Flaunting a cuisine shaped by Belgium chef Nic Vanderbeeken's culinary journey and the flavourful Indonesian fare he has come to love, restaurant Apéritif is helping redefine what it means to indulge on this feted island paradise
While the invitation to dine out in Bali often entails a mélange of recommendations for Indonesian specialities, including those few but popular-with-the-tourist warungs specialising in Balinese cuisine (think a Rijsttafel spread of sop kelor, urab, ikan pepes, babi guling, bebek betutu and the likes), this prominent island getaway has in the last decade earned itself a reputation for dishing out some of the best meals in the region.
This, though, is largely the result of a wave of trendy distractions from the expected that range from speciality coffeehouses and burger joints to swanky beach clubs, tapas bars and restaurants specialising in award-winning renditions of elevated street foods.
And, with regard to one of its more recent openings, there's also been a conspicuous embrace of world-class fine dining establishments proffering a heterogeneous approach to contemporary cuisine while championing local culture and produce.
(Related: 7 Healthy Eating Spots To Visit In Bali)
One of the newest additions to advocate this inspired undertaking, year-old Apéritif in Ubud is conveniently located next door to one of the island’s poshest accommodations, the Viceroy Bali, which is also one of only two with a helipad if you’re thinking of flying in for dinner.
More importantly, while it won’t be the last time modern gastronomy is witnessing an amalgamation of contemporary French cooking and Asian flavours, the results, in this case, have turned up are a rarity of sorts—something delectably unique, something original.
That’s saying a lot when you consider the volatile temperament of the restaurant business—an industry that continuously struggles to satisfy a fickle market’s impressionable taste for the novel and provide the space a progressive kitchen needs to tell its story.
(Related: More Than A Promise Of Good Food At The Ubud Food Festival)