FA S H I O N R E S TAU R A N T S & V I L L A S BALI & SOUTHEAST ASIA
E D I T I O N 1 1 . 6 A P R - M AY
DINING S E M I N YA K CA F ES , L ETTER D L A RA M ON A
VI L L AS WINDU, lulito, ADASA
FASHI O N WATE R FALLIN G , M OON L IT E
T RAV EL L E M B ON G A N , JAVA BI KE TR I P
Rp. 50.000
W E L L I N GTON
de s i g n
f ood
ar c h ite c t u re
f a s h ion
art
w ine
re s ta u rant s
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Ph oto : Poto grafio
Lo cat io n : Nun gn un g Wat e rfal l
COVE R FRV
M o d e l : Svet a Kafafova
FA S H I O N R E S TAU R A N T S & V I L L A S B A L I & S O U T H E A S T A S I A n st y le
E D I T I O N 1 1 . 6 A P R I L - M AY
CONTENTS
F E AT U R E S
36 DEEP & DARK Ba l i ch ocolat e and i ts taste renaissanc e
68 FASH ION ph oto g ra f i o ta k es t h e p lu n g e at Nu n g n u n g
64
30
104
JIMBARAN DAME
WELLINGTON 24
ART FORMS
T rau ts ' dat e w i t h Int erContinental Resorts
WHAT TO DO IN A DAY IN THE N Z CAPITAL
t h e e nc h an t ing asako
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24
SEMINYAK CAFES Five great plac es to get your caffe ine o n
34
Ramona s omething new and a little quirky fo r u b u d
40
old man sean t he low down on batu Bolong's seas id e h au nt
54
24 LETTER D. C h e f DEGan' s m ov e iN to t h e jaKARTA SCENE
Villa famille u malas c harm and so muc h more fo r $2 00
56
villa adasa A BEAUTIFUL & ST YLING SE MINYAK VILLA
58
48
villa lulito s uper lux and c lose to the beac h in pe t it e n ge t
92
Villa windu asri Penida mantas
ra f f l es sty l e a n d s em i nya k e l e g a n c e
s norkeling with the gentle giants o f t h e s e a
94
javanes e easy rider motorcyc ling from yogya to brom o
98
PIESTANY a european spa that will c hange yo u r l if e
100
Sumatra Ghosts
60 SONG SAA camb o d ian ab ov e-Wat e r lu x u ry
ghostly possessions of the su mat ra n k i n d
102
CARolena NORTE hear how and why music is this wo m an' s pas s io n
14
Bits & Pieces
42
Wine
44
Cheese
52
MJ Villa
86
Fa s h i o n B i t s
88
Insights
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Directory
122
78 Fashion 2 adam an d d p d o a l it t l e m o o nl it in g
L a s t Wo rd
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P T K ubu Dua M edi a J l. Petitenget 12A, Kerobokan, Bali, Indonesia Te l. +62 361 746 3751/52 | Fa x. +62 361 847 5458 email: info@frvbali.com www.frvb a li.c om Di recto r Guna wa n I nd rob a skoro Graphics Coordinator Te guh Ana nta (artwork@frvb a li.c om) P ho to g raphy Moc h. Sulthon, R a ma d ha n, Ad a m Ra syid Di stri buti o n Ii n I nd ra p utra , I ma m, Ma d e , Pur na i nfo@frvb a li.c om Fi nance Sri W ita ri, B a gus Oka Mark eti ng Oc hy, Ma rio (sa le s@frvb a li.c om) A dmi ni strati o n T he re sia , Poojie , Swa n Co ntri buto rs T homa s Jone s, Da vid Tra uts, Erza ST, Nic hola s Wa lton, Rachel Love, Herman Von Ber nhardi Aguayo, Ia n Ne ub a ue r, Ve Ha nd ojo, Ra tih DP. S ubscri pti o n Yearly subscription available in Indonesia - Rupiah 200,000 Conta c t: sub sc rib e @frvb a li.c om Send e-mail to the above for details. Consulting Stua rt D W ilford (stua rt@frvb a li.c om) L eg al Asso ci ates Nyoma n Ge d e Anta guna SE, SH, MH ACS La w Offic e J l. Mertanadi 88A, Kuta, Bali. Te l: 082145689996 Fine Restaurants and Villas Bali magazine is an independent, b i -mo nthl y publ i cati o n. N ex t edi ti o n deadl i ne M ay 15, 2015
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FR V B a l i m a g a z i n e i s p r i n t e d u n d e r l i c e n s e d t r a d e m a r k . N o p a r t o f t h i s m a g a z i n e s h o u l d b e re produ c e d with ou t th e wr itte n pe r m ission of th e pu blish e r. A l l r i g h t s re s e r v e d . A r t i c l e s re f l e c t t h e o p i n i o n s o f t h e a u t h o r s , a n d n o t n e c e s s a r i l y t h o s e of t h e p u b l i s h e r s . F R V B a l i m a g a z i n e i s p r i n t e d b y P T M e g a I n d a h ( T: 0 2 1 - 6 1 9 0 5 2 9 w w w. m e g a i n d a h o ff s e t . c o m ) a n d d i s t r i b u t e d b y ; P T K u b u D u a M e d i a ( I n d o n e s i a ) , P e r i p l u s - J a v a B o o k s ( I n d o n e s i a ) , P T I n d o p ro m ( I n d o n e s i a ) , N a t i o n B o o k s ( T h a i l a n d ) . Con ta c t th e e -m a il a ddre sse s a bove f or f u r th e r in f or m a tion .
F R V B ali Mag az ine
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E dit io n 1 1 .6
A pril - May ‘ 15
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Editor’s Note FRV Bali – It takes you places
We are now entering the best time, or weather conditions, of the year on Bali. It’s a time to sit back, relax and truly enjoy what Bali has to offer. It is said here that Nyepi, the day of silence and the Balinese New Year, which just passed on March 21 and changes each year depending on the lunar cycle, brings the change of season from rain to dry and invariably every year it works out just that way. Whoever figured out the local calendar really had their head screwed on properly starting the New Year now, unlike the middle of the season terms of the Western calendar. But for the Balinese it’s simple, Bali is the centre of the world for them (and us too) so one doesn’t have to think too much about the rest of the world and different hemispheres. No, it’s all quite simple around here. The New Year has begun on Bali and you can see it everywhere you go, in the green foliage, the blue skies and the people’s faces. Smiles can be seen all around. Happy New Year dear FRV readers and let’s hope for a greatBalinese year ahead. In this edition of FRV Bali, locally we check some new Seminyak cafes
that have been sprouting like delicious mushrooms, an action day of sports with the action man himself, Chris Le at the new Canggu Club facilities, and a quick trip up to Ubud to discover the latest underground dining venue up on the hill. We also stop by Old Man’s, the greatest sensation of Canggu, singlehandedly bringing the buzz to that area. We check the latest and greatest villas around the island and take a rest in the old dame herself, the Jimbaran InterContinental. There have been new hotels opening in Jakarta recently and we visit briefly the Fairmont and Raffles. Erza also checks out the new restaurant from Degan in the big city. Then we are off discovering new places around the region and the world and much more. It’s all inside so sit back and relax, just like we do here so well on the Island of the Gods and enjoy the stories and images from around our FRV world. There is something special about this time of year. Enjoy the New Year and all it offers. Any comments, suggestions or gripes direct to this email: editor@frvbali.com
F RV C O N T R I B U TO R S
David Trauts started The Beat magazine
good life—you don’t need many or much just the quality.
including most recently as the travel editor for the
of the travel spectrum, be
He always enjoys new
wine, good people and good times are the essence of a
travel for over 10 years,
who is happy at both ends
the group’s flagship, FRV.
fast, sometimes slow, but always timely. Good food, good
Nick has been writing on
Thomas is a travel journalist
a while back and then
experiences and the freedom of the getaway - sometimes
Nick Walton
Thomas Jones
This English correspondent
it luxuriating at the Four Seasons in Istanbul, or swinging in a hammock in front of a grass hut in a far flug and forgotten island in Indonesia. If there’s relaxation, good times and adventure to be had, Thomas is in his element.
South China Morning Post. From his home in Hong Kong he regularly travels throughout Asia and beyond, looking for new experiences, trends and destinations, both for his travel pieces in over 60 magazines globally, as well as his weekly radio show.
Ian Neubauer
Erza S.T.
Rachel Love
Our winter traveler and
Told by a fortune teller
opera lover has been busy
that her life would take a
chasing winter around the
dramatic change in a move
freelance journalist
world this year. He went
to the East, she arrived in
specializing in adventure
to check out the spa city
Bali with a few hundred
Ian is a Sydney-based
travel. He has reported
in Piestany in Slovakia and return just in time in Jakarta to
pounds and a vision to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a
extensively across East Asia and the South Pacific for
check out the newly open Letter D.
writer on a tropical island. FRV’s resident arts writer, Rachel
many publications. He has writtem two novels, and is an
writes extensively on all things lifestyle and travel related.
advocate for Topu Honis, an orphanage and women’s shelter in East Timor.
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bits&PIECES V i l l a B at u j i m b a r Villa Batujimbar is located in the heart of Sanur, in the southeast of Bali and offers six- and eight-suite options for its guests. This beachfront villa is cocooned in the Batujimbar Estate, giving it a serene and magical atmosphere while being surrounded by world-class restaurants and local attractions, and its ambience is personified with personalised private
service, facilities such as a tennis court, a large pool, an air-conditioned gym, its own museum housing an outstanding art collection, and unlimited direct access to the golden sands and azure waters that form a natural border to the estate. www.villabatujimbar.com
New GM fo r b ot h F o u r S e a s o n s R e s o r t s i n B a l i Uday was promoted to general manager within just six months. Over the past three years, he has fallen in love with Bali. “Living here, my life has changed profoundly on a personal and professional level. So when the opportunity was presented to expand my role here, I did not hesitate at all.”
Already general manager of Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, Uday Rao has just been appointed to also serve as General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. Arriving in Bali in 2012 as the resort manager at Sayan, 14 l FRV Bali
A native of New Delhi, Uday completed high school in India before immigrating to San Diego at the age of 16 to study business management in the United States, then in Japan. Post graduation, he got the travel bug and gravitated to the world of hotels. As he explains, “I practically grew up in hotels.”
Uday started with Four Seasons in 1991 in Chicago, working as an overnight receptionist, then ascended through various positions, transferring to Tokyo, Singapore, Dallas and the Maldives. He returned to India in 2006 to open Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, serving as hotel manager. “I’m very excited to take on the management of Jimbaran Bay,” says Uday. “Operationally it’s a challenge, given all the various elements that will be new to me – from the beachside Sundara restaurant, which is constantly growing in popularity, to the new culinary team encompassing a new executive chef and new executive pastry
chef. Plus, there’s the new Cooking Academy, a new spa concept and the new Tropicsurf surfing program. It’s genuinely thrilling to be part of all this.” As general manager of both resorts, Uday intends to create more synergy between the two properties, while keeping their characters distinct. “We want Four Seasons guests to spend time at both resorts to enjoy a complete Balinese experience.”
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BITS&PIECES
Hotel In donesi a K empinski W elcomes N ew General M a n ager Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta has announced the appointment of a new general manager, industry veteran Alex Pichel, who brings 26 years of hospitality experience to the historical hotel. Mr Pichel actually started work in the industry as a humble bellboy for Bristol Hotel Kempinski Berlin in 1988, but his passion for the profession saw him leave his native country to work overseas in
the hotel trade in London, Mexico, Buenos Aires, Paris, Kyrgyzstan and the Middle East before finding himself in Jakarta as GM of the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta.“I feel blessed to have been offered this position at the most iconic hotel in one of the most vibrant and forward-looking cities in Asia,” said Mr Pichel. “Jakarta is bursting with energy and passion and is always on the move, but
it has a real heart and soul that reflects its fascinating history.“ And, of course, part of that history is Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, the country’s first five-star hotel. Yet this luxury property, which only recently re-opened the Kempi Deli and Sweet Boutique by Kempinski, has its eyes firmly set on the future. I am happy to become part of this exciting and evolving story.”
THE COOLEST SHOP IN PETITENGET
Petitenget is an eclectic place to visit if you are looking for taste sensations, with more restaurants and eateries than you can possibly visit in a month of Sundays. The choice for where to spend your money just got even harder with the opening of Lycklig, an ice cream / gelato parlour with a difference that takes its freshness and flavours very seriously. Roughly
Swedish for ‘happy’, Lycklig is the brainchild of an Australian family who have delved into cryo-chemistry to produce the freshest and tastiest ice cream (in our opinion), in Bali by pouring liquid nitrogen into the mixing bowl with the pre-made flavoured cream and beating until it sets into a rich smooth and tasty gelato. One ‘lyck’ and you are hooked. They
‘WOMEN IN LIFE,’
also have a talented barista with a selection for coffees to match their selection of ice creams. Tell him what you want, and you will get exactly that. It’s conveniently located about 30m off the main road opposite Biku on Jalan Petitenget.
SOLO EXHIBITION BY TEGUH RITMA IMAN AT GANESHA GALLERY
The prestigious Ganesha Gallery at Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran Bay is hosting a solo exhibition of the work of talented local artist, Teguh Ritma Iman, entitled ‘Women in Life’ from April 6 - May 14,2015. Iman’s beautiful figurative paintings are primarily composed of strong blocks of bright
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colours, executed in a decorative, expressionistic style. For him, the uniformity of the canvas is a surface upon which to create an infinite space, seemingly with no discernable beginning or end. There are also several delicate and intricate batik patterns depicted on the clothing of many of the figures within
his work, while additionally, his paintings succeed in instilling a curiosity in the viewer as to the cultural contexts.“Women have so much strength and so much love to give, and that is why I really admire women and why I love to paint them,” says the artist.
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BITS&PIECES
T he P rohibition is O N ! A restaurant and bar themed on post-WWI America when gangsters and bootleg booze ruled the roost, ‘Prohibition’ features an authentic art deco interior design and features carefully selected artifacts, memorabilia, murals and photographs from the period, bringing to life the classic ambience and style of those crazy times. Offering 1920s Americanstyle dining, accompanied by a classic ‘Prohibition Era’ collection of beverages
A touch of m odern st y lin g in the heart of J a k arta Fairmont Jakarta opened its doors in January and has already become a new landmark in the capital. With beautiful views of the Jakarta skyline, the stunning property is located in Senayan Square, a ‘onestop’ complex in Jakarta’s Central Business District that combines high-end shopping, entertainment, offices and apartments. The hotel neighbors and provides direct access to one of Jakarta’s premier malls, Plaza Senayan. Fairmont Jakarta is the flagship hospitality brand in the prestigious development by Senayan Trikarya Sempana, a subsidiary of Kajima Overseas Asia from Japan, and there is a very modern Japanese feel to the new hotel. The stunning and large, new hotel features 380 guestrooms and 108 Sky Suites or apartments.
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Five restaurants and lounges have been designed to create memorable destination experiences in their own right. The contemporary allday dining venue Spectrum is the first to open, with its theatrical ‘live’ kitchens and menus celebrating world cuisine, is a great option for breakfast, lunch or dinner. More restaurants are slated to open later this year. With a complete gym, swimming pool, spa, great dining, enormous ballroom and a direct link to Plaza Senayan, Fairmont hotel is the place you won’t want to leave on your next trip to Jakarta. Fairmont Jakarta celebrates its soft opening with an introductory offer of 25 percent off best available rates for stays until 30 April 2015. Please visit www. fairmont.com/jakarta for more information.
presented as original as the classic days with famous cocktail recipes from the era. The Chophouse serves “food fit for gangsters” and classic cocktails, andthe Speakeasy Bar is a members club for engaging, mature and refined gentlemen offering one of Jakarta’s best selections of premium spirits, single malt whiskies and imported cigars. Plaza Senayan Arcadia www.prohibition.asia
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BITS&PIECES
Raffles Hotel opens in Jakarta World 1 mall and Ciputra Artpreneur Centre. The hotel’s soft opening brings Raffles’ portfolio around the world to 12 hotels. This Raffles in Jakarta is a celebration of art - and in particular a homage to the iconic Indonesian artist Hendra Gunawan. His legacy comes to life at Raffles Jakarta, where interpretations of his works enhance the elegant interiors and also a specially built gallery that houses many of his iconic paintings.
Raffles Jakarta opened softly during March and has added a certain chic style and brought some
heritage to the commercial hub of Kuningan. It is directly connected to the neighbouring Ciputra
The hotel’s 173 luxurious rooms and suites are some of the largest in Jakarta. Floor to ceiling windows frame views of this energetic, bustling capital city. The guestrooms are an interpretation of the artist’s retreat, with rich Indonesian aesthetics and supreme comfort, each one a tranquil sanctuary. The authentic touch is personified by the legendary Raffles Butler service that is part of the anatomy of every Raffles hotel. And what would be a Raffles without The Writers Bar, a much-loved
haven at Raffles Singapore, a tribute to the famous novelists who have stayed at the hotel, is re-interpreted in Jakarta as an oasis of Indonesian art, history and literature. The design is again inspired by Hendra Gunawan’s love of nature and colour. The ceiling is sculpted with showering crystals, whilst vibrant fish swim through the custommade carpet below. At the Arts Café, guests will find art of the edible kind, as sights, sounds, textures and delicious aromas from the show kitchens emerge. Navina – derived from the Indonesian word for ‘fresh’ – provides an informal poolside setting serving light meals and cocktails in the lush tropical gardens. Two more restaurants will open later this year. For those who want an early experience of Raffles Jakarta, take advantage of the special opening rate of 25% off the best available rate till the end of June, 2015. That can be booked through www.raffles.com/jakarta/offers.
BREAKING NEWS After a few years of being “naughty but nice” as Naughty Nuri’s Warung/ Batubelig, Piggy has evolved by leaps and bounds! She is not only bigger and fully-fledged, she is now confident, independent, supreme and most of all she is undeniably untamed! Indisputably, the wicked ribs and brutal martinis are our trademarks,
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known throughout Bali and beyond. Yet, many guests are not familiar with other luscious dishes they have crafted within the last few years. Hog Wild in Bali offers an array of mouthwatering cuisine from tenderlicious beef ribs, Frenchified bebek goreng (crispy-duck), seared sashimi-quality tuna steak, delectable full-hearted sop buntut (oxtail soup) to
lip-smacking beef shish kebab! Feasting in our funky street-side warung with its stylish décor is always an unforgettable dining experience. Don’t miss the special offer 10% disc. on all food & beverages within the GO HOG WILD WEEK from 14th to17th May 2015
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ACTION BALI
Canggu Club There’s a whole lot of new things to try out over at Canggu Club, but are they right for you?
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If
you’ve ever driven by Canggu Club or have seen any of their billboards plastered across what seems like the busiest intersection on the island, you’ll know that Canggu Club is offering a bunch of new activities. But past the ads showing all sorts of family friendly activities, what do all these new additions mean to you? Here’s a handy guide broken down into age groups.
There are slides galore at Splash.
Kids It’s fairly obvious that a lot of what the Canggu Club offers is geared towards you. Bounce has got all sorts of aerial distractions as well as really fun classes. If you can round up six friends or more, you could play dodge ball or play some trampoline basketball (slamball). It’s ridiculously fun and it’s pretty much like
turning on an anti gravity machine. Once you’re all sweaty from that, you could hit up their Splash Water Park, they have a Giant Racing Slide where you can see who goes down the fastest. There’s also a pretty big bowl along with four other attractions to try out. If you’re into knocking down pins, Strike Bowling is there for you.
Knock down some pins over at Strike Bowling.
Young Adults We’ve mentioned dodge ball and slamball which are totally sweet if you can round up a few like-minded friends together, but bounce also has these crazy wall walker trampolines. You essentially fall onto the trampoline on your back and run up a vertical wall propped up next to the trampoline. You get crazy amounts of air and if you hit the sweet spot right you’ll
notice that these trampolines have way more bounce than your average backward apparatus. Instructors are there to coach you on technique and reassure you, because let’s face it, getting that much air can be exhilaratingly terrifying. Strike Bowling is also super legit with six lanes to knock down some pins along with a full bar to knock down drinks and watch sports.
You can get some really serious air at Bounce.
Parents Canggu Club must be a godsend to you people. If you have tiny kids, there’s the Cubby House Kids Club which offers just about everything little tykes would want. There’s video games, arts and crafts, a movie theater, all sorts of toys including full mini kitchens, race courses, it’s basically Toy R Us with all the toys unwrapped. Your kids are totally supervised throughout their Cubby House experience which means you get to hang out at Strike Bowling or the other Canggu Club facilities (including their spa) with total peace of mind.
If your kids are at bounce, you can observe them from the comfort of Strike Bowling with a drink in hand. If that isn’t enough, there’s always Splash. And if you want to get fit, from 9-10am there’s Bounce fit which is basically low impact aerobics on trampolines. They claim that in that hour of working out, you can burn 1,000 calories. To put that in perspective, 3500 calories are in a half kg of fat and jogging will only burn about half that in an hour. FRV
Their spa is most excellent when the kids are playing.
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