New Heights for Bistro Cuisine
Perched atop Uluwatu’s cliffs on Bali’s southernmost coastline, eating out doesn’t get much more spectacular than Tirtha Dining, an intimate, open-air restaurant set amongst water-themed gardens with unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean. Tirtha Dining is part of Japanese-owned Tirtha Bridal, Bali’s premier wedding specialists, which has a wedding chapel located just next door. With an all-glass pavilion, infinity pool and lush lawn elevated above Uluwatu’s pounding surf, Tirtha Dining not only offers an unparalleled dining experience but also operates as a venue for private wedding receptions.
Customers can dine al fresco, enjoying the warm ocean breeze at a handful of charming tables with chandeliers overhead, or dine a deux at a canopied table set apart on a cliff-edge platform. If inclement weather strikes or you prefer air-conditioned bliss, dine in the glass pavilion or elegant dining room adjacent.
Tirtha Dining is rated as one of Bali’s premier fine dining French restaurants – outstanding in concept and presentation – helmed by Japanese Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno, armed with French-style gastronomic flair, who is one of Japan’s most acclaimed French chefs.
Renowned for refined multi-course degustation menus, Tirtha Dining has now introduced the Wednesday Bistroquet, still offering “the spirit of French Cuisine” but with a slightly more casual approach – matching France’s convivial and informal bistro cuisine.
This bistro menu showcases authentic cuisine de terroire dishes in a three-course set menu at a set price of IDR350,000 per person – which includes a pitcher of wine.
Wednesday Bistroquet commences at 6PM, but arriving around 5.30PM will give you enough time to enjoy the ocean sunset while sitting on garden sofas and drinking a chilled aperitif or signature cocktail.
From the set menu, diners may also choose individually priced dishes in a la carte fashion. As someone who grew up with distinctive, bistro-style French cuisine in my native UK and took many trips to France, this is the option I take, ordering several of my favourite dishes. As it’s challenging to find bistro cuisine of such high quality in Bali, I make the most of this treat.
Les entrées includes my favourite Soupe à l’oignon Gratinée, French onion soup in rich red wine broth with caramelized brown onions and Le Gruyere croutons, accompanied with the cold alternative Quiche aux Poireaux – leek quiche.
The four les plats (mains) feature Caree d’Agneaurôti au Thym, tender roast lamb rack with fresh thyme, rising out of the mouthwatering jus, and Poulet Sauté Chasseur, the beloved ‘’Hunters Chicken’’, offering sautéed chicken cooked in a hearty tomato, mushroom and tarragon sauce with white wine and brandy. Sides cover such French staples as the devilish Gratin Dauphinoise, a regional dish of oven-baked potatoes and crème fraîche, topped with grilled cheese and vibrantly hued ratatouille.
I made sure I had enough room left for les desserts, featuring such classics as Grand Marnier-soaked Crêpe Suzette, ceremoniously served flambé. The wine is an exquisite inclusion, however, as this cliff-top experience dining is so unique, it’s hard not to succumb to a bottle of champagne; the Sommelier-curated wine list offers excellent yet affordable selections.
As I savour each one of these divine delights, despite my Balinese surroundings, I’m immediately transported back to fond memories of evenings spent dining in Paris and other regional French bistros and brasseries. Thus my full-hearted endorsement of the authenticity of Wednesday Bistroquet – the menu, written in French, is further kudos to Executive Chef Meno. There is no loss in translation here.
Even with affordable prices, the dining venue and service is impeccable. The beautifully executed silver service by attentive yet discreet staff is perfect not just for romantic couples, but for anniversaries, celebrations and even corporate dinners. From May onwards, Tirtha Dining extends a 15 percent discount off your next Wednesday Bistroquet dinner, all you have to do is make a post about your dining experience on your Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account. Hosted only once a week with limited seating, reservations are essential.
(www.tirthadining.net)
