Salon Bali sits comfortably in its beachside home, where it mingles together traditional balinese cooking techniques – think iron woks cooking over coffee wood – and a chic, light-filled design. 

Following long days in the sun, Bali holidaymakers can now seek reprieve in a relaxed yet refined locale, where seasonal dishes and tropical cocktails are the order of the day. Alongside its artfully designed a la carte menu, four- and six-course set menus offer diners a chance to sample the best in local flavours. In true Balinese style, each month a ceremonial dinner called ‘Purnama’ will celebrate the new full moon.

Australian-born chef Nic Philip will bring Michelin-starred restaurant experience to the table, but delicious dishes are not the only priority. An ethos that centres on supporting the Balinese community is also at the fore of the chef’s vision for Salon Bali.

Philip says, “We support the local community and sustainable farming practices here in Bali. We work with a couple of farms on the island and we don’t import any fresh produce from outside Indonesia. Our seafood is locally sourced from the waters of Bali stretching to Flores, and the fish changes depending on what’s fresh at the market and what we would like to use. At the moment we’ve been getting some great coral grouper and giant trevally. We source vegetables, leaves and heirlooms from an organic farm in the Pelaga region of Bali, and we are working with a poultry farm in Jogjakarta, Java, that offers organic raised and free range quail and duck.”

Diners can expect to find a vibrant range of enticing setting-savvy dishes, including Flores oysters shucked to order and dressed with pandawa beach seaweed, scorched chili dressing and abon; scallops from Labuan Bajo with a dressing of smoked coconut milk, finished with a sambal ikan kering or Balinese sambal with cured and dried tuna; beef short ribs slow cooked for 48 hours and finished over the charcoals with hierloom burnt carrot lawar and an espuma made from beef stock and kluwek nut; and duck breast with noodles made from squid and a spice-heavy rebus sauce.

When it comes to desserts, our pick is the sweet pineapple from West Java roasted in a spiced syrup and served with coconut sorbet – like a holiday in a bowl. And, opt for a quenching cocktail from inventive mixologist Borty Jessika, who has curated drinks to match each stage of your meal. Creativity abounds with blends such as the rum, kalamansi and salted prunes combination.