I dressed up and dined out at Apéritif – a luxury fine dining restaurant in Ubud’s Viceroy Bali, with a newly revamped degustation menu…
Apéritif ticks all the boxes when it comes to fine dining in Bali. For starters, it sits within the luxury resort Viceroy Bali, winner of multiple World Luxury Hotel Awards. It’s also helmed by Executive Chef Nic Vanderbeeken, who blends the best local ingredients with his Michelin-starred techniques. And to top it all off, there’s professional service, a stunning cocktail bar and glamorous dining room which seems to jump right out of The Great Gatsby.
So, when I heard that Apéritif’s degustation menu got a revamp, I headed straight to this award-winning restaurant. And with such an impressive selection of wines and a Vatel-trained head sommelier, I decided to go with the wine pairing, which is specifically curated to match the “Borderless by Apéritif” tasting menu.
Considering Apéritif recently won two awards at the World Luxury Hotel Awards (as Indonesia’s Best Fine Dining and South Asia’s Best Degustation Menu) – I knew it would be worth the trip to Ubud.
First up: it’s aperitivo time at Pinstripe Bar
As I walked into Apéritif’s Dutch-colonial house, the interiors blew me away. Think black and white tiles, chandeliers and colourful artwork painted by Viceroy’s own team member! To the right is the dining room, but since I arrived early, I went left to Pinstripe Bar which transported me to a speakeasy from the 1930s. It’s one of Ubud’s best bars, and it’s helmed by the winner of the 2019 Campari Bartender Competition, Head Mixologist Panji Wisrawan.
I sat by the sleek bar where I got the front view of the award-winning mixology performance. I started my evening with the bittersweet Papaya Leaf Amaro cocktail and two of Apéritif’s canapés. One was chicken liver mousse mixed with balado paste, and the other was cured snapper wedged between fish-shaped wafers.
The friendly staff then showed me into the dining room. I made a quick stop by the open kitchen, where Chef Nic greeted me with his third canapé, straight from the pass. It was a charcoal-dusted puff pastry filled with smokey mackerel. After I had settled in at my table, I got the final canapé and an Apéritif classic. It was the silky smooth chawanmushi with mushrooms and umami-packed dashi. All of the canapés had just the right amount of kick to prepare me for the degustation ahead…
The main event: The seven-course “Borderless by Apéritif” menu
A series of appetisers marked the start of the seven-course “Borderless by Apéritif” menu. It began lightly with a cured hamachi and delicate slices of heirloom beetroot. Next was the two-textured prawn – the tail was drizzled with a laksa sauce, while the crispy tempura head came with a sambal tomat dip. The perfectly juicy Dutch veal sweetbread came after, with a rich Albufeira sauce that paired nicely with the Indonesian pickle, acar.
The star of any degustation menu is the main, and at Apéritif, I got to choose from three of them. The Aged Duck and the Black Cod were tempting, but I really couldn’t pass up the opportunity to taste the famous Venison Wellington. This is Chef Nic’s signature dish, and people from all over the world return to Apéritif just to try it. It’s a true testament to the chef’s 20+ years of experience.
The Venison Wellington arrived still encased in the golden pastry, and sliced table-side by the chef himself. The venison was perfectly pink and medium rare, with foie gras in the middle. It was served with a quenelle of sweet potato mash, and a rendang sauce that made it his signature (and an homage to his wife’s roots). After choosing my knife (yes, you get to choose your own knife for the mains!) and taking my first bite, I knew exactly why this dish has cemented itself on the menu.
The rich main was thoughtfully followed by a tangy palate cleanser and a mild cheese course before desserts. They came with my favourite of all the wines I had this evening – the umeshu, AKA plum wine.
Back to where it all began: Desserts, a nightcap and live jazz
The sweet finale took place where the evening started: at Pinstripe Bar. The first dessert, Citrus Noire, was a bitter dark chocolate spiced with turmeric, while the second was a platter of three confections. It featured cannoli, tempered chocolate and my personal favourite: their Indonesian kue pastel with a classic apple pie filling. I sipped on my last wines as I swayed to the live jazz that matched the bar’s intimate vibes. Hot tip: local jazz musicians play here every Thursday and Friday from 8pm.
Not only did all the dishes taste amazing, they looked just as stylish thanks to the custom-made GAYA tableware. From the Michelin-level degustation menu at Apéritif to the sultry ambiance at Pinstripe Bar, this is a fine dining experience in Bali you don’t want to miss.
Located in: Viceroy Bali
Address: Jl Lanyahan, Banjar Nagi, Ubud
Phone: +62 361 908 2 777
Email: res@aperitif.com