Raffles in Bali is without a doubt the most exclusive hotel I have stayed at. A hotel built around 32 private villas overlooking the ocean in Bali. A hotel like that needs a gourmet restaurant to satisfy the desire for high end cuisine by a demanding clientel.
If you follow me and read what I write you will know that I love champagne and that one of my absolute favorite is Krug. Rumari is a Krug ambassador and starting with a glass of Krug put a smile on my face right from the start while at the same time showing their dedication to serving only the best ingredients.
Together with the champagne we would have street food from all of the world from ceviche to local bao and a delicious taco with cochinilla pibli. All with authentic flavors and having lived in Peru and being married to a Peruvian I always feel extra critical when being served a ceviche outside Peru. Despite the appearance it had all the authentic flavors and was just very delicious as did the two other snacks. A great start to the meal.
The concept of the restaurant is to use 80% local ingredients and just 20% or less ingredients from outside Indonesia. With the next dish it would be 100% local ingredients as well as flavors. Mud crab served with lots of acidic elements such as green mango, jicama and ginger flower. Some of these pickled for both crunch and balance. Now while the presentation and the use of liquid nitrogen is European the flavors were both delicious and authentic local.
Head chef Gaetan Biesuz is born and raised in France so naturally we would have a dish based on that. He chose a terrine based on all the good parts of a pigs head. Naturally it would not be served classic French style but lots of local heroes would provide the fatty head with balance together with a spicy tartare sauce.
Chawanmushi is arguable one of the Japanese dishes most often on the menu outside Japan (sushi aside naturally). The serving here would however not be traditional Japanese. The chawanmushi would more be used for texture and carrier of flavor for a spicy crayfish and padang sauce. A sauce that was spicy and with a lot of heat but with so much florality at the same time.
They would keep the heat level for the next dish with grilled eggplant and octopus with pork sausage and a delicious balado sauce.
With the popularity of social media it is becoming harder and harder to produce truely unique dishes. The next one plays on the familiar theme of egg, caviar and ice creme. Despite being a familiar combination the twist such as using coconut for sweetness this balanced out the umami of the duck egg and caviar is the best kind of salt. All in all such a delicious dish and I loved how he took classic flavors and made it his own. The technical execution was also spot.
From one imported ingredients to the other and last of the meal. Lamb from New Zealand served with another spicy sauce. Simple and delicious.
The first dessert was another one stemming from Gaetan French upbringing. This one was even called “Memory of France”. Arroz con leche (rice with milk) is a classic French dessert and for Gaetan a core childhood memory. He would love to lick the pot to get all the caramel. This is his take on recreating that sensation. The rice is replaced by puffed rice while the caramel is again place around the bowl and in the center a ice cream of rice and vanilla. I do love a good sweet and salty dessert and this was just that and wrapped in a very nice personal story.
We would end on an acidic and dessert. Pomelo sorbet shaped as a kafir lime. A bit of coffee and chocolate crumple for balance and texture. Naturally kafir lime was added to provide a bitter and refreshing element. A beautiful and technically well executed dish to finish a great meal.
Hotel restaurants are notoriously tricky. They have to be unique and representing the place while still being something for everybody, they have to use luxurious ingredients but still be sustainable, they have to provide an elevated experience but still relaxed enough to make you want to come back several days in a row for a different experience. Rumari does all of that.
There is no doubt that Raffles is a destination hotel with its ability to personalize each experience and make you feel pampered and spoiled all while you get a unique experience. Rumari matches that very well. The flavors are distinctly local while the techniques are European. I love that they did not try to be a European restaurant with a few Balinese elements but rather the other way around. This combined with a few luxurious ingredients and a spectacular setting they genuinely provide a unique experience.
Practical Information
Location: Jimbaran Bali
Head Chef: Gaetan Biesuz
Menu: a la carte and tasting menu
Website: Rumari – Raffles Bali
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