same menu.

In our Up, Close & Personal section, we introduce three dynamic Executive Chefs who are whipping up a storm on the Asian fusion scene – and whose restaurants feature in our themed section: Akira Back, from the eponymous-named restaurant, Akira Back in Jakarta, LG Han, helming the kitchens in Singapore’s Labyrinth, and Daniel Edward of Teatro Gastroteque, Bali. Taking a quick break from food, but still integral to our dining experience, we hit the bottle and take a close look at cocktails shaken and stirred at the stylish F&B venues within Double-Six Luxury Hotel, Seminyak, a new upscale beachfront establishment in Bali, plus discuss the merits of wine pairings, Don Melchor and Chilean wine varieties.

In readiness for the summer season, we’ve been scouring the region for a scrumptious smorgasbord of gourmet reviews that highlight new restaurants, chefs and menus: from the new Sunday BBQ by the Beach menu at Bali’s acclaimed Arwana Restaurant to London’s award-winning Argentine restaurant Gaucho launching in Hong Kong.

Back in the capital city, we’ve been working closely with Akira Back Jakarta, where our upcoming Exquisite Publishing dinner event will be held (check out the coverage in the next issue!). I have always admired Chef Akira Back and his vision, his unique identity, and of course, his world-class aptitude for creating one authentic culinary delight after another! By the time this issue is published, I’m sure we will be looking back in delight after a very successful, exclusive dinner event that I cannot wait to host!

We thoroughly enjoyed sampling all these regional gourmet delights and trust you – our readers – will too. As the sultry summer months are now upon us, it’s another good excuse to dine out – as if we needed any!

Enjoy!

Lenny Marlina Tanu Publisher I 8

SUNDAY BBQ

BY THE BEACH EVERY SUNDAY FROM 12 PM – 3 PM

For reservations: please call T. +62 361 300 5635

Presenting an idyllic blend of beachfront relaxation and delectable food, Arwana restaurant’s ‘Sunday BBQ by the Beach’ invites you to delight in fresh seafood, premium meats and Asian delights of chili crabs, sushi and sashimi.

E. fb.reservations@luxurycollection.com

Access to designated areas of beach and pool Additional non-motorized water sports activities are available

arwanarestaurant.com

BBQ package:

Rp. 480.000 net per person (inclusive of beers, iced tea and soft drinks) Rp. 240.000 net per child (3 – 12 years old)

Beverage package:

From Rp. 480.000 net per person (inclusive of wines and selection of cocktails)

Kawasan Pariwisata Nusa Dua Lot N2 PO Box 77, Bali 80363, Indonesia thelagunabali.com

SPG® members and hospitality professionals receive 15% discount on BBQ package and non-alcoholic beverages Prices stated “net” are INCLUSIVE of 21% service charge and government tax

FOLLOW US ON www.facebook.com/Exquisite.Publishing @Xquisite_Media

www.exquisite-taste-magazine.com www.exquisite-publishing.com

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française Brunch à la a Dua li Nus at Sofitel Ba

st listed by Condé Na imate hotel brunch Experience the ult from 11am to 3pm turday and Sunday Traveler, every Sa a at Cut Catch Cucin 399k ++ ise starts from IDR Brunch à la frança old kids under 12 years Complimentary for pool Free access to the

- +62 361 849 2888 t N5 - Bali 80363 lo x le mp Co DC BT , Dua Beach Resort 9078 Sofitel Bali Nusa www.sofitel.com/

www.sofitel.com

THE GRAPEVINE

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A look at some of the latest happenings in Bali’s culinary world: Ubud’s CasCades Restaurant hosts the Ubud Chefs’ Collaboration Lunch; a week-long celebration of Indian Cuisine at award-winning Sarong; and a gastronomic dinner event at Alila Villas Soori with guest chef Marc Wilkinson.

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UP CLOSE & PERSONAL We meet three award-winning chef superstars in the region who happily share their visions, background and expert insight on today’s culinary industry: Bali’s Teatro Gastroteque’s Daniel Edward; Akira Back, from his megasuccessful, self-named Jakarta restaurant; and Owner-Chef LG Han, helming his red hot, fusionesque restaurant, Labyrinth, in Singapore.

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FUSION CUISINE This edition’s cover theme is dedicated to Fusion Cuisine. We take an in-depth look at fusion’s fascinating history and one of its legendary pioneers, celebrity chef-restaurateur Wolfgang Puck, plus share some of our favourite iconic fusion dishes from across the globe and a handful of recipes to try at home. Then read-up on our collection of prominent Fusion Cuisine restaurants located in Jakarta, Bali, Singapore and Hong Kong.

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the pursuit of excellence From far flung lands to city streets the pursuit of excellence has led Chef WIll Meyrick to explore the culture of Asian cuisine from its roots in rural society to its zenith at ceremonial banquets. Inspired by the delightful simplicity that creates such complexity of flavour Will recreates, with a personal flair, the dishes of farmers and kings to share Asia’s rich culinary culture with you.

Restaurant Bookings Essential +62 361 4737 809 or info@sarongbali.com Jl Petitenget No. 19X Kerobokan, Bali, Indonesia www.sarongbali.com www.facebook.com/SarongBali

GOURMET JAKARTA We scoured the Indonesian capital for the many exciting new restaurants opening up for business.

In the process, we discovered Chef Valentino has launched his Singaporean fine dining creation, Ristorante Da Valentino, in downtown Jakarta, while celebrated local chef Degan Septoadji is helming his first Jakarta restaurant, Letter D Cuisine & Bar, plus one of Jakarta’s most happening hang-outs – minimalist Japanese restaurant, 3 Wise Monkeys has hit the city. Revamped La Moda reveals a new modern European brasserie concept, while Locanda dishes up classic Italian and PanAsian dishes.

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GOURMET BALI On this buzzing island, there’s always plenty of new and exciting things a-happening; we introduce Finn’s Beach Club’s all-day menu and chef, Sunday BBQ by the Beach at The Laguna Bali’s Arwana restaurant and Tirtha Dining’s more informal bistro-style menu. New openings cover casual Japanese restaurant, Soya, in Sanur and Seminyak’s former SOS Supper Club morphing into MoonLite Kitchen and Bar. We also return to Ku De Ta’s stylish Mejekawi restaurant. S.KA.I. Beach Club, at Padma Resort Bali, launches as Legian’s first upscale beach club.

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GOURMET HONG KONG

Celebrate the first anniversary of contemporary art and fine French cuisine at Bibo and get immersed in nostalgia for mid-20th century New York at Carbone

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GOURMET MALAYSIA

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On a Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, we dine out at Sheraton Imperial’s Celestial Court – one of the city’s best Cantonese restaurants, renowned for its authentic pan-Chinese cuisine

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EXQUISITE WINE PAIRING We crack open a profile on Don Melchor, an iconic and premier Chilean wine, plus give a taster history lesson on Chilean wine and low-down on distinctive grape varieties.

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EXQUISITE COCKTAIL Innovative mixologist cocktails come shaken, stirred and so much more at stylish Double-Six Rooftop and Sling Bar within Double-Six Luxury Hotel in Seminyak; an interview with Executive Beverage Manager, Jonathan Jack, reveals more.

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NIGHTLIFE The exciting arrival of MIRROR Lounge & Club brings a touch of world-class sophistication – not to mention, hip DJs – to Bali’s previously limited nightlife scene.

132 SPALICIOUS We get up and away to W Retreat & Spa Bali’s internationally acclaimed and uber-chic AWAY SPA, taking a lavishly nourishing Body Honey treatment.

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THE GRAPEVINE

Enjoying the creative ideas of the restaurant’s experienced chefs, L’Avenue highlights a special menu from their favourite signature dishes to form a tantalizing dining experience.

The classically luxurious L’Avenue restaurant at The Hermitage Hotel is rolling out a new six-course luxurious degustation menu handpicked and augmented personally by Executive Chef Guillermo Valera and his team of internationally trained chefs.

Under Chef Guillermo, L’Avenue is well-known for its favourite signature menu of West-meets-East selections, primarily

consisting of components from two or more different regions combined and elevated using local Indonesian touches. Combined with other premium à la carte selections and the hotel’s own classic and elegant ambience, this new luxurious degustation menu offers an unforgettable dining experience in one of Jakarta’s most stunningly presented five-star hotels.

The Degustation Menu starts at IDR888,000 per person, with tantalizing wine pairing options available at an additional IDR588,000 per person. Prices exclude government taxes and service charges. Due to its exclusive and highly specialized nature, advanced reservations are necessary prior to enjoying the Degustation Menu experience at L’Avenue at The Hermitage.

Aside from the exquisite Degustation Menu, the newly reinvented Set Menu Dinner is available daily at dinnertime, when a sumptuous three-course special set menu of unique and specially crafted dishes is prepared with only the finest sourced ingredients.

The Set Menu Dinner is available at IDR488,000, not including government taxes and service charges. (www.jakarta.hermitage.co.id)

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THE GRAPEVINE

1. Gaggan Bangkok, Thailand 2. Narisawa Tokyo, Japan 3. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet Shanghai, China 4. Nihonryori Ryugin Tokyo, Japan 5. Restaurant André Singapore 6. Amber Hong Kong, China 7. Nahm Bangkok, Thailand 8. 8 ½ Otto E Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong, China 9. Waku Ghin Singapore 10. Jungsik Seoul, Korea 11. Jaan Singapore 12. L’Effervescence Tokyo, Japan 13. Les Amis Singapore 14. Hajime Osaka, Japan 15. Fook Lam Moon Hong Kong, China 16. FU1015 Shanghai, China 17. L’Atelier De Joël Robuchon Hong Kong, China

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18. Iggy’s Singapore 19. Fu He Hui Shanghai, China 20. Lung King Heen Hong Kong, China 21. Mr and Mrs Bund Shanghai, China 22. Indian Accent New Delhi, India 23. Robuchon Au Dôme Macau, China 24. Tenku Ryugin Hong Kong, China 25. Eat Me Bangkok, Thailand 26. Le Moût Taichung, Taiwan 27. Ryunique Seoul, Korea 28. Bo Innovation Hong Kong, China 29. Wasabi by Morimoto Mumbai, India 30. Burnt Ends Singapore 31. Nihonbashi Colombo, Sri Lanka 32. Shinji by Kanesaka Singapore 33. Takazawa Tokyo, Japan 34. 28 Hubin Road Hangzhou, China

35. The Chairman Hong Kong, China 36. Tippling Club Singapore 37. Bo.Lan Bangkok, Thailand 38. La Yeon Seoul, South Korea 39. Issaya Siamese Club Bangkok, Thailand 40. Sushi Saito Tokyo, Japan 41. Bukhara New Delhi, India 42. Caprice Hong Kong, China 43. Ministry of Crab Colombo, Sri Lanka 44. Sukiyabashi Jiro Tokyo, Japan 45. Osteria Mozza Singapore 46. Hakkasan Shanghai, China 47. Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Singapore 48. Antonio’s Tagaytay, Philippines 49. Quintessence Tokyo, Japan 50. Cuisine Wat Damnak Siem Reap, Cambodia

Discover! Chocolate Sensation Feel the sensation of chocolate with La Cucina’s special menu for choco lovers!

We surely get adventurous on the chocolate world.

Chocolate banana and strawberry pizza topped with Nutella Enjoy the bites of chocolate bananas and strawberries on handmade pizza based.

Imagine the whole new chocolate sensations on your sweet tooth!

Choco spaghetti al aglio de olio Get the sensation of chocolate on your spaghetti al aglio de olio! Savor the handmade chocolate pasta, fresh from our kitchen.

Spinach chocolate tortellini cream sauce Savor our spinach tortellini covered with chocolate, served with delicious cream sauce.

Get ready to get the explosions of taste on your palate!

Chicken cannelloni with spicy cream choco sauce Get the whole new sensation of chicken cannelloni with spicy cream chocolate sauce!

For further information & reservations, please contact +62 361 751067

Managed by Discovery Hotels & Resorts Jl. Kartika Plaza, South Kuta Beach 80361 PO Box 1012, Bali, Indonesia Tel: +62 361 751067 | Fax: +62 361 754585 reservation@discoverykartikaplaza.com www.discoverykartikaplaza.com

THE GRAPEVINE

of the renowned chefs served their own signature dishes and handpicked the wines to go with them, which resulted in a wildly sensational combination of flavours and, as the chefs mingled with the guests, a hearty social ambience.

Salt Grill originator Luke Mangan came to Jakarta for a night of celebrity chef-studded dining, featuring tantalizing dishes and a delightful social ambience.

Chef Will Meyrick started off with his Sri Lankan cured scallop with mint, ginger flower, shredded coconut, lime juice and salmon roe. The warm aftertaste of ginger and the freshness of the scallop were exquisitely matched by the 2012 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling.

The evening continued as Chef MJ Olguera, Luke’s own prodigy of 11 years, served his iconic poached Tasmanian salmon with confit potatoes in Indonesian yellow curry sauce and Asian crab salad. Chef Olguera went with 2011 Luke Mangan Chardonnay to complement the mild spiciness of the dish.

Luke Mangan himself prepared wakame wagyu sirloin with pumpkin puree, curried leeks and grilled asparagus in coconut broth, an exquisitely tempting main course paired with 2011 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz. The tenderness of the wakame wagyu combined with a few small sips of the cabernet gave a stimulation of rich flavours worthy of the Luke Mangan name.

On 23rd March, the skies of The Plaza, specifically within Salt Grill, were filled with beautiful people and celebrity stars as Luke Mangan and friends hosted an exclusive dinner event with matching wines. The entire main floor of Salt Grill was closed off for the evening as celebrated patrons and VIP guests were welcomed into this prestigious culinary event.

Joining Luke Mangan at the event was Chris Salans of Mozaic Bali, Will Meyrick of Sarong Bali, Mama San and E&O Jakarta, and Salt Grill’s very own Executive Chef, MJ Olguera. Each 22

Closing off the dinner experience with a bang was Chris Salans’ Valrhona ‘Jivana’ milk chocolate mousse with cinnamon gel and candied kumquats presented with Spanish saffron syrup.

The sumptuous dessert already contained a wide spectrum of sweetness, and when paired with the Penfolds Grandfather Tawny Port, the result could have been likened to a blissful ride to candy land.

The Luke Mangan and Friends dinner event was a huge success, with all the guests carrying home a unique experience of rubbing shoulders with global celebrity chefs, and with their palates delighted with unparalleled cuisines. (www.altitude.co.id)

THE GRAPEVINE

The Dharmawangsa Jakarta recently announced the appointment of Felix Budisetiawan as its new Executive Chef. The role will see Chef Felix overseeing all of the hotel’s culinary operations including the restaurants and lounges, hotel banqueting and Bimasena Club.

With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality and culinary industry, Chef Felix Budisetiawan has mastered the world of commercial cookery, where he utilized his talents and skills to organize the big picture within various hotel and restaurant chains throughout Asia and the US. His expertise encompasses the gastronomic arts of traditional and modern Indonesian, as well as French, cooking styles with simple yet flavoursome and mouthwatering cuisines.

The Bali-born chef got to know the fine culinary world by overseeing the family business when he was relatively young. After attending the Culinary and Hospitality School in Bali, the prolific chef went on to join Hyatt Regency Surabaya, followed by a number of other respected hotels in the Starwood and Marriott network.

Chef Felix Budisetiawan is also known to be a highly creative figure, who is passionate about Indonesian culinary values and is keen to explore the vast fusion possibilities with his international cooking knowledge. Drawing inspiration from this passion, Chef Felix continues to dish out iconic progressive dishes, such as the contemporarily presented Palembang Malbi beef, and an amuse bouche of modernized beef jerky with sticky rice served on the side of spices and chillies. (www.the-dharmawangsa.com)

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THE GRAPEVINE

The chefs gave freely of their ingredients and time, Maison Andre Goichot from Burgundy, France, provided exceptional wines for the pairings, Equil provided still and sparkling mineral water throughout the event and Campari provided the final touch with a Negroni Campari cocktail paired supremely with Will Goldfarb’s delightful local cacao mousse with mangosteen sorbet and Campari.

While showcasing Ubud as a culinary destination is all in a day’s work for Ubud’s chefs, on Saturday, 11th April, chefs from Ubud’s top six restaurants made sure that their cooking could make a positive difference to the lives of disabled children in Ubud.

CasCades Restaurant, at the stunning Viceroy Bali hotel, hosted the inaugural Ubud Chefs’ Collaboration Lunch so that the chefs could present their culinary creations

Poached Boston Lobster with Radish Puree 2

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to a group of discerning diners and raise money from ticket sales to donate to Kupu Kupu Foundation.

The foundation provides education to disabled children, gainful employment to disabled adults, and aims to improve the quality of life of those suffering with illnesses such as polio, autism and Down syndrome. The IDR30 million donation from this collaboration lunch will help sustain the Ubud school for three months.

Presenting their inspired creations for this exceptional lunch were Nic Vanderbeeken from CasCades Restaurant, Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah from Locavore, Fernando Corella from Mozaic, Made Lugra from Ayung Resort Ubud, Mandif Warokka from Blanco par Mandif and Will Goldfarb from Room4Dessert.

Gourmands in and around Ubud are eagerly awaiting the next Ubud Chefs’ Collaboration Lunch! (www.cascadesbali.com)

THE GRAPEVINE

As part of the recent Indian Food Festival in Indonesia, organised by India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), renowned Indian Chef Mukesh Kumar was flown in from his native New Delhi to Bali, helping showcase the gastronomic and diverse wonders of Indian cuisine. In celebration of this unique festival and India’s mouthwatering regional dishes, in early March, Chef Kumar headed up a scrumptious, weeklong Indian Food Fest at award-winning Sarong Restaurant in Seminyak – an apt choice, given that Sarong’s Asian-inspired menus incorporate authentic Indian offerings from its own resident Indian Chef Rana. Not surprisingly, this was an enormously well-attended culinary festival, before continuing on for another week in Bali at Melia Bali Hotel, Nusa Dua. At a special dinner event held 4th March at Sarong, a select ensemble of VIP guests, including Indonesian dignitaries and diplomatic corps members, international chefs, prominent members of Bali’s Indian community, celebrities and local media, were fortunate enough to savour an elaborate feast of sublime regional Indian cuisine courtesy of Chef Kumar and Sarong’s exceptional culinary team, led by celebrity chef Will Meyrick. (www.sarongbali.com)

Hara Kabab

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Murgh Malai Tikka

THE GRAPEVINE

Working his way through classical French kitchens and Michelin-starred restaurants, Chef Marc Wilkinson has built a solid foundation in classical French cooking, married with a passion for food science. Driven by a constant search for fresh ideas, Wilkinson is lauded for his exceptional quality of cooking and dazzling originality, taking a classic dish and incorporating modern techniques to extract pure flavours, transforming this into something new and reconstructed in a different format.

Wilkinson’s reputation for creating bold, adventurous tastes has earnt his modern French restaurant, Fraiche, in the village of Oxton, Merseyside, UK, three AA rosettes and a Michelinstarred status. Fraiche takes diners on a thrilling journey of taste and texture with subtle and complex dishes from

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a menu showcasing light, contemporary French cuisine combining modern techniques – created, whenever possible, with local produce.

Fortunately, this gifted Chef is coming to Bali, and on 22nd May, 2015, for one night only, showcasing his prolific culinary flair at Alila Villas Soori – a luxurious all-villa resort in Tabanan – with a spectacular, gastronomic dinner event.

This is just one of several lavish celebrity chef fests Alila Villas Soori organise throughout the year, casting a spotlight on a top-billing culinary wizard.

For reservations, please email soori@ alilahotels.com or call +62 361 894 6388.

(www.alilavillassoori.com)

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

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By Christian Galbraith

Born and raised in Jakarta, Chef Daniel Edward is an enormously respected and multi-award winning chef who has plied his trade in some outstanding kitchens around the globe, including over a decade in Dubai at Dusit Thani, Raffles and The Address Downtown, plus the Mandarin Oriental in Jakarta and Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Happily for the astute diners of Bali, since 2013 he has been collaborating with Chef Mandif Warokka to create a stylish and exquisite dining experience for guests at Teatro Gastroteque, one of island’s most talked about and popular fine dining experiences.

Teatro Gastroteque is a classy boutique restaurant where classic French cuisine gets a very sophisticated Asian make-over.

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caramelised scallop

Q: After a great time at some amazing hotel restaurants in the Middle East it seems you wanted to return home to Indonesia, but with all the great restaurants in Jakarta - what brought you to Bali?

A: Of course Bali is a famous tourist destination and those who come to Bali mostly have more time to sit back and enjoy their meals as they are on vacation. Although the kitchen can be crazy, it’s a slower pace generally, which means I have more time to do more research and experimentation, which is a real draw for me. At Teatro Gastroteque I can explore my creativity and have the pleasure of seeing guests enjoying and appreciating my innovative cuisine.

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event in Jakarta next month and there are more competitions coming up in the near future. I am also going to participate in the upcoming Bocuse D’Or, the Concours mondial de la cuisine, or World Chef Championship.

Q: Who or what has had the greatest influence on your career to date?

A: Tough question and impossible to answer – I’ve worked with so many great chefs of differing nationalities and styles over my career and they all have great qualities that have been influential. My passion to learn constantly drives me. I am an avid researcher reading about famous chefs, the best restaurants, creativity and so on.

Q: With so many international awards, you clearly love the competition – will this continue now you are here in Bali?

Q: Working at Teatro Gastroteque must be a dream for young creatively minded chefs like yourself – but if you had to single one thing out as being the best, what would that be?

A: For sure, and what I love the most is to encourage the new upcoming young culinary talents to join me as well. So far, we have competed in a few culinary competitions through 2014 in Bali and Singapore, where we won 24 medals in total! We have an

A: I love the creative freedom and, as I said, working in Bali and at Teatro Gastroteque provides the opportunity to develop this even further.

Q: We hear the term fusion used a lot these days but it can be a very loose term – what does it mean to you?

A: For me the term fusion is simple to appreciate - to combine two or more things into a new form, either by cooking methods and styles, or by combining ingredients that might not normally be associated. Take the Foie Gras Terrine, for example – we combine this classic French terrine with local mango, palm sugar gel and indigenous flowers to create a fusion of presentation, style, tastes and textures – pure fusion!

Q: Do you have a favourite plate on the current menu? (and why) A: It’s back to the terrine, it’s always a favourite; we combine techniques and ingredients to serve a fabulous foie gras here at Teatro – it’s beautiful, delicious and is always very popular.

Q: The presentation at Teatro Gastroteque is, at times, simply breathtaking. How do you balance the aesthetic with the taste, in other words is there a trade off?

A: There is no trade off and we work extremely hard to ensure a combination of indulgent tastes and dazzling presentation through all our menu choices. I like to say we choose the best ingredients and then “just add love…”!

Q: How is working alongside Mandif – one the island’s, if not the nation’s, most creative chefs?

A: I have known Mandif a long time and it is great. We might have different characters, but we share the same philosophy regarding food and dining.

Q: What does the future hold for Daniel Edward?

A: My goal is to open a restaurant that serves a range of comfort foods using fresh local ingredients and simple cooking techniques.

I would also like to develop a school for professional chefs to teach avant garde cooking techniques and cooking competition skills. (www.teatrobali.com)

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• • • • • •

2 kg foie gras 2 tbsp salt 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp white pepper 4 tbsp brandy 4 tbsp sake

Red Wine Jelly • 400 g port wine • 300 g red wine • 9 sheets gelatin

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De-vein and clean the foie gras, marinate overnight with all ingredients and keep it chilled in the refrigerator.

The following day, wrap or roll the foie gras with cheesecloth and tie at on both sides.

Cook the foie gras for 1 hour at 60°C. After 1 hour, remove the foie gras and set into a mould that has been prepared and pour the port wine jelly into the mould as well.

Keep chilled before serving.

Palm Sugar Gel • 180 g palm sugar • 150 g brown sugar • 900 ml water • 1 pc tamarind • 1 pc cinnamon • 2 pc star anise • 5 pc clove • 2 pc chili • 5 g orange zest • 100 g orange juice • 25 g pectin • 10 g agar

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Fresh Mango • 1 pc mango • 2 tbsp white balsamic • Salt and pepper to taste

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Clean and peel the mango carefully, dice it into small pieces and add salt, pepper and white balsamic. Keep it chilled before serving.

Serve the foie gras with palm Put the sugar, water, tamarind, cinnamon, star anise, clove, chili, orange zest and orange juice into the pot. Simmer to reduce the liquid by half, then add pectin and agar into the pot.

Boil the liquid for few minutes and pour into a tray. Keep the liquid in the tray until properly chilled.

Once chilled, blend it with a vita mix blender until smooth.

sugar gel, fresh mango and brioche.

Garnish with some edible flowers to enhance the presentation.

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Akira Back From professional snowboarder to the best chef in Las Vegas, and arguably the world, Chef Akira Back revisits his unique lineage and shares valuable advice on how to make it in the industry.

By Refa Koetin

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Back then I met a few people who I thought were really cool. They had blue hair, pierced noses, earrings and leather jackets. I wanted to talk to them but I couldn’t speak English, and I was scared to come up to them so I just followed them around. I noticed they were skateboarding and snowboarding, so naturally I tried both, but snowboarding came more naturally to me. And then I started snowboarding with these guys and travelling with them. Thanks to the sports I did when I was younger, my body fitted right into it. I was actually the first Korean in the US who became a professional snowboarder. I did it for the sense of freedom and adrenaline rush.

Long story short, my sponsors in the X-Games became more and more commercial and they wanted me to compete even harder to earn them more profit. Eventually this commercial thing burned out my passion for the sport. The freedom was no longer there.

After that I met a very nice and inspiring, but crazy, chef. I said crazy because he would lose it if something went wrong. Eventually that’s the kind of chef I became. Anyway, I went on to learn cooking from him for years and I really enjoyed this new trade I picked up.

In terms of how I run my kitchen, I can totally relate it to my sports background. Cooking is teamwork and not an individual thing. You have to have really good control. You have to be a coach. I have to know which person is good at what aspect and how to allow that person to maximize his/her potential.

Q: How do you personally deal with the different cultures in places you’ve lived in and all the places you’ve travelled?

Akira Back Tacos

Q: First of all, congratulations on the huge success of Akira Back in Jakarta. Furthermore, you are opening up more restaurants in Dubai and New Delhi. You must be pretty busy most days?

A: Definitely busy, but in a good way! I was just in India throughout the last week to accept a best restaurant award. It is indeed humbling and very satisfying to receive these recognitions and be appreciated in such a way. So yeah, things have been pretty hectic lately, but I’m enjoying every moment of it.

Q: As a Korean who learned Japanese cooking in the United States, you have a very interesting background.

How does this translate into your cooking style and how you run your kitchen?

A: I guess I’ll just tell you my life’s story here. I actually grew up playing baseball in Korea. I wanted to be a baseball player in Korea. That was my dream. And then I was supposed to go to Japan and get into the game, but my family moved to America because my father actually lived in Aspen, Colorado, and he invited us to move. That was when I was barely 16 years old.

I couldn’t speak a word of English because the move was so sudden.

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A: As I travel more every year, I feel like the universe is getting closer and closer. Before technology, I mean like seven years ago, if you travelled to a new continent you’d probably be culture shocked because of the differences. But now I’ve noticed it’s not like that anymore. And it’s a good thing I live in Vegas most of the time.

Vegas is a melting pot of cultures, so I’m grateful cultural differences are not so much of a problem for me.

Q: Snowboarding is about overcoming fear and celebrating freedom of spirit. How has your background as a former professional snowboarder helped you in your culinary career today?

A: The physical aspect is almost the same. In the kitchen, we really work. When I was starting out, I worked longer than 15 hours a day. Your body needs to be fit. You’ll notice that established old school chefs have a heavier build compared to our generation. Our generation is fit, and the newer generation chefs are even fitter!

Some of them can even pass for a bodybuilder. It’s a really physically demanding job so you really have to take care of your body.

I don’t think a lot of people know, but they say being a chef is the worst profession because chefs live shorter lives. As a chef, it’s a good thing if you are fit.

Another great thing about cooking is that, like snowboarding, it’s also about freedom. Nobody can judge you. I make the food and if you don’t like it, in my mind I’d go, “Man, too bad if you don’t dig what I’m trying to do.” And I just move on.

Q: Right now you have three different restaurants: Akira Back, Yellowtail and Kumi. What are the key differences between the three?

A: Akira Back is a combination of Yellowtail and Kumi. I designed Yellowtail for more of my feminine side, and Kumi for the masculine side. Kumi has more punch, and Yellowtail offers a lighter flavour in terms of the menu. Lately, I think Kumi has been hitting it well with DJs, and so it’s been attracting more of the music crowd, while Yellowtail is a little quieter and intimate. If you’re going on a date, you go to Yellowtail, if you’re looking to have a great time with friends, definitely Kumi. Now, Akira Back is right in the middle of the two. Date, party, hang out with friends—all this you can do in Akira Back.

Q: What’s your take on the current trend of fusion cuisine happening globally right now since you’re very much a key part of this culinary cultural merging?

A: Being Asian is definitely a plus, but I wouldn’t say I’m the only one doing this. A lot of other chefs are doing a fantastic job at it. We’re all trying to make our own food. I don’t necessarily use the term fusion, because I’m trying to make my own identity. When you eat my food, I want people think this is Akira Back’s food. Like snowboarding, every time I did a front-side 360, people instantly knew that’s me because I have my own style. Just like that, I want to carry out my own style in my own cooking.

I grew up eating my mom’s food, which is Korean, but I use the techniques of Japanese cooking. Given this, I can’t cook 100% Japanese, because my palate is Korean. But then can it be Korean and Japanese 50-50? Of course not, because we lived in America.

All the ingredients taste and react differently with each other.

In conclusion, what I’m making is whatever I feel is my own identity.

Q: Do you notice any difference in terms of the guests of Akira Back in Jakarta compared to other Akira Back venues?

A: Every time I’m here I notice the same type of guests, but more educated. When we started here, not too many people knew about us. Now it seems our popularity keeps going up and up.

I think Indonesians travel a lot, so they definitely know what’s happening globally. The same goes for their expectations and what they ask of us. It’s definitely not a slow market here and we have to be constantly ready to satisfy these demands.

Q: Can you tell us about your core design philosophies here in Akira Back Jakarta?

A: When we designed it, our goal was to respect the Earth.

Coming here, if you see that huge root out there, that’s Indonesian. The reason I picked that piece was to make a statement. That is a symbol of longevity, and roots never die. So we’re here to stay, but we put in the roots of an Indonesian tree.

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As you come in the front, the spiralling black hole-like centrepiece with the name of the restaurant on it is to welcome guests, and then they are greeted by the front staff, followed by the chefs’ own welcoming phrase. So that’s the idea—a welcoming environment.

On the inside, we’re going for an inviting, modern-butnot-too-out-there feel. We use red bricks a lot because they exude a feeling of balance between warmth and cold, sort of like to remedy the humidity here. This private dining room has a honeycomb patterned ceiling, something which I thought would match the brilliant exterior design of this building.

Q: What inspires you to create and keep your endeavours going?

A: Gosh, I wish I could say I had a dream one night and it inspired me to do this and that, but no. I don’t think a lot.

I just go with what’s real and happening. My instincts, you

A: Passion is the most important thing. Other than that, never give up. No matter what you do, everyone falls on hard times every once in a while. If you really love what you do, then you just follow your heart and don’t stop doing it.

Okay, that’s easy to say, but it won’t be so easy to practice.

Up to my third year, I was not making money and people kept telling me how stupid I was. But it’s a good thing! I kept my mouth shut and just kept doing what I was doing.

If you’re young and completely new to the industry, I recommend finding an experienced chef that you respect and can teach you a lot, and spend some time working for that person. I don’t know how to say this in a positive way, but school may not always guarantee success. Especially if you’re a beginner, you need to learn the basics by doing it hands on. You will learn things faster in real time.

Q: Is it hard for you to find time for yourself and what do you do to unwind?

Hirame Carpaccio

can say. So yeah, I don’t overthink anything. It just makes it hard to sleep well.

Q: If you could look into a crystal ball to see ten years from now, where would you see yourself?

A: Ten years from now I’ll have opened more than twelve restaurants. Guaranteed.

Q: What advice can you give to budding chefs/ restaurateurs who are striving to make their way in the culinary industry?

40

A: I still enjoy snowboarding, and I try to make time whenever I can, but as you said, usually it’s hard to find time. Aside from that I like to enjoy a good walk for like an hour or two and just clear my mind and enjoy my surroundings. The concept of doing nothing for a change is actually refreshing to me. I meet a lot of people every day, and sometimes it’s really my time to take a break.

I’m actually going to Bali after this, and over there I’m not meeting anyone or doing anything other than eating, drinking and walking. (www.akiraback.com)

• • • • • • • • •

4 8” flour tortillas 7½ ounces big-eye tuna, cleaned, trimmed, thinly sliced against grain 6½ ounces red onion, thinly sliced with grain, rinsed 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil ¾ ounce white truffle oil ½ ounce micro shiso mix ¼ ounce micro bulls blood Maldon sea salt as needed Black pepper, very coarsely ground, as needed.

PONZU: • 5 ounces soy sauce • 5 ounces Shiragiku vinegar • ½ ounce lemon juice, fresh Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.

PONZU MAYO: • 9 ounces mayonnaise • 2¼ ounces ponzu FOR PONZU MAYO: Combine both ingredients together and mix thoroughly.

TO PREPARE: • Brush tortillas on both sides with extra virgin olive oil and season with black pepper.

• Toast tortillas until very crispy in either a broiler or on a griddle. Remove to another work surface. Brush generous amounts of ponzu mayo on one side of tortilla.

• Garnish with red onions on top of ponzu mayo.

• Lay tuna over onions and mayo, making sure to completely cover the tortilla.

• Season tuna with black pepper and sea salt.

• Drizzle truffle oil over top of seasoned tuna, evenly seasoning the whole pizza.

• Sprinkle micro shiso and micro bulls blood over top of the pizza. Make sure greens are evenly distributed.

• Cut pizza into 8 even slices.

• Transfer gently onto plate.

• Serve immediately.

41

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

By Refa Koetin

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Q: First of all, we’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Labyrinth and its huge success over the last year. Congratulations on becoming one of the most unique up-and-coming restaurants in Singapore. Would you mind telling us about how you came to create Labyrinth?

A: Labyrinth was born out of my love for local cuisine, as well as my belief that Singaporean cuisine in this day and age is not just limited to local street food but also dishes from all around the world. I myself grew up in Singapore in the 1980s and 1990s on burgers, sushi, hotdogs, pastas, etc. I created Labyrinth to be a creative think tank that has no creative boundaries and one that leverages on my palate as a Singaporean, infusing an element of fun, surprise and culture into my creations.

Modern Singaporean Cuisine has been around for over 10 years but no one has attempted to push the boundaries of Singaporean cuisine to its extreme.

Q: Your story of banker-turned-chef is also very interesting. Care to tell us what drove you to make the shift? And what was the defining point where you realized your heart was in the culinary arts instead of finance?

A: I have always loved cooking, studying food science and putting my creativity to the test. Working in a corporate job does not give me the room to let my creativity grow beyond the four walls of the office and it was very stifling.

Also, cooking for others allows me to derive a direct sense

of self-fulfilment and seeing others enjoy my creations makes me feel happy that I am able to influence others in a very real way. The defining point was when I took up my first apprenticeship in a fine dining restaurant and despite the verbal and sometimes physical abuse, I realised that I really liked the environment better than being in an office and, as time went on, I knew that my passion to be in the F&B industry trumped that of being in finance.

Q: Tell us a little bit about the concept of Labyrinth and how its highly creative fusion cuisines set it apart from the rest.

A: Labyrinth’s name itself has a dual connotation: Firstly, it’s a gastronomical maze, which is why we serve only prix-fixe menus. Secondly, the “Lab” in Labyrinth also signifies our intention to be a centre of culinary innovation, not just a mere restaurant. At Labyrinth, we differentiate ourselves by striking a fine balance between traditional and modern. The foundation of our food is very traditional - from the ingredients we use in our sauces to the fundamental techniques that go into their creation. The modern aspect comes into play towards the end of each dish’s preparation, where we alter certain textures or deliver a visual deception to our customers.

We use a myriad of cooking techniques, new and old, and the only guideline we abide by is: always select the technique that works best for the ingredients and the concept of the dish as a whole.

Satay Steak

43

Siew Yoke Fan

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Q: Our theme for this issue is centred on fusion cuisine. What is your take on this trend and its effect on demands from your guests?

A: I often hear people saying “fusion is confusion and there is no substance behind it”, but I disagree. At Labyrinth, we have proven that given enough research and development, without compromising quality for innovation, fusion can be tasty, fun and refined. I believe fusion and creativity are directly correlated and the biggest pitfall is not knowing what one wants from the end product as he or she goes through the creation process. Demands from guests are already very high given the level of competition amongst restaurants in Singapore, and we cannot afford to deliver something sub-par to our guests, or risk them drawing comparisons to hawker food at 1/10th the price!

Q: We’ve seen some very original and highly creative dishes coming from your kitchen. What are your inspirations for these outstanding creations?

A: Our inspirations come from all angles: from the way we see a single ingredient differently from the others, to the unique memories of eating a certain dish during our childhood. As a Singaporean growing up in this modern day and age, there are some dishes that are very close to my heart and those can inspire as well. I try to identify dishes that have absolutely no link with each other but share a very similar DNA, in order to create a new dish.

The chilli crab ice-cream that Labyrinth is famous for was born out of this train of thought.

Q: We believe this fusion cuisine trend will go on for quite a long time. How do you manage to always dish out new and original dishes and keep your customers engaged in new culinary adventures each time they visit?

A: I believe that you cannot force creativity, inspirations come when you least expect them, and after that it is just a matter of persistence, questioning and never giving up to deliver the vision on a plate. We at Labyrinth focus on two concepts when creating a dish: A dish has to deliver a visual deception to customers and a flavour they can relate to that has nothing to do with its visual appearance. In this way, we keep customers engaged and wanting to see what tricks we have up our sleeves next.

Q: Can you share some of the most memorable reactions from guests to your dishes?

A: I used to serve normal chocolates to customers after the meal as a mignardise and most customers refused to believe that it was just chocolate! I had to remove it from our new menu as it was the most uninteresting dish.

Q: What are some of the core philosophies needed to run such a successful restaurant like Labyrinth?

A: Quality, consistency, innovation, respect and integrity.

Q: Region wise, what would you say is the strongest influence on your cooking techniques?

A: Hawkers and traditional Chinese chefs are the strongest influences as they hold the key to the knowledge of traditional ingredients, heat control and very traditional recipes done the old-school way.

Q: What would you say is the most challenging/ rewarding aspect of your endeavour right now?

A: The most challenging aspect is customers understanding what we do and why we do it. We do not aim, for example, to have the best chilli crab sauce in town. We do, however, aim to present a fairly authentic version of the chilli crab in a unique manner. We play with the textures, visuals and temperature and have done a refinement of its flavours, as the traditional version can sometimes come across as oily and heavy. The most rewarding aspect is to be able to build long-lasting relationships with our customers. Through those connections, we are able to obtain their valuable feedback, which enables us to grow alongside them and continually improve our product.

Q: What do you believe are some of the most fundamental things to remember when creating fusion or creatively demanding dishes?

A: Never ever compromise on the quality or flavours of the dish just for the sake of creativity. Always remember that as a chef, our creations have to form a bridge with customer expectations. There is no short cut to creating fusion-esque dishes. Pure hard work, technicality and research that goes beyond cooking is key.

Q: What is the single most complicated dish you’ve ever created?

A: Our signature chilli crab dish might look deceptively simple, but it took me four years to perfect the dish. Firstly I had to get the chilli crab sauce ice-cream right and then I had to play with the garnishes and accompaniments that go with the dish to resemble the traditional version once consumed.

Q: What advice would you give to budding chefs/ restaurateurs looking to make their mark in the culinary world out there?

A: There is a big difference between being a good chef and being a chef running a business. The latter is more demanding and one will realise that running a restaurant involves a lot of other tasks other than just cooking and creating. There is nothing glamorous about running a restaurant, just pure perseverance and lack of sleep!

Q: Lastly, what do you like to do to unwind?

A: I love travelling, although I rarely get much time to travel these days. I also love dining out at other restaurants to get inspired by what other chefs are doing. There is so much we can learn from each other and no chef is ever perfect or can claim to know everything. (www.labyrinth.com.sg)

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TURMERIC SABAYON: • 3 egg yolks • 1tbsp sugar • 1tbsp white wine • 5g turmeric powder • 1½tbsp fish sauce • 200ml whipped cream • 100ml water

RICE CRISPY: • 1 cup rice • 2 cups water

1.

PINEAPPLE SORBET: • 2 pieces of ripe pineapples • Sugar and sea salt to taste • 1tbsp corn syrup

2.

3.

4.

5.

Add turmeric powder and fish sauce to water and reduce over medium heat to form a paste Whisk egg yolks, sugar and white wine until white and fluffy Continue to whisk the mixture over a bain marie until mixture becomes thicker and slightly warm, add the turmeric paste and continue whisking until mixture becomes a thick custard Whip the whipped cream to soft peak Fold the turmeric custard into the whipped cream

1.

2.

3.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Cook rice in a steamer Roll out rice onto a baking tray and dehydrate for 5 hours at 50 degrees Celsius Deep fry dehydrated rice

Chop pineapples into small dices Blend chopped pineapples and add sugar and sea salt to taste Sieve pineapple puree and mix in corn syrup Place in an ice cream churner to churn into sorbet

FINAL PRESENTATION: • Pipe out three dollops of sabayon through a cream whipper, place rice crispy in the middle with coriander • Sponge and floss crackers around, place a quenelle of pineapple sorbet on top of the rice crispy • Garnish with some raisins and extra virgin olive oil 46

It is no secret that the word fusion is sometimes considered a profanity in the culinary industry. By some, the term is seen as a demeaning and over-simplifying way of describing the work of professional chefs who spend countless hours in study, experimentation, and trial and error. However, one can’t deny that fusion—the act of intertwining ingredients, techniques and cooking styles from multiple regions and countries—has been going on for a very long time.

It also undeniably true that, at its best, when practiced by those who really know what they’re doing, fusion cuisine can be responsible for some thrillingly unexpected combinations that are both unique and superb in terms of taste and presentation.

Especially in this golden era of communication and globalization, where boundaries are being torn down and culture gaps are being bridged, it is perhaps time to revisit the term fusion and rehabilitate its definition.

The following presentation is a brief overview over the history of fusion cuisine, and how it gained popularity and global recognition, as well as its subsequent downfall as the negative connotation grew heavier.

With all the culinary innovations that this movement has produced over the years, we leave it up you to decide if the term fusion deserves a second chance, or should remain locked in the darkest dungeons.

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Fusing different cultures, ingredients, flavours and techniques, the idea of fusion cuisine is that of discovery and creativity—a never-ending journey to achieve perfection and elevation of taste. —

By Refa Koetin

48

M

ankind is blessed with the wonderful trait of creativity and progressive thinking. These qualities have allowed us to collectively advance ourselves through the conceptualization and combination of revolutionary ideas. Starting from the seemingly instinctive discovery of eating more than one food source at a time—thus creating the old protein, staple and fibre combo—fusing and combining things on the plate has played a significant role in humanity’s culinary evolution.

Fortunately we’re not going to dissect what made the carnivorous Neanderthals decide to cook vegetables back in the day, but we are going to look at the upbringing of modern fusion cuisine, how it has become popular and why some may have a love-hate relationship with it.

This chic movement is often credited to Wolfgang Puck and his delightful, timeless creations such as the buffalo chicken spring roll and BBQ nachos, but to call the fusion food movement something new would be rewriting history. “Fusion food”, the blending of culinary worlds to create new, hybrid dishes, has been around since the beginning of trade; so vast is its history that it is almost impossible to discern the original iteration of fusion food. The most famous example, however, so ubiquitous that it is difficult to connect origin to culture, is the noodle: spaghetti would not exist if the Chinese had not perfected the method first.

Blending two or more culinary traditions from different areas to create innovative and often very interesting dishes, the idea of fusion cuisine has since gained popularity worldwide, especially over the last decade. It tends to be more common in culturally diverse and metropolitan areas, where there is a wider audience for such food. Some common examples include Thai-Vietnamese’s Pacific Rim cuisine and Tex-Mex food.

While we’ve established that the roots of fusion cuisine are probably ancient (since humans have spread out enough to exchange culinary heritage for centuries), the concept became popularized in the 1970s.

Several French chefs began to offer foods that combined traditional French food with Asian cuisine, especially foods from Vietnam and China. The concept quickly spread to other major European cities, along with the American coasts.

Today, some of the most widely practiced examples combine European and Asian foods. Thanks to the wildly divergent culinary characteristics of these two cultures, combining centuries of cooking traditions of both continents can sometimes result in astonishing dishes. Vietnamese spring rolls might be found on the menu of a French restaurant, while a wasabi reduction sauce might be used on a pot roast. In the hands of properly experienced culinary experts, these fusions can be wildly successful.

Another path for fusion that other cooks take is to focus on simply combining the culinary traditions of two or more Asian nations. This type of cuisine was most likely also inspired by natural occurrences, as people from different countries exchanged recipes and ideas. PanAsian fusion cuisine tends to be more forgiving and less difficult to pull off well, since many Asian countries share common threads in terms of culture, as well as ingredients and seasonings used in their culinary heritage.

However, as is the case with all things associated with innovation, change and progress, haters of fusion cuisine never condoned the idea of mixing foodstuffs, dubbing it “confusion cuisine”, and arguing that chefs must only rely on novelty to carry the food, rather than flavour, texture and presentation.

Good fusion cuisine combines ingredients and cooking techniques from several cultures in a way that pulls together well, creating a seamless and fresh dish. Confusion cuisine, on the other hand, throws ingredients together like confetti, and sometimes causes an inevitable clash. Cooks intent on pulling off a successful cuisine research their ingredients carefully and think about how flavour and textures will combine for the diners. While novelty is certainly commendable, restraint is also important.

THE ASCENSION OF CULTURAL CUISINE

A lot of tasty goodness within the contemporary dining scene— fine or otherwise—owes a substantial amount of its popularity to excellent cross-cultural pairing and multilateral experimentation of culinary elements. Leaning more towards a food reviewer’s stance rather than that of a food critic, we firmly believe that proper fusion cuisine has brought more good than harm.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the Korean taco – nothing malicious about the combination of kimchi and hot sauce, nothing terribly iconoclastic about bulgogi wrapped in billowy tortillas. If anything, the Korean taco represents a creative moment in foodie culture, the blending of two seemingly disparate taste profiles into a surprisingly tasty – and palatably coherent – meal.

“It’s really hard to invent new dishes, and even harder to invent new techniques,” Rachel Laudan, food historian and author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History, explains. “Almost all foods are fusion dishes.” But there’s a difference between food we easily recognize as fusion and food with a blended past that remains hidden to the casual observer. Dishes often thought of as extremely nationalized, like ramen in Japan or curry in India, often really have origins in the fusion of cuisines that met during colonial expansion and migration.

“When cultures mix, fusion is inevitable,” adds Corinne Trang, author of Food Lovers Vietnamese: A Culinary Journey of Discovery.

As the hold of imperialism started to fall in the 19th and 20th centuries, a unique idea of nationalism began to take its place. As fledgling provinces struggled to prove their national might on an international scale, countries often adopted a national dish much like they adopted a flag or national anthem. Generally, dishes that were adopted as representations of a country’s “national” culture truly represented an area’s culturally diverse history. Take some of these dishes below as examples of “signature” dishes whose origins exemplify the blending of cultures into a classic fusion dish.

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- Bánh Mì:

East Indian spices, African heat (from cayenne pepper) and the Jamaican Scotch Bonnet pepper. While the patty might be giving the Chinese noodle a run for its money in terms of late-night street food, its complex culinary history is much less rough-and-tumble.

- Vindaloo:

Bánh mì

A typical Vietnamese street food, the bánh mì (specifically, the bánh mì thit) combines crunchy, salty and spicy notes to the delight of sandwich lovers everywhere. This typical Vietnamese sandwich represents a prime example of fusion food. A traditional bánh mì is made up of meat (often pâté), pickled vegetables, chillies and cilantro, served on a baguette. From the pâté to the mayonnaise, the influence of French colonialism here is clear as day. Held together by the crucial French baguette, the typically Vietnamese sandwich speaks of Vietnam’s colonial past.

Regardless of the ancient fusionist origin of bánh mì, the dish holds a significant place in Vietnam’s culinary present. “As long as there is demand you’ll always have the product. Basic business practice demands it. Why would you take something off the market, if it sells well?” Trang asks, explaining why this vestige of colonialism enjoys such modern success. “Bánh mì is convenient and delicious. It’s their version of fast food.”

- Jamaican Patty:

Vindaloo

Vindaloo curry is an omnipresent staple in any Indian restaurant’s repertoire, but what no Indian school teaches in history classes is that vindaloo is actually a blending of Portuguese and Goan cuisine.

Goa, India’s smallest state, was under Portuguese rule for 450 years, during which time the European colonists influenced everything from architecture to cuisine, including the popular spicy stew known as vindalho (the dropped ‘h’ is merely an Anglicized spelling of the dish.) The name itself is a derivative of the Portuguese vinho (wine vinegar) and ahlo (garlic), two ingredients that give the curry its unique taste.

The dish is a replication of the traditional Portuguese stew Carne de Vinha d’Alhos, which was traditionally a water-based stew. In Goa, the Portuguese revamped their traditional dish to include the chillies of the region, and today, vindaloo is known as one of the spicier curry dishes available. And Laudan also point out that “curry, as we know it, also has largely British origins,” indicating that this trend is not singular to vindaloo.

- Ramen:

Jamaican patty

One of the most popular Jamaican foods, the patty, is similar in idea to an empanada (a dish which also has cross-cultural origins in itself): pastry encases a meaty filling animated with herbs and spices indigenous to Jamaican cuisine. But the snack dubbed “essential to Jamaican life” isn’t entirely Jamaican; instead, it is a fusion product of colonialism and migration, combining the English turnover with

50

Ramen

The fluorescent-orange, plump white or clear broth of ramen noodles is a distinctive element of the Japanese culinary scene. The real dish, however, remains one dish that claims roots in Japan’s imperialist history and their interaction with the then enemy, China. In the late 1800s and into the early 1900s, Japan won a series of power struggles with China, allowing the island nation to claim various Chinese territories as its own (including Taiwan and former Chinese holdings in Korea).

Apart from land, they also assimilated their traditional Chinese noodle—saltier, chewier and more yellow due to the technique of adding alkali to salty water during the cooking process—and created a dish known as Shina soba, literally “Chinese noodle.” The name for the dish gradually tempered with time (Shina is a particularly pejorative way to describe something as Chinese) and came to be known as ramen, but its imperial history remains.

- California roll:

It's easy to see why. By 2007, when international writer David Kamp published The Food Snob's Dictionary, fusion "had come so far out of fashion, it didn't warrant inclusion," he said. "The term itself had been discredited by poor execution in the '80s, [thanks to] desultory places who didn't know what they wanted to be, grabbing for a buzzword."

When used in a critical way, some believe the term "cheapens" what they do. It doesn't express the "passion, love, conceptual thought and labour" that went into signature creations that borrowed liberally and creatively from foreign palate of ingredients and flavours in a respectful and informed way.

Wolfgang Puck was another early standard-bearer. In 1983, the Austrian chef opened Chinois on Main in Santa Monica, California, blending French techniques with flavour profiles he was discovering in Los Angeles's Asian neighbourhoods. "I'm going to do Chinese food the way I want to do it," the chef recalled, telling stunned investors at the time. It was a smashing success, and soon the term "Asian fusion" was being used by countless cut-rate copycats—the kind of place, as Kamp put it, "that does sushi, but they also do Thai."

Read more about the Wolfgang Puck fusion movement a few pages ahead.

California Roll

The California roll is a classic example of "American sushi", early fusion cuisine incorporating new ingredients into traditional Asian recipes. The actual origin of this item is fuzzy at best, because like so many other popular dishes, the California roll has evolved.

One survey of historic USA newspapers confirms California roll-type dishes first surfaced in Los Angeles sometime in the early 1970s.

These items were referenced under several names, with rare actual descriptions of these early prototypes. Those that exist confirm they did not include avocado, crab or mayonnaise.

Semantics aside, whether they like it or not, food fusion has added many priceless and positive qualities when handled with finesse and flair as the delicate practice demands. Regardless of the negativity, no one would raise a hand of protest against Waku Ghin’s (Singapore) insanely tantalizing marinated botan ebi with uni and Oscietra caviar, or speak against the divine dishes coming from the multitude of Amber’s (Hong Kong) global ingredients such as Tasmanian truffles, Brittany blue lobster or Normandy diver scallops presented with sublime classic French techniques.

FUSION OVER THE CENTURIES

THE DIRTY SECRET

Beyond the dining table and further in the kitchen, today's top secret perk (for some that chose to keep it so) is fusion, even more so than illegal charcuterie, MSG or even paid-under-the-table labour.

Though the culinary blending of cultures is more popular than ever, some chefs won’t readily use the "Bright Lights, Big City" era buzzword to describe what they do. Instead, they'll tiptoe around the term, calling their handiwork "mash-ups," "globally inspired" or simply "contemporary".

As we noted earlier, it is virtually impossible to pinpoint the origin of fusion cuisine. However, we do know of several defining events that helped popularize it throughout the last century or so.

There was obviously a lot more going on that we might have missed or deliberately left out, but hopefully the following timeline of events from different places around the world affirms the point that fusion cuisine has been around globally for ages, and how we’re grateful that it will remain with us for some time yet. Our list begins by roughly pinpointing the arrival of Asian tastes in Western countries.

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ASIAN INVASION ERA

1850

1884

The first Cantonese restaurant opens in San Francisco. The name of the establishment was not found on record, as it was most likely a restaurant based out of someone’s house with a modest-sized staff.

Nippon Rioriya became the very first Japanese restaurant in London. Founder Mr. Matsusawa brought Japanese chefs, chopsticks and the small dinner service, just like back home. The restaurant’s uniquely creative aromatic flavours were completely different from what Londoners were accustomed to in that day and age. Talking about creativity, the restaurant’s name roughly translates to “Japanese restaurant”.

courtesy: www.flavorandfortune.com

courtesy: King's Notable New Yorkers

THE AGE OFWOLFGANG PUCK

1983

1987

Wolfgang Puck opens Chinois on Main in Santa Monica, California, providing a pioneering taste of Asian fusion and fried wonton-topped chicken salad.

Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa opens his first PeruvianJapanese restaurant in Beverly Hills, unleashing a seemingly limitless appetite for misomarinated black cod.

1989

1992

Florida chef Norman Van Aken secures a place for "fusion cuisine" in the culinary lexicon in an address at a symposium on American cooking.

The Cheesecake Factory goes public, bringing chicken chipotle pasta and other American fusion fare to the mainstream; Jean-Georges Vongerichten opens Vong in Manhattan with a menu of French-Thai fusion fare like sautéed foie gras with caramelized mango and ginger sauce.

1994 In the Fusion Food Cook-Book, author Hugh Carpenter urges readers to pair spicy south-western fried chicken with ginger-apricot sauce, and watermelon salad with raspberry Cabernet vinaigrette.

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1885

1959

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Louis Sherry’s Mikado took New York by storm. Overnight, all things Japanese were the height of fashion. Sherry was called upon to cater an exclusive post-theatre party at a private town house and created Mikadothemed cakes.

Against all odds and her ill-advising friends back home, Lai-iad Chittivej established Chada Thai, the first known record of a Thai food and beverage establishment in the US, located in Denver.

The oldest print reference of a Vietnamese restaurant talks of a place called Viet Nam. The place is located on 1245 Amsterdam Avenue and is described as “a small, poorly air-conditioned, unpretentious place with an interesting cuisine modestly priced”.

courtesy: www.pinterest.com

CONTEMPORARY FUSION ERA

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2009

Albert Sonnenfeld, co-author of Food: A Culinary History, says that fusion often combines too many things, confuses ingredients with flavour.

Five years after opening the first Momofuku restaurant, Chef David Chang says he made peace with the term fusion via a lastminute bowl of grits with butter and soy sauce. Vong closes after 17 years.

2010

2013

In an interview, Chef Danny Bowien reassures San Franciscans that his restaurant Mission Chinese will “not be some weird Mexican-Chinese fusion taco truck." Instead he terms it "Americanized Oriental food".

Bowien opens Manhattan's Mission Cantina. The menu includes dishes that might be described as Mexican-Chinese fusion—though not by him.

Present Day Fusion cuisine continues to be a catchy global trend among restaurateurs and discerning diners.

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Wolfgang Puck

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ustrian Chef Wolfgang Puck developed a passion for the culinary world early on as a child as he enjoyed cooking at his mother’s side. With encouragement from her, an established chef herself, Wolfgang started his formal training at 14 years of age. Following his passion for the culinary arts, young Wolfgang learned the fundamentals of fine dining in some of France’s greatest restaurants, including Maxim’s in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco and the Michelin three-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence.

At the age of 24, Wolfgang left Europe for Los Angeles and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef, and eventually part owner, of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. The restaurant became a magnet for the rich and famous, compelled by his dynamic personality and culinary brilliance. He had an innate understanding of the potential for California cuisine, and was pivotal in its rise to national attention during the late 1970s.

In his early career, Puck already showed enlightened vision and unique creativity that bridged tradition and invention, which allowed him to create cuisines that transcended culture and conventionalism.

The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best in restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts. The famous chef has built an empire that encompasses three separate

Celery Root Agnolotti

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Wolfgang Puck entities: Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, Wolfgang Puck Catering and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. Following the success of his flagship restaurant, Spago, Puck went on to open Chinois on Main in Santa Monica in 1983. His early exposure to Southern California’s multicultural population intrigued him, inspiring him to fuse the Asian flavours and products of Korean, Chinese and Thai neighbourhoods in Los Angeles with his French and California-based cuisine in a fine dining setting. Chinois on Main brought diners a fresh and imaginative Asian-fusion menu that laid the groundwork for fusion cooking in America.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Oven-Dried Tomato

Further encouraged by his new-found fusion inspiration, Puck opened his third restaurant, Postrio, in the Prescott Hotel off San Francisco’s Union Square in 1989. Postrio also drew upon the multiethnic nature of its surroundings, further spreading the popularity of multi-cultural dishes in San Francisco and beyond.

In 1997, Puck moved Spago to an elegant setting on Cañon Drive in Beverly Hills. His menu blazed new ground, with a combination of updated Spago classics and newly conceived items created by the award-winning talents of Managing Partner/Executive Chef Lee Hefter. The seasonal menu drew inspiration from Puck’s favourite childhood dishes, offering a selection of Austrian specialties such as Wienerschnitzel and Kaiserschmarren. Spago Beverly Hills garnered two coveted Michelin stars, one of only three Los Angeles restaurants to achieve this accolade.

By this time, the idea of inventing fine dining cuisines by melding multiple tastes, techniques and cultures had caught on in the global culinary scene, and chefs everywhere—both inspired by Puck or otherwise—had started their own experiments and created a new segment in the international culinary industry.

After opening Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesars in 1992, Puck went on to open five additional restaurants in the city, including Postrio Bar & Grill at The Venetian in 1999, Lupo at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in 1999, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand in 2004, CUT at The Palazzo in 2008 and, in 2010, Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina, located at The Shops at Crystals, the spectacular 500,000 sq. ft. retail, entertainment and dining district in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

In September 2011, Puck opened his first European venture, CUT in London at the new 45 Park Lane from The Dorchester Collection.

A month after opening CUT, Puck furthered his relationship with The Dorchester Collection by overseeing the food and beverage operations at the historic Hotel Bel-Air, including a new restaurant called Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, plus in-room dining, catering and events. In spring 2014, Puck made his first foray into the Middle East with the opening of CUT at The Address Downtown Dubai. A number of new fine dining restaurants are in development in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as two in the United States, all of which will open by the end of 2015.

One of Puck’s most iconic dishes is possibly his pork schnitzel.

Found exclusively at Spago, Puck makes his schnitzel by deep frying cutlets of Kurobuto pork—a deeply marbled heritage meat imported from Japan—combined with warm potato salad, and presented in a famous American way. Another signature combination is Puck’s grilled lamb chops at Chinois, which brings Asian flair to the famous Greek lamb chops by adding cilantro mint vinaigrette. Another favourite is the English roast beef fused with Korean spring rolls, garnished by Vietnamese lemongrass.

Through determination and an unrelenting pioneering spirit, Puck made fusion cuisine what it is today: a global trend followed by many renowned kitchens, which allowed for an endless flow of creativity and finesse in the fine art of culinary creation. These days Puck is still innovating, so much so that the term “fusion” has become seemingly too simplistic to describe this widely popular culinary segment. Puck, along with many others, has succeeded in taming the cultural values and differing tastes of multiple regions, converting their volatility into a unified spectrum of dishes that brings the best of each region’s culinary expertise. Needless to say, this elevated form of cooking has taken the world by storm. (www. wolfgangpuck.com)

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By Refa Koetin

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ver the years, fusion has become a profanity among many food lovers and professionals in the industry, synonymous with mindless mixing of ingredients in the name of novelty rather than good taste.

But now may be time to rehabilitate the term.

Quite a number of modern chefs and renowned food writers are now starting to agree that it’s a mistake to write off the blending of food culture as a modern atrocity. The previous article talks about how fusion has been happening for centuries—for as long as people have travelled. “You would take your comfort food, noodles perhaps, with you, and then use whatever you could find locally to make it taste of home,” Ching-He Huang,

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the star of BBC cooking show Chinese Food Made Easy, explained.

Fusion food has traditionally appeared where communities live close to each other: so the British colonialists adopted and adapted the Indian lentil and rice dish kicheri to make kedgeree; the Chinese sailors who married Malaysian wives developed the spicy Nonya cuisine of the Straits of Malacca; and, more recently, the Koreans of Los Angeles gave birth to the Korean/Mexican fusion that led to kimchi, Korean pickled cabbage, spicing up tacos doled out at “food trucks” (burger vans to us on this side of the pond) all over the city.

The fact of the matter is that there’s a difference between amateurs without finesse or patience trying to be authentic and professionals who actually put

in countless hours of research and trial-and-error to get that perfectly harmonious balance. Without sounding too judgemental, the first group of people, sometimes unknowingly, gave the term fusion a bad name.

In reality, real fusion is not easy to pull off. The secret of true fusion food is to not mix too many flavours just for the sake of authenticity. We’ve seen a lot of people— both enthusiasts and professionals— successfully hit the sweet spot in fusion through careful research and meticulous control of taste. The following are some examples of modern fusion cuisines, three with bonus recipes that you can try out, which have a sense of balance between authenticity and delightful taste.

Honey-glazed spicy chicken with wasabi roasted garlic mashed potato

Wasabi roasted garlic mashed potato

Serves 4 The chicken 1/2 cup rice vinegar 5tbsp honey 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup Asian (toasted) sesame oil 3tbsp Asian chilli garlic sauce 3tbsp minced garlic 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1tbsp chopped green onion Salt to taste

1. Whisk vinegar, honey, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chilli garlic sauce, garlic and salt in a bowl until smooth. Pour half the marinade into a large plastic zipper bag, retaining the other half 2. Place the chicken breasts into the marinade bag, squeeze the air out and seal. Shake a few times to coat chicken, refrigerate for one hour, turning the bag once or twice in the meantime 3. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 degrees Fahrenheit) 4. Pour the other half of the marinade into a saucepan over medium heat, bring to boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stir often. Remove chicken from refrigerated bag, discard the marinade. Place the chicken breast into a 9x13 inch baking dish and brush with 1/3 of the thickened marinade from the saucepan.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, basting one more time after 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes. Bring remaining marinade back to a boil for 2 minutes. Serve chicken with marinade, sprinkle with green onions.

1 head garlic, whole 1tsp olive oil 2½ pounds waxy potatoes, quartered 4tsp wasabi powder 1/2 to 1tsp water 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 1/2 cup heavy cream, or more if needed Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Trim off the top 1/2-inch of the garlic bulb with a sharp knife to expose some of the clove ends. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap loosely in aluminium foil, place on a small baking sheet. Roast until the bulb is soft and fragrant, 45 to 55 minutes. Squeeze the cloves from the skins and set aside in a small bowl until ready to use.

2. Place the potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until a fork inserted into a potato releases easily, about 20 minutes.

3. In a small glass bowl, mix the wasabi powder with 1/2 teaspoon of water to start, adding any additional water by drops until a thick paste is created. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to bloom, at least 5 minutes.

4. Drain water from the potatoes and return the potatoes to the pot, allowing excess water to evaporate. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, warm the butter and heavy cream. Add the mixture to the potatoes, along with the wasabi and roasted garlic cloves, and mash until smooth and fluffy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

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2 pounds large prawns, de-veined, head removed, if necessary 1 large mango, peeled and cubed 3tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 sprigs mint 2tbsp chilli paste 2 limes juiced 1 lime zest 1tbsp ground ginger 1tsp coconut oil 1tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste Coarse salt and ground black peppercorn to taste

1. Using pestle and mortar (or food processor), combine mango, garlic, mint and ginger. Thoroughly mix mango concoction with remaining ingredients in a large bowl 2. Place prawns in covered container or plastic bag, pour in and generously coat prawns with mango marinade. Leave 1/4 - 1/3 cup of marinade for basting during grilling process. Press air from container, refrigerate for two hours, stirring prawns every 20 - 30 minutes 3. Pull prawns out of the refrigerator, pre-heat grill to hot.

With shell still intact, skewer 3 - 4 prawns at a time and place over grill grates 4. Grill for three minutes per side, brush generously with remaining marinade as the prawns cook 5. Remove prawns from the grill when shells looks pink and cooked through 6. Apply final glazing with mango marinade. Put on plate and serve hot.

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2 pounds fresh mussels 1 shallot, finely chopped 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup dry white wine 2 Chinese eggplants (approximately 2 cups prepped) 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes 1 Thai chilli, sliced lengthwise 1tbsp butter 2tbsp olive oil Âź cup fresh Thai basil leaves, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Cooked spaghetti or linguine

1. Rinse and clean mussels. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

2. Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes or rounds depending on thickness. Lay eggplant out on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the eggplant and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss eggplants together so that all the pieces are lightly coated with the olive oil and seasonings.

3. Bake eggplants for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. With a heat resistant spoon or spatula, give the eggplant cubes a toss to help them cook evenly. Return to oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender and caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside. While eggplant is baking, begin preparing the mussels.

4. In a large lidded pot, or Dutch oven, heat the remaining olive oil and butter over medium, to medium-high heat.

5. When butter has melted, sautĂŠ shallots until soft and translucent, then add the minced garlic.

6.Pour wine into the pot and add the Thai chilli pepper and bring to a boil. Add diced tomatoes along with the juices.

7. Return to boil. Lower heat to medium. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Add mussels to the pot in a single layer along with half of the Thai basil. Cover and steam the mussels for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, check to see if mussels have begun to open. Most open within 3-4 minutes.

8. Once most of the mussels have opened, use a slotted spoon to remove mussels from the juices they were steamed in and place in a large bowl. Discard mussels that remain closed.

9. To serve, spoon tomatoes and juices over the cooked pasta along with the baked eggplant cubes.

Toss together. Add mussels. Spoon additional juices as desired over the mussels, and sprinkle with remaining chopped Thai basil.

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Envisioning a restaurant that has a unique identity like no other, Chef Akira Back successfully elevates his restaurant to embody the spirit of independence and creativity within him.

By Refa Koetin

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ince its official opening more than a year ago, Akira Back restaurant has not wasted any time in becoming one of the biggest hits in Jakarta’s high-end culinary scene. This restaurant offers a unique culinary experience brought to you by the best chef in Las Vegas: Akira Back.

Akira Back Jakarta is located in the heart of the city on one the most elevated floors of MD Place building, where the restaurant occupies the entire floor. The spacious dining area can accommodate a total of 144 diners, with each seat and table strategically placed to provide maximum comfort. From the red brick walls, the massive live tree root ornament across from the sushi bar and the intricate honeycomb-patterned ceiling of the private dining area, to the lively music and intriguing front entrance centrepiece, the interior architectural decor of Akira Back Jakarta is focused on welcoming guests and making them feel they are right where they belong.

Commenting on the overall feel of the atmosphere and the menu, Chef Back compares Akira Back to his two earlier globally successful establishments: Yellowtail and Kumi. “Akira Back takes the reclusive and intimate feel of Yellowtail and the

liveliness and bold ambience of Kumi and creates an entirely new place; perfectly balanced between the two.”

With five VIP rooms to be used for group meetings, small gatherings or family occasions, Akira Back is the place to indulge in culinary enlightenment, as well as to enjoy warm association with friends and family.

One of the dishes carried over to Akira Back is Chef Back’s iconic Tuna Pizza. This is the one dish that anyone visiting the restaurant absolutely must not miss. The Tuna Pizza is essentially slices of tuna sashimi with truffle oil and micro shiso leaves on top.

Leading the culinary team, Chef Back are constantly developing new and exciting creations based on his unique vision combined with extensive regional knowledge.

The fruit of such synergy is embodied in delectable dishes such as the tacos with marinated wagyu kalbi and spicy tomato ponzu, which is a well-balanced dish that combines rich and tender wagyu kalbi with the restaurant’s homemade Japanese citrusbased ponzu.

The signature roll at Akira Back Jakarta is also one to look out for. One of my personal recommendations includes the Skinny Legs,

which also happens to be one of the latest additions to the menu. “Skinny” explains that it is a roll without rice, instead using ika geso karage - this is a very authentic Japanese pub cuisine that consists of squid legs marinated in soy sauce, ginger, honey and garlic. On the bottom is plain daikon while tuna sashimi is on the inside. The sauce is slightly adjusted for Indonesian tastes—a mixture of sriracha sauce, ponzu sauce, tobiko and sashimi chilli oil.

A wide variety of sakes and wines are offered by the bottle or glass, with expertly mixed cocktails such as the Stardust, a signature cocktail with infused gin, star fruit and liqueur.

As for the dessert, the Akira Back shortcake is a strawberry shortcake with strawberryflavoured homemade ice cream, Pop Rocks candy and Grand Marnier chantilly cream.

Another new creation at Akira Back Jakarta that embodies a high-level fusion is the yuzu cheesecake. The intriguing presentation looks more like a deconstructed cheesecake instead of being regularly stacked. Yuzu flavours are infused in the cheesecake with mango jelly and yuzu juice on the side. The plate is garnished with chocolate soil with mixed fruit and fresh berries. The inspiration for this extremely delicate dish was a ripe yuzu fruit falling from its tree onto the ground below. (www.akiraback.com)

48 Hours Wagyu Short Rib

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Braised Australian Lamb Foreshank

Pan Fried Barramundi

This used to be a retro-looking French restaurant, but now it is transformed into a modern international restaurant with a new bar and terrace. Riva Grill, Bar & Terrace at The Park Lane Hotel Jakarta is sure to capture everybody’s heart.

By Heidy Zainuddin

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pening its doors in 1998, Riva has been totally renovated and the concept changed from French fine dining to an emphasis on grills and a more eclectic menu. While the French fine dining restaurant is no longer there, The Park Lane Hotel wants to keep the roots of the old menus, allowing you to still enjoy dishes such as the cĂ´te de boeuf, duck magret and grand marnier souffle.

Executive Chef Deden Gumilar, has been getting in touch with his roots, exploring some Asian influenced additions to the menu together with the Riva culinary team. Experience dishes

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from the sea, garden and farm, or select a grade steak from the grill that the Park Lane Hotel Jakarta is famous for.

Although the grill menu remains true, with some of the best steaks in town, Riva Grill, Bar & Terrace added more than 10 new exciting dishes, including pan-fried barramundi made with black and white shimeji mushrooms, green asparagus, blended leek and purple shallots, as well as braised Australian lamb foreshank cooked in its own juice with smoked garlic and potato mousseline. Another delight is the Spanish potato frittata with mesclun salad and fresh tomato sauce. Dessert is definitely a must, as it will absolutely

complete your dining experience. New items include chocolate ginger mousse, Riva summer pudding and the now famous chocolate flourless cake with vanilla ice-cream and berries.

With this new concept, more guests can now enjoy Riva Grill, Bar & Terrace.

Families can have a nice brunch on the terrace during the weekends, business travellers can have meetings on weekdays and couples can enjoy a romantic time at the bar and lounge for drinks and small plate snacks while being entertained by DJs and weekly live acoustic performances. It’s also a perfect spot to meet and mingle with friends. (www.rivagrillnbar.com)

Riva Summer Pudding

Riva Lounge

Offering more than mere European and Western cuisine, Riva Grill, Bar & Terrace also features Asian influenced dishes. Signature Javanese oxtail consommĂŠ (with oxtail terrine and vegetable brunoise), pan fried chicken dumplings with soy chili sauce (kuo tie), Japanese vegetable fritters (coated with Japanese tempura batter and served with tempura dressing) and Chinese tofu salad (with shredded fresh vegetables, egg, crushed nuts and sweet soy chili dressing).

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Lime-Cured Scallops

From Hanoi spring rolls to pad Thai and Penang curry to Balinese barramundi, Eastern Oriental invites you to embark on an exquisite culinary adventure across Asia and beyond.

By Refa Koetin

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fter claiming high success with Sarong and Mama San restaurants in Bali, acclaimed chef Will Meyrick joined the creators of Loewy and Union in a unique collaboration to concoct an exciting new venture in Jakarta. The fruit of this exciting partnership is Eastern & Oriental (E&O); putting together the energy and creativity of passionate and dedicated individuals driven by a mutual purpose of creating a one-of-a-kind offering.

Executive Chef Will Meyrick began creating dining sensations in Sydney, where his

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Asian-inspired cooking fired up a stir at Longrain and Jimmy Liks, restaurants which redefined modern Thai and Asian dining in Australia. The prolific chef’s culinary adventures have taken him to unique places such as Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong, comprehending and absorbing the characteristics of each place and melding them into his own unique food-creating flair.

Meyrick is famous for gaining inspiration from his own culinary adventures in and around the exotic lands of Asia. This same vision drives E&O to create a new standard in Asian dining through the chef’s rendition of Thai-Vietnamese-Indonesian cuisine that

offers each of these countries’ heartfelt culinary essences.

E&O’s strategic location in the luxurious commercial complex of Mega Kuningan puts it at only a short walking distance from prestigious properties such as JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan, as well as other premium office towers and malls in the surrounding area.

While it is a known fact that, when selected properly, Asian food goes very well with wine, few realize that pure and natural

mineral water fuses well with these dishes, giving them an expansion of taste that is elusively tempting. Therefore, aside from a focused wine list, E&O also serves Equil—the only provider of genuine natural mineral water—to complement Will Meyrick's fiery Asian dishes. The list consists of both Equil Still and Sparkling, aromatic and sparkling wines, champagnes, while red wines are dominated by Pinot Noir and Shiraz varietals.

One example of this excellent pairing involves the spicy appetizer—Hanoi crispy spring rolls. Having a glass of Equil Sparkling to accompany this dish enhances the natural flavours of more than half a dozen different fresh herbs contained in it.

Not to mention the heated reaction of the Nuoc Cham dressing as the sparkling water

expands the warm notes of ground chilli and spices.

The lime-cured scallop is dressed with mint, shredded coconut, ginger flower, and salmon roe. This exotic dish is made up of numerous herbs and other distinctly flavourful ingredients, offering a very distinct shot of freshness from the salmon roe, and warm, lingering aftertaste thanks to the ginger flower and onions. For extra taste freshness after each bite, sip a glass of ice-cold Equil Sparkling with some slices of lemon.

One of the most culinary fusionistic dishes in E&O has to be the Balinese pepes barramundi. Chef Will Meyrick takes an exotic fish normally used in many European

fine-dining dishes and cooks it in pepes Indonesian style: wrapped in banana leaf grilled on charcoal. This method compressed the added rich spices against the barramundi while adding an inviting aroma of burned banana leaf. The result is an aromatic and tender white meat packed with spicy-rich oriental character. The dish also contains shimeji mushrooms, green tomatoes and lemon basil on the side.

To close off, I would recommend the coconut brûleé that comes with rum, raisin, young coconut and roasted almonds. The balanced sweetness of the coconut mixed with rum and raisin within a softly finished package provides a nice touch to end your dining experience. (www.eandojakarta.com)

Hot food lovers can enjoy some extra Balinese spiciness by adding the iconic sambal matah, while the shimeji mushrooms and lemon basil—each representing tastes from East Asia and Southeast Asia respectively—makes for the perfect vegetables on the side. Considering the level of spiciness this dish may potentially reach, it is recommended to be enjoyed with a glass of EQUIL Sparkling Natural Mineral water without ice, as this water in pure form can readily soothe the hotness aftereffect of the sambal matah in no time.

Balinese Pepes - Barramundi wrap in Banana Leaf

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Inspired by the glorious marine kingdom era, Sriwijaya restaurant at The Dharmawangsa Jakarta offers a very uniquely progressive Indonesian cuisine elevated into elegance by European elements.

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ocated within the prestigious complex of The Dharmawangsa Jakarta, Sriwijaya restaurant is an iconic, high-end establishment offering the concept of progressive Indonesian cuisine. Requiring ample creativity and delicate balancing, the exquisite dishes of Sriwijaya bring modern Indonesian together with East-meets-West flavours, prepared and presented in an elegant French way. The infused taste and texture of modern Indonesian cuisines presented in such a way elevates the dishes to an all new height that ensures a completely distinct and memorable dining experience.

Your journey into the elegant world of Sriwijaya begins as you walk through the main entrance, where you will immediately marvel at the richly textured imperial interior and aesthetic presentation of the high-ceilinged dining

By Refa Koetin area, the feel of crisp linen on your lap and the gentle sounds of silver cutlery and crystal glasses.

Sumatra), Manado (South Sulawesi) and Betawi (Jakarta) Progressive Indonesian menus.

The walls are painted in a specific shade of red, invoking the main colour used

by Palembang ladies to dye the silk threads of their famous handmade and double-threaded woven fabric, which very often were enriched with intricate gold embroidery. Even the metal grill that hides the air conditioning units is modelled after the “Tumpal” motif, commonly used to edge Sumatran songket.

The Palembang-inspired selections are presented in an elegant European style and include tea-smoked Spanish lobster with espuma of vanilla and lemon grass peanut, ebi sorbet as an appetizer and Wagyu malbi short ribs with calabash buds served with fragrant rice.

Arguably one of the most prominent figures in Indonesia’s progressive culinary scene, Chef Felix Budisetiawan offers intriguing dishes on a la carte and degustation menus, as well as a selection of wines for pairing. For the degustation set dinner, try the Palembang (South

Sous Vide Rawon Short Ribs

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A recommended a la carte offering is the Bunaken-style half lobster tail with squid ink angel hair, spicy mild chilli and lemon basil with spicy and sour sauce, or sous-vide rawon short ribs with salted duck egg and century egg terrine with vegetable fricassee.

For a delightful finish to a perfect dining experience, enjoy the banana cheese and chocolate pastry with caramelized banana cake, or savour the pan-fried fermented cassava with coconut palm sugar relish and tangerine jelly. If you’ve more of a sweet tooth, definitely go for the Indonesian spiced dark and white chocolate mousse with thousand-layer cake.

In addition to an exclusive private dining room decorated with a very delicate gilt-painted octagonal lacquered box, a gold plated water vessel and other objects from Sumatra, Sriwijaya accommodates up to 50 seated guests. This distinctive atmosphere is completed with exceptional dishes presented in traditional silence, with impeccable service and a warm and majestic ambience. (www.the-dharmawangsa.com/diningen.html)

The new luxurious degustation menu combined with premium à la carte selections offers an unforgettable fusion dining experience in the classically elegant L’Avenue.

By Refa Koetin

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ithin the old-world elegance of The Hermitage hotel is an equally charming restaurant that is both luxurious and classy: L’Avenue.

Interior-wise, the restaurant is beautifully decorated with Carrera marble, adorned with artwork, ornaments and other thingamajigs from the colonial era, and many other decorative aspects reminiscent of ye olden days, way before Jakarta was even born.

As the primary dining option of The Hermitage hotel, L’Avenue is highly popular among culinary enthusiasts as well as guests looking for a uniquely exquisite culinary experience.

The restaurant serves a variety of French cuisines using traditional Indonesian ingredients elevated with meticulously original techniques.

Chef Guillermo and his team of culinary professionals at L’Avenue has devised an exciting concept of elevated fusion, which absorbs techniques, styles, ingredients and presentations from two or more different regions and, through a personal touch, achieves that very delicate balance of originality and culinary excellence.

Most of the signature dishes at L’Avenue use Indonesian ingredients and styles as their primary components. These dishes are also delightful, thanks to the multitude of combined flavours that invoke a slight

sense of familiarity, yet in a distinctly unique package. For instance, the soupe l’oignon, or onion soup, is clearly of French origin, but the use of premium local onion varieties instil a taste that is completely different from the original.

These dishes are part of Chef Guillermo’s latest inventions, which can be found in L’Avenue’s new Luxurious Degustation Dinner menu. The package is a six-course degustation menu consisting entirely of Chef Guillermo’s new dishes. The entire range of menu items include Soupe l’Oignon, Saumon de Tasmanie Fume Maison, Foie Gras Poele, Sherbet, Ravioles au Legume and the delectable White Chocolate and Sago dessert. Having personally experienced this tantalizing set menu, I would not think twice about honestly recommending this to culinary enthusiasts seeking to enjoy an exquisite fusion adventure of a higher level. (www.jakarta.hermitage.co.id/hotel/ lavenue/)

Saumon de Tasmanie Fumé

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Award-winning Sarong takes diners on a mouthwatering culinary odyssey of authentic recipes and tastes across Asia, with a healthy dose of refinement

By Samantha Crawley DIY grilled beef

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pening 2008, Sarong was a forerunner of Bali’s gastronomic epicentre, Petitenget, and is Will Meyrick’s flagship restaurant, the first in this British celebrity chef’s culinary empire (which includes Mama San and Hujan Locale).

Dinner-only Sarong has garnered numerous accolades and often features on Asia’s Best Restaurant lists, such as S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna 2014 Awards and Miele Guide. With its refined Euro-Asian elegance, Sarong is

one of Bali’s few fine dining restaurants that evokes old-school Asian glam, where guests come dressed-up for dinner.

This sumptuous setting contrasts somewhat with Meyrick’s long-running fascination with Asia’s vibrant street food culture and the region’s exotic spices, flavours and aromas – which led to Sarong’s creation. Sarong masterfully balances sublime modern Asian signature dishes inspired by traditional and authentic home-style recipes and

cooking techniques, which are then customized to refinement – an Asian culinary odyssey gone five-star and an innovative concept of “Asian street food without the street”.

Intrepid Chef Meyrick repeatedly journeys through the Asia region, especially Southeast Asia, from seething cities to remote mountain villages, personally unearthing authentic street food and traditional recipes, revealed by street hawkers and sage old matriarchs. Sarong’s continually evolving menus are mainly influenced on the back of these culinary forays, with acquired recipes sourced across Asia tweaked and integrated into the menu: bold, contemporary tastes without compromise, balanced with fresh elements and complexity of flavours and textures.

Sarong thus offers dinners a diverse array of authentic Asian dishes, each showcasing distinctive national tastes, focusing on the South and Southeast Asia region. With an in-house Indian chef on board from the start, Sarong stands out for its repertoire of full-on, mouthwatering Indian dishes; from amongst many notables, the Gosht Nigiri Korma Lamb Shank, simmered in coriander, mint, green chilli and tomato

Wood roasted Balinese style barramundi wrapped in banana leaf

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Part of the pepper family and cultivated in South and Southeast Asia, betel leaves are used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes, as a mild stimulant and even play a small role in cuisine, especially in Vietnam. In Bali, this locally sourced, organic ingredient is one of Sarong's “bestsellers” and standout ingredients; here the glossy, heartshaped betel leaf is eaten bite-sized, rolled-up together with ingredients such as tuna, lemongrass, green tomato and sambal, for a true taste bud explosion.

garam masala, is worthy of a mention.

With Meyrick’s long-term side-kick chef from Thailand helming the kitchens, expect authoritative and piquant Siam offerings, including to-die-for Smoked Red Curry Chicken, with pineapple, pea eggplant and Thai basil. Diners are also treated to regional Chinese- and Vietnamese-inspired dishes, including DIY Grilled Beef, with fresh herbs rolled in Vietnamese rice paper and Malay offerings such as Peranakan Black Pepper Stingray and Panang Curry of Pork, swimming in an aromatic and creamy coconut sauce.

Sarong additionally dishes up more unusual offerings from destinations such as Burma, Sri Lanka and Laos – a rare treat in Bali – covering dishes like richly flavoursome Laotian Style Grilled Chicken, with jauw bong dipping sauce.

Meyrick’s adopted home, Indonesia, is increasingly on his culinary radar, especially little-known regional recipes found off the beaten track (including from East Java and Sulawesi) presented in a genuinely modern way, such as juicy-licious Bebek Madura Twice-Cooked Duck.

wholesome depth. Meyrick’s iconic “Temples of Asian street food” use few imported ingredients, but rather, a strong commitment to local, fresh produce sourced across Indonesia – around 90 percent – which seamlessly blend in these Asian-inspired recipes. Sarong Group’s highland farm in Jatiluwih supplies free-range chickens, pigs and organic produce, while Meyrick’s hands-on gastronomic quest for local sustainable and traditionally produced ingredients extends to scouring far-flung regions of Bali and the Indonesian archipelago.

Among key sustainable ingredients that sensationally enhance these Asian recipes are three wonders sourced from Bali’s eastern coast. Hand-harvested, finely-flaked sea salt lends a pure, subtle yet zingy taste, a magic touch for baked fish and curries, such as fragrant Sri

Lankan Slow-Cooked Lamb in coconut milk, infused with coriander, cumin, lemongrass and curry leaves. Pure palm sugar goes down a treat in dressings, robust curries and delicious desserts, such as ever-popular Duck Egg and Ginger Custard, while organic cashew nuts, paste-pounded or whole, are stars of several Sarong numbers, but especially Indian: Butter Chicken with cashew nuts, ginger and garam masala and Tandoori Squid are two examples. (www.sarongbali.com)

Wherever the origin, dishes simply burst with fresh flavours, mostly due to ultrafresh ingredients, adding a naturally

Nasi bebek Madura twice cooked duck with sambal mangga

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Cream Ebiko Pasta

more fun than fine dining – and guests here are made to feel at home.

From their select menu, we tried a few signatures that are long running staples in Singapore, best representing the essence of Kilo.

With its innovative fusion cuisine, Kilo unashamedly brings “confusion” to Bali and a wow factor to the island’s increasingly sophisticated gastronomic offerings

By Samantha Crawley

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aunched late 2014, Seminyak’s Kilo caused a seismic buzz amongst foodies, and I now understand why. Infant sister restaurant of the successful Kilo brand in Singapore, Kilo dazzles diners with fusion-inspired, refined comfort food: cleverly fusing Asian and Latino (broadly Spanish, Italian and Latin American) roots and culinary interpretations with their respective flavours, techniques and ingredients, using mainly fresh Indonesian produce. These delights are dished-up with playful presentations on plates meant for sharing.

Kilo’s hip design sets the scene: Japaneseinspired minimalist interiors of polished concrete and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, with Latin American flourishes of potted cacti on Mexican floor rugs and ranch-style recycled woods. Sophisticated, yes, but

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Freshly diced raw tuna, mixed with ripe avocado, sesame seeds, lime juice and shallots, styled atop pungent wasabi sauce and scooped-up with crunchy flour chips, Wasabi Tuna Tartare is a genius mix of Asian and Latino, hot and cool. Meanwhile, Tai Truffle Yuzu Roll is a culinary work of art, with six sushi pieces filled with jumbo lump crab and seaweed, nuanced with yuzu and tempura flakes, all wrapped-up with fresh raw snapper slices. The truffle oil, however, is an unexpected Euro twist.

Kilo’s most iconic dish, Squid Ink Rice, presents rice cooked in a wok with squid ink to give it a darker colour,

which is contrasted with orange salmon roe, sesame, garlic aioli and crispy, fried baby squid. Squeeze a wedge of lime before tossing all these elements together for an unusual complexity of textures, colours and flavours, with earthy undertones.

As expected, Kilo’s cocktails raise the bar in inventiveness; these highly original signatures feature in Kilo’s Singapore Lounge. Kilo handcrafts their own natural infused spirits, including thyme gin and citrus rum, plus mixers.

Megastar Orale Wey (meaning “What’s up?” in Mexico) is Kilo’s outrageously spicy take on a bloody mary, a heady mix of fresh blood oranges, tequila, chipotle, tamarind, agave nectar and lime juice. Combined, it’s a savoury yet sweet cocktail, with a robust kick – best enjoyed on the outdoor terrace surrounded by bamboo trees. (www.kilokitchen.com)

Tai Truffle Yuzu Roll

The name Teatro Gastroteque hints at the plot behind this gastronomically playful, boutique restaurant in downtown Seminyak.

By Samantha Crawley

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eatro Gastroteque’s cuisine is self-declared “sophisticated French modern cooking with Asian flavours and twists,” but rather than usual east-meetswest hybrids, expect bold presentations, theatrical-style flair and deceptive illusions.

Add combinations of flavours, textures and techniques that have gastronomes returning for more.

Surprises start with Teatro’s Executive Chef and co-creator, Daniel Edward; not remotely French, but a Jakarta native and winner of several world-class chef competitions.

Dinner-only Teatro presents degustation three, five and seven-course menus, a 10-course Chef Degustation menu and signature, 12-course Discovery Menu, with several core dishes repeated across the board, additionally enhanced with carefully selected Old World wines.

artisan foie gras terine, palm sugar, mango

“Teatro presents strong balanced menus; each dish bears individual characteristics and detail,” reveals Edward. “Ingredients speak for themselves; we source the best produce available, premium ingredients such as beef are imports, but we mainly use finest, locally sourced ingredients delivering more authentic flavours.”

Visual presentation is equally important to taste, with courses presented as exquisite art forms, impeccably served one-by-one, by slick “butlers”.

Artisan Foie Gras en terrine presents contrasting sweet-savoury tastes, with salty, smoked home-cured pork and French foie gras marinated in plum Sake and wrapped in a port wine jelly; a French classic gone tropical with dollops of mango and palm sugar gel.

It’s high-end dining, but Teatro keeps it casual, devoid of pretention, in an unintimidating dining space designed with an open show kitchen.

Next, Kiwami Beef Tataki, with thin slivers of premium-grade beef cooked medium rare, enhanced with eringgi mushrooms, daikon and onion dressing, entertains with pure western-influenced Japanese classics.

Curtains up: our five-course set menu starts with bite-sized aperitifs, playful teasers of the kitchen team’s culinary theatrics, with exquisitely beautiful presentations of typical Indonesian snacks, including a version of rempeyek, a peanut-laced lightly spiced crisp, found in its normal form in markets across the country.

The Fresh Caught Fish sounds simple, but unexpectedly reveals smooth snapper in creamy coconut curry sauce, contrasting with earthy textured, crunchy breadcrumbs.

The final act, Valrhona Chocolate, may lack in theatrics, but who cares, with sinfully rich chocolate infused with fruit and cream. This show is over, but we want an encore. (www.teatrobali.com)

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By Samantha Crawley

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unny by name and nature, Soleil Restaurant is one of several exceptional restaurants within the Mulia Resort complex that includes three luxurious, interconnected properties on sprawling landscaped gardens alongside Geger Beach.

Overlooking the Mulia Resort’s stunning infinity pool, bespoke Soleil comes dissected by Sky Bar in two chic sections. Both sections are glass fronted, allowing an abundance of natural sunshine to stream in, offering the epitome of contemporary seaside elegance. Interiors are warm and inviting, with an extensive marble dining floor, basking in gold, white and pale-green hues with classic Mediterranean flourishes.

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The elegant feel extends into Soleil’s menu of delectable north Mediterranean and Pan-Asian cuisine, made with premium local seafood and produce by an accomplished ensemble of international chefs – including Vietnamese, Indonesian and Thai – each offering a culinary expertise in their native region. Soleil does not present fusion cuisine per se, but rather several distinct culinary choices.

“Our focus is creating authentic coastal cuisine of Italy and France, coordinating this with authentically prepared Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian cuisine,” confirms the resident Executive Chef. Most dishes are national classics, based on traditional recipes and techniques, each represented in its truest form and served with a beautiful presentation.

With the Executive Chef’s Italian expertise, Italian cuisine is well represented at Soleil. The magnifico Italian menu has now expanded its sublime, homemade pasta offerings to include eight new pastas made fresh everyday, including three ravioli varieties, plus guitar-cut maccheroni, fusilli, tagliatelle and lasagnette.

“There isn’t another restaurant in Southeast Asia hand-crafting pasta like this!” the chef proudly claims.

Soleil’s menus include a la carte selections and the popular Sunday brunch buffet, featuring a generous spread of meat, grilled seafood and more, with an optional free-flow wine package.

Highlighting Soleil’s global gourmet prowess, the newly added family-style

dinner menu offers customers another epicurean treat, with their choice of two set menus (a Mediterranean menu that is predominately Italian or an Asian menu incorporating Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine) both of which are exquisitely prepared in a four-course format. On Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant focuses on casual, family-style dining, enjoyed in a leisurely fashion with an intimate gathering of friends or family.

sweet offerings, but we were fortunate to sample the wickedly decadent, Molten-centre Valhrona Chocolate Fondant with pistachio ice cream.

Reflecting the regional expertise of resident Asian chefs, the Asian menu includes such icons as Vietnam’s Goi Cuon Bo Nuong (fresh rice paper rolls made on-site and filled with grilled

beef) and desserts such as the treats offered in the Thai Sweets Collection section of the menu. Note that portions are quite generous, so you may end up lingering longer than you intended. (www.themulia.com/en/soleil)

Since the menu is set, there are no disagreements about which dishes to choose, and you can linger as long as you desire over the four courses, encouraged further by Soleil’s plush seating options, including sofas and luxurious armchairs. The array of dishes is geared to the size of the group and can be customized to specific tastes, anything from gluten-free to a mix of both Mediterranean and PanAsian options.

Set menus are ever changing, but our taster from the Mediterranean menu included Piovra alla Brace (sensationally tender, charcoal-grilled squid, drenched in lemon with capers and red chili) and Ravioli di Manzo (regional Italian pasta stuffed with slow-cooked beef cheeks). Desserts are an unlisted daily surprise from an assortment of the chef’s favourite

Clams Italian-style

In all of Soleil’s menus, the chef and kitchen team are committed to locally sourced, sustainable and natural ingredients from Indonesia’s oceans, islands and farmers (providing of course that the quality is equal to or better than the analogous import).

Only essentials are imported, and local alternatives include surprisingly delicious Indonesian-made cheeses, like ricotta and feta. The freshest premium seafood, sourced daily from local suppliers, is prepared from scratch by the Soleil kitchen; seafood platters and other Pesce de Mare dishes are just a few of their highlights.

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estled in the lush tropical grounds of the luxurious St. Regis Bali Resort in Nusa Dua, the lavish and relaxed Kayuputi restaurant simply exudes class. It’s an airy, modern space with a vast, open kitchen at its heart and, with its light décor and design said to be reminiscent of exclusive beachfront properties within The Hamptons, Long Island, New York, generates a delightful ambience both day and night. The traditional Indonesian art highlights, with the collection of wayang puppets being particularly impressive, add a beautiful decorative

touch and also serve as a reminder of where you are. The restaurant also boasts a charming al fresco seating area where guests can reserve a private cabana to help create that extra-special moment.

Since its opening in 2009, Kayuputi has built an enviable reputation for outstanding service, exceptional wines and creative fine dining, which is perhaps unrivalled throughout the island’s resort-based eateries. The elegant and multi-award winning restaurant boasts striking beachfront views and offers a relaxed fine dining experience where its extraordinary

By Christian Galbraith

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Asian-inspired haute cuisine is complemented by a very impressive wine and drinks menu.

The restaurant is celebrated for its degustation menu, hosted wine dinners and superb Sunday Champagne Brunch and, for 2015, this has been complimented with an enticing Food and Mixology Pairing concept, plus, as a celebration of The St. Regis Bali Resort’s 6th Anniversary, The Culinary Legacy menu, which features a signature dish from each year - 2009 to 2014.

Located slightly off from the main dining area is The Kayuputi Champagne Bar. With an impressive champagne list and some very indulgent and classic cocktails, this lavish and sumptuous bar is just perfect for pre-dinner drinks.

Tartar of Yellowfin Tuna with Pina Colada Breeze

From 2009, choose the carpaccio of line-caught king fish served with garden cress, salmon roe, fresh seaweed and sesame dressing. For carnivores, head to 2013, and order the scintillating Wagyu beef fillet inspired from “Rossini” served with pan-seared foie gras, potato cruller, wild mushrooms and truffle meat jus. If it’s seafood you desire, then Chef Agung Gede has chosen the grilled king prawns with Tabanan organic black rice risotto, wild fern and lemongrass-infused coconut milk emulsion from the 2011 menu. The dessert is last year’s favourite, the hot passion fruit soufflé; a scrummy espuma of fresh passion fruit and passion fruit sherbet.

culinary journey matching fantastic dishes with either wines or cocktails.

Take the gorgeous tartar of yellow fin tuna with a Beringer Founders’ Estate, Napa Valley, USA 2012, Sauvignon Blanc, for example, or be more daring and choose the Pina Colada Breeze.

Or why not match the pan-seared duck foie gras with a rosemary-apple martini, or take a more traditional approach and choose the Chateau Monteils, Preignac, Sauternes, France 2010, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

With six years of highly acclaimed success behind them, whatever you choose, the combination is sure to be perfect.

2014 was another highly successful year that saw the restaurant pick up a raft of notable awards, including its fifth Wine Spectator Award. The Best of Award of Excellence is bestowed as special recognition to restaurants that clearly deliver a very special experience and Kayuputi was one of only 883 restaurants globally that received the much coveted accolade; the good news is that the new additions for 2015 look to be just as enticing and as enjoyable as ever. (www.kayuputirestaurant.com)

From 2012 is the triple tail fish fillet, highland vegetables, whitebait and sea urchin emulsion, and from 2010, the pan-seared duck foie gras served with compote of mangosteen and grapes, toasted brioche and Pino Bali wine reduction completing the dazzling Culinary Legacy menu.

Under the watchful eye of the remarkable Chef Agung Gede, the Food and Mixology Pairing offers a

Wagyu Beef Rossini

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By Samantha Crawley

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nsconced within Seminyak’s extensive Potato Head Beach Club – one of Bali’s hippest and most successful venues – Lilin has been popular since its launch in 2011. Best known for its fusion cuisine and funky seaside dining, Lilin presents its mouthwatering delights in a snappy, two-sectioned menu. The first section offers more than twenty different kinds of Tapas, delicate appetizers in individual bowls served in the traditional Spanish style to facilitate sharing, but, at the same

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time, showcasing authentic Indonesian recipes from across the archipelago.

Most Tapas are based on Balinese cuisine, though other islands – such as Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra – are also well represented. The live seafood section of the menu offers Indonesian dishes made with the freshest, premium quality seafood harvested from local waters, while a handful of main course meals include beloved archipelago classics, such as Ayam Betutu Bumbu Rajang – slow oven-roasted chicken with Balinese spices.

Fans of Lilin (and there are many) will recall the restaurant’s pioneering Tapas-meets-Southeast Asia twists and live seafood hybrids. However, Lilin’s acclaimed local chef, Gede Susila, an innovative force in the kitchen from the start, changed the menu to an entirely Indonesian affair, declaring, “We want Lilin recognized as one of the best, world-class, Indonesian-focused restaurants in Asia.” This culinary shift ties in with the proud Balinese chef’s original home-grown concept; for years, Gede has been passionately championing

varieties. Slow cooked over a fire, the meat is surprisingly tender and tasty, enhanced with fresh spices and coconut milk.

the merits of locally sourced, natural and fresh produce from across Indonesia.

Chef Gede mainly works with the ingredients he finds in Bali, which are more than abundant: fresh produce and aromatic herbs and spices from Bedugul’s highland farms and recently caught seafood from all over Indonesia. Everything is freshly made and almost nothing imported. Even Lilin’s Spanish-fusion sangria, created by a worldrenowned mixologist, are subtly enhanced with archipelagic spices and fruits.

Spicy Shredded Chicken showcases a traditional Balinese village dish, smashed chilies contributing to the meat’s overall red hue, but tempered with fresh kaffir lime leaves and coconut oil. The other Indonesian dishes suggest influences from nearby Asian countries: Fried Tofu Sambal Curry, with spiced tofu cubes in fragrant, creamy coconut and lemongrass sauce, screams Thai, while the crunchy Golden Prawn Balls, mummified in rice paper ribbons, deep-fried and dipped in a chili-based plum sauce, seem inspired by Chinese heritage.

Sambal is an essential, traditional Indonesian condiment, and at Lilin, four freshly pounded, chili-based varieties of sambal – with textures from chunky to smooth – are offered with your meal.

The varieties of sambal reflect the diverse flavours of Indonesian cuisine, with levels of spiciness ranging from tingling and mild to just plain evil.

All, however, are deliciously pungent, including Sulawesi-style Sambal DabuDabu – with freshly cut red and green tomatoes, chilies, green mango, shallots and lime juice – and the fiercest, East Javanese Sambal Tempong – a tomato-based sambal with spicy hot ingredients kept raw resulting in an explosive, taste bud sensation. Keep a bottle of EQUIL Sparkling Natural Mineral Water handy to cool down.

The Indonesian classic, nasi goreng (fried rice with egg and vegetables), may look bland on the menu, but Lilin surprises and delights with a flavourful mix of spices – including galangal and candlenut – usually reserved for Balinese ceremonial dishes.

These hybrid drinks, such as the divine Lemongrass and Mango Sangria, can be consumed by the bowl – reinforcing Lilin’s Spanish-influenced communal dining concept. So too does the restaurant’s semiopen seating arrangements and communalstyle dining experience gone posh, inspire communal feasting.

The Tapas may be marked as entrees, but I have just enough room left for dessert.

Caramelized Fermented Cassava Fritters complimented with coconut sorbet, fittingly rounds off the spice fest, while Lintang Sangria (crisp white wine and citrus vodka infused with apples and passion fruit) makes for a refreshing accompaniment.

My piquant choices from the dinner menu and four Tapas set, costing slightly more than IDR195,000, beautifully represented the archipelago with a smorgasbord of naturally vibrant hues and spiciness. The iconic Sumatran beef dish Rendang takes Lilin’s locally sourced focus to an extreme, the beef being purchased from a nearby farm. Chef Gede assured me that local beef was more flavoursome than imported

With daily DJ sessions, Lilin is the perfect perch for Seminyak’s mango-hued sunsets; couples may prefer the long, wooden counter facing the infinity pool and crashing surf or perhaps the comfy daybeds on the extended pool deck – recently introduced as another place for dining. Even with such changes, Lilin is still a culinary sensation. (www.lilin-bali.com)

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Signature crispy duck served with Parlour rice, salad and trio sambal

Tastes from around the globe can be savoured at Petitenget’s stylish The Parlour, committed to a deliciously casual approach for its gastronomic fine dining.

By Samantha Crawley

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long Petitenget’s ever-expanding “eat street”, it is difficult to place The Parlour Kitchen, Bar and Lounge into any particular category. That goes not just for its eclectic modern-meets-classic interior design (think colonial elegance meets funky industrial), but also its diverse choice of cuisine – The Parlour seamlessly multitasks for all tastes, literally.

Smoked glamour salad with baby coz lettuce, orange segments, cauliflower and black olive powder

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As if reinforcing its chameleon-like qualities, this stylish new dining venture cleverly shifts in mood from day to night. By day, The Parlour is a sunny, bistro-inspired hangout for breakfast and lunch, offering a broad array of global dishes freshly made on-site – like all The Parlour’s creations. Fitting with the Petitenget-Seminyak party mentality, breakfast ends at 5PM, such that diners can enjoy late comfort foods like Huevos Rancheros and soothing Eggs Benedict, with creamy Hollandaise sauce.

Lunch covers all the classics, everything from westernstyle Grilled Australian Rib Eye and crisp Caesar Salad to Asian favourites like Chinese-style Jakarta noodles.

Alternatively, the chic living room corner, complete with sofas and glossy magazines, offers customers a café vibe; pop in anytime for freshly brewed Indonesian coffee, flavoured iced tea jugs or just-baked pastries from the inhouse bakery.

As the sun sets, The Parlour seamlessly morphs into a casual fine dining – or “fun dining” – venue. On the open-plan dining floor, starched white tablecloths are now draped over marble-top tables and dangling naked light bulbs shed light on a striking mural of a cheekily smiling Balinese girl splashed across the white brickwork. Open all day, the outdoor bar area is now alluringly illuminated with LED lighting, the charming dining terrace offering an al fresco alternative. Even the DJ’s playlist has transformed, from daytime lounge tunes to slinky evening Jazz – there are also twice-weekly live acoustic performances.

If all this sounds good, things just got even better! The Parlour recently overhauled several of its menus and a new Executive Chef, Indonesian Meidy Zuhri, has brought bold, new mouthwatering dishes to the table. On the existing breakfast and lunch menus, the revision of the Kid’s, Small Bites and Dinner sections, along with the wine list, reinforces The Parlour’s commitment to keeping it real, reducing overall prices and making it affordable for all, while still showcasing the chef’s extraordinary culinary talents.

The Parlour arguably comes into its own after the sun sets, with the all-new dinner menu emphasizing their refreshing “beautiful food in a casual atmosphere” concept, where the fuss – and pretentiousness – is

removed from the fine dining experience. Better yet, it offers a great deal on gastronomic-style dining.

The popular Grilled Cuts section is thankfully still on the menu. New additions to Appetizers and Mains include set menus in three, five and seven courses, incorporating individual dinner dishes degustation-style, cleverly playing with flavour and presentation – a feast for the eyes and taste buds.

The dinner menu introduces Chef Meidy’s classic French dishes with modern twists. His French techniques were honed in a three-star Michelin restaurant in Paris, and now that he’s returned to Bali he offers a unique Indonesian flare to many of the recipes he learned abroad. Using predominately local, fresh and natural produce from across Indonesia, the chef is a stickler for incorporating Balinese herbs, spices and vegetables in his dishes, including miniscule beets and delicate, edible flowers.

Showstopper, seven course Discovery Menu is the largest sampler of dinner dishes; standouts include Homemade Tortellini – part of the kitchen’s daily quota of fresh pasta – on asparagus puree, frisee and truffle oil, served in a mortar-style stone bowl; Short Ribs – Balinese stew style but Western off-the-bone – cooked-24-hours tender and presented to resemble a chocolate dessert; and Trilogy Mushroom Emulsion, the potently divine emulsion poured from a teapot onto torched mushroom erengi and olive powder. Try the signature cocktails, such as Spiced Blackforest, with spiced rum, vanilla vodka and blackforest syrup, or the whisky-based, “manly” Gentleman’s Cocktails. The revamped wine list, meticulously curated by a wine guru, offers competitively priced, formidable Old and New world wines – again keeping it fine, delicious, but affordable. (www.theparlourbali.com)

Organic chicken served with arracini, potatoes, mushroom ragout, chicken juice and green pea puree

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Molten Peanut Butter & Chocolate Molten lava peanut butter & dark chocolate cake, French vanilla ice cream

Jackson Height Spicy Mex-Thai margarita with lime and a rim of tom yam salt

Asia’s hot restaurant-bar East 8 cleverly bridges together the dynamic cities of Singapore and New York with innovative Asian fusion cuisine and a surprising twist.

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he name, and indeed this trendsetter restaurant-bar itself, is loaded with meaning, but East 8 New York Fusion Tapas + Bar does not get lost in translation, with its innovative New Yorkinspired, Asian fusion cuisine and cool Singapore meets New York City concept, which permeates through every aspect of this hip establishment.

Inspiration behind the name comes with “East” gleaned from its Far East, Singapore location and Asian-inspired cuisine, while “8th Street” denotes a buzzing street in New York City’s East Lower Manhattan crammed with diverse

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By Samantha Crawley Asian eateries. The number "8" also relates to auspiciousness in Asian culture.

Owners Emil and Stephen created East 8 as an evidently nostalgic homage to their five years spent in the Big Apple.

East 8’s carefully thought out design concept and striking interiors are evocative enough to make it almost feel like dining deep in New York City, as opposed to downtown Singapore. Two dining areas each emit a distinctive vibe.

The interior translates into New York industrial grit and edginess, with chic loft-style dining, incorporating grey cement floors and custom-made, solid

raw teak and oak wood tables paired with metalwork benches, vintage city car plates adorning bare red brick walls and sliding kitchen windows in the style of old SoHo shop fronts. The dimly lit steel awning above replicates dining underneath a Manhattan Bridge. While East 8’s outdoor section resembles eating out in High Line, a beloved public park built on a historic freight rail line above the streets of Manhattan's West Side.

A delicious backdrop to their equally exciting cuisine concept, enticing not just foodies, but a diverse, artistic-savvy crowd that flock here, especially in the evenings.

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Tapas Tapas are mini-sized, savoury dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar, that evolved in Spanish cuisine but have since gone global. Derived from the Spanish verb tapar, "to cover," originally tapas were slices of bread or meats (such as ham or chorizo) used in Spanish taverns to cover drinks between sips, preventing fruit flies from hovering overhead!

Nowadays, bars or small local restaurants in Spain serve a selection of up to 12 different tapas, keeping locals going before sitting down to their late-hour, continental-style dinner.

Like a symbolic bridge linking New York City and Singapore, East 8 serves smart “East meets West” Asian fusion cuisine – in tapas form. Emil and Stephen returned from New York and aptly created East 8 in cultural melting pot Singapore, one of Southeast Asia’s hottest and most vibrant food scenes, but taking the Asian dining experience to the next level, introducing an ultra-contemporary twist.

East 8’s culinary philosophy ties in with a belief that tapas-style dishes, also known as small plate dining, are meant for sharing, which encourages conviviality and good conversation, as is customary in Spanish dining (diners are not so focused on eating an entire meal set before them). Thus small plate dishes are served for the night time Classic Menu (lunchtime sees more “normal” servings, such as sandwiches), but pushing their exciting Asian Fusion concept, these tapas-style dishes are eastern-inspired, a mouthwatering dimension introducing Western traditions into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

Steeped with creative flair, tapas-style dishes are heavy on flavours, but light on the belly. The Raw selection dazzles with super fresh plates and signatures covering fresh Hamachi and black caviar drizzled with tangy soy sesame dressing, and yellow fin tuna chunks with delicate

Bourbon Short Ribs Braised whole beef short ribs in Kentucky Bourbon and black pepper reduction, rosemary mashed potato

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lemon avocado. Meat eaters should try the scrumptious signature buffalo mozzarella cheese and prosciutto, topped with black truffle, but if you have more carnivorous tendencies, perhaps opt for the truly inspired soy yuzu beef, with tenderized slices of torched Argentinean tenderloin infused with soy yuzu.

East 8’s dishes get paired up with quality beverages for even more of a taste bud sensation. Thus soy yuzu beef is recommended with a Sasanigori Junmai Ginjyo sake, while divine signature Chilean sea bass marinated in miso and wine with buttered shimeji mushrooms goes down well with house white Piccini Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 2011 – which also fares well with another seafood wonder, lime buttered crispy crab, subtly infused with chilli. Additionally, East 8 brings a whole new spin to cocktails, with divine New York City-inspired Asian fusion cocktails, a cosmopolitan blend of classic tipples and eastern influences, where house-concocted flavours fuse with Asian-based liquors of sake blends and more. Named after New York neighbourhoods and iconic references – Yellow Cab and Chelsea Pier, to name two – signatures such as East Village, with its sparkling jelly sake and fresh raspberry with sweet peach, and the spicy Mex-Thai Margarita and Jackson Height further compliment these sublime fusion treats. (www.east-8.com)

K-Town (Watermelon soju) Freshly-blended cooling watermelon juice with soju and lemon zest.

Served in a watermelon bowl

Since its launch one year ago, gourmet address Lewin Terrace has been wowing Singaporean diners with a truly innovative and made-in-heaven union of Japanese and French cuisine

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estled amid Fort Canning Park’s greenery and housed within an elegant colonial-era residence, upscale fine dining restaurant Lewin Terrace sets the stage for a memorable destination dining experience of exquisite Japanese and French fusion cuisine – a rare find in Singapore.

Exclusively created by seasoned Japanese Chef Ryoichi Kano, who helms an artistic team of culinary professionals, these fusion dishes highlight a cutting-edge melding of French and Japanese culinary techniques and ingredients with a produce-driven approach, inspired by the freshest, finest ingredients – some specially sourced from Japan – and Japanese-style customary respect. Trained in classic French cooking techniques, Chef Kano began creating fusion cuisine as Head Chef at Au Bec Fin in Kyoto, introducing local Kyoto vegetables (kyoyasai) and Japanese culinary elements into French dishes.

Chef Kano’s divine Japanese-French fusion creations come showcased in a la

By Samantha Crawley carte and set menus for lunch and dinner, exquisite dishes that reveal fine examples of meticulous Japanese precision in food preparation and a reliance on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

A universal house favourite is the wonderfully creamy foie gras terrine, accompanied by a tart tropical fruit sauce and wrapped with wafer-thin, Japanese pickled daikon for a contrasting “bite”. Another signature, Festin “Hassun”, here, Japanese garden style, comprising small tasty side dishes, recreates the “second course” Kaiseki feast, regarded as Japan’s most expensive, sophisticated cuisine incorporating around 14 courses. Other notables include Amadai Ochazuke, with pan-fried Japanese Amadai served ochazuke style, and risotto with dashi and hiziki seaweed.

Lewin Terrace’s cellar stocks a well-conceived collection of fine wines and rare vintages totalling more than 100 labels, with a balance of French and Old and New World wines that include hard-to-find Japanese wines – sake is also available. Top-grade wine and food

Signature dish-beef toubanyaki

pairing menus come accompanied by the discerning services of an award-winning Chief Sommelier.

Dine out on the al fresco terrace in lovely gardens, or within refined interiors of a beautifully restored colonial bungalow.

Representing both Japanese and French cultures, Lewin Terrace however emanates more of a Japanese ambiance, cultivating “Omotenashi”, the spirit of impeccable Japanese hospitality, ensuring an exceptional dining experience imbued with warm and courteous service. Secluded from Singapore’s city bustle, what finer place to savour sensational Japanese-French fusion cuisine. (www.lewinterrace.com.sg)

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and visual deceptions, local flavours are kept authentic. “We don’t want to just deconstruct a dish,” explains Chef Han. “We take them apart, but then reconstruct them in a way that the original elements of the dish are still preserved in order to connect with the local market.”

Welcome to Labyrinth, an avant garde, “think outside the box,” Singapore restaurant that leads diners on a gastronomical adventure like no other.

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By Samantha Crawley hat’s in a name?

At Labyrinth, an intimate restaurant housed within a conservation shophouse on Singapore’s Neil Road, evidently a lot. Labyrinth welcomes foodies to a modern gastronomical adventure and extraordinary culinary maze, led by young local chef and owner, Han LG. The “lab” part further highlights Labyrinth’s concept of being an exploratory culinary laboratory focused on constant innovation.

Diners can lick their lips in anticipation of an unforgettable, fine-dining (yet

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refreshingly affordable) experience, with a self-proclaimed “Singaporean experimental cuisine” that challenges common culinary perceptions both in taste and visuals.

What amounts to an open-box culinary think tank helmed by Chef Han with a reconstructive “DNA cooking” concept, Labyrinth reinterprets and reconstructs classic international and local culinary creations – familiar flavours with a twist – without the creativity and innovation being bound to purely eastern or western cuisine genres. Dishes are inspired not just by indigenous ingredients, but by traditional eating rituals and interactions that drive a specific cuisine and, while playing with textures, temperatures

With the help of a band of food-obsessed buddies, Labyrinth was born out of Singaporean Han’s passion for cooking and a creative streak that thrives on challenging the norm. Having quit his former corporate banker life and being mainly self-taught (although he undertook stints as an apprentice chef under Michelin-starred, internationally renowned chefs, such as Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur, France), the stimulation of Chef Han’s background has been fed by travelling the globe, dining in top-notch acclaimed restaurants that include The Fat Duck and Gordon Ramsay’s Maze in the UK and traditional recipes, local cultures and scientific cooking techniques picked up on his gourmet-led travels. Back home, Han is a stickler for working with locally sourced, fresh produce, preparing everything from scratch – even down to fruit chips made from dehydrated fresh fruit. One

of Han’s many ways to show his respect to his Singapore heritage, each morning he personally selects meats from trusted hawkers in a Shinfu wet market that was long patronized by his grandmother.

Labyrinth’s dinner-only menus showcase both local and international cuisines reconstructed in a way to push boundaries, yet simultaneously rein them in. On a never-ending quest for culinary perfection, each well-researched dish is technical and precise, with a focus on creating dishes that arouse the basic taste sensations of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury, and a rounded, holistic balance of flavours.

Labyrinth Chili Crab

The dining arrangement of 15 seats wrapped around an open kitchen allows diners to witness up-close the cutting-edge dishes being meticulously assembled by this dynamic kitchen team.

The Signature Menu features Chef’s diehard signature dishes, while the Heritage tasting menu references those with more of a leaning towards local hawker fare.

The Divine House’s signature Chili Crab presents a playful twist on an iconic Singaporean dish; here, elegantly presented with a piquant chili crab ice-cream, tempura-style soft shell crab and seaweed fronds on a bed of mantou “sand” hit with a luxuriant dollop of sturgeon caviar.

A clever take on another much-loved Chinese classic, Labryrinth’s version of Siew Yoke Fan (“fan” means “rice” in Chinese) is served as a melt-in-themouth tender slab of local roasted pork,

set on risotto cooked in a tasty tonkatsu broth, with deep-fried seaweed and pork scratchings – topped with an almost ethereal, sous vide-cooked quail’s egg. With another signature dish, Pineapple Fried Rice, again, expect the unexpected; this traditional wok-fried dish comes served cold here as a pineapple sorbet, with rice crispies and aromatic turmeric Zabaglione.

Even dessert creations don’t escape Chef Han’s culinary genius; signatures like Soft Boiled Eggs and Teh Tarik manage to throw diners’ off their common perception of Singapore’s familiar local breakfast.

“We’re not going to be the kind of place you only eat at once a year,” declares Chef Han and with these sensational modern interpretations, he’s right. We will all be returning again – a lot. (www.labyrinth.com.sg)

Chendol Xiao Long Bao

SIEW YOKE FAN

Cantonese Crispy Roast Pork Belly (Siew Yoke, or Yuk) is an iconic dish in both Singapore and Hong Kong, readily available in both Chinese restaurants and hawker centres. The traditional Chinese version is quality pork belly roasted at a high temperature with seasoning to achieve a crispy “crackling skin” and a contrasting juicy, tender meat – invariably served with char siew sauce.

Trust Labyrinth to put its own unique stamp on a classic yet humble regional dish.

Siew Yoke Fan

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Soi 7 combines classic Thai cuisine with a modern Hong Kong ambience and a touch of Western cooking styles. With an Asianinfluenced design and the aromatic scent of irresistible Thai food spices in the air as you walk in, Soi 7 will give great pleasure to all food lovers.

By Heidy Zainuddin

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Soi 7 offers a fun approach to Thai cuisine. The concept is about transforming traditional Thai foods and merging them with influences from other cultures and adding Western touches. You can taste it in the Laughing Bull. Grilled Australian beef is cooked with Thai ingredients, but what made the dish special was the sour and spicy nam jim-jeaw dressing that made the whole taste unique and fresh. Or try the famous Pad Thai served with Boston lobster, which gives you a blended taste of old and new modern Thai cuisine with a Western touch.

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oi 7, a modern Thai restaurant/ bar recently opened at 57 Wyndham Street, above Hong Kong’s famous Lan Kwai Fong district. It is being met with tremendous success for its offering of different flavours in traditional Asian dishes. Soi 7 provides a truly unique dining experience combining classic Thai foods with modern taste and presentation.

The interior is simple with Thai influences, yet warm and cozy. Wood and brick walls are coated with Thai iconography, such as elephant decals, oldschool movie posters and postage stamp

placemats of neighbouring Asian locations, to cultivate a modern Asian feel. This twostorey restaurant has a vintage industrial style décor. The venue winks at history by featuring bulbs and bunker pendant lights.

Walking into the venue, you are instantly met with a smooth playlist of music that beats with the tempo of its environment.

The menu is vibrant, created by Chef Arata Chankhong (or Khun Sen, as she is known), with a whole palate of different flavours ranging from sweet and sour to a variety of hot spices. Chef Sen will only use fresh produce and imports sent every day directly from the markets in Ayutthaya, Bangkok, to ensure authenticity in the dishes.

The Thai Dumpling made a good impression as an appetizer. It’s a flavourful chunk of wagyu beef with spicy Thai sauce. There’s crunchy sliced Banana Flower Salad with chicken that tastes very light. The Thai Buffalo Chicken Wings packed with a sweetsour sauce are also recommended, or the Tuna Tartare Tacos with chili-lime tomato dressing in a crisp wonton skin.

The Laughing Bull is one of the popular dishes in Soi 7. It is an homage to the Thai favourite “Crying Tiger”. This Australian beef is grilled for 12 hours with sous-vide, creating a combination of flavours and leaving the meat so incredibly juicy. There are also the classic Krapow Burger with its red pepper brioche bun and a lightly spiced

Banana Flower Salad

Chiang Mai-style sausage and lashings of Sriracha-aioli sauce. Another Thai classic dish, Pad Thai, is taken to another level, as what you get here is Pad Thai Lobster. An entire Boston lobster (the meat has been taken out of the shell) lays on top, covering the noodles beneath. This killer presentation is backed up with balanced textures and is full of taste. It’s cooked with all the traditional seasonings, like bean sprouts, garlic chives, dried shrimp, tofu and peanuts, but is made luxurious with the lobster.

There’s also Steamed Sea Bass in a broth of chili, lime juice, garlic, coriander, coriander root and pickled garlic, or satay grilled with a miso-coconut marinade and a peanut sauce to make a well-presented Spring Chicken.

A few fresh and innovative drinks would be great companions. Soi 7 offers many cocktail creations, such as the Mango Chili Martini, for example, which starts smooth but subtly packs heat. In keeping with Thailand’s sweet and sour flavours, the Tamarind Martini is both candied and tart at the same time.

The Betel Martini uses Grey Goose Vodka, Pernod, fresh lime juice and house sugar syrup with betel leaves; the Cinnamon Spiced Old Fashioned is made with Jim Beam Bourbon, infused cinnamon and star anise syrup, bitters and a cinnamon stick. Make sure to order Mango Cheesecake for dessert to complete the experience! (www.Soi7.com.hk)

Pad Thai Lobster

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GOURMET | Jakarta

By Refa Koetin

Burrata - soft creamy cheese from cow’s milk, hand-carried from Puglia, South Italy.

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Now in Jakarta, Chef Valentino presents traditional values of Italian cooking and elevates it with a superb personal touch, creating honestto-goodness delicacies that come from the heart.

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fter a decade of great success in bringing honest Italian delicacies to the Singaporean fine dining scene, Ristorante Da Valentino has recently opened in Jakarta, carrying the same original vision and DNA of Chef Valentino. The family-style Italian restaurant is designed to very much resemble an Italian home, with a relaxing and cosy ambience and authentic Italian cooking from the heart.

Chef Valentino envisions a very Italian ristorante, where guests sit together at the table and share the hearty food that is prepared meticulously and promises honest goodness from the heart. Using only premium ingredients and sublime techniques to recreate the family recipes and his personal creations, Ristorante Da Valentino was started by the family and it is intended to be preserved as the family's legacy as well.

Located on the 11th floor of MD Place building, the restaurant promises a scenic view of busy downtown Jakarta, especially if you're seated at the tables by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Diners coming in the evening can fully take in the night lights of Jakarta’s skyscrapers on the horizon.

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Interior wise, Ristorante Da Valentino places red velvety chairs against white, neatly pressed table linens, with fresh roses on the table for that added dash of intimacy. Upon noticing the raw brick walls and metal garden fences I could not but imagine myself dining in a semi-outdoor terrace within a luxurious mansion complex somewhere in Italy.

Visiting the elegant dining area for the first time, the impressive hand-painted wall murals caught my attention immediately. These life-like works of art were created by L.K. Bing, an Indonesian artist from Surabaya. From cobblestone bridges crossing a tranquil river to a peaceful village nestled at the foot of a majestic mountain on a verdant, grassy plain, it is as if the murals welcomed me to a different place in a different time – and a better one at that.

linguini aglio olio con gamberone—a king prawn pasta in very healthy olive oil, garlic and chilli sauce. Chef Valentino added fresh seafood toppings to his aglio oglio, making it a unique combination that is to die for.

Fine wine is an integral part of a hearty Italian dining experience, and as such, all of the Italian wine selections at Ristorante Da Valentino are hand-picked by Chef Valentino himself, and are the perfect complement to the chef’s cooking style.

Finishing off the exquisitely delightful experience of the evening is the dessert. Over at Ristorante Da Valentino, a lot of thought is put into the desserts. The tiramisu, for example, comes in a dessert glass and the smooth texture is pure bliss. The added Kahlua among the

Branzino Pope - Mediterranean Sea-bass with olives, baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes in lemon sauce

Some of the most popular dishes at Ristorante Da Valentino include the ravishingly iconic Burrata cheese appetizer. The delicious dish contains a large sphere of fresh Burrata, cherry tomatoes and a myriad of purple and green lettuce, making for a very fresh dish rich in flavours. As I savoured each bite of the creamy, imported Burrata, I was enraptured by the the consistent juiciness of the cheese and the overall balance of the dish. This dish is best enjoyed the Italian way—shared among friends over a glass of fine wine.

Another popular dish is the Sicilian-styled snapper fillet with white wine and tomato sauce, traditional Italian risotto cooked with squid ink and porcini mushrooms in a very healthy olive oil, garlic and chilli, finished with a touch of white truffle oil.

I also tried the fettuccine granchio, which is signature squid ink fettuccine with crab meat in creamy pink tomato sauce, and the

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mascarpone adds a flavourful kick that I just could not get enough of. Needless to say, I finished the tiramisu all too fast.

Another delectable dessert is the chocolate lava cake. Upon grazing the surface of the chocolate cake, warm and sweet dark chocolate came gushing out like a river of brown lava. I had declared myself full after finishing the tiramisu, but when they sliced this chocolate lava cake, next thing I knew my eyes were fixed on the oozing chocolate and a dessert spoon was in my hand. The cake did not last long.

Ristorante Da Valentino is not positioning itself as a fine dining restaurant, but it strives to be the best authentic Italian, serving only the finest to patrons who know and can appreciate the values that the chef himself envisions. Coming to Ristorante Da Valentino, you can expect a very classically Italian dining experience with a welcoming atmosphere and top-notch cuisine. (www.valentino-id.com)

GOURMET | Jakarta

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ocated at a very strategic area in the Panin Bank Building between Senayan and Sudirman, Locanda offers a unique palate of cuisines in the form of classic Italian and delectable Pan-Asian dishes against the backdrop of heady lounge music and a chic atmosphere. Locanda can accommodate up to 250 guests at any given time in its multiple settings, from secluded hidden booths and private rooms with long meeting tables, to the fitted couch-and-coffee-table arrangements.

Thanks to its versatility, Locanda is ideal for private parties or corporate events.

The interior of the restaurant is really spacious, with tall windows allowing for generous natural light to fill the dining area. The styling within the structure is aesthetically pleasing, with the brick walls, leather and wooden furniture and wooden floor basking in full natural light. The same natural light will finely complement everything on your plate, adding a nice touch to invoke your appetite.

Taken from the Italian word meaning "inn", the story of Locanda is inspired by relating Marco Polo’s journey to that of a culinary adventure, hence giving birth to the tagline “food voyager”.

By Refa Koetin

The orchestrator behind all the glorious culinary offerings at Locanda is Head Chef Ferdian Tobing, a seasoned chef with over 14 years of experience in Italian culinary arts and beyond. His impressive portfolio prior joining Locanda includes fine dining restaurants in globally acclaimed five-star hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton and InterContinental, as well as other respectable hotels and restaurants in Singapore. Specializing in Italian-Asian fusion cuisine, you will find some unique dishes with a twist created with passion and made possible by creativity.

Some of the most popular dishes at Locanda include the angel hair, grilled spring chicken and white truffle pizza appetizer. This angel hair pasta comes with tiger prawns, garlic, chilli and olive oil, and is extremely well flavoured and fulfilling, while the soft and tender grilled spring chicken, served with mashed potatoes and spiced tomato sauce, is an all-around classically delightful main course.

Castangel Mollica

As for dessert, one of the must-try options is the manciam, which is a traditional Thai cassava cake with coconut milk. Boiled and simmered to perfect tenderness, the rich and sweet coconut milk is then poured over the dish and topped with caramel crust. Another fine dessert is the melted choco cake with wild berry and rum raisin ice cream. As you would expect, gooey warm chocolate gushes out of the cake as you have a go at the outside crust. (www.locandajakarta.com)

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GOURMET | Jakarta

Letter D Cuisine & Bar brings a world of unique, palatable local and international pleasures in elegant, vintage yet sophisticated surroundings with a modern twist on the menu.

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By Heidy Zainuddin nown for his role as a judge in Master Chef Indonesia and one of the most famous local culinary experts, Chef Degan Septoadji recently opened his new and first restaurant in Jakarta; situated in the laidback South Jakarta neighbourhood, his Letter D Cuisine & Bar was launched in January 2015. Following the success of Cafe Degan in Bali, which opened five years ago, Chef Degan envisioned another restaurant that represents his culinary journey. Each dish at Letter D Cuisine & Bar is an expression of his extensive travels around the world, coupled with different cultural culinary influences,

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adding up to a world of unique, palatable local and international tastes.

With a variety of restaurants, cafes and other culinary places in Jakarta, Chef Degan and Nike Kurnia, his wife who manages the place, are convinced that Letter D Cuisine & Bar has its own uniqueness and signature that will garner attention from the masses. “With Letter D, I have a great team to work with and I can’t wait to make my own mark on the fantastic dining scene in Jakarta,” Chef Degan explained. The excellently trained team is very polite and friendly, promising to deliver the best

service. The price range is quite humble for such a pretty venue. This restaurant controls the quality of food and all the ingredients, with the chef himself making sure of that. You’ll get a wonderful dining experience in Letter D Cuisine & Bar.

a dish from Thailand containing assorted pan-seared seafood with garlic, chilli, coriander, fish sauce, lime, asparagus and green beans. It was beautiful to look at as it was colourful on the plate. This dish is served with a bowl of hot steamed rice, which makes it just perfect.

As an Indonesian, Chef Degan has been around the world to learn about and explore cuisine, yet his calling is to make Indonesian cuisine internationally known. Through his dedication and experience, he wants to share his knowledge through different creations and tastes. Unlike Cafe Degan in Bali, which offers a true Indonesian cuisine, Letter D Cuisine & Bar has many varieties on the menu, you will find Western, Asian, Italian and Indonesian cuisine. You’ll even get the chance to taste East-meetsWest cuisine, like sayur lodeh (a traditional Indonesian dish) blended with the freshness of salmon, which takes this traditional dish to the next level.

There are a few more selections from the grill with premium cuts of meat and delicious sides cooked to perfection that will suit your taste buds. As for dessert, a piece of cake with a cup of coffee would be perfect!

Or if you feel like having Indonesian cuisine, you can order the bubur sumsum. There’s a corner on the first level dedicated to coffee and cakes. Tanamera coffee is available here and there are different pastries every day.

Salmon Lodeh is Chef Degan’s signature creation and definitely a must try! The rich flavour of a super-moist slow-roasted salmon fillet on a bed of vegetables in coconut broth is exquisite. Lodeh is an authentic, tasty Indonesian delight with coconut milk and vegetables. The savoury, slightly sweet coconut milk blends perfectly with the delicate salmon.

The refreshing Seared Prawn Avocado is a nutrient-packed salad with a tomato-parsley salsa, quail egg and citrushoney vinaigrette. Talay Pao is another one to try. It’s

This two-storey building is quite spacious. The concept was to keep it simple but unique, with an edgy-modern style. You’ll find the same consistent setting on each floor, dominated by wood with everything laid bare in perfect harmony, much like the ingredients in Chef Degan’s dishes. The first level is dedicated to indoor dining and is a non-smoking area, but don’t worry, there’s also an outdoor dining area that allows for smoking. You can see their semi-open kitchen as you enter through the main door. The second floor houses the smoking area and the bar, serving cocktails, beer and wine until after midnight on weekends. This level is used for private events or small gatherings as well. (www.letter-d.co)

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GOURMET | Jakarta

Aburi Salmon Belly

Posh and minimalist are two words to describe this homey Japanese restaurant with a modern concept and mouthwatering eats. The eyecatching three monkeys’ logo all over the place makes for quite interesting decor.

Sake Sangria

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By Heidy Zainuddin

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lthough at first people will figure it is a Western restaurant from the name or the logo, 3 Wise Monkeys Resto & Bar actually offers Japanese cuisine with a modern twist. There is a meaning behind the three monkeys’ logo: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. It is the Japanese golden rule, essentially illustrating how 3 Wise Monkeys only offers the best to its customers. Opened less than one year ago, in October 2014, 3 Wise Monkeys has become the talk of the town and one of the most happening hang-outs in Jakarta.

Situated in the busy district of Senopati, 3 Wise Monkeys makes itself a great venue for events, meetings, hangouts or a casual lunch and dinner experience.

This two-storey building has a non-smoking area on the first floor and a sushi bar, which also serves as a late regular bar, on the second floor with sofas that are comfortable to lounge on. With its open space concept, it can accommodate up to 100 people. The interior is very simple, a combination of a modern and traditional atmosphere with a Japanese touch, represented by illustrations of origami, Japanese matriarchs and frolicking primates on the wall. 3 Wise Monkeys offers a wide variety of dishes and beverages with high-quality standards, including, but not limited to, sashimi, udon, tempura, gyutan, katsu, noodles and many more. Those dishes are more than just standard Japanese dishes thanks to the chef adding special ingredients and a modern twist.

For starters, you can choose salty or spicy edamame, or the Zensai, which consists of garlic pickles, seaweed salad and a salmon wrap filled with fresh avocado and cucumber. There’s also Mukozuke, salmon, tuna and octopus sashimi.

There are several recommended dishes on the menu, such as the California roll, a classic sushi roll which includes kani, tobiko, vegetables, avocado and mayonnaise, whereas 3 Wise Monkeys’ special spicy salmon roll has the addition of cream cheese, kani stick, takwan and mayonnaise. The roll is filled with spicy salmon and covered with crispy skin topped with crunchy tobiko.

The miso soup adds another level of complexity with its mushrooms, seaweed and silken tofu. Give the Gyutan a try – a marinated grilled ox tongue. Despite what you are imagining right now, the texture is actually perfect – tender and savoury. The Gyutan is one of the most popular dishes in 3 Wise Monkeys. For fish lovers, the steamed salmon with truffle sauce and grilled salmon head are on the top of the list. On the other side of the table, meat lovers would do well to go for the shoyu butter beef US prime, or shoyu butter chicken. The shoyu butter is available a la carte or as a set menu with soup, salad, rice and chawan mushi. The beef in particular is tender and perfectly cooked.

Dragon Roll

To complete your dining experience, there is a wide selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Espresso Saketini is a unique blend between espresso coffee and sake, fused with Kahlua and vodka. Other signature drinks from 3 Wise Monkeys include the Sake Sangria, which is a mixture of red wine and peach-flavoured syrup with slices of strawberry. And there is also Kimochi and Ganbatee served cold to brighten up your day. Kimochi is made from crushed lychee fruits and pineapple in passion syrup and orange juice, while Ganbatee is a blended creation of bananas, orange juice, fresh lime juice and vanilla. The restaurant also offers a vast selection of juices, cocktails, mocktails, sake and other liquors as well.

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GOURMET | Jakarta

Surrounded by globally famous, high-end fashion boutiques in Central Jakarta, La Moda proudly presents its new concept and design to celebrate the lifestyle of fashionistas and food lovers.

By Heidy Zainuddin

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he ambience of La Moda takes you to Europe, to worldfamous fashion-focused cities where you can enjoy every moment of being part of the fashion industry.

Surrounded by high-end fashion boutiques, La Moda has always been known for its international cuisine and a variety of high-quality gourmet pastries. Now, La Moda has enhanced the experience into a modern European brassiere featuring brick oven pizzas, gourmet cakes and pastries, freshly made bread, delectable tapas, afternoon tea and refreshing cocktails from the bar.

La Moda offers exciting dining in the middle of a prestigious shopping mall in Jakarta. After a stylish makeover, La Moda reopened in February 2015 under the management of Keraton at The Plaza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Jakarta. This open-space restaurant features the main dining area, an elegant lounge, a private room for 12 people, bar area, pizza counter and takeaway coffee/desserts counter, showcasing a European theme with a garden ambiance that is inspired by currently fashionable colours that will be updated every season. The whole interior concept is designed by Mark Ormsby Interiors from Singapore.

La Moda is located on the ground floor of Plaza Indonesia’s atrium, open daily from 10AM to 10PM, it is able to accommodate 158. It is a great place to relax after shopping. Get the chance for one free item after one purchase during Happy Hour from 4PM to 7PM for selected cocktails, wines and beers. For every six cups of Illy coffee purchased, you are entitled to one coffee or smoothie at no additional cost. La Moda has transformed into a strategic place to meet up for business and offers a nice ambiance for hanging out as well. La Moda will continue to be the place to see and be seen. Be part of the social focal point where food meets fashion!

The menu presents International cuisine with a modern twist and a mix of Western and Asian creations. A thin pizza is an ideal starter.

Eight slices of black truffle with fontina cheese offers amazing flavours. Another appetizer to try is Rendang Tacos with avocado, pickled radishes and crispy shallots. The balanced taste of the beef mixes perfectly with the tacos and avocado. Sandwiches, salads and soups are on the appetizer list also. As for the main course, there’s a wide variety of dishes. Grilled Tuna Fillet, tender and juicy, is one of their signatures. The avocado mousse, spinach, mango salsa and arugula mesclun make for a perfect presentation. Beef would be a good choice from the grill, try the imported stockyard striploin gingered shiitakes with soy caramel emulsion and dauphinoise potato. Breakfast items are also available for the whole day.

Black Truffle with Fontina Cheese Pizza

Carrot Cake

For those in the mood for Indonesian cuisine, La Moda provides Indonesian home-style cooking, such as iga bakar, nasi goreng, sop konro, lontong cap gomeh, sop buntut, soto and laksa. La Moda caters to every guest’s taste buds. Mexican Chef Jaime F. Rojas Lopez is the man behind all the creations and has been appointed as La Moda's Executive Chef.

Never miss the desserts. La Moda’s dessert corner includes chocolate fondant, lemon meringue tart, tiramisu, cheesecake, sorbet and pannacotta – along with Indonesian favourites such as es cendol and fried bananas. A new highlight is their carrot cake with ginger carrot sauce, pistachio rocks and coconut ice cream. La Moda also offers you a wide variety of wines, champagnes, liqueurs, mocktails and more. (www.lamodajakarta.com) Grilled Tuna Fillet

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GOURMET | Bali

By Christian Galbraith

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he all new S.K.A.I. Beach Club is almost as chilled as its signature minus 2°C beer. It’s comfortable and casual, but also swish and trendy, and designed with one thing in mind – kicked back relaxation. Set in a prime beachfront location directly overlooking Legian Beach, it fronts up the Padma Resort Bali at Legian, one of the strip’s finest destinations. Entry is via the hotel lobby or straight from the beachside path.

It is the first beach club in the popular holiday destination of Legian and is already gaining a great reputation with the cocktail and beer-loving sun-down set, who are drawn to the glorious western coast where chill out music blends with the smoky aromas wafting from the pizza oven and the corn and satay being cooked on beach, all melding to create a delightful Bali sunset vibe.

S.K.A.I. features a smart infinity pool framed by palm trees with broad parasol-shaded loungers. The main bistro-style restaurant has open, under cover and air-conditioned seating options. The bar area is dominated by a huge Balinese wall painting and, like the dining areas, comes decked out with a variety of informally placed tables and chairs.

Okalicious

The relaxed concept eases into the food and drinks menu showcased in a variety of all day options. For sharing, highly recommended comes the fat and juicy grilled Italian & chorizo sausages served on potato puree with chilli pecorino, or for seafood lovers why not try the salt and pepper baby squid, or

Tequila Ceviche of Salmon and Scallops

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FAVOURITE THING It’s too easy to say the fabulously chilled minus 2°C beer, or even the delicious food, but in fact my favourite feature is the long, simple, open bar-style seating that overlooks the beach. It’s just the perfect place to sit with your watermelon sun-gria – a blend of wines, freshly juiced watermelon, triple-sec and Ketel One vodka for the kick, garnished with cubed watermelon, lime, orange and sugar margarita – and enjoy the breeze while watching island life unfold.

maybe the tequila ceviche of salmon and scallop is more your thing?

Add to this specific lunch and dinner menus that feature a large selection of inspirational delights, such as the 24-hour braised beef shortrib and oxtail risotto, or the famous satay Jimbaran – skewers of king prawn, calamari and snapper marinated in Balinese spices and served with rice, chilli sauce and Balinese vegetables for a taste of authentic local cuisine.

The collection of drinks is quite astonishing too with, of course, the minus 2°C beer – the coldest beer in Legian – being a huge favourite. But there’s a great selection of classic and innovative cocktails and mocktails, juices and “sun-gria” to choose from, with the sharing theme making many available by the glass, bucket or carafe.

The super family-friendly S.K.A.I. Beach Club is a marvellous place to relax through the day and is unsurprisingly popular in the early evening. The food menu is a perfect blend of sharing foods and light bites, with Italian-inspired offerings from the grill and pizza oven being something of a speciality. Top this off with fabulous service and a great drinks menu, and the result is a perfect place to soak up the cool music and relaxing ambience. (www.skaibeachclub.com) Kungpao Chicken Pizza

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GOURMET | Bali

Grilled Prawns Jimbaran Style, Singaporean Chili Crab, Assorted Maki Rolls, Grilled Red Snapper

The Laguna Bali’s new Sunday BBQ by the Beach makes Sundays a blissful treat with their acclaimed beachfront Arwana Restaurant serving the finest, succulent barbecued seafoods, meats and much more right beside the ocean.

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here are some things in life that make you feel glad to be alive, certainly reinforcing how fortunate you may feel to be experiencing the tropical island lifestyle in Bali.

Ensconced within The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, in Nusa Dua’s

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By Samantha Crawley gated resort complex, Arwana Restaurant is one of Bali’s finest beachfront dining options. It offers an al fresco dining terrace shaded by palms and lush foliage just in front of pristine white sands and azure transparent waters on a secluded section of Nusa Dua Beach. Inspired by the revered Arwana fish (a Chinese symbol of prosperity and abundance, of

superior status in the marine kingdom), Arwana Restaurant ranks amongst the finest gourmet seafood restaurants on the island with an extensive selection of premium coastal cuisine, market-selected each morning by its team of chefs.

Luckily for us, Arwana Restaurant has just launched its Sunday BBQ by the

Beach from 12 noon until 3PM. This weekly event stands out not just for the diversity of international gourmet BBQ and buffet culinary choices, but also for being one of the few resort-hosted Sunday lunches located this close to the shoreline!

Pace yourself when enjoying this delectable and bountiful feast of the freshest and best quality seafood. At the outdoor terrace grill – cleverly shaped like a fisherman’s boat – help yourself to freshly grilled seafood, which changes weekly depending on the day’s catch, such as succulent clams, tiger prawns, squid and pepes ikan (fish cooked in banana leaves). In addition to this abundant selection of seafood, you can indulge in premium meats, such as chicken drumsticks, prime sirloin steaks, marinated pork ribs, a variety of sausages and monster-sized chicken kebabs. From the live cooking stations, you can find baked fish of the day, like melt-in-your-mouth snapper, the spicy Asian favourite, chilli crab and pasta cooked a la minute with seafood or chicken.

For those inclined to dine indoors, you’ll find heaps of sumptuous treats, with the freshest offerings at the

Sushi Bar in addition to seafood and salad stations serving poached wild Pacific salmon, peppered loin of tuna on mango salsa, DIY caesar salad and gourmet imported cheeses and freshly baked breads.

Once you’ve satisfied your savoury cravings, you can move on to a sinfully tempting display of desserts, featuring crepe and waffle stations, decadent Bitter Chocolate Fondue, homemade sorbets (exotic passion fruit comes highly recommended), macaroons and more. The attentive staff are on hand to assist and deliver dishes to your table.

Arwana’s BBQ Package is an amazingly well-priced IDR480,000 per person, tax and service charge is included, as well as beers, homemade specialty iced teas and soft drinks (children aged three to 12 dine for IDR240,000). The Beverage Package is an additional IDR480,000, inclusive of free-flow local wines and cocktail selections, including margaritas and mojitos; if you like your bubbly, Beverage Package Sparkling (IDR 750,000) includes sparkling and still wines, plus cocktails. When considering these options, note that Arwana is the 2014 recipient of the Wine Spectator Best Award of Excellence.

Freshly barbequed tiger prawns

Fanned by cooling sea breezes with panoramic ocean views and a healthy dose of sunshine this idyllic setup is enhanced by Trio Batak – a group of talented acoustic musicians who sing three part harmonies – serenading guests throughout the feast and proficiently playing song requests from the audience.

Cancel your Sunday appointments and make it a blissful day. After the BBQ, customers can enjoy complimentary use of the designated beach and pool areas at the five-star resort for the remainder of the day on The Laguna’s private beach. Towels and sunbeds are provided, the latter subject to availability as well as additional nonmotorized water sports.

Whether you’re dining as a couple, family or group of friends, as a birthday or anniversary treat, or simply celebrating life, this sizzling tropical treat is the perfect way to unwind on any given Sunday. (www.thelagunabali.com www.arwanarestaurant.com) 105

GOURMET | Bali

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By Amanda Luxford resh on Sanur’s laid-back dining scene is Soya, a stylish restaurant offering the comforts of casual Japanese dining using the freshest ingredients and a modern touch.

Strategically located on Sanur’s main eat street, just a few metres from the entrance to Griya Santrian, Soya

Sushi Sashimi Fourteen

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provides seating for up to 40 guests with two distinct dining areas.

A long outdoor terrace offers comfort and European style with its black stone floor, creamy white tables and large wicker-style chairs with thick padded cushions.

Light and airy, there is a small bar in the corner and

funky light fixtures. Eye-catching, bright red latticed panels fold back to frame the street and the large, shady trees. Serving excellent coffee and refreshing sorbetlaced iced teas, as well as Soya’s delicious food, it is a relaxing space to just sit and while away some time, while enjoying a morsel or two off the tempting menu.

For those escaping the heat of the day, the indoor dining area is air-conditioned and offers a contrasting style with its black tables and chairs, dark walls and splashes of red from flowers and the striking Japanese artwork lining the walls.

Tuna Martini

The menu offers a range of tempting treats, from wakame seaweed salad, udon and ramen noodle dishes and Japanese-style curries, to modern twists on sushi and various bento meals. Many of the dishes feature authentic flavours, while others have been carefully reinvented and tweaked, influenced by European tastes.

Specialities of the house include the refreshing cool Tuna Martini appetizer with its diced fresh tuna, seaweed, crunchy cucumber, spicy mayonnaise and fish roe. Of the modern sushi, Jumbo Dragon is a popular choice featuring crunchy prawn tempura, cucumber, smooth avocado and diving eel caviar. Yaki udon, the Japanese version of fried noodles, offers thick, chewy noodles with either chicken or beef and stir-fried vegetables and, topped with flaky bonito fish shavings, has a true Japanese flavour and quickly vanishes off the plate.

On the dessert menu, the tempura ice-cream is quite a hit. This irresistible ball of fried vanilla ice-cream is

presented resting on a splash of strawberry sauce and comes topped with a chocolate wafer, a fresh strawberry and a swirl of cream. However, a strong contender is Soya’s Japanese-Indonesian version of fried banana - the enticing Banana Rock and Roll. With a hint of chocolate sauce spread along the banana, which is then fried in light tempura batter, it is served with a large scoop of vanilla ice-cream and is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

This popular dining spot is open for lunch and dinner and is already taking its place as one of Sanur’s must-try restaurants. .

Tempura Moriawase

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GOURMET | Bali

Exceptional French fine dining at Tirtha Dining presents a more informal approach on Wednesday’s, with formidable bistro dishes.

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By Samantha Crawley erched atop Uluwatu’s cliffs on Bali’s southernmost coastline, eating out doesn’t get much more spectacular than Tirtha Dining, an intimate, open-air restaurant set amongst water-themed gardens with unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean. Tirtha Dining is part of Japanese-owned Tirtha Bridal, Bali’s premier wedding specialists, which has a wedding chapel located just next door. With an allglass pavilion, infinity pool and lush lawn elevated above Uluwatu’s pounding surf, Tirtha Dining not only offers an unparalleled dining experience but also operates as a venue for private wedding receptions.

Bistro Le Entree

Customers can dine al fresco, enjoying the warm ocean breeze at a handful of charming tables with chandeliers overhead, or dine

Bistro Les Plats

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a deux at a canopied table set apart on a cliff-edge platform. If inclement weather strikes or you prefer air-conditioned bliss, dine in the glass pavilion or elegant dining room adjacent.

Tirtha Dining is rated as one of Bali’s premier fine dining French restaurants – outstanding in concept and presentation – helmed

by Japanese Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno, armed with Frenchstyle gastronomic flair, who is one of Japan’s most acclaimed French chefs.

Renowned for refined multi-course degustation menus, Tirtha Dining has now introduced the Wednesday Bistroquet, still offering “the spirit of French Cuisine” but with a slightly more casual approach – matching France’s convivial and informal bistro cuisine.

This bistro menu showcases authentic cuisine de terroire dishes in a three-course set menu at a set price of IDR350,000 per person – which includes a pitcher of wine.

Wednesday Bistroquet commences at 6PM, but arriving around 5.30PM will give you enough time to enjoy the ocean sunset while sitting on garden sofas and drinking a chilled aperitif or signature cocktail.

From the set menu, diners may also choose individually priced dishes in a la carte fashion. As someone who grew up with distinctive, bistro-style French cuisine in my native UK and took many trips to France, this is the option I take, ordering several of my favourite dishes. As it’s challenging to find bistro cuisine of such high quality in Bali, I make the most of this treat.

Les entrées includes my favourite Soupe à l’oignon Gratinée, French onion soup in rich red wine broth with caramelized brown onions and Le Gruyere croutons, accompanied with the cold alternative Quiche aux Poireaux – leek quiche.

The four les plats (mains) feature Caree d’Agneaurôti au Thym, tender roast lamb rack with fresh thyme, rising out of the mouthwatering jus, and Poulet Sauté Chasseur, the beloved ‘’Hunters Chicken’’, offering sautéed chicken cooked in a hearty tomato, mushroom and tarragon sauce with white wine and brandy. Sides cover such French staples as the devilish Gratin Dauphinoise, a regional dish of oven-baked potatoes and crème fraîche, topped with grilled cheese and vibrantly hued ratatouille.

I made sure I had enough room left for les desserts, featuring such classics as Grand Marnier-soaked Crêpe Suzette, ceremoniously served flambé. The wine is an exquisite inclusion, however, as this cliff-top experience dining is so unique, it’s hard not to succumb to a bottle of champagne; the Sommelier-curated wine list offers excellent yet affordable selections.

As I savour each one of these divine delights, despite my Balinese surroundings, I’m immediately transported back to fond memories of evenings spent dining in Paris and other regional French bistros and brasseries. Thus my full-hearted endorsement of the authenticity of Wednesday Bistroquet – the

Crepe Suzette

menu, written in French, is further kudos to Executive Chef Meno. There is no loss in translation here.

Even with affordable prices, the dining venue and service is impeccable. The beautifully executed silver service by attentive yet discreet staff is perfect not just for romantic couples, but for anniversaries, celebrations and even corporate dinners. From May onwards, Tirtha Dining extends a 15 percent discount off your next Wednesday Bistroquet dinner, all you have to do is make a post about your dining experience on your Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account. Hosted only once a week with limited seating, reservations are essential. (www.tirthadining.net)

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GOURMET | Bali

Seminyak’s former SOS Supper Club takes it to the next level, morphing into MoonLite Kitchen and Bar and dishing up tasty new servings of flavours, menus and culinary concepts

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ans of Seminyak’s rooftop SOS Supper Club (including me, since its inauguration in 2008) were dismayed to learn of its official closure late last year. Semi-open and on the fourth floor of hip Anantara Seminyak Resort on Seminyak’s beachfront, this restaurant, bar and lounge offered one of the neighbourhood’s finest perches for panoramic bay views and mangohued sunsets, with pumping DJ sounds, seriously good cocktails and post-sunset dining focused on grilled cuisine.

Concerns over the outcome of SOS Supper Club were ill-founded,

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By Samantha Crawley however, and, with a new unveiling this February, it’s all changed in an exciting way, starting with the name – MoonLite Kitchen and Bar. Further changes include a new external glass lift at Anantara’s front to offer outside guests direct rooftop access without venturing through the five-star hotel, plus completely revamped interiors. MoonLite reveals a more sedate, sleek version, with polished teak wood an omnipresent element throughout the open-plan dining floor. There is also a swanky new glass-encased bar-lounge, which can completely open-up or closeoff depending on the weather, plus comfy sofas on the revamped openair deck. Thankfully, some things

never change; the views and sunsets are still sensational.

The open kitchen, centre stage on a raised mezzanine with adjoining cold kitchen, hints however at MoonLite’s redefinition as foremost a restaurant destination, while the striking modern Asian design concept permeates through to the revised cuisine.

Contemporary Asian takes the menu’s starring role, focusing on authentic Malay and Singaporean dishes, created by Executive Chef Brandon Huisman, a native Texan who spent years in this region and inherits an unabashed adoration

of Straits cuisine. With this new menu, Huisman nostalgically recreates street food and home-style recipes of the region, including Peranakan cuisine, especially of Penang and Malacca, besides Indian and Cantonese culinary influences. Invariably, methodology and techniques have been tweaked, but this self-proclaimed ‘‘lusty food’’ keeps to the Straits original spiciness and traditional flavours and is as hot as it should be: “I’ve been offensive with the spices,’’ Brandon mischievously admits.

Like the Asian norm, dishes are meant for sharing and MoonLite’s reasonable pricing encourages diners to order several tasty plates together. From the select, evolving menu, Steamed Pork Belly Buns with pickled cucumber and fresh radish reveals pure childhood nostalgia and Chinese influences, while crunchy fresh Roast Chicken Kerabu Salad, featuring aromatic ginger flower and onion mint, tingles the taste buds with its Peranakan-style flavours.

Boneless Beef Short Rib 'Sapi Kecap Manis', Shallot, Chili, Lemon Basil

Indian influences, thanks to extensive subcontinent expertise of the Indonesian Chef, covers the Singaporean classic, fish head curry (one of several piquant curries), but here, adapted as a more aesthetically pleasing Red Snapper Curry, with okra, cherry tomatoes and melt-in-your-mouth fish meat added to the plate. Fresh egg noodles and seafood Hokkien mie delivers another chef twist, with a ‘’wetter’’ version of a Straits classic.

Vegetarians are well catered for, with dishes like the Indian classic, Spinach and Fresh Cheese Palak Paneer, while some outsider national additions are showcased, but with good reason. Philippine delicacy Ahi Tuna Calamansi comes served in a scooped-out young coconut, with tuna tartar, edamame, ginger and shallots drenched in tangy calamansi lime and coconut oil, and crunchy peanut crackers. Meanwhile, Huisman’s adaption of Bali’s iconic suckling pig presents a fine example of complex cooking techniques taken up a notch, resulting in the unique Balinese Spiced Crispy Pork Belly

Strawberry Glacier

Roulade, accompanied by traditional ferntip lawar salad – for me, a crispier, tastier version of the original.

Beverages have been adapted to accompany spicy Asian food, even wines have been carefully selected for surprisingly good match-ups. From Anantara’s Wine Spectatorranked wine cellar, a chilled Beaujolais works remarkably well. Exclusively bespoke-made for MoonLite, new signature cocktails highlight local ingredients incorporated throughout the menu, including turmeric, cardamom and calamansi lime; the latter, beautifully showcased in the refreshing MoonLite calamansi, with vodka and freshly pressed calamansi, served long on ice.

A live band performing chill-out music nightly, as opposed to SOS’s previous pumping DJ sounds, encourages good conversation and quality dining time – further emphasizing MoonLite’s delicious changes. (www.bali.anantara.com www.moonlitebali.com)

Red Snapper Curry, Okra, Cherry Tomatoes

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GOURMET | Bali

By Samantha Crawley

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Sunset S’mores

f you seek a Robinson Crusoe-like idyll in Bali, head south to Uluwatu’s cliff tops and Semara Luxury Villa Resort. Take the inclinator 150m down limestone cliffs to a secluded and pristine cove, lapped by shimmering emerald water. Welcome to Finn’s Beach Club, a castaway-style, thatched roof, beach-bar restaurant, constructed from bamboo and stone, with a multitude of squashy bean bags and sun beds down on dazzling white sands. Located on Bali’s southernmost coastline, make a blissful day of it at this private beach club (as many do, since Finn’s is now one of Bali’s must-do destinations); their Beach Pass (IDR250,000) is inclusive of towels, sun beds, WiFi and stand-up paddle boards, plus kayaking and snorkelling gear for reef forays.

Finn’s Famous Nasi Goreng

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Finn’s rustic beachfront setting also serves-up gourmet yet casual all-day dining – part of the entrance fee includes an IDR150,000 food and beverage voucher.

As if further enticement was required, with the arrival of new Chef Benoit Larochelle, Finn’s has overhauled its existing menu and unveiled an exciting new array of dishes this March. Sticking with its trademark food concept of simplistic, tasty and ultra-fresh, Finn’s new chef and kitchen team have created a deliciously diverse menu, accommodating all tastes (including gluten-

free dishes), which reflect a combined passion for locally sourced, fresh produce and traditional local and global recipes, infused with innovative and deliciously unexpected twists.

Among the crunchy stab n’ bite salads in the Garden Crunch section of the menu, comes one of many island references, Balinese Red Rice Salad: a yummy toss-together of locally grown red rice, rucola, balsamic vinegar, grilled pumpkin, red onion, feta cheese and house-made pesto.

Vegetarians have even more options to choose from; in the Chilled Starter portion of the menu – ideal for hot days at the beach – is sublime Yellow Fin Tuna Rice Paper Rolls, my favourite pick amongst several other Finn’s signatures, served pretty as a picture, with sashimi tuna, mango, coriander, avocado, tofu puree and seaweed, loosely sheathed by gossamer-like rice paper.

Inspired by their oceanic surroundings, succulent fresh seafood features on the menu, and is tastefully enhanced by pastas made on-site; the latter, however, also covers a divine vegetarian option, Butternut Squash Ravioli.

For those more into their premium meats and comfort foods, Finn’s regulars will sleep better at night knowing that two popular dishes from the Big Bites section remain as signatures: Finn’s Cliff Edge Burger – whopper-sized Australian grilled beef with onions, smoked cheddar, crispy oyster mushroom, bacon, lettuce, pickle and the chef’s special sauce – and Finn’s Steak Sandwich – with sizzling, seasoned Australian sirloin steak.

Crafted with homemade dough, fresh tomato sauce and rolled a la minute, the Oven Creation part of the menu

offers pizzas with an unusual approach to more conventional toppings. Rendang Beef Pizza presents the Padang-style braised beef dish with mozzarella, red onion, grilled zucchini, eggplant and capsicum, served with freshly pounded dips.

Other “think outside the box” creations grabbed our attention. From Asian Essence, Finn’s Famous Nasi Goreng, comprised of an omelette enveloping Indonesia’s beloved staple, with fried rice, kerupuk prawn crackers, pickled vegetables, homemade Balinese spicy sauce and more, all packed inside. And as you topup your tan, how can you not resist Beach Bites bearing two unusual signatures: Grilled Barramundi Tricolor Taco, a stunning clash of Mexican and Balinese flavours, stuffed into handmade tortillas, and Babi Guling Crispy Spring Rolls, an inspired combo of iconic dishes from Bali and East Asia, with shredded suckling pig mix, bumbu seasoning and local salad vegetables, dunked in sweet chilli sauce.

Wash these down with Finn’s healthy Energisers, such as Rosella Detox, or perhaps something stronger, like High and Low Tide Cocktails, Sangria pitchers or champagne on ice from the well-stocked Wine Bar. Dessert? Stay for sunset, with bonfires lit-up on the sand, sinking deep into a bean bag, toasting marshmallows around the fire and creating your own s’mores (roasted marshmallows and chocolate sandwiched between granola cookies). The perfect day may be coming to an end, but as nightfall ensues, the table is set for dining under the stars. (www.finnsbeachclub.com)

Yellow Fin Tuna Rice Paper Rolls

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By Amanda Luxford

caffĂŠ mocha coconut gelato, caramelized butter solids, cacao, milk froth

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n days of yore, fine dining was a very formal affair with rigid codes of behaviour and restaurant staff renowned for being snooty to mere mortals. The kitchens were supposedly tense places helmed by demanding chefs with fiery tempers and sensitive egos, where few dared to tread.

Thankfully, although such places probably still exist, dining out in a restaurant serving incredible, inspirational food paired with a selection of stunning drinks is much more fun these days.

A recent visit to Mejekawi, the glass-walled temple to culinary creativity and excellence situated above the iconic KU DE TA in Seminyak, proved just this.

Despite bristling with gleaming, high-tech equipment rarely seen even in the most advanced kitchens across the world, walking in to Mejekawi the ambience is welcoming, warm and friendly; the restaurant was full of groups of laughing, relaxed diners, and the busy chefs in the open kitchen were calmly and efficiently creating their masterpieces.

If you are in a small group, we highly recommend taking a seat at the bar overlooking the open kitchen so you can watch your culinary experience unfold.

Mejekawi is an ideal place for celebrations

with its friendly service, interaction with the chefs, superb cuisine and excellent drinks pairings. The evening we visited, there were two groups in this small venue celebrating birthdays.

The restaurant’s kitchen takes centre stage, while seating is around the glass walls to take advantage of the ocean views. Those that prefer early dining can watch the setting sun over the rolling waves; although when we visited, everyone’s focus was on the food and their dining partners.

Chefs Ben Cross, Stephen Moore and Nuño Garcia take their cooking very seriously, despite presenting a laid-back demeanour.

The dining options are simple; your choice is a 5 or 12-course degustation menu, with drinks pairing or not, although the waiters, or the chefs, do ask whether there is anything you can’t, or prefer not to, eat and will happily adapt the dishes. The waiters and sommelier are highly knowledgeable about the food and drinks and the drinks pairings are sublime.

The menu opened with what is billed as fish ‘n’ chips, but looks nothing like what is popularly served in newspaper across Australia and the UK. The delicate yellow fin tuna ceviche with smoked crème fraîche, pickled onion and dill is served between two glass-clear slices of potato

that have been pressed until the starch comes out and look too delicate to touch.

It only takes a couple of bites to eat this morsel, which despite its beauty, really does taste of fish and chips (without the grease or batter)!

One interesting combination was the oxtail soup, a perennial favourite across Indonesia. Mejekawi-style, the oxtail is slow-cooked for 18 hours and then pressed, to make for a really intense flavour. The rich, clear stock benefits from a splash of Japanese dashi and is poured over the oxtail, a tomato raisin and charred onion.

An ice-cold sake sets off this flavour sensation perfectly and puts oxtail soup into a completely new dimension.

The chefs at Mejekawi use the best local produce from the island, with availability issues forcing even more creativity from them. The cutting edge techniques that they use bring visions of strange, molecular concoctions, but all the food was instantly recognizable, beautifully presented art on a plate, with an occasional tongue in cheek concept. In addition to the fish ‘n’ chips, the much more formally named southern fried Szechuan quail, with red curry and quail eggs, is in fact the chef’s version of fried chicken! Unlike in the fast food chains, the quail has been marinated overnight in yoghurt so the seasoned flour will stick. The

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Sop Buntut

light crunch, tender meat and slightly spicy batter, wafer-thin pickled carrot and Jerusalem artichoke were an ideal combination, brought out beautifully by the Guidalberto Tenuta San Guido – a delightful red.

Adding to the whole fusion concept, alongside the use of tastes from across the world combined unusually to make updated versions of familiar foods, is the use of an open wood fire alongside the laboratory-style high-tech equipment. We tried the wood-fired crayfish with XO sauce served on fregola and were stunned by the array of flavours in the smoky, sweet crayfish and slightly chewy pasta.

Desserts were elegant and aesthetically pleasing concoctions making use of locally sourced fruit – mangosteen, pandan and snakefruit in particular, and delicious chocolate that is also grown and produced in Bali. The white chocolate cone with magnosteen sorbet is a personal favourite.

wood fired ‘freshwater’ crayfish XO sauce, fregola, spring onion

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This intimate fine dining restaurant is well worth a visit when you are in Bali, or even worth coming to Bali just to visit. Chefs Ben, Stephen and Nuño are perfectionists, who are more than happy to chat to their customers while they are dining and to ensure that the experience is something special. Their continual search for new creations and inspiration, alongside their passion and patience while striving to get it right, are highly commended. (www.kudeta.net)

GOURMET | Hong Kong

L’Oursin

Cuisine

Creativity

Beneath the skyline of one of the busiest cities in the world, Hong Kong offers a truly pleasing fine dining experience. Welcome to the world of contemporary art and cuisine: a perfect combination that creates hype and a unique place to enjoy fine French cuisine.

By Heidy Zainuddin

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or art admirers and food lovers, Bibo is absolutely a must-visit establishment! This restaurant is a contemporary art gallery with murals, paintings and sculptures in every corner that serves food with a glamorous artistic presentation.

Bibo is unlike anywhere else: the building dates back to 1930s Paris and has been transformed into a masterpiece by displaying works of art by the finest contemporary artists from Keith Haring to Murakami. Bibo has been the talk of the town since it opened in April 2014. Named with the nickname of the artist and project coordinator, Bibo has been nominated for many awards, including the South China Morning Post’s 100 Top Tables 2014 and was featured in the Michelin Guide 2015.

The pillars of the restaurant’s concept of French gastronomie gourmande are Executive Chef Mutaro Balde, whose three-

Michelin-star background includes Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee Paris and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon London, and Chef de Cuisine Conor Beach. The dynamic duo is in charge of serving a delicious French gourmet cuisine where everything, from the bread to the ice-cream, is homemade, while Head Pastry Chef Jonathan Touitou brings passion and creativity to each of his creations, paying homage to the traditions of French cuisine by reinterpreting classic French dishes.

For the signature dishes, there’s Le Foie Gras Poêlé (pan-seared duck foie gras with braised endives and hazelnut vinaigrette), L’Oursin (Hokkaido sea urchin royale and baeri caviar), pigeon (pressed pigeon with crushed ratte potatoes, black truffles and pigeon jus) and La Pomme (layered calvados compote, apple caramel and poached granny smith sorbet).

Behind the bar, mixologist Alexandre Chatté handcrafts cocktails from the forgotten classics of the 1930s, as well as new creations. The bar is crafted from layers of unevenly stacked marble, with individual dining tables created from misaligned stone slabs. Some of the favourite beverages at Bibo include the -25° Martini (unstirred 2013 citadelle gin served at -25° with a touch of lavender-infused Dolin dry), D1 & T (a delicious blend of undiluted frozen D1 gin with bergamot, honey and homemade tonic water) and Dr. Ordinaire’s Elixir (made of G’Vine, gentian, a dash of yuzu and absinthe, finished with Ruinart Blanc de Blancs champagne). A wide selection of cakes and desserts are available, along with an extended wine list encompassing French wines and champagnes. (www.bibo.hk and www.relaischateaux.com/ bibo)

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Carbone Hong Kong, with a mid-20th century New York-style Italian restaurant theme bringing those familiar dishes to a new level, presents the charm and splendour of the original to the heart of Central.

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By Heidy Zainuddin

et’s journey to the past through the ninth floor of the LKF Tower, Hong Kong, where Carbone invites you to experience the ambience and atmosphere of mid-20th century New York. This nostalgic and classy dining experience is the place to enjoy the golden years of America, accompanied by Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald playing in the background. At the same time, an air of decadence is portrayed through the exceptional service and ambiance of the restaurant.

The plush leather banquettes and antique brass chandeliers bring together this retro dining room with a few added modern twists. The waiters, dressed in Zac Posen tuxedos, are knowledgeable about the menu and quick to make helpful recommendations.

Founded by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick of Major Food Group in New York, Carbone Hong Kong is a collaboration with Black Sheep Restaurants, whose impressive portfolio of restaurants

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has garnered international attention. The food served at Carbone is well-prepared New York-Italian cuisine, served in a setting that is simultaneously elegant, comfortable and unpretentious. Carbone also offers an extensive wine selection from different regions of Italy with plenty of Super Tuscans, a number of American and French wines and a vast selection of retro cocktails, like the Gibson, Daiquiri and Whiskey Sour.

Signature dishes include Mario’s Meatballs, Linguine Vongole, Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, Carpaccio Piemontese and the Veal Parmesan. To start, Insalata Caesar alla ZZ is an excellent choice. The crisp baby romaine lettuce is tossed tableside with an incredible house-made creamy Caesar dressing featuring anchovies and proper parmesantopped croutons, crunchy and soaked with butter. The texture is creamy with just the right amount of sauce and crumbled cheese coating each leaf for it to be enjoyable but not overbearing.

Insalata Caesar alla

For the mains, Mario’s Meatballs is a dish made up three generouslysized pork balls topped with crispy basil and served in a fresh tomato sauce.

The Veal Parmesan another option sure to delight. The hammered veal chop is coated with richly seasoned breadcrumbs, then baked with mozzarella and tomato. Served on the bone, the dish is carved up tableside using a pizza cutter.

The amazing Carpaccio Piemontese is topped with fresh arugula, thinly sliced mushrooms, olive oil, lemon, salt, black pepper and Parmigiano, before being finished with truffle shavings. The Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, whilst unassuming in presentation, offers a complex taste with sweet and spicy notes leading the charge.

Mario's Meatballs

Veal Parmesan

From the dessert menu, Carrot Cake, Tiramisu, Lemon Cheesecake and Banana Flambé are all highly recommended. The Carrot Cake is deliciously moist, topped with a velvety cream cheese icing and served with a scoop of ginger ice cream. The Banana Flambé presents chunks of banana coated with caramel and rum on top of a generous portion of ice-cream in a big bowl. The Lemon Cheesecake is rich and tart with a sweet buttery crust.

While waiting for your order, Carbone offers a basket of garlic bread, hunks of Parmesan and Soprasetta. The menu features an expansive wine list, with over 200 premium wines, reinventions of classic cocktails and a comprehensive list of spirits, liquors and aperitifs, carefully selected to pair with the restaurant’s robust menu. (www.carbone.com.hk)

Octopus Pizzaiolo

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GOURMET | Malaysia

Sunday Dim Sum

BRUNCH

By Christian Galbraith

Crispy kataifi with scallop

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Classic Halal Dim Sum at the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur

nder the stewardship of Chef Vincent Loo Weng Soon and widely recognised as one of the best Cantonese restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Celestial Court has a fantastic reputation for creating and serving up innovative fusion and authentic pan-Chinese cuisine.

The impressive multi-award winning eatery can be found on the 3rd floor of the lavish Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur in the very heart of this vibrant city, and is just a short walk from both Medan Tuanku monorail and Dang Wangi LRT Stations.

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Following the same influences as the hotel itself, the design and decor is reminiscent of many of the world’s best Chinese restaurants – the long, plush red and gold carpeted space is filled with a mix of banquet and smaller tables and, with four private rooms, diners have a choice of comfortable dining options to suit the party size.

Enter the Celestial Court past an impressive raised pagoda draped in red silks. The pagoda houses a large Chinese vase that draws the eye and the classic look is competed by white stone palisades

and columns with contrasting dark marble steps. Once inside, gold, red and black accents dominate the interior and, at night, this is a particularly effective design feature as the soft lighting adds warmth.

For the Sunday Dim Sum at least, despite its regal appearance, the restaurant exudes an easy-going, informal and very lively atmosphere topped off with superb service. The legendary all-you-can-eat Dim Sum, with over 70 different hand-crafted delights to choose from, is a foodie’s paradise.

My favourite dish was probably the panseared stuffed scallop with shrimp mousse in a bed of pumpkin puree served in a glass and topped with caviar, a delicious fusion of complex flavours and textures; or perhaps it was the beautifully presented crispy katafi with scallop offering a superb contrast of textures with creamy avocado, succulent scallop and crisp casing and just a drizzle of dressing.

The main courses were dominated by the signature Hong Kong-style crispy roasted duck and stunningly pictorial stir-fried asparagus with prawns in XO sauce. Both classics and both prepared and presented to an exceedingly high standard – delicious!

There is a selection of buffet deserts, but I indulged fully by ordering the honey avocado puree and black glutinous rice served with coconut ice cream and was not disappointed by one of chef’s most scrumptious and very sweet offerings.

Assorted a la carte dim sum platter

The menu is substantial and instead of trawling relentlessly our party, ensconced in one of the lavishly appointed private rooms, opted to follow chef’s advice and opened with the must-try cod fish dumpling with prawn. The fish was tasty, smooth and firm, and with hints of spring onion, coriander and shredded ginger it whetted the appetite perfectly.

We followed up with the rich, flavoursome and oh so healthy double-boiled mini Buddha Jumps over the Wall soup… The feast had begun in style and for the next two hours our party’s senses were tantalised by a vast array of succulent choice bites complemented with free-flow teas.

The legendary all-you-can-eat Dim Sum with over 70 different handcrafted delights to choose from is a foodie’s paradise.

Signature Hong Kong-style Crispy Roasted Duck

The dim sum is available from 10AM on Sundays, while through the week Celestial Court serves up a wide selection of halal Cantonese cuisine ranging from original fusion dishes to traditional favourites and features plates, such as the honey-spiced roasted rack of lamb with sweet bean in Mongolian sauce and sautéed sea tiger prawns with minced garlic and shallots in homemade chilli sauce.

Booking for the all-you-can-eat Dim Sum and at lunchtimes throughout the week is highly recommended and can be made by calling the hotel on (+60) 32717 9988. (www.spgrestaurantsandbars.com/malaysia/ kuala-lumpur/celestial-court)

Soya Bean Skin Roll with sea cucumber, chicken and prawn in sun-dried scallop sauce

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EXQUISITE WINE PAIRING

By Ebby Reyhani

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W

hen a representative from a winery gives their selling point, you’ll hear one of a few fixed themes that are used to emphasize the specialness of their wine.

It’ll normally go something like this…

“The history of our winery goes back a very long way” or “The special situation and the very old age of our vineyard allows us to create something very unique” or “Innovation in the vineyard, winery and cellar guarantees our wine’s high quality” or “This wine regularly attains scores of 90 points and above”, and so on…

Most of the time you won’t doubt what you’re being told as the wine quite often is very good, sometimes spectacular which is why I became enchanted with one particular wine from Chile called Don Melchor. So rarely does one sole wine encompass all of the usual selling points.

The Don Melchor has its own unique character and stubbornly high standard. This wine also boasts geological and geographical excellence, as well as costly and detailed scientific investment in the vineyard and winery, not to mention consistently high scores since its conception. To top it all off, there’s even an interesting human aspect to it all!

The parent company, Concha Y Toro, started way back in 1883 with vines carried all the way from Bordeaux by Don Melchor de Santiago Concha Y Toro, however, it wasn’t until 1986 that the winery, synonymous with the founder, began to take shape.

The 1980s saw a time of viticultural revolution in Chile.

With the modern techniques that were being adopted raising the general quality of the wines all over the country and a favourable currency exchange rate against the dollar, wines from Chile were starting to be noticed throughout the world.

It was decided that something special had to be made.

The winemaker and a representative crossed the globe to meet with the Godfather of modern wine, Emile Peynaud.

Peynaud quickly recognised the potential of a specific vineyard and recommended his partner and successor, Jaques Boissenot, become involved. A few years later, in 1986, the first Don Melchor was made, never missing a vintage since.

In 1999, full responsibility for Don Melchor was passed to Concha Y Toro’s young winemaker, Enrique Tirado, who has managed to raise standards even higher and earned citation on a number of occasions as one of the world’s top 100 wines.

Since the first release almost 30 years ago, there is no doubt that Don Melchor has achieved the status of Chile’s number one wine. It has also become an icon. A beacon and ambassador, it draws in oenophiles throughout the world to the wines of Chile.

The geography of Chile is quite unique. Stretching over 4,300 km with only 350 km between the Pacific coast and the Andes mountain range at its widest point. Insulated from pests and disease due to surrounding natural barriers (Chile is the only large-scale producing country to never have experienced an outbreak of the vine destroying Phylloxera) and with large climatic differences throughout, Chile has garnered a large international following due to its diverse offering of wines that hit the international markets at very competitive prices.

The first vines believed to be planted were Pais, or Mission grape, by Jesuit priests in the 16th century, and were intended to make wine for the celebration of Eucharist in the Catholic Mass. The Pais grape was the most widely planted until the 21st century and is still used as the main grape to make Pisco, the local brandy.

Chilean wine has had its ups and downs. Wines were already being exported successfully in the mid-1880s and continued to do well up to the beginning of WWII. In the 70s and 80s, under the rule of General Pinochet, Chile saw a massive drop in domestic demand for wine. Around half of the vineyards were uprooted.

The return of democracy brought new, if light, demand for Chilean wines. That demand has been steadily growing since 1990, attracting foreign investment and resulting in the introduction of modern grape growing and winemaking techniques. This, with the introduction of the major European varietals has culminated in a vibrant and proactive wine culture that is steadily growing. In 2013, Chile was listed as the world’s 7th largest wine producer and 4th largest in terms of volumes exported.

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Ocean. Concha y Toro has identified and developed exclusive origins in winemaking valleys, like Maipo, Colchagua, Cachapoal, Curicó, Maule, Casablanca and Limarí, which provide land and climate diversity, and soils with varying fertility, permeability and sun exposure—all of which lead to exceptional, unique wines.

Q: Which year was your first to make Don Melchor and do you think that your style/approach has changed since?

A: In 1999, I became the sole winemaker of Don Melchor, the company’s icon cabernet sauvignon. From then on, I’ve tried to make a cabernet sauvignon that expresses its place of origin, which in this case is Puente Alto in the Alto Maipo Valley—a place with unparalleled conditions for the grape’s ripening.

When I began, I wanted to make concentrated wines with very expressive palates. Then, I moved towards seeking out the lively, fresh fruit in Don Melchor’s cabernet sauvignon. At the same time, I wanted a palate with controlled concentration that was delicate and balanced.

Q: When did you start and what was your motivation to work in the wine industry?

A: Ever since I was a child, I was drawn to the wine industry. In fact, we always drank wine at my house, so I grew up knowing that there was something special about it, although it wasn’t for a couple more years that I made a real connection to it—I felt like it told me things, that I could sense the colours and flavours, and discover its texture with greater intensity. After that, I studied winemaking and, in 1995, I started working at Concha y Toro Winery in charge of the premium brands. In 1997, I became the head winemaker, taking on the responsibility of the super and ultra-premium wines, including Don Melchor.

Q: What would you say makes Chile special for growing wine grapes?

A: Chile has huge potential to produce high quality wines. We likely have more climate and soil diversity than any other wineproducing country in the world. We have the unique elements of the Andes Mountains, the coastal mountain range and the Pacific

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The truth is that with the years that have passed, I feel very close to the vineyard. I feel like I’m part of Puente Alto—it’s very much mine and it’s very personal to me. I like walking through the vineyard and seeing each row, knowing which block yields red fruit and which yields darker fruit—where the tannins are, etc. To know this, you have to walk through the vineyard and stay close to it.

Q: Do you have a favourite vintage of Don Melchor?

A: It’s really hard to choose one Don Melchor vintage in particular because they are all special and unique. There were harvests that were warmer than others and that makes for different expression in the wine. There were years with greater fruit expression than others and some were more complex, etc. There are also vintages that were sentimentally more significant—the first vintage I was in charge of, the first to make it on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list… and many more.

Q: What makes Don Melchor stand out from other Chilean wines?

A: The vineyard where Don Melchor comes from, despite having the same alluvial soil composition, has unique qualities that translate to cabernet sauvignon wines with unique aromas and expression. Yes, the personality is the same in all the wines. That doesn’t change, and it’s what’s behind Don Melchor’s continuity throughout the years. But the different blocks yield wines with varying expression.

For example, some lead to wines with greater fruit expression and others have more tannic strength, while others are more elegant.

This is why Don Melchor is a blend of each of those expressions that, when you tie them together, allows us to produce a better, more complete, more complex wine—but one that maintains the personality of the Puente Alto vineyard—the expression of cabernet sauvignon from Puente Alto. Don Melchor is a world-class wine that has helped position Chile as a producer of high quality wine. The aim wasn’t just to make the best red wine Chile has to offer, but to create a wine that would express its own identity, the typicity of the Puente Alto terroir—which led to a world-class wine.

Q: What’s your favourite pairing for Don Melchor?

A: Don Melchor is a wine with soft tannins that remain young, so it pairs well with red meat in general such as sirloin steak, roast beef, beef stews in red wine (beef bourguignon), game meats or lamb, duck breast, or even pasta dishes served with meat sauces. All dishes resembling classic French cuisine—complex and elegant—are ideal for a wine like Don Melchor. It also pairs well with dry, aged sheep and cow cheese like Gruyere, Comté, Tomme de Savoie, Parmesan, Manchego and Cantal, or with creamy cheese like Camembert, Brie or Explorateur.

Q: Where is the most bizarre place that you’ve had to do a wine tasting?

A: I remember one time we led a tasting at 3,000 metres elevation with the snow-covered Andes Mountains in the background—that was simply spectacular. Leading a tasting with that backdrop helped the participants understand the might of the Andes.

Q: What are you drinking at the moment at home?

A: My house isn’t very different from any other wine lover’s house.

Undoubtedly, we drink a lot of wine because I always taste what’s coming out of new vineyards. Nowadays, we have good carignan and excellent pinot noir and chardonnay, in addition to cabernet sauvignon.

Q: You visited Asia last year. How was your reception and how do you think Don Melchor is perceived here?

A: The welcome we’ve received in Asia is exceptional. The general public has always shown great interest in the wine and what makes Don Melchor unique in the world. Of all the places we’ve been, Asia is the one where people seem consistently receptive and interested in learning about the Puente Alto vineyard’s characteristics and terroir conditions, the Andes’ influence, and all of the factors that go into making a wine with its own identity like Don Melchor.

Q: If you weren’t a wine maker, what would you be?

Cabernet Sauvignon reigns in the vineyards of Chile. This international variety excels in the Chilean climate and represents at least four times more surface area than the next most popular gape, Merlot. The style of Cabernet Sauvignons can range from medium-light to full and intense.

Merlot is perhaps one of Chile’s most underrated grape varieties. Here, it often has a distinct plum and chocolate note with full but round tannins. The ripe and easy structure that Chile seems to create so well gives wines great versatility.

The Carmenere grape has been making an impression on the international scene for a few years now. Surprisingly, the government only officially recognised the variety in 1996 as the vine and its grapes look very much the same as Merlot.

In terms of character, it tends to be a deep red colour and can offer up aromas of red berries, plum and spice. The flavours can sometimes be earthy, with traits of chocolate, cherry, spice, tobacco and leather.

Carignan was once used as the main grape for jug wine, however, in recent years it has seen a growth in its popularity due to its generally light, chewy, fruity and forward personality.

The Pais grape (also known as Mission) was the first ‘Vitis Vinifera’ grape to be introduced in the 16th Century by Spanish Conquistadors and Jesuit Missionaries. First used to make a sweet wine for religious services, it later became the main variety for the distilled spirit, Pisco. With Chilean winemakers looking back to their origins, Pais is once again starting to be found as a single variety wine or part of a blend. Pais makes a light styled wine that can, when made well, be very refreshing.

Chilean Pinot Noir is great value when compared to wines of the same grape from other countries. It tends to be rounded and very fruit driven. Mainly planted in coastal regions, Pinot here is growing very fast in popularity.

Chardonnay is perhaps the grape with the most personalities in Chile. Its versatility and ability to grow pretty much anywhere means that the wine in the bottle can be unoaked, crisp, clean, rich, full and creamy with vanilla notes.

With its own, distinct style, Sauvignon Blanc is less herbal than its French counterparts and not as exotic as New Zealand. It’s normally fresh, round and packed full of fruit. Simple, unoaked versions lead the way, however, more structured examples with a touch of barrel fermentation are also available.

A: The truth is that I can’t even imagine doing anything but this. My work inspires me and makes up a big part of who I am. I don’t even think of it as a job but more the expression of true passion.

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EXQUISITE COCKTAIL

By Christian Galbraith

Cocomango Mojito Fresh Mango, Lime and Caster Sugar muddled and soaked in Havana Club 3. Swizzled and topped with fresh Young Coconut Water

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A

formidable collection of chic rooftop bars and venues have burst onto the Bali skyline over recent years, offering guests an eclectic mix of delightful drinks, music and fabulous food. One of the latest is the ultra-trendy Double-Six Rooftop, located above the Double-Six Luxury Hotel in Seminyak, one of the island’s most popular holiday destinations.

The Double-Six Rooftop is a sprawling space boasting a magnificent 270 degree

panoramic ocean view. With space for around 1,200 people, the glitzy bar, lounge and grill is unsurprisingly popular at sunset and the comfortable “floating” lounge pods are always the first to go.

There really is a lot to rave about at Rooftop.

The location, view, comfort, the massive shark tank, funky grooves, international guest DJs and the excellent service provided by the sparkling staff combine to create an impressive relaxed, yet upbeat ambience. For me, the icing on the cake is the surprisingly

MUST TRY FOOD Set more or less in the centre of the venue and surrounded by open, flaming satay grills, the raised cooking station churns out a range of quality meat, seafood, vegetarian dishes and desserts. My choice was The United Flavours of Satay, grilled over wood and coconut shells. This massive range of signature satays offers something for everyone. The Italian skewered lamb served on a bed of rosemary with spearmint and lemon sauce is particularly tempting, but the Rockefeller, a mix of slipper lobster and scallops topped with caviar and a fluffy lemon sauce has to be the one! Pair it with a delicious Bawah Tanah daiquiri or Gojitaba iced tea, relax and soak up the atmosphere.

substantial menus – both drinks and food – that are all about quality and integrity.

The bar and grill are fully in tune with the sensory concept Robert Marchetti has developed throughout the hotel’s F&B outlets. The open kitchen and bar create not just an impressive visual impact; the aromas that waft around the casual, comfortable seating areas are extremely enticing. It is a cool place to relax, eat and drink, and is located adjacent to one of the island’s prime beachfronts.

Bali’s Best Kept Secret? – Presenting the Sling Bar Located on the fourth floor of the plush Double-Six Luxury Hotel in Seminyak, Bali, and nestled above Robert Marchetti The Plantation Grill, the Sling Bar is a chic, yet racy martini bar, that offers a notable collection of champagnes, prohibitioninspired martini concoctions and dark spirits, all served against a groove-filled fusion of mysterious elegance and nocturnal fun.

The pure opulence of the venue is the first thing that strikes guests lucky enough to be “in the know”. If you enter from the DoubleSix Rooftop, glance down into the classic

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sophistication of the black and white Billiard Room, which as well as a delicious bar menu serves a fabulous range of plantationinspired rum cocktails.

Once you arrive at the Sling Bar, the first thing that draws your eye is the stack of bespoke labelled Dom Pérignon bottles on the bar. To the right, housed in a huge bookcase-style cabinet, is a fantastic collection of fine dark spirits guaranteed to raise a smile. The observant will notice a hidden door leading to the discreet Boudoir – a private room that is classically

Calamari Capri Style Flash Fried Calamari Dusted in Oregano, Green Tabasco Aioli, Lemon

comfortable and superbly presented and is the perfect luxury space for a small group to relax in total privacy.

truly feel his passion; the result is an extraordinary powerful menu inspired by some of the all time great cocktails.

Heavy on subdued lighting, original art, mirrors and dark woods, the bar has a sensual mood that continues throughout the public spaces and into the gloriously Bohemian powder room – for ladies only!

For purists, try The Guitarist served in a frozen classic martini glass garnished with olive and cucumber. This delicious cocktail sees Hendricks gin-muddled cucumber, coriander, Dolin Rouge vermouth, brought together to create a startlingly fresh cold martini. The Guitarist is spectacular and packs quite a punch and, like all the cocktails, only uses premium spirits straight from the freezer.

Throughout the hotel bars and restaurants, Jonathan has created individual menus offering a stylish range of drinks from fruity detox concoctions to the most indulgent of chocolate-laden delights. But it’s here at the Sling Bar where one can

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The Double Shake Vanilla Spiced Sailor Jerry, Malibu, Patron Cacao, Espresso Coffee Topped with Malibu Cream and Grated Chocolate

The early evening atmosphere is pretty relaxed, but by 10PM, the music has

cranked up a notch with some late night funky vibes, with Stevie Wonder, James Brown, KC & The Sunshine Band and similar happy sounds whipping up a party vibe. The Sling Bar is possibly Bali’s best kept secret – but that’s the way (aha aha) they like it…

Espresso Expressions Espresso Expressions!!! With currently nine on the menu, taking the espressobased cocktail route has never looked more enticing. My favourite, the Double Shake is quite frankly a must!! With spiced Sailor Jerry, Malibu, Patron cacao, espresso coffee topped with Malibu cream and grated chocolate, you might never want a standard espresso again.

MUST TRY COCKTAIL The drinks menu created by Jonathan Jack, Executive Beverage Manager Double-Six Luxury Hotel, and his team especially for the Rooftop is nothing short of sensational.

Using only the best spirits and fresh local ingredients, he offers a distinct Indonesian twist to many of the world’s classics cocktails. My favourite was the Mellon Kuning martini, where large chunks of yellow watermelon are muddled with Ketel One vodka along with a dash of cointreau and lemon juice, then shaken with homemade passionfruit sorbet before being strained and served ice cold in the classic martini glass decorated with a simple wafer-thin slice of melon‌ outrageously simple, outrageously good and highly recommended.

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Meeting Jonathan Jack at the newly opened and quite sensational Sling Bar, another hot venue Robert Marchetti and the team have put together within the fabulous Double-Six Luxury Hotel in Seminyak, we were happy that he could take time out of a crazy schedule to talk to us about this innovative venture.

Q: As Executive Beverage Manager you have the whole brief for all the drinks outlets, so how long have you been associated with the Double-Six project?

A: Not so long really. It was October 2013 when I first met with Robert and Kadek to discuss the vision for Double-Six Luxury Hotel and, yeah, we just really clicked with the concept. I loved their passion and vision for the project and so within a week I had jumped onboard and signed on the dotted line.

A: Before moving to Bali, I got involved in launching the QT Hotels & Resorts brand in Australia, which was a lot of fun and a great brand to be involved in. Previously, I had spent a number of years living in Sydney working for the Merivale Group at The Establishment Hotel. Before that, I spent a few years living in Europe and working in London, managing a Tequila Bar Restaurant called Navajo Joe’s. Hey, we had 146 varieties of Tequila and needless to say I developed a fairly intimate relationship with Tequila…

Q: What’s your background, what other places have you worked?

Q: So how did you first get into the art of mixology?

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A: About 25 years ago, while I was still in high school, I enrolled in an external bartenders course and had special permission each week to leave school early and learn how to mix… and taste... drinks. I was hooked and I’ve been mixing ever since.

Q: What qualities do you think a successful bartender should have?

A: It’s simple – to be successful you need passion, flair, professionalism, a good nature and a great sense of humour... the rest just flows naturally.

Q: I know you have created a few special cocktails for us to sip on especially for this interview – how about that! But in normal circumstances, what’s the usual source of inspiration for you?

A: For me, the inspiration for creating drinks must come from the theme or the concept of the venue you are aspiring to craft. So upstairs at Double-Six Rooftop, the menu is seriously different to the Sling Bar, for instance, as it should be – it’s a different vibe you are aiming to craft. What part of the world you are in and the availability of fresh ingredients is also a key driver, and by using local fresh ingredients you can get

creative and always try new things; which is really cool. Lastly, it’s not about reinventing the wheel, it’s only mixing drinks and it’s all been done before, so classic cocktails and history are always an inspiration. I believe that what’s been learnt in the past, combined with where you are in the present, creates the future.

terms of favourites, well, it’s hard because I’m always excited about whatever project I’m currently working on and, you know, you are only ever as good as your current operation. Double-Six is a very exciting and happening project for me – I love it.

Q: Of all the different types of establishments you have worked in, which style was your favourite and why?

A: It’s incredibly exciting actually; there are heaps of good restaurants all delivering fantastic dining experiences, day in day out the whole scene in Bali has just erupted over past few years, it’s fantastic. For me, when it comes to cocktails, traditionally, because the island has always been the holiday kind of destination, the drinks have followed suit, so generally being colourful, fruity and sweet.

A: Through my whole career, I’ve been involved in multi-facet operations and thrive on the buzz of busy environments. In

Q: What’s the cocktail scene like in Bali?

As the industry here has matured, holidaymakers, locals and expats alike, have a more refined pallet and are searching for quality and consistency, more in line with what is happening in the global arena.

There are some great venues around getting creative with their lists and, with talented bartenders at the helm, it’s a boom time.

We have to admit, though, that the scene is still in its infancy, but I feel over the next five years we will see a progression towards more classically trained bartenders who wouldn’t flinch if you ordered a Woodford Old Fashioned and know how to correctly prepare a Negroni. I think at Double-Six Luxury Hotel, we are just really happy to be a central part in the evolution of the island’s cocktail culture.

Q: Recently I visited the F&B school in Sanur, Bali, and met lots of budding bartenders – what’s the best advice you could offer them as they begin their careers?

A: Think of bartending as an art, not as entertainment. Integrity in product and integrity of ingredients is always the key, and remember knowledge is power, so learn from those that came before. It takes years and years of work to hone your skills, and for your style to evolve so you must be willing to put in the hard yards.

Q: How do you see the future? Your own bar maybe?

Pak Sirsak Margarita Hornittos Reposado Tequila, Cointreau, house made Sirsak Sorbet & fresh Lime. Shaken over ice and finished with a sweet Sour Sop foam

A: Simple… on a tropical island sipping classic daiquiris and surfing my brains out…!! (www.double-six.com) 131

NIGHTLIFE

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The exciting arrival of MIRROR Lounge and Club brings sophistication and world-class DJs to a previously limited nightclub scene in Bali.

By Samantha Crawley

H

aving enjoyed a wonderful dinner, or perhaps a few cocktails, later on in the evening you find that you are in the mood to go clubbing with friends.

Up until recently, not only was there a somewhat limited choice of nightclubs in Bali, but of those that did exist, most were arguably lacking in sophistication and international-style standards.

Petitenget, greater Seminyak, and within a short distance of many fine bars and restaurants. Operating Wednesday to Saturday, 11PM to 5AM, MIRROR offers patrons ultra-late closing hours, compared to other venues on the island. Immediately, MIRROR evolved as Bali’s hot new nightspot, with anyone from expatriates and tourists, to Indonesian celebrities, Jakarta party animals and the “beautiful crowd” flocking here.

Not surprisingly then, stylish MIRROR Lounge and Club created a tsunami of excitement when it was launched in October 2014, unveiling a new sophisticated dimension to Bali’s night-time scene, an urban nightclub that you would typically find in major Asian cities, but not seen before on the island. MIRROR is also conveniently located in the midst of increasingly happening

MIRROR is actually the latest nightclub addition from Indonesian hospitality group ALL IN, highly regarded within Jakarta’s competitive FBE industry, with Fable nightclub and Odysseia Restaurant, Bar & Lounge already in their portfolio. Their GARDIN Bistro & Patisserie, which opened in June 2014 and stands in front of MIRROR in spacious leafy grounds, paved the way, literally, for the nightclub’s opening at a later date.

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NIGHTLIFE

Set back from Petitenget’s main street, MIRROR is an unexpected, yet for many, welcome sight – it is truly colossal, surely the largest club on the island. Entering through imposing doors, up to 1,000 clubbers can “reveal their inner fabulousity” and escape into the nightclub’s inner sanctum, where unparalleled music, service and interior design converge.

MIRROR’s striking interior design appears heavily influenced by the European Gothic period – and, perhaps, New York’s hip Limelight Club – and with its stained glass windows, pointed arches, soaring vaulted ceiling with timbered beams and stone sculptures, dramatically mirrors a European cathedral. High above, a contemporary-style glass roof allows patrons the magical illusion of dancing under the stars – without getting wet or bitten.

Glitzy elegance abounds, with life-size gilded bird cages book-ending a lengthy marble bar and sprawling timbered dance floor overhung with crystal chandeliers – the pulsating scene illuminated with state-of-the-art lighting systems, featuring chromatic coloured lights and neon lasers. Eighteen tables and four VIP sofas are coordinated around the vibrant dance floor, as well as two VVIP sofas on an exclusive mezzanine level offering a bird’s eye vantage point of the proceedings below. On busier nights it might be wise to reserve these tables in advance, but all come with bottle service and a minimum charge – a relatively new concept for Bali. MIRROR serves a broad collection of premium spirits and boasts the widest selection of Magnum bottles on the island. An eclectic range of classic

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and signature cocktails are available, along with light bite options, if any late night munchies hit.

MIRROR’s main attraction is surely its prolific portfolio of resident and internationally acclaimed DJs – the latter, frequently invited for guest appearances – pumping out cool sounds from the elevated DJ booth and backed by an enviable world-class sound system. Music genres such as R&B, hip-hop, house and more are covered in MIRROR’s regular nightly events, hosted by resident DJs; for these and themed party nights, keep up to date on the nightclub’s social media.

Wednesday presents a newly launched “Dolce & Banana” night, while Thursday night’s happening “The Grind” (that is, grind your troubles away) has already showcased such impressive talents on the international DJ scene as DJ Tang, a hip-hop artist from the UK, who also happens to be resident DJ at the world’s largest Ministry of Sound, in Singapore. Friday night’s “Substance” has already wowed patrons with the dynamic duo, Rave Republic, spinning a diverse genre of dance sounds. Keep mega-busy Saturday night free for “Infinite” sounds.

MIRROR has an over-21 door policy and dress code that does not permit any scruffy attire (such as singlets and sandals), but ladies, however, get free entry. The mantra at this hot new nightclub is, “Sometimes you need to look into the mirror to realize your deepest fantasies,” but even if you don’t, you are guaranteed one of the best late nights to be had in Bali. (www.mirror.id)

Method :

Ingredients: 45ml light rum 10ml lychee liqueur 60ml soda Lemon wedge 2

pieces Lychee fruit 2 pieces Fresh mint leaves

1) Pour, muddle and stir the rum and liqueur.

2) Add generous serving of crushed ice, plus fresh mint leaves and lemon wedges.

3) Top up with soda.

4) Skewer the lychee fruit pieces on a cocktail stick and add to the cocktail glass.

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SPALICIOUS

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By Samantha Crawley

In sync with AWAY Spa’s ultracontemporary surroundings and spirit, even spa products come from another world – exclusively designed for Bali’s AWAY menu and custom blended to match individual treatments.

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GOURMET BALI

An all-natural product of nectar, pollen and resins transformed by bees into a sweet, golden elixir, honey not only tastes yummy, but is highly beneficial inside and out. Honey, loaded with nutrients (including vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, potassium and zinc), antioxidants and healing compounds, is naturally antimicrobial (which is why it lasts forever, literally) and bears superpower scientific properties! Used for centuries as a medicinal remedy for a diversity of ailments, with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial compounds, honey soothes coughs and sore throats, treats sunburn, wounds, cuts and acne in addition to increasing tissue regeneration and killing off antibioticresistant bacteria. With its hydrating, antioxidant and conditioning nutrients, honey also provides tons of beautifying benefits when used as a hair conditioner, moisturizing mask and bath soak. For superior results, buy unprocessed, raw honey.

W

ithin the stylish W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak, located alongside Petitenget Beach, even up against Bali’s internationally acclaimed spas, W’s AWAY Spa is cutting edge, sophisticated stuff, bucking Balinese spa trends and justifiably the recipient of numerous awards, including Condé Nast Johansen’s Spa Awards for Excellence 2015. Covering 1,500 square metres, this is W Retreat’s largest globally branded AWAY Spa and its sleek, all white and futuristic interiors almost resemble a vast spaceship – belying the beachfront location.

More than just a mere spa, AWAY captures the playful, hip W Retreat experience,

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with emphasis on jetsetter glamour and fun, providing an escape within an escape, whisking customers off to another stratosphere. AWAY Spa is open 24 hours a day and incorporates W Hotels’ signature Whatever/Whenever service philosophy, offering guests whatever they want, whenever they want it, while out-there facilities cover a detox chamber wired with pure oxygen masks and Chill Bar. In sync with AWAY Spa’s ultracontemporary surroundings and spirit, even spa products come from another world – exclusively designed for Bali’s AWAY menu and custom blended to match individual treatments. Freshly made with 100 percent natural

ingredients, products come in dry powdered form, water being added just before treatments, resulting in a smooth paste still retaining all the ingredients’ beautifying benefits. Massage and pure essential oils, selected by AWAY Spa rather than guests, contributes to a specific product-treatment regime.

AWAY Spa’s detox and refuel concept brings traditional Asian therapies upto-date with a mood-boosting menu of recharging and reinvigorating treatments.

This innovative menu reflects different personalities, with offerings such as Glamour and Glitz, Fit and Fabulous, Serene and Soulful and the all-new What Men Want.

For pre-treatment therapies, set aside 30 minutes for complimentary use of AWAY’s decadent Wet Area, featuring a steam room, hot stone pool and cold jet vitality pool, all of which help relax the body before your treatment.

The Serene and Soulful treatment suits “the quiet, passionate soul that delights in imagination and seduction”. From the Body Works sub-section, I opt for the Body Honey treatment (150 minutes, IDR2.3 million++). Although off-thecharts relaxing, this lusciously sweet treatment is a maintenance regime, keeping skin glowing and well nourished and propelling nature’s magical product to the star role. However, unlike other spas, the honey used at AWAY is not of a sticky, dense and heavy consistency, but rather comes in a powdered form, mixed with other ingredients and water. It isn’t sticky, it’s mess-free and there are no crystallisation issues!

To reengage the senses, my one-hour massage uses AWAY’s signature massage technique, incorporating circular strokes along the spine and long strokes over the limbs, in traditional Balinese style.

This stimulates the nervous system and releases muscle tension and is

assisted by an ultra-soothing, heated herbal poultice, packed with therapeutic Himalayan crystal salts, rosemary and aromatic pandan leaves, mixed together with warm grape seed and soya oil.

Now insanely relaxed, my scrumptious Honey and Mango Body Scrub exfoliates and removes dead skin cells for renewed skin brightness. Loaded with antioxidants, enzymes and other nutrients that nourish, cleanse and hydrate the skin, honey makes a wonderful exfoliate. This scrub also features sea salt, organic ground rice, mango and mandarin peel, plus pure essential oils.

All showered off, it’s straight into a deeply moisturizing Coconut Milk and Wild Honey Body Cocoon. Honey is a natural humectant drawing moisture deep into the epidermis where it’s needed most for penetrating, longlasting hydration, while antioxidants repair the skin, protecting it against environmental damage. Even when water is added to this cocoon powder – which also incorporates French and yellow clay and coconut milk – it’s still not too runny, explaining the purple satin sheets used for cocooning me

(contrasting with the usual banana leaf wraps).

While all this soaks in, and before my final shower, I am spoiled further with a reenergizing head massage by my superstar therapist. Body Honey Lotion seals the deal with a highly moisturizing liquid honey base, incorporating hydrating aloe vera, jojoba seeds, avocado, wild pansy extracts and more, blended with mandarin, lime, jasmine and ylang ylang essential oils. Posttreatment, I waft down to the Refuel Room for my debriefing; this sunshinefilled chamber is pure AWAY Spa, glassencased with funky seating and banana chips provided plus candies and Refuel Juice (young coconut, pineapple and ginger).

As AWAY Spa promises, “The new irresistible you is now ready to hit Bali’s glam hotspots.” Body Honey is ideal before a big night out, such as a hot date or glitzy first-night event, although its divine effects last well past one memorable night. I’m certainly ready, nicely zoned-out with beautifully hydrated, fragrant and glowing skin that is out of this world. (www.wretreatbali.com)

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BALI Arwana Restaurant at The Laguna Bali

Double-Six

Kayuputi Bali Fine Dining Restaurant at

Kawasan Pariwisata Nusa Dua Lot N2 Nusa

No. 66, Double Six Beach, Seminyak – Bali

St. Regis Bali

Dua, Kuta Selatan, Kabupaten Badung, Bali

80361, Indonesia

Kawasan Pariwisata, Nusa Dua Lot S6, PO

80361, Indonesia

T: +62 361 730 466

Box 44, Nusa Dua, Bali 80363, Indonesia

T: +62 361 771 327

E: info@double-six.com

T: +62 361 847 8111

E: fb.reservations@luxurycollection.com

www.double-six.com

E: kayuputi.bali@stregis.com www.kayuputirestaurant.com

www.arwanarestaurant.com Finn’s Beach Club at AWAY® Spa at W Retreat & Spa Bali -

Semara Luxury Villa Resort

Kilo Kitchen

Seminyak

Jalan Pantai Selatan Gau, Banjar Wijaya

Jalan Drupadi No. 22, Seminyak, Bali 80361,

Jl. Petitenget, Kerobokan, Seminyak,

Kusuma, Ungasan, Bali 80362, Indonesia

Indonesia

Denpasar, Bali 80361 · Indonesia

T: +62 361 848 2111 / +62 361 553 2111

T: +62 361 474 1006

T: +62 361 4738 106

E: finns@semararesorts.com

E: bali@kilokitchen.com

E: awayspa.wbali@whotels.com

www.finnsbeachclub.com

www.kilokitchen.com

www.wretreatbali.com/en/forms/away_spa Lilin Jl. Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia T: +62 361 473 7979 www.lilin-bali.com Mejekawi by KU DE TA Jalan Kayu Aya No. 9, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia T: +62 361 736 969 www.kudeta.net Mirror Jalan Petitenget No. 106, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia T: +62 811 399 3010 E: info@mirror.id www.mirror.id MoonLite Kitchen and Bar Rooftop at Anantara Seminyak Bali Jl. Abimanyu (Dhyana Pura), Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia T: +62 361 737 755 E: reservations@moonlitebali.com www.moonlitebali.com S.K.A.I Beach Club at Padma Resort Bali, Legian Jalan Padma No. 1, Legian, Bali 80361, Indonesia T: +62 361 752111 E: skaibeachclubbali@padmaresortbali.com www.padmaresortlegian.com Sarong Jalan Petitenget No. 19 X, Kerobokan, Kuta, Bali 80361, Indonesia T: +62 361 473 7809 Courtesy: Tirtha Dining

E: info@sarongbali.com www.sarongbali.com

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And win a two night stay at Premier Deluxe Room including breakfast 2 persons.

A beachfront property with comfortable guest rooms and facilities scattered across a verdant garden that meets the sea, Puri Santrian was inspired by the harmony of a traditional Balinese village and is known for its impeccable service and genuine hospitality that sweeps traveller into a realm of belonging.

Jalan Cemara 35, Sanur 80228 P.O. Box 3055 Denpasar, Bali - Indonesia Telephone: (+62) 361 288009 Fax: (+62) 361 287101 email: purisantrian@santrian.com www.santrian.com 141

Soi7

Courtesy: Soi7

Soya

The Parlour Kitchen, Bar & Lounge

Soi7

Jalan Danau Tamblingan No.47, Denpasar

Jalan Raya Petitenget No. 15XX, Kuta Utara,

57 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

Selatan, Bali 80228, Indonesia

Bali 80361, Indonesia

T: +862 2840 0041

T: +62 361 849 7830

T: +62 361 473 4654

www.soi7.com.hk

E: info@theparlourbali.com Soleil at The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas

www.theparlourbali.com

- Nusa Dua, Bali Jalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, Kawasan Sawangan Nusa Dua, Bali 80363, Indonesia T: +62 361 302 7777 E: soleil.reception@themulia.com www.themulia.com

JAKARTA HONG KONG

Jalan Suryo No. 26, Senopati, Jakarta Selatan Carbone

12180, Indonesia

9/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St, Central,

T: +62 21 2912 6528

Teatro Gastroteque

Hong Kong

Jalan Kayu Aya Blok C #1-2, Seminyak, Bali,

T: +852 2593 2593

Indonesia

E: reservations@carbone.com.hk

T: +62 361 870 0078 E: info@teatrobali.com www.teatrobali.com

3 Wise Monkeys Resto & Bar

www.carbone.com.hk

Akira Back Md Place, 12th Floor Jalan Setiabudi Selatan No. 7, Jakarta Selatan 12910, Indonesia T: +62 21 2904 0777

Bibo

E: info@akirabackindonesia.com

Tirtha Dining

163 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong

www.akirabackindonesia.com

Jalan Uluwatu Br. Dinas Karang Boma Desa

Kong

Pecatu, Kuta, Bali 80364, Indonesia

T: +852 2956 3188

T: +62 361 847 1151

E: bibo@relaischateaux.com

E: info@tirthadining.com www.tirthadining.net

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www.bibo.hk

Exquisite Media is a media group focusing on the Luxury/High-End market.

We have five successful publications, namely ASIA DREAMS (a bi-monthly Lifestyle & Travel magazine), EXQUISITE TASTE (a quarterly Gourmet Food & Wine magazine), BEAUTIFUL BALI (an annual program for Bank Central Asia providing exclusive privileges for their Affluent Credit Cardholders across more than 200 selected merchants on the Island of the Gods), CELEBRATE JAKARTA (a bi-annual program for HSBC providing exclusive privileges for their Affluent Credit Cardholders across more than 100 selected merchants in the City of Jakarta), and WEALTH AND BEYOND Magazine, a Premier Banking Magazine for HSBC’s Premier Customers.

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Courtesy: Lewin Terrace

MALAYSIA

E&O

Locanda Food Voyager

Menara Rajawali, 1st Floor

Panin Bank Building, Ground Floor

Jalan Dr. Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung Lot#5.1,

Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 1 Jakarta Pusat

Celestial Court at Sheraton Imperial

Kawasan Mega Kuningan, Jakarta 12950,

10270, Indonesia.

Kuala Lumpur Hotel

Indonesia

T: +62 2157 27981

Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur 50250

T: +62 21 576 1645

E: reservation@locandajakarta.com

Malaysia

E: info@eandojakarta.com

www.locandajakarta.com

T: +60 3 2717 9302

www.eandojakarta.com

www.spgrestaurantsandbars.com/ Ristorante da Valentino

L’Avenue at The Hermitage Hotel

MD Place, 11th Floor

Jl. Cilacap, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat 10310,

Jalan Setiabudi Selatan No. 7, Jakarta Selatan

Indonesia.

12910, Indonesia

T: +62 21 3192 6888

T: +62 21 2985 5777

E: info@hermitage.co.id

www.valentino-id.com

malaysia/kuala-lumpur/celestial-court

SINGAPORE East 8

www.jakarta.hermitage.co.id/hotel/lavenue RIVA Grill, Bar & Terrace at

10 Coleman Street #01-21/22, Grand Park

La Moda

The Park Lane Hotel Jakarta

Hotel City Hall, Singapore 179809

Plaza Indonesia, 1st Floor

Jalan Casablanca Kav. 18, Jakarta 12870,

T: +65 6338 8289

Jalan M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30, Jakarta Pusat

Indonesia

E: eat@east-8.com

10350, Indonesia.

T: +62 21 828 2000

www.east-8.com

T: +62 21 2992 4217

www.rivagrillnbar.com Labyrinth

E: lamoda@luxurycollection.com Sriwijaya at The Dharmawangsa Jakarta

5 Neil Road, Singapore 088806

Jalan Brawijaya Raya No. 26, Kebayoran Baru,

T: +65 6223 4098

Letter D Cuisine & Bar

Jakarta 12160, Indonesia

E: info@labyrinth.com.sg

Jalan Ahmad Dahlan No. 16, Gandaria,

T: +62 21 725 8181

www.labyrinth.com.sg

Jakarta Selatan 12130, Indonesia

E: reservation@the-dharmawangsa.com

T: +62 21 7278 5111

www.the-dharmawangsa.com

www.lamodajakarta.com

Lewin Terrace

E: reservations@letter-d.co

21 Lewin Terrace Singapore, Singapore 179290

www.letter-d.co

T: (+65) 6333 9905 E:info@lewinterrace.com.sg www.lewinterrace.com.sg

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