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Situated on the topmost level of Jumeirah Bali, the newly opened signature restaurant AKASA places diners in the midst of nature, sea and sky with awe-inspiring views across the island’s gin-clear waters and romantic sunset panoramas.
Inspired by the Majapahit era, the golden age of Java, the elegant restaurant invites guests to relax over lunch in the sun or an alfresco moonlit dinner to make the most of Bali’s balmy climate. Inside, the chic décor evokes a stately banquet hall where a royal Javanese family would entertain an intimate group of friends amid the splendour and royal ceremony.
AKASA’s Asian fusion menu created by Chef Joan Achour delights with rich, smoky flavours of Bali while referencing Thai, Japanese and Korean cuisines as well. By focusing on dishes that are perfect for sharing, Chef Joan pays tribute to Bali’s time-honoured tradition of serving family-style meals on large platters and inviting everyone to help themselves. Starting with a crudo selection that includes flame-grilled tuna tartare with Timut pepper and wood-fired veal katsu, Chef Achour’s menu is also an ode to nourishing dishes of Bali cooked over an aromatic, wood-fired flame that uses seasonally-changing local firewood.
To whet their appetites before the main course, guests can begin with a plate of grilled Jimbaran prawn, charcoal Wagyu beef salad and fresh oysters, or take their pick from the robata selection that includes salmon with miso and yuzu; chicken with fiery panca paste and burnt cumin; and seared teriyaki lamb. Chef Joan’s mains are an inspired showcase of the bounty of the sea. The standout dishes range from giant blue river prawns with mango and passion fruit and whole scallop with red bean cream to the perfectly local seabass cooked in a banana leaf with freshly grated coconut, turmeric, mustard seed and lemongrass.
Meat lovers, meanwhile, will delight in a mains selection that features corn-fed spring chicken marinated with organic chilli; wagyu tenderloin MB 8/9 with Chinese apple and truffle; tender lamb rack with yakiniku sauce; and premium T-bone and tomahawk steaks served with a choice of sides and sauces. Following a French tradition, guests can customise their peppercorn sauce by perusing a chef’s selection of premium peppercorn varietals, including citrusy Lampung pepper from Indonesia, Vietnam’s Phu Quoc peppercorns, Timut variety from Nepal, and others.
Desserts are another major draw. Pandan crème brûlée with homemade kaya jam masterfully marries French cooking techniques and local ingredients, as do pain perdu and a selection of ice cream flavours ranging from chocolate and vanilla to ginger and sesame. Chef Achour joins AKASA from Jumeirah Maldives and, prior to that, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam in Dubai, bringing with her years of experience working at the finest restaurants in Europe, including at Michelin-starred Il Carpaccio in the Parisian Palace Le Royal Monceau.
For a grand tour of AKASA’s signature dishes, guests can book the Chef’s Table experience – an exclusive celebration of local and global flavours with a set menu featuring such highlights as seaweed foie gras, lobster ravioli, marble cod with seafood, chicken ballotine with truffle jus, and a selection of cheeses and desserts.
The food menu is complemented by a comprehensive cocktail list from a resident mixologist and a vast wine selection from AKASA’s underground wine cellar accessible via a glass elevator, while a musicologist takes care of live music programming every night.
AKASA at Jumeirah Bali is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 17.00 to 23.00. For more information and to make a reservation, please visit www.jumeirahbali.com. In the meantime, stay connected via our social media channels and don’t forget to tag us in your posts with #TimeExceptionallyWellSpent.
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