A year ago we had the privilege of doing a parents only trip to Bali and truly spoil ourselves. Because Bali is quite affordable, it meant that luxury is more accessible – from world class hotels to meals. It’s been a year, but I still think of the food of Bali. Here are my highlights:
Warungs are what food stalls are called in Bali and this restaurant takes the street food of Bali to an incredible elevation. While we had our last meal here, I would start at this restaurant the day you arrive because it introduces the incredible flavors of Balinese cooking.
That this restaurant is at the Alila hotel which looked incredible, and I wished that we would have stayed here instead of the Six Senses Uluwatu, which was quite rundown sadly.
You might know this restaurant from Chef’s Table and the incredible story of the chef Will Goldfarb. I admit I had some hesitation because I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but this tasting meal goes way beyond sweets. It’s a true journey to experience the tasting menu and the paired cocktails. The only downside the the length of the tasting menu was several hours which is too long for me, but they even have you move tables throughout and get to meet Will who was a wonderful host. That being said, opt for the shorter tasting if it’s an option.
- Breakfast at The Capella
We had the opportunity to stay in the most incredible hotel I’ve experienced to date: The Capella. While we wouldn’t usually splurge this much, we were with a group staying here and while initially I was a bit shocked at the price, it was absolutely worth the cost. And since we never had a honeymoon, we justified this one as a 20 year anniversary present to ourselves.
Everything at The Capella was incredible, and I absolutely adored the breakfast. You can also order it to your room, which is quite a treat too.
The tasting menu at Api Jiwa was a wonderful experience with the plated dishes being their own sight to see. The meal was a mix of Asian culinary delights.
- Mason, Uluwatu
Mason was some of the best Mediterranean food I’ve ever had, and you’ll see that come through in the reviews as well. Unpretentious and simple in the best way, Mason takes Mediterranean basics like pita bread and hummus and makes it absolutely delightful.
Is Bali is child-friendly destination? It’s not unfriendly per se, but we were able to enjoy it a lot more than I think the kids would have. Bali is filled with spiritual magic, meditations, yoga, cleansing, and relaxing which parents absolutely need. That being said, you could make Bali a family destination given lots of fun beachy adventure activities, but this one was just for us!
What makes Bali really special is the spirituality, the people, and the food. Doing it again, I would have spent more time in the jungle area of Ubud where these specialties are most prevalent. Because while the beaches are lovely, it’s a very long way to go from California and the beaches were not as spectacular for us Californians that lived/traveled to Hawaii a lot. It’s possible that is because we went in the rainy season and the beaches weren’t as vivid as other seasons.
Have you traveled to Bali with kids? What were your highlights?
