There is a new mecca of taste and sound in Uluwatu; Indoor/out-door dining, smooth lighting, great tunes and a wide, optional menu. It heralds itself as “a combination of Mexican spirit and Japanese elegance”; welcome to Tabu Bali!
First up, sit under the palm trees, order your drinks, which so ever they may be, and peruse the menu while ordering the olives and edamame, which come with a kick of garlic and paprika.
Of course, guacamole is a staple, brought in a massive stone mortar so you can pestle your own. Crush and bruise the ingredients, dip and crunch on the tortilla chips and order up more Mexican favorites. Tacos – Crispy prawn or Cauliflower – with avocado and chipotle slaw or Truffle rib eye MB4 with arugula and miso truffle aioli, or, Grilled Sea bass with habanero salsa and smoked poblano? Up to you!
After Mexican, let’s lean more towards Japan with Nigiri and possibly a Jalapeño Hamachi – a house-smoked salmon with wasabi guacamole or the Fresh Salmon Nigiri?
Kuburimaki Roll? Hamachi Acevichado, a flatter stone bowl of tempura prawns, sweet onions and lemon zest; the Baja California of salmon or tuna, with cream cheese, avocado, cucumber and spicy miso; Mango & Avocado – tempura cauliflower with a truffle mango salsa; Rainbow Fish Roll – with toppings of salmon, hamachi and tuna with tempura cauliflower, jalapeño and truffle mango salsa!
House specials next, “From Sea”, think Black Squid Ink Pasta or Prosecco Miso Hamachi being just a couple of items. “From Land”, try the Smoked Raclette Burger, or Charcoal Rosemary Chicken or Portobello Steak – Portobello mushrooms with asparagus. Top of the ‘land’ choices are of course their premium cuts, with the giant ‘on fire’ Tomahawk being cooked tableside, this one will definitely get the dining room rubbernecking! All in all, these fabulous choices are gracefully plated with Japanese elegance running through the whole service and visuals.
In the meantime the music retains a very buzzy atmosphere, people are queuing up to get in to the new club area downstairs – so less dancing on the upper tables we gather, after dinner and desserts. There is a reason for this dancing on tables, we think is must be the Don Ramon’s smoked mezcal, and the “to-table” Flambéed Banana. There is of course the less dramatic Wood-fired Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Lava Cake or Chocolate Cream Pie!
The place was buzzing when we arrived, and even more so when we left, so bookings are a must, and a return visit is definitely on the cards – next time it’ll inside seating, and we’ll double up on our favorite – the meat skewers, and stay for a couple of the 241 different cocktails!! Did someone say 241 cocktails??
