Slip into Luxury for an Indulgent Escape!

Dine & Stay with Dine & Wine Bali at The Grill at LUXE Ubud

When living down south, an escape to Ubud is always refreshing. Getting over the enduring traffic to drive up for one or two-night stay surrounded by stunning rice paddies may seem a little extreme. But, when you get the chance to try some delicious food while visiting one of the prettiest places in Ubud, you should definitely take it! So, pack your bags and take a break from the beach, this could be the getaway you are looking for.

A gorgeous luxury boutique resort, surrounded by rice fields, with the farthest horizon line, in a secluded and almost mysterious location, and a multi-course dinner at The Grill at LUXE to boot. This is what awaits when you Dine & Stay with Dine & Wine Bali at The Luxe Villas Bali in Ubud.

The young and promising Chef Agus Kartika

Dining Experience

The Grill at Luxe is an intimate restaurant with a panoramic view of the surrounding ricelands, offering a Chef's Table Menu, a great opportunity to enjoy a truly unique culinary voyage in the archipelago through a modern Indonesian 7-course tasting menu with cocktail pairing. A tribute to the local cuisine showcasing several regions of the country, orchestrated by a gifted and audacious Balinese young chef, 31-year-old, Agus Kartika.

After some homemade crackers and the punchy amuse-bouche made of shredded chicken rolled in a cucumber belt with turmeric-kare sauce and light tomato sambal, Chef Agus Kartika takes you to West Sumatra with his take of Udang Balado Padang. The stir-fried Bali Sustainable Jumbo Prawn, nacred on the inside, was beautifully prepared. The rich sauce heat blooms slowly and offers a pleasant, sustained warm burn, without overpowering hotness. The citrus vodka-based Luxe Twilight cocktail was a nice union with the pomegranate cleansing the petite warmth of the Sumatran spices.

Chicken based amuse-bouches

The Pepes Tahu Jamur Bandung takes you to West Java. The combination of tofu and mushrooms wrapped in a banana leaf, steamed, and then lightly grilled is a healthy, enjoyable dish that's subtle in both taste and texture. The Herb-Coconut Oil ring brings herbaceous notes to the dish. The cocktail made of gin, malibu, lime, pineapple juice & cucumber might be slightly too sweet for the dish, but well balanced nevertheless.

Embark to Papua with the Sup Ikan Kuah Kuning. The seafood turmeric essence consommé floods the snapper, clam, calamari, star fruit, and papeda. If like me, you have never sampled Papeda, you’re in for a surprise. The sago-made “porridge” is the staple food of natives of Maluku and Papua. Made with flour that is extracted from the plant, actually, the trunk of the sago tree, vigorously mixed with water, salt and sugar, the final texture is quite unusual: it is thick, glutinous, and gooey but, agreeable though. The concoction coming with it fits well the palate with a citrus zest finish, elevating the fish broth.

Pepes Tahu Jamur Bandung (tofu & mushrooms wrapped in a banana leaf then steamed)

Sup Ikan Kuah Kuning Papua

The Ayam Betutu Bali is no stranger for those living here! The chicken breast, prepared as ballotine, is seasoned with “basa genep”, a multi-spice paste unique to Bali, making the flavour very authentic, though, the modern twist by chef Agus has a milder piquancy than the original. I would have expected an Arak-based cocktail to represent fully the island, but the tequila, triple sec, lime, tamarind & jalapeno mixture did the job very well.

Next stop, North Sulawasi with Ikan Dabu Dabu. Dabu-dabu is an ancestral condiment from Manado, made with a combination of tomato, red chilli, shallot, peppers, salt, sugar, and lime juice. The ingredients are finely sliced or diced, so, the fresh and crunchy taste of the elements will be felt, then mixed with lime juice and a bit of oil. It brings sour and spicy tastes and a breeze of freshness to the pan-seared barramundi. A revelation! The cocktail bitterness and smokiness accompanied very well the buttery, mild flavour fish.

Ayam Betutu Bali

Fish Dabu-Dabu Manado

The Semur Daging of Central Java was so succulent. The beef short rib, braised in soy sauce for hours, is served with crunchy glazed root vegetables and, Perkedel, an Indonesian fried delicacy consisting of mashed potatoes, scallion and herbs. The name of these savoury rissoles is derived from the Dutch word frikadel, showing the Dutch cookery influence on the territory. The sauce was slightly nutty, smoky and sweet at the time. The Velvet Sangria, prepared 24-hour in advance, really brings a smooth feel to the palate.

Semur Daging Jawa (braised beef in soy sauce)

Coconut-Banana Custard Kalimantan

The south of Kalimantan, where the dessert originated, can be proud of this recipe. It should be in every Indonesian cookbook! A light Coconut-Banana Custard topped with Caramelized Banana, sided with Sago Pearls, Coconut Sauce and an incredibly milky Coconut Sorbet. Might seem like a lot of coconuts, but it's so well composed, that even if you are not a sweet tooth, I guarantee you’ll lick the plate clean. Flabbergasting! The Moscato d’Asti with fresh strawberries and vanilla trace elevated the combination with charm and gentleness.

Wow, what a gastronomic journey! Please note that the Chef's Table Set is available only by booking, 48 hours in advance, and you don't need to be hotel's guest to indulge.

Now, if you think the set menu is too much for you, there is the à-la-carte option, of course! Crispy European Cheese Rolls, a spring roll made of Italian gorgonzola, Swiss gruyere & Emmental cheese, goat cheese, with sage & walnut served with mixed berries chutney, or Mushroom Cappuccino, a soup built with truffle, portobello, champignon de Paris topped with parmesan foam. Two Grill sections, from the Land and from the Sea, with Organic Lamb Cutlet or Jimbaran Lobster for instance.

Australian Heritage MBS 9+ Wagyu Beef

On our second dine-in, we had the very special Reserve Menu. “An opportunity to experience an unrivalled steak that challenges your expectations” said Chef Agus. A superior selection of Australian Heritage MBS 9+ Wagyu Beef, sustainably farmed to exacting standards & demanding protocols established by the Japanese. Each suggested cut comes in 450gr. Perfect to share. Rib-eye, Striploin or Filet Mignon. This is it guys: top of the top, the elite of the Wagyu world. These are the rarest, the most unique and the most difficult-to-find marble scores, from less than 1% of Wagyu cows. These steaks are so powerfully flavoursome and tender that they should come with a warning, that you should tread carefully. It can be addictive! We experienced the rib-eye, served with three sides and 3 sauces (one extra for us!), and it's the most exquisite steak I’ve ever tasted. Cooked to perfection, packed with flavours, buttery, and melting on the tongue due to the high levels and quality of the (good) fat in it. BOOOOM! It will impress the most demanding, picky, and savviest meat connoisseurs.

As for chocolate aficionados, don’t miss the 7 Wonders Valrhona Chocolate. 64% Manjari Valrhona Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Gâteau, Chocolate Crèmeux, Chocolate Soil, Whipped Creamy Rum Chocolate, Chocolate Tuile, Chewy Chocolate and Chocolate Gelato. A feast of cacao for a magnificent gourmand exit.

The restaurant can pride itself on its extensive wine selection which features countless wine regions around the globe, listed by grape variety, with a dozen wines by the glass. So, if you're a lover of the grape, check it out.

7 Wonders Valrhona Chocolate

Stay at The LUXE Villas Bali, Ubud

LUXE Villas at night (photo courtesy of LUXE Villas Bali)

This is a high-standard boutique hotel, and gourmet restaurant that caters also to non-residents. We stayed in for 2 nights and it was really lovely! Our 2-storey room, The Penthouse Sky Loft, was spacious, elegant contemporary Balinese style, with a gigantic rooftop with a bale room perfect to chill out and having breakfast with a view. Great effort on the water supply as you can drink directly from the tap, as it’s fully filtered, flowing through a sophisticated German-engineered filtration/sterilization system. The swimming pools are fresh clear water using a UV disinfection process, chemical free.

The breakfast menu is an absolute delight! It has such a creative variety that we had different dishes every morning. And the Eggs Royale (poached eggs with home-cured salmon gravlax & Hollandaise sauce) are some of the bests I've eaten in a long while! The staff of the premise were always friendly and helpful. The whole team took great care of us, and our host, Mr. Paul, generosity and sympathy, made us feel right at home!

Breakfast time

Slip into luxury for an indulgent escape. Your opulent accommodation awaits, along with dining experiences to delight. Awaken to a sumptuous breakfast and, after a walk-through (there is a 45mn promenade that is a must-do), take your seats for a special lunch or dinner, with a multi-course set meal with paddies view. The perfect place to spend a few days inland, far from the noisy streets, as access is only by foot or two-wheelers. Enjoy fabulous cooking, luxurious bedrooms, plenty of outside space, and stunning hospitality.


Exprienced December 2022