Italian food is authentically rich, wholesome and rustic, yet few fine dining restaurants in Bali successfully pay homage to this classic cuisine. Luckily for us and thanks to his Italian roots, Executive Sous Chef Maurizio Bombini of Il Ristorante at the Bulgari Resort in Bali captures this charming character of Europe’s beloved boot whilst adding a taste of his own culinary flair.
Namely, Chef Maurizio’s poached Red King Prawns offer up an organic and gourmet Italian mix of colours, tastes and presentations, best enjoyed beside Bulgari Resort’s seductive reflection pool. The prawns are succulently poached in a nice court-bouillon then accompanied by a dollop of fresh Burrata cheese which is made in Indonesia by a professional Italian dairyman. The indulgent ingredients are then perfectly lightened by a peach and tomato essence and finished with a crumbling of crispy bread. Pair with a glass of wine from the restaurant’s excellent collection of Barolo and Tuscan wines, and you will understand why this open-air bale style restaurant has won a handful of internationally acclaimed awards and accolades.
Chef Maurizio Bombini
“In this dish I wanted to convey the culture of my country, especially from my hometown, Puglia, in the south of Italy.
Although Italians never combine seafood and cheese, in this case, they match perfectly.
Burrata is a typical cheese found in the region of Italy I am from, and it is a fresh cheese that I have grown up with. So I knew I wanted to include this as a main ingredient and I wanted it to contrast significantly with another.
That’s where the Red King Prawns come in. They are sweeter than normal prawns, so together with the sourness of the burrata cheese and the addition of the peach and tomato essence, the result is a fresh and refined dish; simple, light and chic.”
