Mozaic - Fine Dining Restaurant - Ubud, Bali
By
Thibaud (Jakarta100bars)
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My experience in Mozaic could be summarized in simple terms: It is the best restaurant I have tried in Indonesia (if you are a reader of this website, you will know that I visited a lot of them!). Mozaic is located in Ubud, about a kilometer away from the central market. It is not too big, with the main dining area in a quiet garden. The standards of service are as high as one can achieve in Indonesia I believe. The table set-up is perfect, the staff is great, and the atmosphere ideally romantic. It was opened by French-American national Chris Salans, who also opened Mozaic Beach Club in 2012. The restaurant has received several awards, in particular being included in Restaurant Magazine's list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.
Corner House is a resuscitated restaurant located at the end of Jalan Oberoi, at the intersection with Jalan Drupadi. It burned down a couple of years ago (it was called Corner Store) and it just opened again today (June 22nd 2014). It was a popular breakfast place back then, and it seems that it will be even more crowded now. They improved the design and the menu, making it the place to be in Seminyak on Sunday mornings for expatriates. The owners are a mixed couple French and Australian, Magali Pascal a fashion designer and Matt Neville, a photographer. There is now a second floor and they also open for lunch and dinner. Even though the Corner House looks great, it is almost a copy of some existing restaurants such as Le Bistrot, Petitenget or Loewy in Jakarta. I wouldn't give them too much credit for originality. Also, they pushed the vintage theme a bit far, especially by putting old black and white picture of people on the walls near the toilet. I vis
Café Seminyak is a popular restaurant on Jalan Raya Seminyak, strategically located next to Bintang supermarket. It also has a bakery/pastry shop called "La Boulangerie de Bali". My first impression of the café was not good. The staff was overwhelmed and it seemed there was no management inside. It was hard to get attention from the waitresses who were quite disorganized and not particularly friendly. I first ordered a Ricotta Salad, but I was told 5 minutes later there were no tomatoes left. I then asked for a Merguez Sandwich, and again 3 minutes later I was told there was no more baguette. Finally, I went for the Crepes Ham Cheese Mushroom and they were able to do it! Ham Cheese Mushroom Crêpe (Rp49,000+15% tax and service) In spite of this, I can understand the reasons behind the success of Café Seminyak. The menu is complete: They have French, Australian, American, Thai, Indian, Indian food and a long list of desserts, including home-made ice creams (se
Sip Wine Bar is one of the best French restaurants in Bali. It is located on Jalan Raya Seminyak, not too far from Jalan Dhyana Pura. The owner/chef is Christian Vanneque, whose biography is worth reading ( sip-bali.com/whos-the-boss/ ). He has a long career as a Head Sommelier in prestigious, Michelin-starred restaurants in France and abroad. I didn't have wine in Sip but it is certainly the place to go in Bali if you want enjoy an excellent wine pairing with your food. The atmosphere in Sip resembles that of an authentic Parisian bistro. It is dim-lighted, old-style yet comfortable, with soft music in the background. There are tons of original ideas in Sip that I would recommend a visit to anyone who would like to open their own restaurants. One thing is worth noticing is the quality of the toilets, probably the best I have seen in Indonesia. They even have tampons for ladies "just in case"...
Chez Gado-Gado is a fine dining restaurant located at the end of Jalan Dhyana Pura in Seminyak, with a view on the beach. It is rather expensive, about 200,000rp for a main course (with an additional 18% tax and service). They are part of the same group behind Ku De Ta and Cocoon, with a few foreigners among the management. In particular, the Executive Chef Quirijn Rademaker is from Holland. The menu is rather small and features mostly gastronomic dishes. It gave me an excellent first impression. The friends who accompanied me were expecting Indonesian food (because of the name Gado Gado), so they were disappointed and I was the only one to eat.
Warung Perancis is a small French-inspired restaurant located slightly in the outskirts of Ubud, on Jalan Cok Gede Rai Pudak. It is not related to the Warung Prancis of Seminyak (see here ). It is owned by an Indonesian from Surabaya who previously worked several years in France. He is also behing the bakery White Box in downtown Ubud. I didn't keep the bill but I remember that it was rather cheap and that it tasted good. Here are some pictures I took of my food (which was more fusion French/Indonesian than pure French).
Warisan used to be an institution in Bali when it was headed by the two Frenchmen Said Alem (manager) and Nicolas "Doudou" Tourneville (chef). It was called Kafé Warisan at the time and it was serving French food. I don't know exactly what happened, but the team left and went on to open Métis restaurant and the Bali Catering Company (Gourmet Café). Kafé Warisan went under renovation, and it opened again in 2011 under the simple name Warisan, which means Heritage. They also have an expensive art and antique gallery in the same location. Warisan is now less busy. The prices have gone up and the quality of food down, but it is still worth trying if you are looking for a fine dining experience. It is also interesting to visit for their big garden and their occasional events.
I live about 2 minutes from the Gourmet Café located on Jalan Dewi Sri in Legian, Bali. I visit it about once a week, usually taking one of their build-your-own salads or sandwiches. It is not fancy and none of the dishes will impress you, but you will eat well-prepared, quality food for a reasonable price. Gourmet Café was opened by Bali Catering Co, which belongs to the same team behind the fine dining restaurant Métis. Overall : Recommended restaurant if you stay near from one of the branches. Gourmet Café has no Balinese charm so it is suitable for expatriates (especially French ones) looking for affordable Western food. As more and more of their clients are Indonesian, the menu also features several Asian dishes.
Pearl is a French fine dining restaurant located near Jalan Double Six Beach in Legian/Seminyak. It is inside a small complex of 16 rooms owned by a French couple. Jeremy Blanchet, the young Executive Chef of Pearl is French himself and he is the son of the two owners. Pearl is spread inside a large garden, with a small Balinese temple and a swimming pool. You also have a bar area near the open kitchen. It was not too crowded when I visited and my main impression was that it was very peaceful. The sound of the music was low and people seemed to be whispering at each other to avoid making too much noise. Still, I could hear that most of the clients were French speakers. Since all the tables are outside, it can be hot and you may get mosquito bites. The waiters have insect repellent if you need. The service was really perfect, as you could expect from a fine dining restaurant inside any 5-star hotel: Friendly, efficient, and with appropriate product knowledge. The m