Ubud’s New Vegetarianism & Veganism Heaven!

Dumbo, Wood Fired Italian Food - Ubud | July 2018

Dumbo Bali has something for everyone's dietary needs, from the paleo, to gluten-free, to the vegetarian, and the vegan. Ubud is a pioneer of the vegetarian and vegan dining scene. While the “hippie” vegetarian restaurant might be a thing of the past, chefs and serious restaurateurs have embraced the concept, bringing thoughtful and well-crafted dishes that would stand up to any top-notch restaurant in the island.

No doubt, you have heard about vegetarians all your life. More recently, we hear more and more about vegans. But what is the difference? A vegetarian excludes meat, poultry and seafood, some dairy and eggs even, from their diet. Likewise, vegans avoid all of the above, adding all animal products out from their diet. Vegans avoid animal’s produced foods or animal products in any way, including honey.



left: first floor stones mozaic | right: second floor wood fire

That being said, it’s time to tell Dumbo Bali Wood Fired Italian Food’s story. Once upon a time, Jonathan Russell the restaurateur decided to open his fourth venue with the aim to offer something not yet seen in the city, in collaboration with some of Bali's hottest talent. Modern design, immaculate cuisine and mixology in an artistic space, and above all, a positive atmosphere.

As soon as you enter, the first-floor colourful wall, with its stone mosaic stands out brightly, contrasted by the bamboo beams ceiling and the marble bar. A long sofa, along the wall, complemented by coffee tables and sofa stools make it a perfect spot for a day time coffee or an evening of cocktail’s tasting, to the sound of the stunning 80’s and 90’s vinyl record collection, played on the vintage turntable placed on the bar top.



Mix Juices & Mocktail



Antipasto

To be able to taste as many dishes as possible, we ordered the Antipasto, a mix of five Bar Snacks & Smaller Plates, all beautifully flavoured, followed by the heavenly, creamy, delicate Burrata, a soft fresh Italian cheese ball that dreams are made of, and once tried, will leave you with little doubt as to why it is crowned the queen of Italian cheeses, served with Caponata - a Sicilian sweet and sour version of ratatouille -, Chilli & Pepper Jam, Relish and 2 kind of Homemade Bread & Grissini, all complementing perfectly the delectable cheese.



Burrata & Relish

Roasted Vegetables

The Roasted Vegetables from Wood Fire was beyond expectation. Carrot, Pumpkin, Beetroot, Corn, Onion, Broccoli, Mushroom, all cooked at once in a tray in the pizza oven, creating a colourful, appetizing and hearty dish. Next time, as I will go back for sure, I will try the Polenta with Braised Beetroot Cheeks, Gorgonzola & Truffle Oil. Sounds tempting, isn’t it? Unfortunately, we were too early to try the Pizza… The 48-hour cold-fermented dough was not yet ready (never before 4pm), but words on the street are “a truly memorable taste and texture pizza”. Another good reason to visit Dumbo at the soonest.


Ti-Remix-U

If you read our foodies notes regularly, you won’t be surprised that my partner had to order a dessert! And what else than the king of Italian dessert, the tiramisu. Here, they spell it a bit differently, TI-REMIX-U, as they dare to develop their own version of this classic. And it works! It works very, very well, indeed. Can’t tell you much on the “remix’, but dear oh dear, it was a scrumptious balance of... and of…! Enough said, go and try it by yourself!


Vintage Turntable and Vinyl Records


Besides a nice cocktails & juices list, the wine choice it quite complete, with a selection of house wines served by the glass, half litre and even by the litre. Like any respectable Italian restaurant, coffee is taken seriously. Not less than 3 grinders with distinctive coffee beans carefully selected (by Hungry Bird) all over Indonesia, grounded and pressed à la minute, releasing all their aromas as the pressured hot water goes through it. Un paradiso per gli amanti del caffè!

Ubud’s new vegetarianism and veganism heaven is a great experience for those always seeking new culinary discovery, pleasant service, exquisite decor and good value for money.


Experienced July 2018