If, like me, you follow lots of celebrities on Instagram, you’ll be familiar with the Four Seasons chain of luxury hotels. They’re known for their state of the art accommodation, delicious restaurants and overall picturesqueness. I have a theory that if a holiday resort boasts one of their hotels, then it’s a destination worth visiting, and I wasn’t wrong on this occasion.
When people visit Bali they tend to spend time in Seminyak and Ubud, but I really recommend travelling south of the airport to the coastal area Jimbaran. It’s nowhere near as touristy, and therefore not as crowded as the other major spots. It is the perfect location for a few days of rest and recuperation. It’s also home to a beautiful Four Seasons resort and restaurant, which I was lucky enough to dine at in September.
My friend Rhys and I arrived in time order a cocktail and catch the sunset. I tried the Mint Dara, a refreshing mix of gin, mint, cucumber and cranberry juice. It was simple but delicious. Rhys opted to try the Funky Colada which is as fun as it sounds, featuring dark rum, blended banana and coconut water.
The outdoor bar area looks directly onto an unspoilt beach and sea; it’s a modern, sophisticated space, full of beautifully dressed people. The interior of the venue doesn’t feel remotely Balinese but rather like a glamorous Cannes establishment. As the sun went down, the fire pits were lit, making it all the more attractive.
Whilst sitting there, we noticed the head chef, Pasquo King, pop out to meet the diners ahead of a busy night in the kitchen. A small gesture, but it shows he really cares about his food.
King’s kitchen serves up modern Asian cuisine in an untraditional format. The menu is simply divided into hot and cold plates, which can be ordered in small, medium or large serving sizes. As an indecisive person who likes to try a bit of everything, this is a concept I’m very fond of.
Jimbaran is a fishing village, and, knowing that Sundara use local seafood, we ordered a lot of fish; crab, tuna, prawn and snapper. It was all, as one would expect, insanely tasty.
The crab salad was the best I’ve ever had. Freshly made in front of us, it was so good to know exactly what goes into a dish. It was not just creamy (courtesy of coconut milk) but also fresh and zingy thanks to the coriander, mint and crunchy onions. And the caviar topping was quite literally the cherry on top of a stunning dish.
Alongside the crab salad, we also tried small plates of the tuna sashimi, which was served with sushi rolls and a sweet Thai dipping sauce, as well as a Tempura courgette. The tempura was stuffed with king prawns and tofu which made for a surprisingly creamy taste. To lighten it up, we were also served a sweet, crunchy apple salad.
Courses are served in the order of your choice; we chose to go from cold to hot plates. For our hot plate, or main as we saw it, we ordered a steamed snapper and the chickpea and pumpkin fatteh. I adored the snapper, which was served in a flavoursome, chilli broth with traditional stir fry vegetables like pak choi and spring onion. The fatteh was equally as delicious and flavoursome, but very filling.
For dessert we shared a small plate of the traditional Balinese dessert: black sticky rice pudding. If you’re not familiar with this dish, it’s similar to the British equivalent, but soaked in coconut milk. I tried my fair share of rice puddings during our Bali travels and I have to say Sundara’s came top. It was outrageously tasty and I sincerely regret not ordering a large portion.
Four Seasons at Jimbaran is perfect for couples as the location is remote and quaint. The interior of the restaurant adds to this vibe. Sundara feels romantic: the plates are made to share, the lights are soft and most booths look outwards onto the ocean-it’s the perfect place to dine if you’re on your honeymoon. Having said that, there were all sorts of people there on the night we dined, from families to large groups of friends.
In short, I really recommend Sundara. The restaurant offers tasty Asian cuisine in beautiful surroundings. It’s close proximity to Seminyak means it’s easy to visit, even if it’s just for a portion of rice pudding!
Address: Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay, Jimbaran, Kuta Selatan, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia / +62 361 701010
