Bali - Tropical Life

Feb62018 by olafNo Comments

Relaxing the Mind & Calming the Soul at THE SPA at PADMA RESORT LEGIAN

Unwind

Holidays are all we need to get away from the drudgery and stresses of everyday life, we need to clear our minds and rejuvenate our hard-working bodies. There is nothing better to kick-start your holiday healing process than a well-designed therapy session in a professional Spa. The Spa at Padma Resort Legian, with its peaceful setting and modern comforts, offers a menu of relaxation and health-enhancing treatments inspired by Asian healing rituals and makes use of the finest luxurious spa products. With a selection of treatments from thirty minutes to two and a half hours, this is a place to relax and re-energise. The Frangipani Petal Warm Oil Massage comes highly recommended. This is a 60-minute treatment using warm oil which is very effective in releasing stress, improving the smoothn...

Feb52018 by olafNo Comments

Food for the Soul at SOULBYTES

Spice

With its own roasting machine, SoulBytes specialises in good coffee and offers a range of specialist creations using beans that have been selected from producers in different regions of Indonesia and other countries. If you like your coffee a little sweet there is the Crème Brulee cappuccino, and for something unusual, there is the Jamu Coffee combining jamu, a traditional Indonesian medicine, with black coffee. The menu has a lot to choose from, it is simple and freshly prepared in an open kitchen and yet offers a tantalising array of interesting creations including light bites, specialist burgers, salads, all day breakfasts, pastries and pancakes. Highly recommended samples from the menu include the Cured Salmon using beetroot-cured Tasmanian salmon served with homemade hash browns, ho...

Feb52018 by olafNo Comments

Food Meets Street Art at AYA STREET

Spice

A well designed and comfortable interior features a carefully curated selection of street artwork displayed on the walls to give an interesting atmosphere that is sure to attract a discerning diner’s attention. Aya Street specialises in Peruvian fusion cuisine blending influences from Peru’s indigenous Inca people with elements introduced by Asian migrants with a focus on Peruvian-Japanese (Nikkei) and Peruvian-Chinese (Chifa) fusion. The kitchen uses fresh, Balinese produce sourced from local growers to give an Indonesian twist. At Aya Street, the food is casual and created to be shared. I sampled a wonderful 5-course meal that is served in smaller portions. The meal started with fish soup, followed by Leche De Tigre (calamari and ceviche), tasty and uniquely presented. This was...

Feb52018 by olafNo Comments

The Myriad of Tastes of Indonesia at NUSANTARA BY LOCAVORE

Spice

Collecting authentic, original recipes from many different regions in Indonesia, Nusantara by Locavore offers a tantalising diversity of dishes with an abundance of flavours. The restaurant itself is cosy and designed to make you feel at home, as if you’re in your own dining area. As for a sample of the dishes, we’ll start off with my favourite - the Udang Telor Asin from the Makassar area of South Sulawesi. A wonderful combination of flavours created by taking the freshest of shrimps and deep-frying them before blending them with salted egg sauce. Next, we have Cincang Karo from Brastagi in North Sumatra; if you love pork, this is for you. Pork belly is cooked in bamboo with young banana stems, cassava leaves, banana blossom, coconut and kecombrang. Cincang Karo tastes even be...

Feb52018 by olafNo Comments

Bali’s first Meat Boutique at BOY’N’COW

Spice

As the name suggests, this Seminyak restaurant offers high-quality beef carefully selected from sustainable and organic farms in Australia and the USA. As any steak connoisseur knows, getting the very best from a piece of steak depends on how it is aged to get the meat’s natural enzymes to work their magic. Boy’N’Cow uses a dry ageing process in which the meat is stored in a cool, humidity climate controlled environment for 28 days. This produces succulent, tender steaks that melt in your mouth. I started my meal with hamachi ceviche with orange, radish, onion and yuzu vinaigrette and continued with foie gras with port grape jam and toasted brioche. For the main course, I selected a classic 280grm ribeye, cooked medium rare and served with side dishes of steak chips with truffle and parm...

Feb22018 by olafNo Comments

Private Indulgence in the Heart of Seminyak at THE BAGANDING VILLA

Next Stay

Surrounding the villa is a peaceful lush tropical garden, a 12-metre swimming pool complete with a shallow end for the children, water fountains, a sun deck and loungers and deep well-furnished verandas that lead into airy rooms. Indoors, guests will find air-conditioned living spaces furnished with large soft-cushioned sofas paired with a tasteful collection of artwork and antiques collected over the years. The four large bedrooms are spacious, stylishly decorated and lavishly furnished, each with its own adjoining exotic ensuite bathroom. The Baganding Villa’s team of welcoming staff are professionally trained and include a manager, housemaids, security guard and a personal chef who prepares a wide variety of delicious meals. THE BAGANDING VILLA For a more laid back break, you ...