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fine restaurants and villas | bali & southeast asian style
edition 9.4, december '12 - january ‘13 Rp. 60.000
Bali
Shiro The Stones The Junction
Travel
Australia Taiwan Kitava Istanbul
Pulau Weh Bintan Island
Sarong
Jakarta
Moovina Rp. 60.000
Australia
Inspirations
Lumia The Richardson design
food
architecture
fashion
Singapore
Capella SwissĂ´tel art
wine
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restaurants
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december 2012 - january 2013
CONTENTS FEATURES 48 Acess All Areas
Photographer Bianca Todorov takes aim at stunning accessory and clothing designs at Bali’s W Retreat.
66 An Escape to Bintan Island
Erza goes to play in Indonesia and Singapore’s offshore playground and finds nature surprisingly in abundance.
70 The Ends of the Earth
Pulau Weh off Sumatra’s northern tip offers great diving and beaches for the adventurous pleasure seeker.
88 Istanbul Revisited
Rachel Love makes an overdue return to the Bosphorus and reflects on differences and similarities time brings.
92 From the Palace to the Prison
Rachel Love stays at both Istanbul Four Seasons properties and enjoys Turkey’s prison reform programme.
96 The Island of Love and Cricket
Nick Walton cruises to PNG’s Kitava Island and finds missionary shocking eroticism and some cricket.
100 Foodie Fusion in Formosa
A romp through the city’s famed markets and food stalls in the search of the perfect street food.
9.4
Cover FRV Travel:
Fashion at W. Photo: Bianca 6 l FRV Travel
is BABA coming soon
hu’u bar in bali
@huubali
celebrating our 11 t h ann ive r sar y in 2 0 12 reser vatio ns +6 2 3 6 1 4 7 3 6 57 6 , w w w .huu b a l i. com jalan pe titeng et, s emi nyak , b al i 8 0 3 61 FRV Travel l 7
9.4
december 2012 - january 2013 CONTENTS The Junction
036
In the Raw
032
Seminyak Residences.
040
Secrets to Bali restaurant success in Seminyak.
44
The Stones is changing the face of Kuta.
Seminyak’s new and very high end sushi bar.
Luxury holiday villas in Bali’s Seminyak.
58
126
Rachel Love talks jewellery with Carolyn Tyler.
Redefining Chic
076
Villas on the HIll
080
It Never Rains
084
Erza checks out Moovina in Jakarta for some more fine dining.
Capella in Singapore is a class apart from your regular hotel.
24 hours of wining and dining at the Stamford.
110
A girls night out in Melbourne’s Lumia.
14
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The Richardson
A fantastic five star find in Perth, Western Australia.
Events
- 16
092
- 74 Overnight - 116 Wine - 119 1 3 2 Listings - 1 4 6 Last Word
Bits & Pieces
Pelangi Estate in Ubud is a villa like no other.
104
Australia luxury getaways.
Cheese
- 120
Recipes
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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, Jo Fre a rson. 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 J anuary 15, 2013
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 . 4
D ecember ‘ 1 2 - J anuary ‘1 3
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Editor’s Note FRV Travel – It takes you places Christmas and New Year’s Eve are fast approaching again. I would hate to say it, since it is such a cliché of course, but this year has flown by again at a rate of knots. It may be a combination of the continual flights and deadlines that somehow join all the days together leaving you with weeks and months flashing by like distant memories before they even appeared to be hatched. Or it could be the 30 degree temperatures every day melding one day in to the next, all appearing to be the same in a remake of a Groundhog Day. Who can say, but this year too has been one of change on a personal level. Living on a tropical holiday island is one of the best possible places to live in many an opinion. There’s no doubt about that, and especially this crazy, wild, creatively inspiring, and at times downright challenging island that we call home, Bali. But there is one drawback that you only see over many years and it came ramming home with a thud in the past year. Four of my closest friends left the island after many years to pursue their futures back from where they came. They all had their own particular reasons for leaving and all left with a small tear in their eye, but unfortunately for me, it left me without a nucleus of close friends in my midst. I guess this is part of what globalization is all about. Everybody now seems to be on
the move, working out of a laptop no matter if you are here, there or anywhere. Give me a connection and I will make the deadline. Yes, we are now very mobile, running non-stop from appointment to gathering, we can party all the night long, and we can keep in touch through social media or BBM with ease, but at the same time we are probably more isolated than at any other time in the history of mankind. Well, some of us, anyway. This year has been another hectic one and in many people’s minds Bali has basically gone berserk. While half the population is bemoaning the lost chances or perhaps their lost youth, others, myself included I must admit, are still enjoying the ride. There have been many who have tried to live their lives on this island. Make a go of it; give it their best, but sometimes it just doesn’t come together. While I miss my good friends’ company at times I give thanks that I can still survive on this island. Bali has an uncanny ability of just getting it right when it matters and the challenges over the next year in particular are going to really test its resolve, but I have no doubt that I will still enjoy waking up in the morning on this island and saying to myself, we are so lucky to live here, for some time to come. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
FRV CONTRIBUTORS
David Trauts Correspondent, English. Since FRV has concentrated its distribution in recent months to a more locally defined area, the content has been focussing more toward the local area too. Trauts has been spending more time in Bali lately, searching for what matters right here and right now.
Erza S.T. Coming to the end of 2012, this opera loving guy cannot be happier. He is ready for his first winter trip to the Orient. Surely, we will hear about his stories soon. However, before the trip begins, Erza still managed to do an island getaway and unravel the beauty of Bintan Island. He also shares the story on the newly open Moovina Restaurant in Jakarta. 12 l FRV Travel
Thomas Jones Preferring the road less travelled Thomas journeys to Pulau Weh on the extremities of Indonesia and finds food beyond his wildest dreams amidst the jungles and beaches of paradise. He also finds time for some high spending Singapore shenanigans in between.
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
DECEMBER 2012 - JANUARY 2013 Thar She Blows – Sri Lanka One of Sri Lanka’s major tourist pulls during the migration season in December and April, large pods of dolphins and blue whales can be seen just a few miles offshore from Mirissa as they travel between their summer and winter breeding and feeding grounds. Not a single day event but high quality bucket list material. Dec-Jan.
Tis the Season - Hong Kong No one brings together East and West like Hong Kong, and that’s why this month’s Hong Kong Winter Festival, as always, is the place to visit for all the over-the-top Christmas and New Year’s festivities that will fill the streets with light and seasonal cheer. Think window displays, decorations, lights, music, and more food than fat Santa could eat in a lifetime. All December.
Dance like never before - JAKARTA Djakarta Warehouse Project, Indonesia’s biggest and leading annual dance music festival, is back and will be held in multiple arenas at Istora Senayan in December and will feature some of the world’s biggest names in dance music at the moment; Avicii, Calvin Harris, Paul van Dyk, Knife Party, Markus Schulz, A-Trak, Porter Robinson, Brodinski, Gesaffelstein, Late Night Alumni, Nina Kraviz, Angger Dimas, Cyberjapan, and a selection of Indonesia’s leading EDM local heroes. The visuals,
ZOUKOUT Save the dates, party people! This year’s ZoukOut-related festivities
sounds, and interactive engagement will keep visitors higher than they have ever been before. Dec 7.
are going to last a whopping three days so keep yourselves
Setting Sail - Thailand
free to party this December 2012!
Phuket’s famous international yachting event, The King’s
They are putting together the
Cup Regatta, returns to the Andaman Ocean in December
biggest line up they’ve ever had
for a week of sailing, partying and beautiful people doing
and you’re going to need a lot of
beautiful things. This year marks not only the event’s 21st year
energy so start saving up! Don’t
of prominence on the Asian yacht racing calendar, but also
say we didn’t warn you! Dec 6-8.
Slip, Slop, Slap - India One of the biggest outdoor dance parties to hit India’s beaches, the Sunburn Festival is in its fifth year this year and will almost double in size when it cranks up on Candolim Beach. The festival features wellknown artists and DJs from the electronic
coincides with the auspicious Diamond Jubilee celebrations
dance music scene all around the world
of Thailand’s beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s
spread across three days, seven stages,
longest reigning monarch. Dec 1 – 11.
and untold genres of music. Dec 27 – 29.
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Tennis Anyone – Melbourne The first Grand Slam event of the year rallies in Melbourne with the Australian Open 2013 a tournament set to offer the highest prize money in the history of Grand Slam tennis - a total prize pool will be $26 million, with the champions taking home a record $2.3 million each. Get set for two weeks of strawberry, champagne, celebs, and great tennis. Jan 14 – 27.
The Fat Boys – Japan It’s time to bring the sumo to the capital with the Tokyo Basho taking place in the middle of the month. Get up close and personal with the big boys of the wrestling world as they try to smack each other out of the ring in a deeply spiritual quest for both prize money and the coveted winner’s crown and a chance to climb the ranks to the sport’s most coveted rank – Yokozuna. Jan 13 – 27.
Honkey Oz Tonks Australia
Pagerwesi - bali
Tamworth is a typical country town:
to ancestors, the main celebration of a
friendly, easy-going, small. It has a
new Balinese 210 day calendar year.
population of fewer than 40,000 but come
With a name that literally means “iron
January it goes country & western crazy
fence”, it symbolises fortification against
with the Tamworth Country Music Festival
evil and is especially heralded in North
as 50,000 music lovers descend on the
Bali where penjors (tall, extravagantly
town for a week of music, food fun and
decorated bamboo poles) are raised
festivities. Highlights are the Australian
outside homes, alongside offerings to the
Country Music Awards and the highly-
dead of flowers and fruit. Pigs and chicken
prized Golden Guitars. Jan 18 – 27.
are killed and cooked for extravagant
Pagerwesi is a Balinese Hindu day devoted
feasts and traditional masked dances are held accompanied by the sound of the
The Jesus Beat – Phillipines
gamelan. This year it is held on Jan 16.
The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast in honor of the baby Jesus, concluding on the third
Madras Madness – India
Sunday of January in the town of Kalibo.
This hugely popular and much anticipated
Characterised by tribal dance, music and
month long Chennai Music Festival, which is
the ceaseless banging of drums, Christians
often described as the world’s largest cultural
and
in
event, serves up a plethora of traditional
outrageous
south Indian Carnatic music, dance, and
costumes get crazy while showing their
other arts. Over 1,000 performances
devotion to their most holy King of Kings.
take place during the festival, along with
Till Jan 20.
music related seminars, discussions, and
non-Christians
indigenous
colourful
alike and
dressed
demonstrations. Jan 13-15.
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BITS&PIECES
Mahatma House Dressed to kill and all in black. With its polished black surfaces, meticulous symmetrical lines and stunning array of Asian antiquities, Mahatma House is quite simply the epitome of cool. The five bedrooms, contained within three buildings, are arranged around a sparkling river-stone pool, which is set within an expansive garden overflowing with tropical plants and swaying coconut palms. The grandeur of Mahatma House and its setting in the traditional village of Seseh on Bali’s southwest coast, just a minute’s walk from the beach, makes this the perfect choice for entertaining, whether it be an intimate gathering or a more lavish celebration. www.mahatmahouse.com
bits&PIECES A Liquid Sunday Brunch Wine importers are now offering their produce in inventive ways. It seems that everything is evolving around us at breakneck speed and even the way new wines are being promoted has recently taken a bend in the proverbial road of promotion. Wine dinners are fast becoming a thing of the past and marching in to take their place is the wine brunch. This new phenomenon, which is so much more efficient in time and effort on the side of the promoter and guest alike, has really found some traction over recent months. According to Herman von Bernhardi, our resident wine writer and local wine company representative, “People are fed up with formal dinners. They want a relaxing time and just the chance to enjoy the quality wines that we are bringing into the country.” His company has been holding wine tasting events recently all around Seminyak in Gado Gado, Anantara, and even over at the new Petitenget Café near Hu’u Bar. There is a charge at the door, but a more perfect Sunday afternoon you couldn’t ask for, sipping on the world’s best wines and snacking on fine foods and cheeses is a very civilized way to pass a Sunday brunch. For more info email herman@paniaga.com. 16 l FRV Travel
RE D E F I N I NG C U I SI NE C ULT U RE
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
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BITS&PIECES
Xmas and New Years in Bali Where to go for the Yuletide feasts. Wondering what to do this Bali Christmas once the kids have opened their presents, devoured all the chocolate and are starting to turn on each other? Check out this fine list of Christmas specials being turned on by some of Bali’s best and greatest beach clubs and restaurants, which are specially designed for all generations of the family. Kick starting the silly season festivities in a very Spanish fashion, La Sal restaurant has a special Spanish Xmas Eve menu featuring a whole host of Iberian goodies including their special a la plancha seafood. Cocoon has turkey on their long and special yuletide menu (among others) and are also offering a kids menu along with special events to keep them entertained from 12.30 – 3pm. Metis is going for a whole gourmet spread with French caviar, fresh oysters, chilled seafood platter, lobster, turkey and goose, while KuDeTa will be rolling out the turkey, barramundi and red meat alongside some feellike-home Christmas pudding – and of course they have a kids menu as well and Santa frolicking about the garden as is the tradition. GadoGado offers a
beachside Christmas brunch with magicians and entertainment for the kids and a traditional winter festival spread with free-flow drinks and even eggnog. Hu’u restaurant will open their garden to a delightful Christmas menu of traditional favorites such as turkey, oysters and succulent hams as a set menu or à la carte, while Warisan offers a delightful set menu for Christmas Day lunch and dinner.
Party Time. New Year’s Eve is always a night to remember (if only you could!) and this end of year promises to be as special as ever with a bumper assortment of reasons to get out amongst the happening nightlife of Bali, an island that really knows how to throw a party. GadoGado is having a bash from 7pm until 2am that includes dinner, drinks and entertainment, while a little further up the beach Cocoon is throwing a huge Black and White party featuring DJs, acrobats, fire dancers and fireworks. Hu’u Bar will not be breaking tradition this NYE by having one of their biggest nights of the year with set menu dining and DJ performances all night long. Dance the year away at Warisan with a set menu, while KuDeTa has the kitchen on overtime preparing a very special menu to accompany their Diamonds are Forever dance-allnight party. Mama San, Sarong, and La Sal are also all offering up some of their very best kitchen creations in special set menus that will put a spark to your New Year’s Eve energy and lay the ground for a party to remember - again, if only you could!
Elite Havens expands Bali’s leading real estate company opens office in Lombok Elite Havens Group’s long awaited push into the emerging market of Lombok has finally arrived. Operating in parallel with Bali and leveraging Elite Havens Sales’ thirteen years as Bali’s premier real estate firm, customers can expect the same high levels of service and professionalism but with more land and fewer villa properties, which reflects Lombok’s early stage in the investment cycle. Lombok remains an affordable destination for investors seeking white sand beaches whom have now been priced out of the Bukit or Nusa Dua. Similarly the Gili islands are a logical choice for those priced out of Nusa Lembongan.
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The Elite Havens Group has been active in Lombok for the last several years, providing luxury villa rental representation, and operational management services. Their great service and “on the ground” knowledge, combined with western management and an established international distribution network, make Elite Havens Lombok the clear agency of choice for investors in Lombok’s emerging property market. www.EliteHavensLombok.com
BITS&PIECES
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BITS&PIECES
Festivities in Downtown Jakarta Grand Hyatt Jakarta welcomes Christmas and New Year with good cheer. If you are in Jakarta this Festive Season don’t miss the elegant and refined Christmas and New Year’s of Grand Hyatt Jakarta. Without breaking with tradition, Elfa’s Christmas Children’s Choir will be back and performing in the Grand Lobby on Christmas Eve at 7.30 to 8.45pm and again on Christmas Day from 12.30 to 1.45pm. Santa Claus will also be giving Christmas gifts to all children on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the restaurants. So what culinary fare is on offer? There’s a Christmas buffet at Grand Café on Christmas Eve and Day lunch, while Christmas Eve high tea will be served at the Fountain Lounge with entertainment from international band, Sierra from 8pm to midnight Christmas Eve. During the whole period of 17 to 25 December, C’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant will also offer festive delicacies, featuring traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings followed by English trifle. The Fountain Lounge has the best seats in the house on New Year’s Eve to celebrate and ring in the New Year with a dinner buffet that includes a champagne toast. The one and only Elfa’s Singers
A So Right Book Launch Turn to page 118 for more.
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will start the celebration with their unique brand of music, followed by Björn Again, the ABBA tribute band who have performed 4,700 shows in 70 countries over 23 years. They will sing all the hits and lead the New Year’s countdown in the lobby, ringing in 2013. There are also delectable dinner buffets in Grand Café and C’s on New Year’s Eve, and the perfect way to start the New Year would be to sit yourself down at the New Year’s Day brunch on January 1st and start the feast again.
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BITS&PIECES
A Night To Remember Classical music takes to the stage in Bali. A rare gathering of classical musicians will take to the stage at Bali’s Hotel Tugu this December 28th, giving guests a rare opportunity to watch accomplished artists perform works by some of the world’s greatest composers. This year’s impressive line-up of world-class musicians is set to feature the piano, flute and soprano, as well as the strings represented by Poland’s Prima Vista String Quartet. They will perform Bach’s Concerto in F minor as well as the famous A. Dvorak: Piano Quintet No.2, Op 81. Boris Kraljevic, concert pianist and piano professor, born in Montenegro and now residing in Singapore, is one of the world’s most sought after pianists. Playing with orchestras across the globe he is also in high demand for master classes at private conservatories as well as judging international piano competitions. Neil Franks, a student of the professor and accomplished pianist in his own right, will also perform on the evening along with Korean soprano Sung Hee Park and flautist Soyoung Lee. The concert starts at 6.30pm at a cost IDR 500,000, inclusive of welcome drink, concert and tapas dinner, where guests will have the chance to mingle with the musicians. reservations please phone Hotel Tugu on +62 361 4731701 or email bali@tuguhotels.com
More Than Just Dining The ultimate journey through the ‘art’ of Asia. Not content with having one of the island’s best restaurants, Metis’ art galleries in Kerobokan and newly opened in Ubud, showcase the finest examples of Bali’s traditional and contemporary fashion, hand-crafted jewelry, one-of a-kind objet d’art, photographs and paintings, and a large collection of art and Buddhas from all across Asia. Antiques and furniture from Burma, Northern Thailand, India, Kalimantan, Java, China, Java and, of course Bali, are also on offer and present a treasure trove of delight for people looking for something uniquely different for their home or body. www.metisbali.com
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BITS&PIECES
Who, Where, Why, When? W-Hotels Worldwide comes to Sentosa. It’s official; the W is coming to Singapore! The opening of W Singapore - Sentosa Cove marks the W brand’s 43rd hotel worldwide, and the seventh W Hotel in Asia Pacific. Designed by London-based architects WATG and renowned design firm Rockwell Group, W Singapore has been inspired by the buzzing energy of the city set against Sentosa Island’s natural surroundings to create a new scene in this international capital only minutes from the CBD. Adjacent to the 228 W-branded residences, the hotel offers a fully integrated lifestyle experience, featuring 240 guest rooms and suites, two signature restaurants, a destination bar, the W Lounge experience, WET pool deck and bar, Away Spa, and more than 1,500 meters of modern meeting and event space. 24 l FRV Travel
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BITS&PIECES
Join The Club Malaysian partners up with Oneworld to share the love. Malaysian Airlines has embraced the Oneworld credo alliance and from February 1st next year will join American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and some 25 affiliated airlines in their exclusive club. From then, the two million members of Malaysia Airlines’ Enrich loyalty programme will, in effect, have their frequent flyer privileges extended to whenever they fly with any Oneworld member airline. This includes earning and redeeming mileage awards and earning tier status points when flying with all these airlines as well as having access to airline lounges around the world.
Another Hole In One Bali Nirwana golf named in Forbes’ top 10. Nirwana Bali Golf Club at Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort has been named one of Asia’s 10 Most Elite Golf Courses by Forbes Travel Guide and received one of the highest rankings together with other golf courses in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. The Nirwana Bali Golf Club is the only golf course in Indonesia that is being recognised in this prestigious accolade by
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Forbes Travel Guide this year.This isn’t the first award they have received; they also won the “Indonesia’s Leading Golf Resort” title by World Travel Awards for two consecutive years in 2010, and 2011 and has been voted number 66 in the 100 Best Golf Courses outside the USA and No 1 Golf Course in Indonesia by Golf Digest May 2012.
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BITS&PIECES
Saxon Looker on Sea Sentosa Not yet open and the awards are already flowing. Saxon Looker is heading to London this December to represent Bali and Indonesia at the International Property Awards for his Sea Sentosa development in Bali, which has been nominated as one of four finalists from around the world for the top award, “World’s Best Apartment”. Over the course of this year properties from around the world have been rated by a panel of 68 judges and Sea Sentosa won in three categories in its region including the award for Best Apartment Asia-Pacific. The principals of Sentosa Worldwide Resorts, Saxon Looker and Ian Duffell, have based the Sentosa Brand on “Design Driven Luxury”, which is applied to five star resorts, managed apartments and retirement communities. “I had an idea of where I wanted to go with Sea Sentosa, and I knew I couldn’t go there alone. By bringing together a select group of incredibly talented professionals and artists this project has gone far beyond my wildest dreams,” says Looker of the project. In Sea Sentosa, the world’s leading designers have been given the opportunity to create an exceptional and luxurious beachfront lifestyle. The result is a unique blend of contemporary Italian design by architect and interior designer Giacomo Passera, Balinese sensitivity by principal architect Putu Semara and cutting edge, French inspired, vertical gardens by Patrick Blanc. All set in a unique location on Echo Beach, one of Bali’s premier surfing locations. The International team is 28 l FRV Travel
further complemented by the culinary expertise of the Barge 8 group from Australia who will be principals of the Paper Planes Beach Club featuring a Tokyo Pop cuisine, Panarea House which has the spirit of an Italian Steakhouse and the Lagoon Lounge Restaurant and function facility. Sea Sentosa offers a choice of very generously sized one- and two-bedroom apartments and spectacular three-bedroom penthouses, each designed to enjoy the panoramic ocean views and to celebrate the expanse of space and exquisite design with a choice of either direct lagoon frontage or expansive beach views. With Sea Sentosa’s stunning ocean front location, water is the dominant element throughout the resort and this is enhanced by the beautiful lagoon style swimming pool, which is designed to make the apartments appear to be floating on water. In addition, the exclusive Sea Sentosa Centre will feature retail stores, a gourmet deli, state of the art gym, spa and wellness facility plus a pharmacy and medical centre. Whether Sea Sentosa wins the award of “World’s Best Apartment” or not in London this month is now not so important, the fact is that just to be nominated for such a prestigious award is far beyond the owners’ dreams and expectations. Saxon Looker will be heading up there with head held high already knowing that Sea Sentosa is one of the best. www.seasentosa.com
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BITS&PIECES
Surf’s Up Down Under Margaret River Pro goes world class. In a major sporting coup for Western Australia, the State Government has announced that the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro has been granted World Championship Tour (WCT) status by the Association of Surfing Professionals.This guarantees the participation of the top 32 ranked male and top 18 ranked female surfers in the world, and an increase in the length of the event window to 12 days from the current seven. Elevation to WCT status also brings Margaret River in line with 10 of the top surf locations in the world, including Hawaii’s Banzai Pipeline and Teahupoo in Tahiti. National and international media coverage is also expected to double to an estimated media equivalency value of 50 million Australian dollars.
Taking The Pain Away Roving check-in in Bali and Jakarta airports.
Chez Gado Gado Anyone for a sunset cocktail? Chez Gado Gado is offering a range of specials on cocktails over the next months. Here’s one for example, Martini Mondays – any 2 martinis for IDR130.000. Get down to the Seminyak beach side restaurant next Monday evening to lap up the sunset with a great cocktail in hand.
In order to relieve crowding and tensions at international airports in Jakarta and Bali a new roving check-in service has been introduced to speed up passenger processing and cut congestion which has become a huge problem during peak hours with passenger volumes far in excess of the terminal designed capacity. Indonesia’s foremost ground handler, JAS, is using wireless connectivity, which can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the airport terminals with the full functionality of a fixed check-in counter which can process passengers from multiple airlines, making it highly versatile and efficient for shared airport terminals.
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Opening Very Soon The Mulia Resort almost here The Mulia Resort in Nusa Dua is in the final stages of completion and will soon be throwing open its doors to a discerning resort going crowd upon the golden sands of Nusa Dua, and paving the way for a renaissance of 21st century luxury. Offering private beach access, secluded gardens, infinity pools, wedding chapels, a spa, a private lagoon, fine dining and some of the plushest suites and rooms on the island. There will be accommodation for up to 5,000 guests, so Mulia is ready to make its mark on Bali.
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BALIDINING
Since bursting out of Japan in the mid-1980s sushi remains to this day one of the classiest cuisines around. But what makes it so special? Thomas Jones dines at Seminyak’s new Shiro restaurant and comes close to An answer.
Raw
In the
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Text: Thomas Jones Photos: Sulthon
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ight on taste and big on subtlety, the massive popularity of sushi is a hard one to fathom for those used to spices and the tasty infusions of animal fats. Bears, birds and whales eat raw fish, and they have no sensibilities, so there has to be something more to it for humans having taken it to the heights of food fashion and desire. To understand it maybe you have to look deeper than the ingredients to something that lies in the mystical culture surrounding the product, the preparation and the man (because it always is a man) behind the knife. Shiro is the newest Rising Sun restaurant to appear in southern Bali and is as close as the island has come to having a high-class raw fish joint in a long time. Connected to the new One Eleven villa complex in Seminyak, the restaurant goes hand in glove with high paying guests who want to dine well and who demand authenticity. The name comes from the Japanese word for ‘white’, and is about purity of concept, product, and the look and feel of the place within. Chef Shinya Kuwazoe, or Shiro-san as he is more commonly known, is a sushi master from Osaka. He knows fish. When I asked him
about his sushi sourcing I was half expecting to hear that he flew everything in from Japan in a business class seat on a weekly basis. But unlike many top-end Japanese chefs in Southeast Asia who seem to have loca-phobia, he does buy most of it locally for the simple reason that we live on an island surrounded by fish - a real no-brainer. But what of the famous Tokyo tuna markets, I say? He replies that most quality tuna is caught in Indonesian waters anyway and shipped to Japan, and since he knows a good fish by sight and touch, he just trusts his instincts. That said, imported fish such as Tasmanian salmon, still has it’s place on the menu.
Simple wood and stone interiors by Shigemasa-noi let the sushi take centre stage.
Assisting Shiro-san behind the counter is Rebbiq, a young chef under the tutelage of the Master, who, despite spending many years in Asia and the Middle East preparing Japanese food, is learning much of the subtle ways of the sushi arts from his new sensei. There is a nice rapport between the two and he utters glowing things about Shiro-san when asked if he is enjoying his new job – compliments that have nothing to do with the fact that the big man is standing close by slicing fish with eight inches of hardened Japanese steel in his hand.
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The restaurant hasn’t been open very long and is only visible from the street by a small white lighted sign carrying the kanji character of its name. Discreetly tucked away on the first floor of the One Eleven villa reception building the waitresses await at the door with a resounding irasshaimase welcome before the cool display of the dining space eases you into its comfort zone. Black stone floors and overlapping stacked wood walls are Japanese interior’s man Shigemasa-noi’s invitation to a world of well-chosen materials and a big bag of clever adjectives. Two classic glass-lidded teakwood boxes sit atop the huge naked teakwood bar displaying the fine cuts of fish that chef has himself selected for the evening. Taking a seat at the bar it is a delight to sit and chat and share a laugh with this very talented and cheery individual as he creates the high grade sushi that he and his ilk are world renowned for, while a kimono-clad cutie fills your sake glass to overflowing in its small wooden box.
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Chef buys most of his fish locally for the simple reason that we live on an island surrounded by fish a real no-braineR.
Larger groups can take one of the two large tables, but for real sushi theatre it’s best to take a stool at the bar where you can watch the maestro at work. A cold beer is a good way to start before making your choice of one of the three sets priced at US$35, $75 and a little over $100, that involve an increasing number of courses of imported fish as the price goes up. Single items can be ordered by the plate but it would be a tragedy to not let Shiro-san and his charisma take care of the show. This is his life’s work, this is what he has trained years and years to do so you should just buckle up and hang on for a ride of fresh fish, fine sake, Zen surrounds and service from the highest levels of perfection. FRV
Fresh sashimi and sushi platters that come with years of experience behind the cut of each each piece.
Shiro One Eleven #3 Pangkung Sari Seminyak, Bali Tel +62 361 731343 www.111resorts.com
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