M Bali Tour - The best restaurant in Ubud is BEBEK BENGIL / DIRTY DUCK RESTAURANT,For many years rather popular is DIRTY DUCK or BEBEK BENGIL in Padang Tegal about one kilometer south of Ubud's main street. Forget their special "Crispy Duck" which is very dry and sometimes rather tough. Their range of other Indonesian and Western dishes, however, is quite tasty, the garden setting very pleasant, and the live background music in the evenings creates a nearly magic atmosphere.
CAFE LOTUS has been an institution for many years. Located in the center of Ubud between the main street and a large, beautiful lotus pond in front of a temple (designed by the famous artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad) this pleasant open-air restaurant serves a variety of Italian pasta dishes, some Asian and local specialties such as the Balinese duck 'Bebek Betutu', and a good choice of cakes and fruit juices. Although the prices here are quite steep for Ubud standards, CAFE LOTUS is busy the whole day.
Nearly across the road is CASA LUNA offering a number of Balinese and Mediterranean dishes which look very interesting on the menu but can be a bit disappointing, and a branch of the well-known RYOSHI serving good Sushi, Sashimi and Tempura until midnight at rather low prices.
MURNI'S WARUNG, located next to the Campuan bridge, is another of Ubud's institutions. Built on several levels between the road and the river, this is an excellent place to try the 'Bebek Betutu' (order one day in advance to be sure) and other local specialties. The more elegant BRIDGE CAFE cascades also down over several levels – right opposite on the other side of the river – and offers creative 'Pacific Rim' cuisine i.e. tasty culinary creations with influences from Thailand, India, China and Japan as well as local specialties, salads and vegetarian dishes. Try the Szechuan Pancakes filled with deep fried duck, the Thai Chicken Pizza, or the Chilly Prawns. Very pleasant atmosphere and good service.
Another of Ubud favorites is ARY'S WARUNG, a stylish side-walk bistro in the center of town with creative oriental/international cuisine and a choice of interesting vegetarian dishes. The Tasting Menu for lunch includes four dishes for 150,000 or 190,000 Rupiah with one glass of wine, the Dinner Tasting Menu six dishes for 240,000 or 280,000 Rupiah with two glasses of wine, always plus tax & service. Expect delicacies such as Lobster Wonton, Tuna Parfait with caviar and Wasabi cream, Seared Sea Scallops, Sauted Green Pepercorn Pate with green papaya salad, Carpaccio of Venison, Steamed Snapper with red chilli butter, Jumbo River Prawns sauted with chilli, garlic and ginger, deboned Roasted Quail, Rack of Lamb with chilli mint sauce, and Roasted Veal Cutlets with Wasabi butter. The desserts are equally creative; try the Durian Créme Brulleé! The wine list offers a good choice of Australian and French wines starting around 300,000 Rupiah, and the service is friendly AND professional.
On the way to Sayan between the Campuhan Hotel and the Pita Maha Resort is the INDUS Restaurant operated by the same owner as Casa Luna. Well-spaced tables on two levels offer a beautiful view over the Campuan river valley, the service is very friendly, and they serve a wide range of health food. You can choose Italian pizza, ravioli and fettucini, Middle Eastern Mezze, Chinese spring rolls, Thai Thom Kha Kai soup, and Indonesian Nasi Campur, Gado Gado, and even a Balinese "Smoked Duck Feast" for only 120,000 Rupiah for two. There are many seafood and vegetarian dishes, various interesting fresh fruit juices such as apple with mint juice or carrot, spinach, parsley & celery juice (to clean your blood and for detoxification), lassi, herbal teas and special coffees. If all this sounds too healthy, there are also delicious sweets, a (disappointingly) small selection of wines, but an acceptable choice of cocktails.
Evenings you used to meet many foreign residents in NAUGHTY NURI'S Warung on the same road to Sayan. Boston-born Brian, Nuri's husband, buys every Thursday fresh tuna in Benoa, and they serve on Thursday nights delicious tuna Sashimi, tuna steaks, and tuna satay. Daily fare includes various Indonesian dishes, steaks, lamb chops, and large slabs of ribs which are barbecued on a long charcoal grill in front of the place. But better go easy on their excellent Martinis – after a few of these you won't mind the price of 95,000 Rupiah per drink or the somewhat uncomfortable, often very smokey and extremely "local" surroundings, and the next day you might even not remember how you got home or where you've been the night before! However, recently they have started to accept reservations for busloads of Asian tourist, and many local expats are looking for other places to spend their time.
MOZAIC opened in 2001 on Jalan Raya Sanggingan, the road from Campuhan to Sayan, and is run by Franco-American Chef Chris Salans (ex Thomas Keller's French Laundry in Napa valley). It offers very pleasant out-door and in-door seating, excellent service and attractive presentation of Chris' creative cuisine. You can choose one of the set menus (Discovery Menu, Vegetarian Tasting Menu, Chef's Tasting Menu and Chef's Surprize Menu), starting from Rp.550.000++ to Rp.1.500.000++ per person per set menu. If you prefer to bring your own wine, they charge Rp.250.000++ corkage fee per bottle. On the well-chosen wine list you find many selection of open wines, and bottles start from around Rp.500.000++ per bottle. The restaurant is open 7 days a week, from Monday to Sunday, reservations are required. Please call 975-768.
For a total culinary indulgence together with your family and prepared by chef Chris Salans, a group of gourmets or special friends, book the Private Dinner Experience @ MOZAIC: Chris Salans prepares and serves a specially created Tasting Menu of his Signature Dishes in the privacy of "The Workshop", a separate venue at the back of the restaurant garden with an open state-of-the-art demo kitchen, a comfortable lounge and the elegant dining area accommodating up to 35 guests. Prices range from 1.000.000++ per person per set menu (depending on dishes selected and the accompanying wines) include selection of canapés. An individually created Special Chef's Table Tasting Menu prepared by Chris Salans, matching wines with each course and coffee or tea. The possiblility of direct interaction between Chef Salans and the guests during the meal as well as during the preparation of each course can make this not only an unforgettable experience but also a very personalized cooking class for some or all of the participants! Eight guests (or a minimum spending of Rp.15.000.000++) are required for the exclusive booking of "The Workshop". During the day there are also various recreational and professional cooking classes offered teaching traditional as well as modern cutting-edge technologies for individuals and groups. Call 975-768 for inquiries and bookings.
LAMAK Restaurant & Bar is another of Ubud's top eateries. It was opened in February 2002 and is located on Monkey Forest Road a bit South of the soccer field next to SAI SAI bar. The quite unique design is by Made Wijaya (Australian Michael White), and the restaurant is operated by the German Chef Roland Lickert. The tempting menus (different for lunch and dinner) include Asian, international and vegetarian dishes such as Seaweed Salad with Balinese Satay Lilit, various fried noodles with Spiced Szechuan Chicken, with Asian Greens and Glazed Tofu or with Black Bean Fish, Stir-fried Scallops on Green Tea Noodles and Bruschetta with Salmon Tartar. There is an great Shitake Mushroom Cappuccino soup and a unique Balinese Bouillabaisse, Escargots with delicious Cafe de Paris Butter or seared Foie Gras, and for your main course you can choose Crispy Salmon, Balsamic Glazed Beef Steak, Quail Saltimbocca, Pancetta-wrapped Pork Fillet, Lamb Cutlets, Duck Breast with Red Pepper Pesto and Seafood Pasta. Delicious sweets include Orange & Ginger Créme Bruleé, Fried Forest Berry Ice Cream on Baileys Cream and a Chilled Pina Colada Soufflé. Too difficult to decide what to chose from their Asian Fusion cuisine? Just order the 5-course Tasting Menu for only US$35++! Gourmets may be impressed, wine lovers will certainly be delighted: you can choose from 8 wines by the glass from US$6 to US$10 and from nearly 50 bottled wines from France, Italy, Australia and California starting at US$45. There is also a choice of Cuban cigars. The reasonable prices for food and wine help to relax in the open-air lounge and cocktail bar downstairs, in the upstairs dining area or in the air-conditioned section on the upper floor. LAMAK is open every day from 11:00 in the morning to 11:00 p.m. Roland runs also WARUNG ENAK in Pengosekan (south of Ubud) where he serves tasty specialties from Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Lombok, Bali and other islands of Indonesia in pleasant surroundings and at reasonable prices.
TROPICAL BALI, Jalan Raya Sanggingan not far from MOZAIC, is an open-air restaurant offering nice rice field views and friendly service. The owner from Timor operates also a similar restaurant in Dili, East Timor. Although the surroundings don't meet the claim of "Fine Dining", he offers creative French-Asian fusion cuisine at low prices. You can choose from various combinations of scallops, prawns, quail, lamb, duck and beef tenderloin such as Miso Quail Confit with Pan-seared Scallops and Prawn on Curry Sauce, Fresh Seafood with Udon on Laksa Sauce with Crispy Seared Duck Breast or Prawn Gyoza with Prawn Ricepaper Roll and Cherry Tomato Mozarella Salad as appetizer, continue with Confit Quail with Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Deep Fried Duck Breast with Wild Berry Sauce and Seared Snapper or Beef Medaillion with Steamed Sea Bass. For dessert there are Chocolate Tart with Mango Ice Cream, Orange Parfait with Caramelized Mango with Jackfruit Compote and Mint Syrup or a Hot Cointreau Chocolate Pudding with Coconut Sauce and White Wine Sabayon. There is a huge choice of traditional and more exotic cocktails but a limited choice of wines. An interesting dinner for two should be around 450,000 Rupiah plus drinks.
Other restaurants recommended by foreign residents and recent visitors are IBU OKA for the delicious Babi Guling (suckling pig), PESTO CAFE, Jalan Raya Campuhan, for tasty Indonesian dishes and international snacks at low prices, TERAZO, Jalan Suweta just North of the Royal Palace, and the CINTA GRILL on Monkey Forest Road for trendy fusion cuisine, BATAN WARU (Western and Indonesian Brasserie type food), CAFE DES ARTISTES, Jalan Bisma 9X, for Belgium cuisine and some Indonesian and Thai dishes at low prices, GAJAH BIRU for authentic Indian cuisine, GAYA for simple Italian dishes, located above the gallery with the same name in Sayan, the KOKOKAN CLUB in Pengosekan for tasty Thai dishes, COFFEE & SILVER on Jalan Monkeu Forest for breakfast, brunch and all-day dining with tasty snacks, tapas and international mains and an interesting children's menu, INDIAN DELITES, THREE MONKEYS, KAMPUNG KAFE, and TEPI SAWAH.
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