Arwana Restaurant at The Laguna

With its elegant restaurant and shady dining terrace boasting stunning views of the Nusa Dua seafront, Arwana restaurant is the perfect spot to dine by the sea.
Five-star service coupled with gentle ocean breezes ensure that a relaxed lunch or romantic dinner is always an occasion at this fine dining favourite. Arwana is primarily a seafood restaurant, offering the very best in locally sourced fish and other fruits de mer from Bali’s amazing fish markets, but the menu also incorporates superb salads, soups and carnivorous mains from the land.

A range of specially designed experiences also add to the flavour here, such as the ‘Fisherman’s Night Out’ with its live cooking stations, or the famous Sunday Beach & BBQ Brunch. Beverage-wise, on Thursdays, wine-fans will love the special ‘Wine-derlust’ tastings at the beachfront bar, and the sophisticated Afternoon Tea is not to be missed.
Joining Arwana’s stellar list of epicurean events comes the new Chef’s Tasting Menu; a six-course degustation showcase of some of the hot favourites from Arwana’s main menu. Beautifully presented as a series of smaller plates, the tasting menu is available at any time during opening hours, and comes in at a most reasonable 488k++ per person.

I decide to take the tasting menu for a test drive over lunchtime, so together with a good mate we grab a spot inside the spacious a/c area and get stuck in. First out comes the Butterfish Carpaccio, with bursts of passion fruit and wasabi mayo, dressed with a local style sambal matah. True to its name, the fish is butter soft and goes perfectly with the sweet/spicy flavours for a sensational opener. The Beef Sate arrives next, super tender and flavoursome, thanks to the fact it’s smoked with apple wood and served with edible ‘charcoal’ (sweet potato) & lemongrass foam.

So far, so amazing, but the third dish of Lemongrass Lobster Bisque has to be my favourite; the rich broth complimented beautifully by the crispy prawn spring roll and a pinch of Avruga caviar. We pause for a drink break (a Bloody Spice Martini, 160k++), before ploughing on straight into the Baked Scallops Gratin with Balinese ‘betutu’ taste. Last of the savouries comes the Angus Tenderloin Rendang – served with a flourish by the chef himself directly onto the central area of our table. Crispy flakes of Sumatran ‘dendeng balado’ and a scattering of crispy rice complete the dish, before we end on a sweet note with the Lemongrass & Ginger Pannacotta with Coconut Kafir Ice Cream.

A feast for all the senses that fuses local and Western tastes for a wonderful tasting experience, the Chef’s Tasting Menu at Arwana is an absolute winner and well worth a look.
Dan Ashcroft
Arwana Restaurant at The Laguna
A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua
300 5635
www.arwanarestaurant.com