At Sundara, pink isn’t reserved for Wednesdays. Instead, the colour finds its way to the beachfront restaurant inside Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay every Sunday for its Pink Brunch. The usual earth-toned interiors are given a cheery lift as touches of pink are weaved throughout, from waitstaff uniforms to cushions on sofas and rattan-backed chairs. Even patrons don their rosiest Sunday best, whether it’s flowy fuchsia sundresses or crisp blush-toned linen shirts.
The all-pink affair, though, is most apparent through the food, crafted by the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine David Gavin. It starts with the Chilled Seafood Platter, an homage to Jimbaran and its fishing heritage. Different shades of pink appear throughout, from line-caught tuna tartare and coffee wood-smoked salmon to tiger prawns, crayfish, and poached lobsters, a succulent prelude to the bottomless brunch.
Though the rest of the menu doesn’t subscribe to a singular cuisine, Chef Gavin’s training in French cooking manifests itself in the dishes. Some are more understated, demonstrated through a dainty plating style that features shades of pink peppered throughout, like edible flowers atop crunchy pastries or slivers of chillies peppered throughout the Coconut Crab Salad, served with thinly sliced jicama for an added burst of freshness.
Other dishes incorporate naturally pink ingredients into direct reinterpretations of French-style fare: raspberries and sheets of radicchio are tucked in between slices of Duck Smoked Over Embers, blistered cherry tomatoes rest on succulent Grilled Prawns swimming in a fragrant butter sauce, while saffron is infused into the Grilled Mixed Seafood Casserole, imparting not just its pigment, but also its herbaceous accents.
Still, there are dishes that indulge in the pink revelry with gleeful abandon. The Beetroot & Ricotta Gnocchi, for example, sees the pillowy potato dumplings adopting a deep magenta hue from the beetroot, while being enveloped in an unctuous, peach-coloured garlic tomato sauce. Even the water is tinted to a brilliant shade resembling rose quartz if diners so wish, infused with the pleasantly acerbic undertones of roselle flowers.
No Sunday brunch offer would be complete without some tipples; in the case of Sundara’s Pink Brunch, it comes courtesy of a partnership with Whispering Angel rosé. The Provençal dry wine, which reveals notes of peach, red berries, and florals, pairs well with the fresh seafood and the French-style dishes. But, if wine isn’t your thing, Bar Manager Paul Minea has concocted five cocktails, incorporating natural ingredients like dragon fruit, guava, and pomegranate to create different flavour profiles while keeping with the colourway of the menu.
These drinks provide refreshing company for a lineup of indulgent sweets, including the Bali Vanilla Mille-Feuille, which alternates layers of crisp, airy puff pastry sheets and dollops of velvety pastry cream. Sliced tableside, the delicate dessert is served with a heaping spoonful of vanilla ice cream and a compote of Bedugul strawberries, striking the perfect balance between sweet and tart.
Though Pink Brunch ends at 3pm, don’t hurriedly plan your departure. Instead, take advantage of the amenities that live to tell Sundara’s former beach club glories. While away the time on plush daybeds as Jimbaran’s shores come alive closer to sunset. As the sky gets painted with splashes of amber and purple, a special Sundown Social cocktail menu inspired by the golden hour invites another round of drinks between dips in the 57-metre infinity pool or strolls along the stunning coastline. It’s one of those pleasant surprises, where one can experience la vie en rose in an unsuspecting neighbourhood.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Chilled Seafood Platter, which includes succulent lobster tails, prawns, and salmon sashimi
- Bali Vanilla Mille-Feuille, sliced tableside and served with Bedugul strawberry compote
- A glass (or two), maybe even a bottle, of Whispering Angel rosé
Exquisite Taste Volume 52
Sundara
at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay
Jalan Bukit Permai, Jimbaran
Bali 80361, Indonesia
T: (+62) 3612019002
E: sundara.bali@fourseasons.com
W: sundarabali.com
IG: @sundarabali
