FRV Travel 9.3

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IDR 60.000 - SGD $10.50 - HKD $55.00 - MYR RM26.00 - AUD $10.00 - TWD $230 - THB 190

fine restaurants and villas | bali & southeast asian style

edition 9.3, october - november ‘12 Rp. 60.000

Bali

Design

Vincent's Voyage DejaVu Kitchen

Asia's Colonial Architecture

Amanwana Maldives

Singapore

Balzac Pollen

Cocktails

Jakarta

Lyon & Skye

Grand Hyatt's

Rp. 60.000

Rolf Knecht

design

Cocoon food

architecture

fashion

Travel

Batanes Tasmania

Luang Prabang art

wine

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october - november 2012

CONTENTS

FEATURES 44 Shaken & Stirred

Cocktail hopping with Katie Truman at Seminyak’s W Retreat & Spa Bali.

48 Bali Fashion

Cocoon plays host to some of Bali’s best designers and accessories with guest photographer, Ioanna Vruble.

72 Redefining Tropical Luxury

Constance Resorts in the Maldives offer two very different properties, but one huge experience.

78 The Apple Isle

Ian Neubauer trips around Tasmania and finds beauty and warmth at every turn.

88 Dining With Honoré

Thomas Jones finds a French restaurant in Singapore infused with authentic family secrets.

108 Windy Islands

Ian Neubauer meets the friendly folks and rugged countryside on Batanes in the Philippines.

9.3

Cover FRV Travel:

Fashion at Cocoon.

Photo: Ioanna Vruble 6 l FRV Travel

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9.3

october - november 2012 CONTENTS DejaVu Kitchen

032

Voyage

040

Bali’s Two Islands

058

Clubs are out and fine dining is in on 66 Beach.

84

Conrad Singapore’s art collection.

Nusa Lembongan’s villa extraordinaire.

What’s happening down in Nusa Dua.

36

Trauts dines in Bali’s Candidasa.

126

Rachel Love talks with Martin Westlake about his craft.

The SKYE Sensation

062

Up Up and A-Hue

096

Flower Power

092

Shanghai Surprise

112

Erza gets high up the scene in Jakarta.

All you need to know about Vietnam’s Hue.

Melanie Lee visits Singapore’s Pollen.

100

Impressions of Labuan Prabang.

David’s Chinese eatery in Melbourne.

Finding Eden In The East

The eastern isles of Indonesia through Amanwana’s eyes.

102

Asia’s colonial heritage on show.

1 4 E v e n t s - 1 6 B i t s & P i e c e s - 7 0 J a k a r t a Ly o n - 7 6 O v e r n i g h t S i n g a p o r e 1 1 6 W ine - 1 1 9 Cheese - 1 2 0 Recipes - 1 3 2 Listings - 1 4 6 Last Word 8 l FRV Travel

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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@frvtravel.com www.frvtra ve l.c om Di recto r Guna wa n I nd rob a skoro Graphics Coordinator Te guh Ana nta (artwork@frvtra ve l.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 Nyoman Rupma Ii n I nd ra p utra , I ma m, Ma d e i nfo@frvtra ve l.c om Fi nance Sri W ita ri, B a gus Oka Mark eti ng Gina , Oc hy (sales@frvtravel.com) A dmi ni strati o n Dya h, Poojie , Ta ri Co ntri buto rs T homa s Jone s, Da vid Tra uts, Erza ST, Nic hola s Wa lton, Katie Truman, Rachel Love, Herman Von Ber nhardi Aguayo, Ia n Lloyd Ne ub a ue r.

S ubscri pti o n Yearly subscription available in Indonesia - Rupiah 315,000 Conta c t: sub sc rib e @frvtra ve l.c om Send e-mail to the above for details.

Consulting Stua rt D W ilford (stua rt@frvtra ve l.c om) L eg al Asso ci ates Agus Sa mija ya & Pa rtne rs Gra ha Asa , Jl. Ka p te n Cok Agung Tre sna 49 Re non, De np a sa r. Te l: +62 361 242447, 247302, 08123924509.

Fine Restaurants and Villas Travel magazine is an independent, b i -mo nthl y publ i cati o n. N ex t edi ti o n deadl i ne N o vember 15, 2012

FR V Tr a v e l 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 shou ld be 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 th ose of th e pu blish e r s. F R V Tr a ve l m a ga zin e is pr in te d by P T M e ga I n da h (T: 02161 9 0 5 2 9 ) 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 (In 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 ) .

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 Trav el Mag az ine

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E dit io n 9 .3

Oct o ber - No v ember ‘1 2

ATWWRETREAT RETREAT & & SPA SPA BALI AT BALI --SEMINYAK SEMINYAK 24 HOUR SPA

24 HOUR SPA 7 TREATMENT ROOMS 7 TREATMENT ROOMS 1 BEAUTY ROOM 1 BEAUTY ROOM OXYGEN ROOM OXYGEN ROOM COLD PLUNGE COLD PLUNGE HOT STONE BATH HOT STONE BATH HAMMAM HAMMAM CHILL BAR CHILL BAR

AWAY FROM THE ORDINARY

WELCOME TO ANTHE ESCAPE WITHIN AN ESCAPE. WHERE THE WHIRLWIND OF W WINDS DOWN, AND AWAY AWAY FROM ORDINARY

MEANS A DISAPPEARING FROMAN THEESCAPE. EVERYDAY INTO AN INSIDER SCENE OF SENSATIONS, WELCOME TO AN ESCAPEACT WITHIN WHERE THE WHIRLWIND OFSURPRISING W WINDS DOWN, AND AWAY A PLACE TO DELIGHTFULLY DETOX AFTER THE AFTER PARTY. WHETHER ESCAPING THE CITY STREETS OR MEANS A DISAPPEARING ACT FROM THE EVERYDAY INTO AN INSIDER SCENE OF SURPRISING SENSATIONS, REFUELING YOUR COOL FROM THE HEAT OF THE BEACH, AWAY SPA IS MORE THAN ANY SPA, IT’S W HOTELS’ A PLACE TO DELIGHTFULLY DETOX AFTER THE AFTER PARTY. WHETHER ESCAPING THE CITY STREETS OR WAY OF WHISKING AWAY. REFUELING YOUR COOL FROM THE HEAT OF THE BEACH, AWAY SPA IS MORE THAN ANY SPA, IT’S W HOTELS’ WAY OF WHISKING AWAY. AWAY SPA BY W HOTELS JL. PETITENGET, SEMINYAK, KEROBOKAN, DENPASAR, BALI 80361, INDONESIA AWAY SPA BY W HOTELS AWAYSPA.WBALI@WHOTELS.COM JL. PETITENGET, KEROBOKAN, T: +62 361 4738 SEMINYAK, 106 F: +62 361 300 2450 DENPASAR, BALI 80361, INDONESIA AWAYSPA.WBALI@WHOTELS.COM EXPLORE WHOTELS.COM/BALISEMINYAK T:FACEBOOK.COM/WRETREATBALI +62 361 4738 106 F: +62 361 300 2450 EXPLORE TWITTER WHOTELS.COM/BALISEMINYAK @WBALI

FACEBOOK.COM/WRETREATBALI TWITTER @WBALI

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Editor’s Note FRV Travel – It takes you places Even with a slight downturn in foreign tourist arrivals reported in July, Bali appears to continue to get busier and busier. By this time next year, the island will have a new airport and two major road projects completed that should ease some of the traffic congestion caused by rapid growth in numbers arriving to our shores in recent years. It will also help to make Bali look pretty as a button in terms of state-of-the-art infrastructure, which will be a far cry from the state of things on my first trip here some 32 years ago. Back then there were mostly smaller and a lot fewer roads, not many vehicles, lots of motorbikes and bicycles, and to make an international call meant driving down to the airport to line up for a phone. Forget trying to find decent bread, milk or other basic Western produce, or even a decent bed to sleep in outside of a few starred hotels that were here at the time. How things have changed since then. Now it seems you can find anything you want; the most luxurious of accommodations and restaurants to the most rudimentary facilities and everything in between. Foods from all over the

world with a plethora of fine dining options in style and taste, unseen in many other part of the world, are now available—no wonder so many people are moving to Bali to live, and not just holiday. I recently had a discussion about this topic. How many new settlers are arriving to Bali? How many already live here? It’s difficult to estimate the number of foreigners living permanently or semi-permanently on the island though. One of the latest trends is miners working off-shore now flying to Bali instead of to their home countries and settling into homes around the island as tourists, retirees having a home here during the winter months to escape the cold, or just people looking for the opportunities presented by the tourist market and creating their own businesses. If you add to this list other Indonesians looking for a better life and settling here, the list would be in the hundreds of thousands and still growing. There must be a simple reason for this and that I would hazard to guess is that it just doesn’t get any better.

FRV CONTRIBUTORS

David Trauts Correspondent, English.

In Jakarta this edition Trauts had two pleasures. One meeting the new chef at the Grand Hyatt and the other dining at Mandarin Oriental’s Lyon restaurant. Back on the island drinking vodka in the morning was never so good as imbibing with the learned owner of Ketel One.

Erza S.T. This opera loving guy, besides putting on his annual opera event just recently, was out and about this past couple of months savouring the tastes and heights of the new Skye restaurant and bar in Jakarta and before popping over to Sumbawa for the luxury and safarilike adventure of Amanwana resort.

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Thomas Jones Being a rather busy couple of months Thomas could only squeeze in a long weekend in Singapore in pursuit of pleasure and leisure but still managed to visit one of the island’s premier French restaurants and take in some great art at the Conrad Hotel.

Rachel Love Told by a fortune teller that her life would take a dramatic change in a move to the East, she arrived in Bali with a few hundred pounds and a vision to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a writer on a tropical island. FRV’s resident arts writer, Rachel is one of Bali’s most prolific authors, writing extensively on all things lifestyle and travel related.

Nick Walton Nick has been writing on travel for over 10 years, including most recently as the travel editor for the 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 Ian is a Sydney-based freelance journalist specializing in adventure travel. He has reported extensively across East Asia and the South Pacific for many publications. He is also the author of two travel novels, Getafix (2004) and Maquis (2006), and an advocate for Topu Honis, an orphanage and women’s shelter in East Timor.

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regionalevents

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER Opera Outback: Australia

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The night air will come alive with the dulcet tones of tenors and sopranos in the Australian Outback through a unique open-air performance using Queensland’s lava-sculpted landscape of Undara, 275km west of Cairns, as a natural outdoor amphitheater. Guests, who will stay in tents, camper vans and caravans, are expected to dress for the event in style. Oct 4-7.

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Classically Trained: China Visitors at the Beijing International Film Festival can enjoy the best of the best from the worlds of symphony, opera, chamber music, classic jazz, song and dance and other excellent art performances at this year’s festival with an international line up guaranteed to

Movie Nights: Bali

impress everyone from the novice

The Balinale film festival has

to the die-hard opera and classical

received official recognition

fanatics. Oct 11-31.

from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations for their contribution to the cause and they are back stronger than ever in October with a line up of great filmmakers, films, documentaries and shorts to entertain and raise questions and awareness alongside the many workshops and seminars. Oct 8-14.

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Read All About It: Bali It’s time again for literary junkies to get their fix from the vast international line up of writers, poets and journalists at this year’s Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. With Nick Cave headlining he’s sure to get some hearts aflutter amidst the plethora of talented scribes and commentators and flocks of adoring fans in attendance. Oct 3-6.

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jungle Cat: Malaysia In a coup for Malaysian golf, Tiger Woods will be headlining at this year’s CIMB Classic golf tournament at The Mines Resort in Kuala Lumpur - his first time competing in Malaysia since he won the individual and team titles in the 1999 World Cup. Tickets will surely run out quickly for the event so get in quick for your chance to see one of golf’s true leaders in the field.

25 Oct. 25-28.

Who’s Coming? Hong kong The 2012 Hong Kong International Literary Festival offers word buffs a not to be missed ten days of pure literary joy and will feature such luminaries as Colm Toibin, Fuchsia Dunlop, Wendy Law-Yone and Jeet Thayill whose book Narcopolis has just been long-listed for the 2012 Man Booker Prize. Oct 5 - 14.

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Jazz and Wine: Australia Quite unique amongst festivals in that it has stayed true to its traditional jazz fans, as well as catering to new audiences with a ‘fringe’ component of progressive jazz The Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival will play four days of music and frivolity for all its guests this this year and is sure to be another huge triumph. Nov 2-5.

Cheers To That: New Zealand Getting The Hump: India If you don’t like camels then stop reading now. In November an astonishing 50,000 camels and their owners will converge on the tiny desert town of Pushkar, in Rajasthan, for the annual Pushkar Fair, a fascinating and peculiar event dating back centuries and an insight into an age-old tradition of commerce, religion and simply catching up with old friends you haven’t seen all year. November 24 – 28.

After a long and brutal winter the Kiwi wine festival circuit gets underway for the summer northeast of Wellington with Toast Martinborough, New Zealand’s Premier Wine, Food and Music Festival. Celebrating 20 years of fun in the (maybe) sun it brings together the unbeatable combination of premium wines, outstanding food and great music, all within a charming wine village atmosphere.

Nov 18.

What? No Bananas: Thailand Another strange cultural celebration from Thailand is the Monkey Buffet

And They’re Racing: Australia

Festival held in Lop Buri in the centre of the country. Believed to be descendants of the Hindu

The ‘first Tuesday in November’ falls

god Hanuman, the locals put on a

on the first of the month this year and

humungous spread of all the foods

the hats and heartaches will be out in

the monkeys love to eat, (and throw)

force for the Melbourne Cup. When

on the last Sunday of November

a whole city gets a paid day off for a

while the primates gorge and pose

horse race and productivity grinds to

for the cameras. With no please or

a halt across the rest of the nation,

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you know it has to be something special. Place your bets! Nov 1.

For those in Bali, be sure to attend the Melbourne Cup Day at Canggu Club, details inside.

Classics and Wine: Australia

thank you, table manners are not to be expected. Nov 25-25.

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The Huntington Estate Music Festival is

held each year in the Barrel Room of the

winery in Mudgee, a fantastic space with great acoustics and a unique atmosphere.

All concerts include generous interval refreshments and are followed by gourmet meals and a selection of the best Huntington wines. Nov 21-25.

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BITS&PIECES

Villa Kinara Central with plenty of Indonesian charm.

Right in Seminyak’s prestigious Oberoi enclave, the six-bedroom Villa Kinara is perfectly positioned for Bali’s best-known restaurants, bars and boutiques as well as the island’s famed sunset beaches. Steeped in Indonesia’s rich heritage, and paying homage to traditional Balinese home design, Villa Kinara is spread over three pavilions, with thatched alang-alang roofs, ironwood shingles using joglo and limasan houses from Java. Teak wood craftsmanship is much in evidence throughout the villa. The enviro-architectural theme, the chic furniture, including the dining table (a magnificent slab of teak and a conversation piece in itself), sit comfortably among traditional materials and modern conveniences including large flat-screen TVs, home entertainment systems, and two superbly equipped kitchens and large swimming pool. www.villakinara.com

bits&PIECES Bali Sommelier Association Appreciating some tasty networking.

Wine lovers of all creeds, be they professional or amateur, hotels, restaurants or bars, suppliers or distributors, sommeliers or casual drinkers, the Bali Sommelier Association (BSA) cordially invites you to join them in developing wine skill through progressive training, tastings and networking. The BS) is a Bali-based professional organization established to facilitate and unite local and international sommeliers to further enhance their knowledge and cultures of wines.

Interested parties please contact balisommelier@gmail.com

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SARONG INSPIRATIONS The Debut Cookbook from Chef Will Meyrick.

Filled with recipes of your favourite signature dishes, the book charts Chef Will Meyrick’s journey in Asia, from his very early days of discovery in Thailand and motorcycle dashes across Laos, through to stints of life in Khmer villages and Indian homestays, learning the secrets which had been handed down in families from generation to generation.

On the shelves in November.

Restaurant Bookings Essential: +62 361 4737 809 or info@sarongbali.com Jl Petitenget No. 19X Kerobokan, Bali, Indonesia

www.sarongbali.com

www.facebook.com/sarong-bali FRV Travel

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BITS&PIECES

Aston Hits 12 Aston International opens its twelfth favehotel in Kemang - Jakarta.

The new “fave” occupies a prime spot in the very heart of South Jakarta’s Kemang, Jakarta’s most bohemian neighborhood, recognized as the city’s lifestyle centre filled with art and antique galleries, bookshops, cafes, bars, clubs and restaurants.

With 130 rooms the new favehotel Kemang aims to become Jakarta’s favorite economy class hotel affording facilities and amenities usually associated with more upmarket hotels such as a swimming pool, modern and functional meeting rooms and an eclectic café. “Favehotels are in the very best locations and can often be found in destinations that are somewhat hip and usually not associated with budget hotels,” says Aston’s Norbert Vas. “This new position in the heart of Kemang is a perfect match for fave.”

Art For Art’s Sake Art classes offered at Chedi Club in the afternoon.

Led by noted art expert and illustrator Bruce Granquist, ‘Art Afternoons’ traces the history and development of the highly regarded Batuan school of art, revealing links between Balinese culture and daily life and the village’s various art forms. The classes aim to demystify Batuan paintings, one of the island’s major art styles. Priced at IDR 200,000, (approx US$20) the hour-long discussions are on an introductory level and guests do not need to have a background in art. The resort intends to hold the classes one to four times monthly. “For a long time, all the arrows pointed to the Chedi Club as the place to get up close with Balinese art,” said Simon Spiller, the resort’s general manager. “Now, with the help of Bruce Granquist, we’re giving guests the story behind the pictures, and with it, access to the creative soul of the island.” Call +62 361 975685 for more.

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BITS&PIECES .

The Colony Hotel Just a special offer away from fun and adventure.

The Colony Hotel in Seminyak is offering FRV Travel readers a special package for five- and seven-night stays, which including airport transfer, daily breakfast, fruit basket and a The Colony bag. Save up to US$ 320 and, best of all, to ensure the serenity and comfort of all guests, they have a policy of no children under 16 years of age.

Brick By Brick Legoland comes to Malaysia.

Inspired by Asia’s growing love affair with all things Lego, and to the delight of families everywhere, Legoland Malaysia opened its doors to the public in September on its new 76-acre theme park with more than 40 rides and attractions including rollercoasters, race cars and familyfocused interactive shows. Based in Kota Iskandar, Johor, in the southern region of peninsular Malaysia, approximately 350km from Kuala Lumpur and just across the causeway from Singapore, it is easily accessible for all travellers. “We hope that with today’s news families and tour operators will begin planning their trips to visit us and we look forward to giving you an experience like no other in Asia,” said Legoland’s Siegfried Boerst.

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BITS&PIECES

Red Velvet Métis third anniversary a sumptuous feast for the eyes, ears and mouth.

Another incredible year has gone by for the folks down at Metis and the team are elated to be celebrating their third anniversary. They also wish to express their deepest gratitude for all the support their loyal clientele have shown to them over their short lifetime by pulling out all the stops with an extraordinary ‘Red Velvet’ stage show inspired by the legendary and most famous cabaret in the world, Le Moulin Rouge! After starting at 7.30 – 9.30 with an open bar and canapés, they will pull back the curtains and present a magnificent spectacle that blends an illustrious variety of songs with the infamous burlesque style and a lot of Brazilian notes. Be prepared to be carried away by an astounding tableaux displaying the most splendid feathers, dazzling costumes and truly captivating dancers, followed at 11.30pm by DJs and dancing till late. It shall be a feast for all the senses.

Introducing Alaya Ubud A new hotel that celebrates island-inspired artistry.

De daun Group is about to open Alaya Ubud, a brand new stylish boutique hotel that will reflect Bali as an artistic destination as well as more than meeting the needs of travellers. The hotel is set to become a modern interpretation of Bali’s local building culture through the combination of indigenous materials and innovative examples of island-inspired artistry. Alaya Ubud will feature 60 tastefully appointed rooms, a main swimming pool and a restaurant specialising in cuisine from across Indonesia.

The hotel will also feature their amazing DaLa Spa, which will be designed by Zohra Boukhari. www.alayaubud.com

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BITS&PIECES

One Eleven Bali Opens Garden walls, Japanese inspiration and lashings of space for all.

Introducing One Eleven, a discreet and private sanctuary that boasts nine huge villas, each with a private swimming pool and a 35sqm spa gazebo. Secluded by a vertical garden of a million pots of flora, this sprawling 5,000sqm property is an exercise in understated luxury, a sleek, Japanese, modern minimalist design pervades throughout with the use of natural wood and stone, while floor-to-ceiling glass walls of the bedroom and bathroom welcome nature in, creating a relaxing environment to unwind and rejuvenate.

The One Eleven magic begins with an assigned 24 hour butler service, driver and even a personal chef at one’s disposal, catering to all needs, tastes and desires of its guests, thus creating a high level of personalised service.

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A stay at One Eleven is not complete without enjoying the exclusivity of Shiro, the resort’s reservations only sushi and sake bar that has interiors fully designed by the famed Shigemasa Noi. (See more info on Shiro on page 30) “I was delighted to be invited to be part of the One Eleven Team and to take the helm during the opening phase and as we now enter our second month of full operations, I believe One Eleven will become a very popular and sought after place to stay,” says General Manager, David Beevers. “I look forward to taking One Eleven to great heights and growing the brand to other destinations throughout the region. It is exciting to be part of a great concept.” www.111resorts.com

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BITS&PIECES

Good Morning Vietnam Accor opening doors in Ho Chi Minh City.

The leading international operator of hotels in Asia-Pacific and Vietnam, Accor, recently opened the 247-room, Novotel Saigon Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, an upper mid-scale hotel that promises new experiences and convenience for both business and leisure travellers visiting this vibrant city.

Located in the heart of the city’s business and entertainment area, the hotel is just a short 20-minute drive from HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport, 1.5 km away from Saigon Railway Station, and only a few steps from the city’s landmarks, such as the Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and Ben Thanh Market.

New to Town A new restaurant on Eat Street is turning many a head.

Belgian team, Zohra and Blaise, are back again with a new stylish restaurant on Eat Street in Oberoi. Aptly named Bistrot, the restaurant and bar impresses no end with an air-conditioned high-ceilinged space that creates a distinct industrial feel like a New York loft/factory space, but one that is adorned with many antiques and artifacts from around the Indonesian archipelago.

The menu is a well-balanced combination of soul food, Asian and Western, with the Crying Tiger Steak highly recommended, and choice dishes like fresh oysters, foie gras terrine and steak tartar, prepared under the guidance and skilful hands of Belgian Head Chef, Yehudi

and his kitchen team. Already receiving rave reviews, Bistrot Restaurant and Bar is the new must see/must taste venue in Bali’s chic dining scene.

Bistrot: 117 Jl. Laksmana Seminyak.

Tel: +62 361 738 308 for reservations.

Rush Hour In Myanmar The fast plane to Mandalay.

AirAsia has confirmed plans to boost its services between Thailand and Myanmar with four weekly flights between Bangkok and Mandalay from October. The airline is also planning to boost its Bangkok-Yangon flights from twice to three times a day from the same date. “Myanmar has continually opened itself up to the region and the world, providing a chance for outsiders to witness its many beauties,” said Tassapon Bijleveld of Thai AirAsia. All services to both Yangon and Mandalay will be operated using a single class, 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

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BITS&PIECES

It’s All In The Pot A part owner of Ketel One was in town recently to talk about his vodka and educate locals on one of the best liquors going.

Ketel One vodka has fast become a leader in the Indonesian market and is now seen stocked in the most fashionable and discerning bars around the region.

After 300 years in the making, the Dutch made Ketel One is now one of the finest and most respected vodkas in the world with a production of almost two million cases per year. Bob Nolet, the 11th generation joint owner of Ketel One, was recently in Bali and Jakarta as part of an Asian promotional tour from his home base in Holland. According to him, the reason Ketel One vodka is so popular and tastes so distinctly good is because of the double distillation process they employ at their state-ofthe-art distillery in Schiedam, Holland.

Bob was at the W Retreat in Bali’s fashionable Seminyak to extol the virtues of his famed product to a group of fortunate media souls that included me and while the sun shone and the azure Indian Ocean waves crashed in the background, three shot glasses were put out before us on a table. They contained the three top-selling vodkas in the land, including Ketel One, and we proceeded to taste the merits of each brand with Bob describing certain attributes of each. It was a case of preaching to the converted for me as I have been a great fan of Ketel One since it first landed on Indonesian shores some two years ago, but it was an interesting exercise in tasting the results of the different distilling processes used in each distillery. To cut to the

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chase, Ketel One’s difference, according to Bob, is in the secondary distillation through coal-fired copper pot stills, including the original Distilleerketel #1, (distiller pot one in English), from where the name came. This distillation process in effect takes the heads (too harsh) and tails (too weak) from the alcohol, keeping only the heart of each distillate.

The process also aids in creating a longer finish and a tingling sensation in the palate, perfect for cocktails, as well as a less dramatic hangover in the morning as there are fewer impurities in this vodka as most other liquors. This is one of the main reasons I have been enjoying this Dutch liquor for some time. Remember to always drink in moderation. [David Trauts]

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BITS&PIECES

Straight Out Of Osaka Shiro Sushi & Sake Bar is the Japanese catch of the year.

One Eleven in Seminyak has taken Japanese sushi dining to discretely sublime levels with the opening of Shiro Sushi/Sake on the first floor of their new resort.

Meaning ‘white’, this compact restaurant is back to intimate designer basics in black stone and blonde wood. Two tables for six and a thick-set wooden sushi bar provide the seating and a supremely experienced Japanese sushi master, Shinya Kuwazoe, delivers the delicate and finely honed cuisine direct to the plate. Elegant, refined and very classy just about says it all. Sushi and traditional special set menus are their specialty and a good selection of sake complements the dining experience. Given the intimate size of Shiro Sushi & Sake Bar, reservations are a must. Call: +62 361 731 343

For the fourth consecutive year, Canggu Club will be holding the garden party of the year in celebration of one of Australia’s greatest sporting events – The Melbourne Cup. The horse race celebrated all over the land Down Under on the first Tuesday of November will be shown live on the big screen while the crowd cheers on their favourites.

Canggu Club transforms into one big lawn party where many different forms of entertainment are provided including music, fashion shows and real bookmakers taking your bets. According to the organizers, this year they are expecting 400+ of Bali’s finest in attendance. “The vast majority of the attendees are Bali’s expat business leaders and Australian tourists who make the trip to Bali just for the event,” one of the organizers told FRV Travel.

This year held on November 6, the day commences at 10am with the race being held at 12.06pm, and the show continues right through the afternoon with food, beverages and plenty of fun.

Call: +62 361 844 6385

The Melbourne Cup In Bali Time to get your giddy up on at Canggu Club.

Margaret River Gourmet Escape 22 – 25 November 2012.

In case you hadn’t heard, Margaret River is ready to go hard core with the Gourmet Escape - a huge new food and wine festival taking centre stage in WA this November. The festival includes a huge Gourmet Village at Leeuwin Estate, VIP dinners, pop-up wine workshops and cooking classes, gourmet barbeques on the beach, and, wait for it… Heston Blumenthal! (Pictured) Not to mention Rene Redzepi, Kylie Kwong, Matt Moran, George Calombaris and over twenty other local and international food and wine experts. Ticket are selling fast so be quick, it’s going to be massive! www.ticketek.com.au 30 l FRV Travel

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BALIDining

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Text: Dan Ashcroft Photos: Sulthon & Dejavu Kitchen

Have U A Been Here Before?

Dejavu Kitchen Left and above: Vintage retro decor adorns the breezy main dining area downstairs.

Top: The upstairs lounge provides a stunning spot for cool cocktails at sunset.

rguably one of the most buzzing beaches in Bali, Double Six has been slowly but surely undergoing something of a sea change lately – the late night clubbing scene is on the way out and the growing number of upmarket dining establishments taking hold along the length of Jl. Blue Ocean is on the rise. Joining the ranks of Double Six’s stellar lineup of fine dining restaurants, the new Dejavu Kitchen has recently thrown open it’s newly refurbished doors for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Retro soft-drink posters hang above distressed funky wooden furnishings with a cosy colour scheme of rich reds and yellows, giving off a stylish shabby-chic ambience that fits the beachside vibe perfectly. The wide open front ensures an al-fresco atmosphere throughout the downstairs dining area and terrace, while an upstairs chill out lounge provides views across the beach, and is the perfect vantage point to watch the world go by.

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Seminyak chic on Double Six Beach.

Dishes from the menu have a certain Spanish feel about them including luscious lamb shank ragu with tomato sauce and soft polenta and the ham croquets.

Head chef Bernat Rodriguez has created a brand new menu that boasts tasty, crowd-pleasing food from around the globe that encompasses soups, salads, pastas seafood and poultry. Best of all though, is a selection of Catalunya tapas that showcase the height of authentic Spanish grazing cuisine. There’s plenty to choose from, with a smattering of Italian, Asian, Spanish and American cuisine available, not to mention cool cocktails, a well stocked wine list and all the hot and cold beverages you’ll ever need to warm up or cool off after a day at the beach.

Stopping by after a tough day lazing on the beach, my friend and I pulled up a chair on the terrace just before sunset for a couple of drinks and to check out some of Bernat’s creations. Chatting with the Barcelona native it’s clear that in addition to the myriad global flavours featured, he’s keen to bring a taste of proper Spanish cuisine to Dejavu Kitchen, particularly with his superb selection of tapas – surely Spain’s greatest gift to foodies the world over. At Bernat’s recommendation we shared a plate of the excellent battered king prawns with tangy date compote and quesadillas,

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but it was the crispy ham croquets filled with Serrano ham in béchamel sauce that (just) won out. Like all good tapas, the flavours are simple, allowing the natural taste to shine through.

the chef is keen to bring a taste of proper Spanish cuisine to Dejavu Kitchen, particularly with his superb selection of tapas.

It was a tough decision for the mains since pretty much everything looked appealing, but eventually we got stuck into the tuna tataki with sesame, spinach and soya and lamb shank ragu with tomato sauce and soft polenta, both perfectly balanced, full of flavour and impossible to fault.

The late night clubbing may have been tempered on Double Six Beach, but the excellent food, contemporary surroundings and beachy vibe means that the new era for Dejavu is looking promisingly bright. FRV

DejaVu Kitchen Jl. Arjuna, Blue Ocean Beach 7x +62 361 732 777 www.dejavukitchen.com

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BALIdining

Vincent’s Vincent’s Text by Trauts Photos by Vincent’s

Gardens don’t get more tropical than this...and did I mention romantic?

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a destination in itself

Candidasa is only an hour’s drive from the hectic world of Kuta-slash-Seminyak and while it’s still a sleepy one horse town and has an excruciatingly slow pace, which of course is one of its greater charms, there are a number of accommodation and dining options to cater for discerning tastes...and they are improving every day.

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incent’s restaurant on the main road of Candidasa opened its doors in January 2004. The Dutch owners, Roel Smit and Fred Harder, had a concept in mind which was new to East Bali, but many people shook their heads on hearing the idea. “When we started everybody was saying, ‘Yes okay, you will last a few months and die like the rest of the restaurants in Candidasa’. It was also shortly after the first Bali bomb, so you can imagine. But we survived and thankfully prospered,” Fred told me the evening we dined at their restaurant. “In the beginning it was hard to survive but within one year many tourists had discovered us on trips to the peaceful and beautiful area of Karangasem and Candidasa,” he continued. The tourists also seem to have discovered Vincent’s online through Tripadvisor where they hold position numero uno in Candidasa on that über-popular, reader-fed listings site.

Bearing in mind that a quick spin down the main drag of Candidasa on any given night shows just about every eatery in town empty, what, you may ask, is the secret of this restaurant? Well, maybe the Dutch lads having had some previous experience in the trade could be part of it. “We

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Left: Vincent’s Seafood sensation is just one of the dishes showing how they do things up there in Candidasa.

had a small bistro in Holland before we decided to move here. That was a part-time experience for us while having real jobs, but we did learn a lot about running an eatery,” says Fred. They built a villa in Candidasa when they first moved to town and employed a villa cook. A few years later the villa cook moved to Vincent’s. “We taught him a number of Western dishes and now he has become a very talented chef,” he says.

The restaurant has a homely and comfortable feel.

Jazz permeates the air and the interior, and photos of jazz musicians hang across the walls, looking very cool and sophisticated in a jazzy kind of way. Live jazz music events are held monthly.

The spacious, candlelit outdoor garden area at the back of the main building offers a casual and romantic setting too.

The staff are mainly from the local Karangasem area and as the owner says they are well-trained to Western standards and he’s not wrong. They are very pleasant and informed staff indeed.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner with a substantial menu of Western and Balinese dishes, all cooked to perfection, with a bunch of delicious vegetarian dishes to choose from too. Favourites like strawberry salad with haloumi cheese, crab dumplings and fish cookies and an excellent

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calamari salad are starring on the starters menu. Then for mains they tell me the local seafood is a must, but for me, the Balinese dishes are the pick of the bunch; excellent in presentation and flavours.

Above:The front bar and lounge area at the entrance of Vincent’s has welcomed many a foodie in its time.

Vincent’s, named after Van Gogh, has taste, refinement and a fair amount of style.

Vincent’s, which was named after the Dutch painter Van Gogh, has taste, refinement and a certain amount of style, but at the same time is totally laid-back and casual. Most evenings you can meet and chat with Fred or Roel perched at the welcoming front bar and lounge area, but remember to make a reservation, especially on weekends. It’s always busy.

Vincent’s not only helps make Candidasa a better place to visit and dine in, but also the whole Bali experience is better for it. It would be wonderful to see more restaurateurs taking their example and opening more destination restaurants within reach of town. Not just for the tourists, but for the locals alike. FRV

Vincent’s Jl Raya Candidasa, Bali Tel. +62 363 41368 www.vincentsbali.com

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BALIVILLA

Voyage

to Barefoot Luxury Images: Christopher Leggett

Villa Voyage is a new and spectacular five-bedroom villa that offers absolute beachfront luxury just off Bali’s eastern coast in laid-back Nusa Lembongan.

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T Facing page: Any closer to the beach you would have to swim.

Above: The white sands and the timber decking of the front yard; White also dominates the interiors with a balance of natural timber hues.

he word voyage implies travel, a journey, an adventure, an escape. It suggests the era of grand cruise ships and safaris in the wilderness, and is the perfect name for a villa whose owner loves to travel the world’s hidden corners. Farah Khan, whose fashion creations are favoured by Hollywood celebrities and Jakarta fashionistas alike, has styled the villa Voyage as a barefoot luxury abode, while maintaining the old world charm of coconut-wood floors, bamboo, thatched alang-alang roofs and driftwood lamps in a tropical island setting just metres from the white-sandy beach.

The contemporary interiors emanate space and freedom, with comfortable sofas and tables crafted from reclaimed and limed teak wood, set before walls of glass, which frame the ocean views beyond. Accenting the neutral colour palette of creams and greys are couture FRV Travel l 41

The mezzanine bedroom and master suite feature Esprite Nomade canvas tents over the beds, exuding the tastes of times gone by.

designer touches and decorative flourishes supporting the glamour travel theme – vintage Louis Vuitton monogram steamer trunks, Prada, Tods, Aigner, and various other designer luggage, and lavishly illustrated coffee table books on exotic destinations, culture, art and architecture. Amplifying the luxury safari look is canvas and leather furniture from the Esprite Nomade collection, including their renowned bespoke tents that float over Voyage’s supremely comfortable beds.

Beyond the villa walls, Voyage keeps true to its luxury adventure theme. The sense of exclusivity and privilege starts with the option of a private speedboat transfer to carry guests from Sanur on mainland Bali to the villa.

On an island that has few cars, the villa has its own safari-style open-sided buggy for land transfers. Also available to villa guests for 42 l FRV Travel

Accenting the

island expeditions is neutral colour the Voyage jukung, a traditional outrigger palette are couture fishing boat that has designer touches been transformed and flourishes. into a designer pleasure craft complete with Emilio Pucci print cushions and gourmet picnic baskets.

Of course, as in the days of grand travel where one was accompanied by a sway of helpers, guests can expect to be cosseted by the villa’s charming staff.

As a designer beach retreat Villa Voyage is incomparable. It is particularly suited to couples, groups of friends and extended families, and will be appreciated by lovers of design aesthetics and effortless chic. FRV

www.villavoyagebali.com

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BALICOCKTAILS

Shaken And Definitely Stirred…

and that’s just the writer, “researching” and unraveling some quirky new cocktails at W Retreat and Spa Bali – Seminyak.

Text: Katie Truman

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I’m

W Breakfast Mojito

not generally in the habit of putting a plastic syringe in my mouth, but that’s Bali for you – or rather, that’s Starwood’s premier hotel brand, W for you. Perhaps I should explain: the syringe is actually filled with alcohol and is all part of W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak’s recently launched and very playful cocktail range. Armed with a “What’s new, what’s next?” mantra since bursting onto the scene in 2011, Starwood’s flagship W Retreat has been the quintessential trend-setter – the largest W Retreat globally and Indonesia’s first W hotel.

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Smoke Tiki Punch

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W Lounge Speakeasy Nitro Iced Tea

Alongside the pounding surf of Petitenget Beach, W has been designed as a chic, but fun, playground for impossibly hip Seminyak and beyond, with definitive accommodation, culinary, leisure and nightlife elements that include a spaceship-style spa, open 24/7, with fully-stocked bar and concept F&B establishments, such as WooBar, that are destinations in their own right.

After redefining Bali’s hotel experience, W has raised the ‘bar’ for its cocktails, launching molecular mixology concoctions created exclusively by barsolutions, the Australian consultants renowned for their thinkoutside-the-box beverages. These come tailor-made to W’s inimitable style with an assortment of techniques that include using nitrogen for dramatic smoking effects and edible presentations that tease with tastebud and visual sensations, and require a spot of consumer ‘participation’.

The super sleek W Lounge is a high-energy antithesis of most hotel lobbies and the place where I sample what are considered their five standout concoctions, - each drawing on nostalgic stories of the Prohibitionera and British traditions: old school classics that are taken to cutting-edge new levels.

Mysterious ‘Smokin’ Tiki Punch’ is inspired by traditional old Hawaiian punches and served in an individual tiki-style mug smoking with dry-ice, featuring a tropical island blend of light and dark rums, orange curacao, house-made falernum, passion fruit and apple.

Next, in homage to Prohibition the ‘Speakeasy Nitro Iced Tea’ features a brew of vodka, gin, rum and Cointreau mixed with coke, deceptively served in teacups from a teapot fuming with nitrogen. I am handed a thick tome of the collected works of William Shakespeare only to discover inside a hollowed-out middle, a glass applicator bottle of absinthe to add to the already alcoholic-fuelled teacups. Book clubs were never this much fun.

W’s Cocktails Borrow from Prohibition-era recipes and are taken to cutting-edge new levels.

From the aptly named ‘Edible +Unusual’ selection, ‘British Summer Garden Martini’ evokes the fragrance of English summers and country gardens in a nostalgia-fuelled scenario played-out on a platter of faux grass turf, with a watering can containing cutgrass meadow essence, and a martini glass filled with London dry gin, fresh cucumber, Devonshire cider, chamomile tea syrup and elderflower cordial. If you can still see straight, the miniscule tray filled with edible brown soil (chocolate biscuit crumbs) earthworms (absinthe-soaked fruity jelly strips) and miniature gardening tools creates a suitable distraction!

The ‘Edible Trio of British Classics’ turns more Brit faves on their head, taster-style, with Gin & Tonic and vodka infused with barbecue sauce, both presented in bite-sized jelly forms, plus pub-staple shandy in a miniature glass, accompanied by what else? Crisps.

And the plastic syringe? That’s part of the rather insane but clever ‘Deconstructed Mojito,’ presented on a slate platter, with prelude mini-spoons of candied mint leaf, mojito jelly, citric acid, sugar and baking soda, imbibed one after another for an oral explosion of flavours and fizz. The light rum-filled syringe is then injected into the mouth, swiftly followed by gulps of lemon-infused tonic water for another quirky cocktail experience. Phew!

And to think I used to get excited over martinis with goats-cheese stuffed olives! Perhaps I’m stating the blindingly obvious, but don’t make any grandiose plans after knocking this lot back – although W thoughtfully do provide plenty of daybeds for any impromptu lie-downs. FRV

W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak Jalan Petitenget Bali, Tel: +62 361 4738 106 www.whotels.com/baliseminyak

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FASHION

wrapt in One of the most popular venues in bali during the past high-season cocoon offers it all from early morning to late late. chic, cool, & oh so seminyak Maiden Love Swimwear FLAPPER BIKINI @IDR 1,320,000 48 l FRV Travel

cocoon FRV Travel l 49

Indulging all five senses of Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste and Touch, cocoon is the beachside venue of choice Kenzo @ price on request

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Maiden Love Swimwear -MALDIVES @ IDR 1,045,000 FRV Travel l 51

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Magali Pascal - BOWIE IVORY DRESS @ IDR 1,895,000 Biasa Men - long White pants @ IDR 780,000 Blue and white pin-striped shirt @ IDR 470,000 Blue and White scarf @ IDR 450,000 FRV Travel l 53

Maiden Love SwimwearCRAWFORD @ IDR 1,250,000 54 l FRV Travel

splashing around the pool, sipping cocktails or dancing the night away

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Magali Pascal - SUNSHINE MAXI DRESS @ IDR 1,645,000 56 l FRV Travel

Cocoon offers fine dining, relaxed ambience, fun and fashion

Model: TANYA - Balistarz Photographer: Ioanna ioanna-vrubel.tumblr.com Hair and make up: Katya Magali Pascal mag.pascal@gmail.com www.magalipascal.com +62 821 4484 1722 Biasa Arya Warwick +62 819 9981 8306 www.biasabali.com Maiden Love swimwear Kirsten Sikiotis www.maidenlove.net Kenzo is the stylist dress from bangkok www.kenzo.com COCOON BEACH CLUB JL. DOUBLE SIX, NO.66 BLUE OCEAN BOULEVARD +62 361 731266 WWW.COCOON-BEACH.COM FRV Travel l 57

BALIVILLAS

Two Islands and a Peninsula Text: Thomas Jones

Rich in culture, fine dining, luxury accommodation, and a brand new toll road under construction to join all the dots together, Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa have the Bali mix just right.

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ocated just 20 minutes south of the airport, Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa are within easy reach, depending on the traffic, but with infrastructure developments taking shape such as the new toll road linking the airport to the peninsula underway, and the underpass under way at Simpang Siur, moving around the island will soon be much easier allowing for stress-free trips to central Bali and beyond to become a reality once more.

With white sands and safe swimming Nusa Dua have some of the best and most accessible beaches on Bali, a fact not lost on the luxury hotel brands that snapped up the best beachfront land as soon as the government set aside a large parcel of land in the 1980s specifically for tourism. The adjacent Tanjung Benoa peninsula on the other hand has long had a large community of Balinese, Javanese, Chinese and Bugis peoples who have lived cheek by jowl for may harmonious centuries.

As a result it is an entrepôt of cultures and a vibrant place to visit.

Tanjung Benoa has also long been a place where water sports junkies can dive, parasail,

jetski, banana boat, water-ski, swim and play to their heart’s content out on both the clear sea off Nusa Dua’s white sand beaches and the protected waters of Benoa Harbour. For the more sedentary amongst us who prefer our leisure time to be spent at walking pace, or even better lying down, there are countless spas in all price ranges as well as a couple of spectacular golf courses within easy driving distance.

Cuisine-wise Tanjung Benoa has so much to choose from for all budgets and tastes.

From cheap and cheerful local restaurants serving a mixture of Indonesian, Chinese and Western cuisines, gourmet palaces in many of the five star hotels, right through to destination restaurants and bars like Tao restaurant and the newly-open Sakala. Down in Nusa Dua proper, and between the two islands that give the region its name is a

Facing page: White sands, blue skies and crystal clear waters. Nusa Dua in a nutshell.

Above: Sunset over the Puri Tirta Villa’s harbour jetty. A grounded ship at The Pirate Bay, and the villa’s private speedboat.

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massive new entertainment development of restaurants and beach club right in front of the existing Bali Collection shopping area, home to great shopping and dining. Called The Bay, it is home to the massive deOpera beach club and offers diners a huge choice of cuisines including Thai, Indonesian, and Japanese teppanyaki in the form of Bali’s first world-renown Benihana. And don’t forget the unbeatable Sunday brunch at the St. Regis!

There are more than enough five star resorts lining the beaches to house an army so accommodation is never a problem for those who love hotels but another option, and one that is increasingly becoming the domain of the cognoscenti is renting a private villa on the water, complete with private pool and hot and cold running staff.

Puri Tirta is one of them, an enclave of five luxury villas on the harbour at Tanjung Benoa. At the front of the property, Villas Sunset and Selamanya both sit on the water’s edge and take in the stillness of the harbour and Bali’s breathtaking sunsets. Villas Cantik and Alamanda are just a 50-metre walk back 60 l FRV Travel

Above: Adrenaline pumping parasailing action, and Villa Sunset’s private pool and harbour views.

from the water and are equally as charming with the same set up and facilities, although they get their sea views from the upper floors.

Modern and comfortable, the interior design and architecture of the villas work with the environment to create an atmosphere of extreme relaxation and privilege: a sense of spiritual harmony and balance that flows with the ebb and flow of the tides.

In keeping with the water sports theme that the area is famous for PuriTirta also has its own jetty and speedboat and there are four kayaks available for exploring the mangroves and waterways. If your marine desires stretch further to say a big game fishing trip, then they can easily arrange that too. Perfect for a family holiday or a group of friends, the fully staffed PuriTirta is paradise for both active water sports lovers and lazy sun worshippers. FRV

Cuisine-wise Tanjung Benoa has so much to choose from for all budgets and tastes.

Puri Tirta Villas Jalan Setra Gandamayu 3 Tanjung Benoa, Bali Tel: +62 361 746 7700 www.puritirta.com

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JAKARTASKYE

The Sirocco Roof Bar in Bangkok. The Sky Bar at Traders Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The New York Sky Bar in Tokyo. Azure Restaurant’s Slash Sky Bar in Hong Kong. Just some of the most renowned sky bars in Asia, and now Jakarta follows suit with its own - SKYE.

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Text: Erza S.T. Facing page: The Dining area has an industrial feel with stunning city views and the warmth of the arrival hall.

Above: Eclecticism meets vintage the SKYE lounge area.

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ver since the Tower of Babel man has tried to build tall towers and buildings to show power and prestige. High rise towers are continuing to be built all over the globe, each getting higher than the last, and together with this development, the trend for sky bars and restaurants has also developed places where we could wine and dine on top of the world.

SKYE is Jakarta’s first modern sky bar and restaurant and is situated at the 56th floor of the BCA Tower near Thamrin. It is the latest brainchild of the Ismaya Group, the renowned developers of Dragon Fly, Blowfish, Social House and many others. The venue occupies a 200sqm space that can fit up to 400 people

and comprises a restaurant, lounge and an open-air deck.

SKYE has an elegant design. With the support of Willis Kusuma Architects, it mixes and matches various elements of design; from retro to industrial and reflects a great eclectic ambience. Elements such as parquet flooring, grey mountain stonewall, mirrors, metal clad accents on the ceilings, cow skins, a custom ceramic mural of Bisazza tiles, and retroinspired furniture combine to make SKYE one of the coolest hangout spots in Jakarta.

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From top left: Executive Chef Tim Bartholomew; The sun deck area above the Jakarta landscape; scattered sushi; Fried duck with Chinese celery and black beans.

inspired by an ethnic mix of street food and he wants people to be able to share their dishes. This Australian-born chef ’s passion for cooking has earned him a reputation in awardwinning restaurants across Australia. It was in Sydney where he first highlighted his culinary expertise of Asian and modern AustralianEuropean fusion cuisine and in the process became a phenomenon in the food scene there. Now, Tim brings it to SKYE. From our several visits so far, we were impressed by a few delectable cuisines. The scattered sushi is like a deconstructed version of itself with colours that ooze freshness and taste. It makes a great appetizer. The braised black angus beef cheek with rawon flavors and celeriac mash has been a constant favourite for its tenderness and flavour. This beautiful modern rendition of East Java’s rawon soup, is brought to a sophisticated level where black angus beef is used as the main protein. However, it is the braised treatment and that stunning celeriac mash that gives this dish the edge.

There are many interesting dishes to be experienced at SKYE including desserts such as pumpkin cheesecake with pumpkin puree and seed brittle and ginger beer sorbet, But one of the must try desserts in this restaurant are the pineapple nachos - imagine salty corn chips half covered in chocolate chef’s passion for served with cooking has earned pineapple and m a r s h m a l l ow, him a reputation cream anglaise, in award-winning with mint and restaurants across coriander leaves.

Australia.

This original desserts will definitely blow your mind with its unique unusual taste but all so addictive.

SKYE is indeed a beautiful modern sky bar that has the Jakarta crowd smitten, but with more attention on food consistency and service there would even be greater reasons to take the express lift skyward . FRV

SKYE Menara BCA Level 56 Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1 Jakarta Tel: +62 21 2358 6996 64 l FRV Travel

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GETAWAY

The sun deck on Amanwana Bay above, and the coral life at Labuan Aji Reef.

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Finding Eden in The East Text: Erza S.T. Photos: Erza & Amanwana

As the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia has so much unrivalled beauty that has been kept hidden for centuries, but with time and technological advances, travellers have started to venture more to these hidden islands.

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ocated about 15km northeast of Sumbawa, the beautiful jewel-like island of Moyo is a 36,000-hectare forest paradise that is home to a wide variety of birds and animal life. It is this combination of jungle, wildlife and pristine crystal clear seas that make it the untouched Eden of the modern day.

Aside from its amazing setting, Moyo is also the address for one of the most renowned five star luxury resorts in the world: Amanwana, the first five star luxury resort in the east of Indonesia. Like many of Aman’s establishments, Amanwana (Peaceful Forest) has it own unique design. Instead of having solid buildings like its sisters in Java and Bali, this resort has tents instead. Of course, they are no ordinary tents, more like air-conditioned tented homes with banks of windows, Indonesian artwork, cushioned sitting areas, king-size beds, writing desks and large bathrooms that all evoke the vintage ambience of the times of Hemingway and Gellhorn.

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This page: Wildlife wander freely around the compound; The picture perfect Mata Jitu waterfall and a nearby macaque; Exploring Moyo using this ‘antique’ jeep.

The island offers many things to do for both the adventurous types and the more sedate among us. If you belong to the latter group, you can go to the Jungle Cove Spa and spend your afternoons listening to the sounds of the sea while getting one of the best deep tissue massages in your life under shady tamarind trees. This outdoor spa faces Amanwana Bay and offers one of the most stunning views and a great selection of treatments. And afterwards, refreshed and revived, stretch out on the sun deck and work on your tan between dips in the crystal clear, fish-filled sea.

However, if it’s adventure you crave, then this island is the best place to see it all. The sea in this region is a diving and snorkeling haven with a wide variety of fish and coral life and divers will especially enjoy the wall diving at Labuan Aji Reef.

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There are many other outdoor activities like fishing, canoeing and kayaking that you can try but my personal favourite is the nature excursion to Mata Jitu waterfall by the nearby Labuan Aji village.

It starts off with a short boat ride to the other side The island offers of the island to the village many things which still holds on to the to do for both traditional Sumbawan way adventurous of life. From there it’s off in a Japanese jeep, a relic types and the for the Second World War, more sedate. before continuing on foot through the forest for a short 15-minute walk to the clear turquoise waters of the magnificent Mata Jitu waterfall, an almost movie-like and unreal vision. You can jump in, swim and, seeing as it comes direct from a pure spring in

the highlands, you can even drink it. The pure beauty of the scene will make you want to stay for hours and never want to leave.

Above left and below: The Amanwana tent, outside and in, and the bathroom interior.

Above: The Jungle Cove Spa in natural outdoor surroundings.

Moyo Island, and Amanwana in particular, is the true Eden of this modern time and it comes as no surprise if international celebrities such as late Princess Diana, Meg Ryan and Melanie B from Spice Girls love spending time here. This is definitely the place where time is not valid. A true paradise. FRV

Amanwana Moyo Island, Indonesia Tel: +62 371 22233 www.amanresorts.com

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JAKARTAdining

The Provincial Cuisine of Lyon Text: David Trauts Photos: Mandarin Oriental

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had the pleasure of finally trying Lyon restaurant in the not-so-recently renovated Mandarin Oriental in Central Jakarta, and after hearing a variety of people singing its praises, with comments like, “it’s the best restaurant in town”, let me say straight off the bat, they were not too wrong.

Chef Thierry Le Queau and his staff are the men responsible for the fine food coming out of the kitchen at Lyon.

The design is simple and uncluttered and just the way I prefer a fine-dining restaurant; serious, bold but simultaneously subdued, tasteful and comfortable. Some might say too business-like or stiff, but for a room without windows and without a view, they have done very well. There is plenty of space, and a selection of seating options from booths to free-standing tables and chairs all beautifully appointed and set apart from each other guaranteeing a certain intimacy from other diners.

Soft ivory tones and light wooden hues exude a subtle glow in the interior that sets the scene for either a romantic meal or the aforementioned business dinner or lunch.

While the staff are all obviously well-trained and attentive to diner’s needs, the food is definitely the highlight of this provincial-styled, French cuisine restaurant. It may sound obtuse to mention that, but having dined in many restaurants in Jakarta and being totally amazed by the design and quite disappointed in the food, Lyon definitely has all stops covered. The menu is a brassiere based selection of dishes from many regions of France with a daily blackboard menu of the freshest goods available, which just adds flavours to an already extravagant menu full of delicacies. There are many high points but the dishes we ordered and enjoyed ravenously were complete gastronomic

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pleasures and full of taste sensations; and that was just the barramundi and the red mullet fish dishes.

So, just imagine what chef Thierry Le Queau and his staff could do with the vast number of other dishes on this excellent menu. There is a large choice of mains from seafood, meats and what they call the Classics, which are of course dishes almost more French than the Eiffel Tower. There is also a selection of grilled meats, all cooked, so I’m told, to perfection. The starters are also offering lots of punch too, but all the dishes are priced relatively inexpensively considering where you are and what you are receiving.

Lyon is a beautiful restaurant, just like the French city of the same name where the Rhône and Saône rivers converge. There’s no doubt I’ll be back again, and I wouldn’t be taking much of a chance when anyone asks me next time what I think are the best restaurants in town in replying that Lyon would surely be right up near the top. FRV

Lyon Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta Jalan MH Thamrin, Jakarta, Indonesia Tel: +62 21 2993 8824 www.mandarinoriental.com/jakarta

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GETAWAY

Redefining Tropical Luxury Text by Nick Walton

Constance Hotels & Resorts’ two Maldivian properties epitomize the indulgent island retreat, yet have helped redefine luxury living in one of the world’s most sought after destinations.

Herbal heat treatment in the Constance spa.

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Signs of everything. The Maldives have become a popular wellness destination with so much more to do than just sun worshipping.

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he two lavish Constance resorts in the Maldives are unique and elegant, and are best combined to create the ultimate Maldivian encounter. Both have prime locations on pristine atolls surrounded by some of the clearest water on the globe and feature superbly appointed villas, cutting edge restaurants and spas.

Yet, like siblings, each luxurious hideaway has its own personality and a series of unique qualities that make them stand out as a destination.

Constance Halaveli Resort is located on the North Ari Atoll, west of the capital MalÊ, and an easy boat ride or seaplane trip away from the international airport. Wreathed by blue seas and talcum- like sands, this pedigree resort offers 86 private and exclusive villas, each of which features views across the beach or the lagoon, as well as design inspiration from the dhoani, the traditional Maldivian fishing boats still found across the archipelago’s 1,900 islands today.

Constance Halaveli Resort is home to a wide range of accommodation options; including 57 Water Villas, each with romance-inducing private plunge pools and ample sun decking; 20 Beach Villas, which also offer private plunge pools and direct access to the lagoon; eight Double Storey

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The Spa de Constance is a decadent space dedicated to a host of rituals and HoLISTIC treatments.

Above: Over water bungalow at Constance Moofushi; chilling out in preparation for a spa treatment.

Beach Villas, perfect for families travelling together; and finally an indulgent Presidential Beach Villa, catering to six adults at a time.

Each villa comes with air-conditioning, modern furnishings, marble bathrooms, complimentary internet access, iPod and iMac connectivity, LCD televisions, spacious terraces and personal wine fridges.

Villas scattered out across the turquoise lagoon, and 30 decadent Senior Water Villas, which accommodate two adults and two children. All villas have the finest amenities and sun decks with hammocks, perfect for lazy afternoons.

The Maldives isn’t just about relaxing in your private sea front villa, however; the islands have some of the best diving experiences on the planet and the resort’s TGI dive centre caters to all skill levels. Beginners can be certified by experienced instructors and will quickly find themselves on some of the best dive spots in the Maldives.

Wellness plays an important role at all Constance resorts, and Halaveli is no exception. The Spa de Constance is a decadent space dedicated to a host of innovative yet authentic spa rituals and treatments. With six sumptuous spa suites as well as three double treatment suites for couples, the spa remains one of the best in the Indian Ocean.

All treatments are conducted using the finest natural and hand crafted products, with oils, scrubs and wraps created exclusively for the spa.

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Be sure to try the authentic ayurveda rituals in a dedicated suite - including the Abhyanga, a 90-minute dynamic body massage employing warm, tailored herbal oils, or traditional Thai massages in the Thai treatment room, before releasing the aches and pains of a busy life in the steam bath and chill pool.

Once you’ve built up an appetite, indulge yourself at one of the restaurants and bars.

The main restaurant is called Jahaz and serves leisurely breakfasts and dinners and often features themed buffets, while specialty restaurant Jing sits on stilts above the gently lapping waves of the lagoon and offers healthy Asian fusion dishes.

Blending your stay at Constance Halaveli with a couple of nights at its splendid sister property, Constance Moofushi Resort, located on the South Ari Atoll of the Maldives, arguably one of the best dive sites in the world, will only add to the experience. Moofushi offers an elegant and refined resort experience that combines a barefoot Robinson Crusoe-esque ambience with world-class service.

Guests have a choice of deluxe accommodation, including 24 spacious Beach Villas, 56 Water

Alizée restaurant is a particularly enjoyable experience and, with sand-floors, this beach front grill offers an innovative ‘live’ cuisine experience with plenty of local Maldivian influences, and dishes served under a canopy of stars.

Diving is a big draw card for guests who come to explore the resort’s house reef, which is home to eels, snapper and lion fish, or to head further out to iconic dive sites that are home to whale sharks, manta rays and tuna.

Whatever you choose to do with your time, be it spent deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling or playing volleyball or simply relaxing on the beach or in the spa, this is one holiday experience that will change the way you view the world. FRV

www.moofushiresort.com

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OVERNIGHTSINGAPORE

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Shangri-la Singapore

Enter the Garden

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Text: Darren Dylan

lthough I spend the same amount of time commuting in Jakarta’s traffic as I do getting a flight to Singapore, I still can’t get over the feeling that the former is much more bearable than the latter. This was especially true during a recent flight to Singapore where my anxieties kicked in right after the seat belt sign was lit. After the turbulent flight, it wasn’t the nice line of duty-free shops that boosted my mood, nor was it the queue at immigration.

It was in fact, the nice Mercedes Benz S300 waiting for me to get to my destination. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of Singapore’s excellent public transportation system, but sitting in the backseat of a Merc heading towards the

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Shangri-la did put me on a minor high. The purpose of my visit was simple; to see what Shangri-la Singapore - the first Shangri-la in the world - has done to improve its Garden Wing with recent renovations, find out exactly what is the Garden Wing, and meanwhile have a short business meeting, and then out.

As it turns out, the Garden Wing is the urban resort part of the hotel which was added in 1978 (the hotel itself first opened in 1971) and just recently underwent an eight month, S$66 million renovation. Other sections include the original Shangri-la building called the Tower Wing and the exclusive Valley

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Wing. The latter, we found out later, houses the Presidential Suite with a private entrance and elevator which is perfect for all of us VIPs who secretly enjoy the pure rock-star value of not sharing elevators.

It is interesting to note that each of the three wings have a different feel and serve a different clientele. As I mentioned, the Garden Wing is the resort part of the hotel. This means that it is most suitable for families on holidays, and the atmosphere here is definitely resort.

Once you pass through the Garden Wing entrance you immediately hear the sound of water crashing from a man-made waterfall, see children playing in the pool, and notice that the staff uniforms are more casual. When I stepped into my Garden Wing deluxe room it still smelt brand new, and every Garden Wing room comes with a balcony. In the era of motion sensors replacing keycard plug-ins and automatic air conditioner kill switches on auto-pilot when one opens the balcony, the room still came with a traditional ceiling fan, the type of fan that could be found in an old plantation mansion or such. The fan added to the old colonial style of the room, but let me assure you the room is also infused in modern features. The Garden Wing is only eight floors high, and there are three rooms that come with a private jacuzzi and a barbecue pit. Talk about having family outings!

Waking up the next day, I saw young people doing tai chi in the garden. I’ve always wanted to try tai chi, but never found a crowd that was “my generation”, until now that is. The only senior there was the tai chi master and after giving it a go found the sport created a great sense of calmness, which was a nice contrast to the usual physical sports I practice.

Then it was breakfast at the recently renovated Waterfall cafe. The cafe is complimentary for Garden Wing guests, while other wing guests have to fork out a pretty decent sum. The design At the entrance of the restaurant matches you hear perfectly with the laid-back the sound of setting of the Garden Wing and the menu promotes water from quality, healthy organic a man-made greens. If you fancy a more waterfall comprehensive selection, Shangri-la’s The Line is a good alternative. As the name suggests, The Line has a long line of food and drinks selection decked out during their buffet breakfast.

Shangri-la’s Garden Wing transformation definitely adds a large slice of pizazz to a place made for rest and relaxation in Singapore.

Overnight or for a week, it sure is a great place to unwind. FRV

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GETAWAY

Apple Isle Ian Neubauer takes the car for a spin to Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, a World Heritage listed area found on Australia’s largest island, Tasmania, and finds picturesque towns and an abundance of pristine wilderness along the way.

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D

uring the Age of Sail, boats travelling from Europe to Australia were whisked along the southern seas by the Roaring Forties – powerful westerly winds that form between the 40th and 50th southern parallels. What little land exists in this zone – Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego and New Zealand’s Fiordland – tend to be rugged, windswept, inhabitable places. Tasmania, the largest of Australia’s 8,000 islands and its only island state, is the exception.

From snowcapped mountains to gin-clear beaches, and places where you can see both at the same time, Tasmania is a Garden of Eden on the edge of the earth. From a historical perspective it’s fascinating too, with beautifully

restored sandstone churches, bridges, buildings and a seemingly endless supply of antique shops, boutiques and galleries. Tasmania’s small size (you can drive across it in a day) and labyrinth of well-kept winding roads makes it ideal for self-drive tours and it’s a journey all Australians hope to do once in their lifetime and one I was determined to see through.

Views of Cradle Lake, St. Clair National Park; The approach by road; and catching some sun on the walking track.

My road trip around the Apple Isle – so called because of its shape – begins in Launceston, on the banks of the Tamar River. This the state’s second-largest city is quaint in parts but a non-event compared to the transcendent beauty of the Tasmanian countryside. When I see it for the first time in all its glory at a rest stop that looks out across the Forth Valley – a FRV Travel l 79

“We’re spoiled rotten when it comes to food in Tasmania. The challenge is what not to put on the menu.” hyper-fertile flower-growing region northwest of Launceston – I’m gobsmacked. The earth is checkered here: blue with Dutch Iris, yellow with canola and violet white – the telltale mark of the poppy. It’s a little-known fact that Tasmania is the largest legal exporter of opium in the world, with around 1,000 licensed farmers cultivating 25,000 hectares a year.

My route takes me west along the Bass Highway past the towns of Penguin, Sulphur Creek and Wynyard. I stop for lunch at a waterfront cafe in Boat Harbour. This postcard-perfect village is fronted by a quartzite beach and has the bluest water I’ve seen outside Tahiti. The waves are lapping and gentle here, nothing like the giant white-tipped breakers I saw battering the coast of the Forth Valley.

After lunch I continue to Stanley, 226km west of Launceston. Set on the end of a narrow isthmus under a 152-metre-high rock called ‘the nut’ Stanley looks like a Cornish 80 l FRV Travel

fishing village, with rows of brightly coloured fishermen’s cottages overlooking a tidy bay. I spend the night on the outskirts of town at Beachside Retreat West Inlet in one of four luxurious self-contained ‘shacks’ overlooking kilometres of empty coast, a place where couples come to relax and get away from it all. As I arrive late, I’m invited to dine with owners Chris and Janette Bishop, who also raise cattle on their beachfront property. The meal consists of homemade vegetable soup, inch-thick eye fillet steaks bred and butchered on site, and a garden salad picked fresh from Janette’s garden. “We’re spoiled rotten when it comes to food in Tasmania,” says Chris. ‘The challenge is what not to put on the menu.”

The next morning I go for a walk with Chris along the beach at West Inlet. He points to a rock pool where guests can forage for oysters, to his favourite fishing spot for Atlantic Salmon, and to an off-shore island that wouldn’t look out of place in the south of Thailand. There’s

Above: The historic Hobart suburb of Battery Point; Mount Wellington on Tasmania’s sparsely populated north coast late in the afternoon as a storm brews on the horizon.

There’s not another human being as far as the eye can see, only the omnipresent howl of the Roaring Forties. not another human being as far as the eye can see, only the vast churning emptiness of the Bass Strait and the omnipresent howl of the Roaring Forties.“People who come to Tasmania do so because they value the natural environment and the different pace of things here,” Chris says.

After breakfast I drive to Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, a World Heritage listed area found in Tasmania’s fabled highland region. After checking into the Cradle Mountain Chateau, I drive to the visitor’s centre and book a two-hour self-guided walk around Dove Lake. A still glacial lake set inside a thickly forested crater, Dove Lake is like something out of the Swiss or French

Below left: Red iron-ore deposits right at the surface make Tasmania a very attractive proposition for miners.

The state’s strong conservation arm has been battling them for decades.

Alps. The walking track ebbs and flows around icy streams cascading down mountainsides, pockets of temperate rainforests, tea-coloured beaches and countless other wonders of the natural world. Behind it all stands Cradle Mountain, a colossal crater that reaches into the sky like a half-clenched claw, dusted in snow eight months of the year.

I head east to Deloraine and then south along Highland Lakes Road, all the way to the south coast. I could spend a week on this leg of the journey alone, taking in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park and Tasmania’s Central Plateau – a fly-fishing nirvana known as Land of Three Thousand Lakes, but I forgo those for the chance to spend the weekend in

Below right: Cradle Mountain Boat Shed at Cradle Mountain Lake, the most photographed spot in Tasmania.

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Hobart, taking in its sights, sounds, flavours and people of the Tasmania’s capital city.

After Sydney, Hobart is Australia’s oldest city, but unlike Sydney, where nearly everything old was demolished after the war and replaced with steel and stone, Hobart has maintained its colonial feel.

At the waterfront suburb of Battery Point, I wonder through a maze of narrow, intimate streets lined with 200-year-old sandstone buildings, chancing on Arthur Circle, the former village green. I visit Jackson & McCross, the suburb’s famous patisserie, and order a claypot breakfast with bread and

butter followed by a Japanese plum pastry.

I walk down Kelly’s Steps to Salamanca, the portside district, where the market is in full swing, before spending the night at the Henry Jones Art Hotel on nearby Victoria Dock, and glory in the history and beauty of this southernmost city.

Us mainlanders often joke about Tasmanians –silly stuff about them marrying their cousins and all that, but as I look at the harbour with its heritage and former whaling fleet, beautifully restored and at rest on the docks outside the window of my hotel room, I get the feeling that the joke may be on us. FRV From top left: Driving along the Murchison Freeway; Cradle Mountain Chateau; A farmhouse near Stanley; A blue stone church circa early 1800s.

Factfile

Getting There Qantas flies daily to Launceston and Hobart from Melbourne, with connecting flights to all major Australian cities and air hubs across Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Getting Around Europcar at Launceston and Hobart airports hire compacts from AUD$58 a day. Cover for younger drivers, additional drivers and insurance not included. Campervan Hire Tasmania rent campervans from $50 a day for extended stays.

Where to Stay Beachside Retreat West Inlet at Stanley offers luxury shacks from $188 a night with breakfast baskets available on order. Cradle Mountain Chateau and the Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart have hotel rooms from $142 and $234 respectively.

What to do Day passes for Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park are $16.50 per person. Eightweek passes for entry to all Tasmanian national parks are $30 per person or $60 per vehicle.

Tasmania Expeditions offers guided six-day treks from Cradle Valley to Lake St Clair from $2,095 (camping) or $2,600 (hut-based).

When To Go The best time to visit Tasmania is in the southern summer from November through to the end of February.

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