A name like Raja’s Balinese Cuisine sets a precedent. After all, it means king in Indonesian, so it’s only natural that diners who visit this restaurant expect a royal treatment.
The space primes for this anticipation to build. From the breezy joglo courtyard as guests’ first welcome to the interiors, the atmosphere is unmistakably stately. It becomes even more apparent following a recent makeover, which beautifies the walls with soft green motifs inspired by batik and patra, a traditional Balinese pattern resembling billows and floral arrangements. Juxtaposed against the ornamental wooden carvings, they offer a fresh, tropical lift.
The redesign also infused a new atmosphere into the restaurant. Antique cabinets and shelves function more than storage for sleek wine glasses; they are also adorned with traditional statuettes and décor pieces, making it feel more like the intimate dining room of a royal family home. The centrepiece is the intricately hand-carved Gebyok teakwood doors, accompanied by guardian statues that symbolise protection at palace entrances, anchoring the interiors in a sense of grandeur.
Located inside Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa – Handwritten Collection, Raja’s Balinese Cuisine is one of the signature restaurants that best encapsulate the property’s storied history. The result is an equal homage to local tradition and European hospitality sensibilities.
Though the dining experience subtly hints at this, from the crisp white tablecloths to the way multi-course tasting menus are planned, it’s most apparent in the food itself. German Executive Chef Kai Werner spearheads the kitchen team alongside the restaurant’s chef Komang Kariawan and Executive Sous Chef Oka Yadnya, both of whom are Balinese, creating a harmony between European influences and reverence for local traditions.
Signatures like Segara Lan Gunung synthesise that on a plate. Taken from the Balinese words for ocean and mountain, the two opposing topographies collide into a dish of slow-braised beef brisket doused in bumbu semur, an unctuous Javanese stew that’s equally savoury and sweet. It’s served with sambal bongkot, which cuts through the richness with floral and herbaceous notes of galangal blossom. The addition of butternut purée may be unexpected, but is a pleasant surprise that rounds things out with a velvety finish.
The menu also invites diners to travel further afield and explore different parts of Bali through regional foods. Some are more faithful recreations, like the Tipat Blayag, a spicy mix of vegetables and fritters from Singaraja. Others are given a dash of European flair through small details, like the Nusa Dua native Bebek Sune Cekuh with its confit duck in a spiced ginger sauce, or Kuah Rambanan, which spruces up the soup from Negara with coconut foam.
Lawar Plek Ulam Banteng completely reimagines the Gianyar culinary tradition. The ceremonial dish of raw minced pork and blood is transformed into a Wagyu beef tartare, accentuated by a medley of asparagus and andaliman. Hints of lemongrass perfume each bite with an herbaceous lift, while black garlic imparts a deeply savoury undertone.
With every bite, it’s more and more apparent that Raja’s Balinese Cuisine lives up to its name. It doesn’t build up a regal dining experience from spectacle alone. Instead, the restaurant lets the island’s culinary traditions tell their generational stories while infusing their own spin, creating dishes that are worthy of serving to a king.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Segara Lan Gunung, where ocean meets mountain as a braised brisket in bumbu semur
- Bebek Sune Cekuh, a modern reinterpretation of the Nusa Dua traditional dish
- Lawar Plek Ulam Banteng, reimagining the Gianyar pork dish as a Wagyu beef tartare
Exquisite Taste Volume 52
Raja’s Balinese Cuisine
at Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa – Handwritten Collection
ITDC, Nusa Dua
Bali 80363, Indonesia
T: (+62) 361771210
E: fbreservations@nusaduahotel.com
W: nusaduahotel.com
IG: @nusaduabeachhotelandspa
