The shores of Seminyak, one of Bali’s buzzingest foodie hubs, just got injected with a fresh taste of Japan thanks to the arrival of SugarSand’s new Japanese specialty chef.
For the uninitiated, SugarSand, one of the hottest spots in the ’Yak, is the beach house of Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach – a culinary destination that has eight great dining options on site, where foodies can go for everything from a cup of good local coffee to fine dining to (now) authentic Japanese fare.
What’s really cool about Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach is that although it’s part of a hotel chain, each boutique hotel location is totally unique and individually owned – and in Bali, the concept and design of each location is Balinese-heritage inspired and narrative-driven, reflecting local art and culture in intricate, beautiful designs. And this naturally trickles down to all of Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach’s eight dining establishments.
At Makase, the Seminyak resort’s rendition of a Balinese neighborhood-style cafe, traditional Indonesian techniques are used to serve up classic Indonesian dishes and street food favorites, as well as some Western mainstays in a casual dining setting that’s both comfy and stylish. For a more elevated interpretation of Indonesian classics at the resort, there’s the intimate and elegant Salon Bali, which reimagines and refines Balinese cuisine for a palate-pleasing culinary adventure.
Coffee lovers are blessed with options at the resort, with the Kiosk, the new beachfront deli selling coffee, burgers, and sandwiches – along with a smoking shisha selection! As well as Pottery Café, a cozy spot with local house blends of coffee and tea, plus pastries and sandwiches made fresh.
For harder drinks, head to Tree Bar, which pours out natural products and fine premium brands with a twist using fine mixology skills, and taps into the health benefits of organic locally-sourced ingredients like fresh coconut water and sugar cane juice, for instance.
And for a daytime splash of fun and refreshment, Cave, the resort’s poolside bar is the spot to be – designed to emulate a cave-like oasis, surrounded by lush trees and cliffs.
For ultimate comfort and true r’n’r vibes, resort guests have Home Delivery, a 24-hour straight-to-your-room dining service, where all food arrives in traditional Balinese-style rantang lunch boxes.
And finally, let’s get back to SugarSand, the resort’s fine dining with a view venue, dishing out Japanese cuisine and fresh seafood – which has just gotten a whole lot more ramen-tic, upon the grand entrance of seasoned Japanese Specialty Chef Syamsul Rizal coming to shake things up with a revamp of the lunch and dinner menus and the launch of a lively Izakaya concept that’ll see a selection of Japanese food stalls in the evenings.
Bringing his Japanese culinary expertise to SugarSand, Chef Rizal’s got a deep love for crafting authentic Japanese delicacies and will be keeping things in the spirit of SugarSand’s concept that is driven by locally-sourced, sustainable seafood that supports local producers, farmers, and suppliers. Chef Rizal’s focus for his food is always the taste of each dish and he takes pride in keeping things simple and beautiful in both technique and presentation – just as they do in Japan.
Next time you find yourself at SugarSand do yourself a favor and make sure you tuck into some of Chef Rizal’s mouthwatering specialties which include fried ramen served with seafood or beef in teriyaki sauce, popcorn shrimp, beef and black cod gyoza, and gindara miso. Oh, and don’t miss his flavor-packed Japanese-style fried rice with garlic and striploin. And for goodness sake (see what we did there?), if you feel like drinking, wash it all down with some satisfying Japanese-inspired cocktails, or of course, some sake.
