A Touch of Heaven

Paul’s Place, the landmark that was a five-year feature at Ku De Ta and The Oberoi corner on the now built up Jalan Laksmana, has moved its magic to Jalan Petitenget – as have some other well-established Bali-based names.

The magic is as visible as the blue Balinese sky and searing sun, for when you turn the corner at Villa Lumbung, the immediate swaying palms stand out against the backdrop of the tropically cool white recently redesigned Paul’s Place building. Officially opening this month, Paul has kept his successful and established three-in-one concept that is Meng’s Lifestyle Village. It incorporates an exclusive boutique experience – In Full Swing (with sizes up to XXXL), the original M Spa – now also with a bar, and the roof top dining place known as the Cloud Lounge.

Cloud Lounge is not a misnomer, one feels at peace with the Balinese gods along with a stunning 360-degree panorama across this enchanting island. Views onto the seven volcanoes, including sacred Gunung Agung to the northeast, as well as the seascape to the south over an array of treetops is something that money cannot buy outside of Paul’s Place. However, money will and can buy you a delicious selection of dining experiences.

Commence your experience, after a relaxing massage, with a ‘Blue Berry Lychee Martini’, a ‘Sea Breeze’ or a more classical, cooling glass of wine at Cloud’s intimate and inviting lounge area. This is wonderfully coupled with some tapas such as the ‘Asian Tuna Salad’, ‘Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls’ sauced up with a zesty dressing or a succulent ‘Mixed Satay’ along with the ubiquitous peanut sauce.

Dining should be an easy experience under the heavens, candlelit, with Ella Fitzgerald as company, perhaps, and an angelic looking staff on full attendance to satisfy your every culinary whim. The menu is as light as the cotton candy clouds above, yet with an Asian twist, to keep you floating on after the après dinner Cognac. Paul’s Place Jalan Petitenget is a true box of magical surprises on the street of the same name.

Paul’s Place

Seminyak, Kuta

Jl. Laksmana 18B

Around the corner KU DE TA

62-361-736910

Petitenget, Kuta

Jl. Petitenget 147X

Next to Villa Lumbung

62-361-733886

Pengosekan, Ubud

Jl. Raya Pengosekan

Opposite Arma Museum south entrance

62-361-917220

Source: LINK

Sensory Experience at MÉTIS

Love affairs have always arrived in many shapes and forms, from the purple and orange hazed tones of a Bali sunset to the green shades of shimmering rice paddies that seem to mesmerize travellers, the undeniable power of our senses takes hold and won’t let go. Cuisine is no stranger either, some restaurants in Bali have a legendary mystique all their own, able to draw in guests time and time again with sumptuous aromas that wet taste buds from all over the world.

After a very long and storied rise to one of Bali’s culinary delights, the former owners of Kafe Warisan have transported their winning combination of 5-star French Mediterranean cuisine to a larger and more all-encompassing location in Petitenget now known as MÉTIS. Still providing the same level of service, class, and awe inspiring cookery, MÉTIS invites former Kafe Warisan patrons and newcomers alike to partake in this new multi-functional property.

Upon entry, the richly brown façade of MÉTIS gives way to a beautifully designed contemporary colonial style establishment. The melding of modernistic and traditional batik inspired Indonesian forms creates an aesthetically pleasing playground of architectural wonder. MÉTIS now welcomes guests with an art gallery and boutique with works from all over the Asian continent, a pastry shop serving fine delectables, an upstairs event room that can house large parties with its own dedicated kitchen, bar, and service, and of course the main attraction, the new 260-seat restaurant area complete with its own bar and lounge and private dining areas. This area in particular is moving due to the natural timbers and clean lines in its makeup while fans of dining under the stars and that gorgeous rice paddy view spread across the horizon, reminiscent of Kafe Warisan, need not worry as this pure environment trumps all.

Classically trained chef and owner Nicolas “Doudou” Tourneville has been a part of this conception from the start along with partner Said Alem. Guiding plates of flavourful dishes from kitchen to table has been their combination of success and continues again at MÉTIS.

The high-profiled team of chefs that Chef Tourneville has assembled offer a variety of original cuisine with starters like King Crab and Seaweed Ravioli with White Truffle Beurre Blanc and Grilled Fresh Japanese Scallops with Gratined Sea Urchin Sauce. Main courses feature dishes such as the Moroccan Lamb Rack Mechoui served with Pumpkin Couscous or Fresh Scallops and Prawns Provençal with Baby Roasted Potato, Asparagus, and Shimeji Mushrooms. Desserts include different pastries and inventions but none as heavenly as the Chocolate Soufflé, quite honestly the best on the island.

Private dining and wine celebration is unveiled with a new private cellar dining room as well that is literally walled with hundreds of various bottle selections from around the world. Tasting the fanfare of MÉTIS’ culinary choices while indulging in a multitude of wine options is complete with a personal butler and wine sommelier, a true fine dining experience.

MÉTIS is opened for lunch, dinner seating at 5PM, while the bar and lounge stays opened till 2AM. Also in the plans is their new daily high tea time, brunch on Sundays, and for New Years Eve, a set menu to ring in 2010 with style and grace that only MÉTIS knows how to deliver…let the festival of senses commence.

MÉTIS

Kerobokan Kelod – Bali

Jl. Petitenget No. 6

T: +62 361 737 888

E: info@metisbali.com

www.metisbali.com

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Ayana Resort & Spa

Already making a name for itself with a sprawling complex consisting of some of the world’s best resort and spa facilities, AYANA Resort and Spa Bali continues a step ahead of the rest since being launched as an independent hotel back in April 2009. With immaculate sunset destinations, opulent spa menus, and a vast array of cuisine from around the world, AYANA is a hard place to match on the “Island of the Gods”.

April 1st 2009 brought on a scenario of changes that have only cemented their status as leaders in the tourism industry not just in Bali, and not just in Indonesia, but also around the world. US-based West Paces Hotel Group was appointed to replace the former management company and AYANA has been on the rise ever since. New appointments within the senior management team have also come into play bringing fresh ideas and expertise such as the newly appointed Executive Chef Giordano Faggioli. Giordano brings with him more than 20 years’ experience in the luxury hotels and restaurants business and will begin to oversee AYANA Resort and Spa Bali’s 13 dining and lounge venues, in-room dining, and banqueting services.

Supervising this task may seem daunting, but not at AYANA, as their myriad of options turn it into a joy. The first of course would be The Rock Bar, which has taken Bali’s must-go destination by storm. This open-top bar perched 14 meters above the ocean is literally “on the rocks” at the base of the resort’s towering cliffs and is as an impressive sight as the Bali sunsets one can watch from it. Accessed from an inclinator that traverses the cliff-face, the view is inspiring as the architectural clean-line design of the Rock Bar blends with its natural surroundings to perfection. Including a DJ booth and impromptu performances from local and visiting artists, the ultra-modern vibe brings chic socialites from all over for uninterrupted sunset soirees till late night debauchery.

AYANA’s cuisine counterparts have also taken notice to this wind of change. The DAVA restaurant has also launched a new menu following the appointment of a new Chef de Cuisine, Chef William Gumport, to maintain its status of one of Bali’s most spectacular dining venues. Padi Restaurant, which previously was Thai oriented, has been transformed to a Pan Asian food venue offering an expansive dinner menu of Indian, Thai, and Indonesian cuisine while the international breakfast buffet allows gourmet dining at 6 different food stations. Even more recently, AYANA has reopened the Damar Terrace restaurant following an extensive renovation by Yasuhiro Koichi, the creative mastermind behind the Rock Bar’s magnificent design.

All of this hard work and effort has paid off handsomely as the awards and accolades are now pouring in for AYANA Resort and Spa Bali. AYANA was the only hotel in all of Indonesia to make the list of Asia’s Top 15 Resorts in Travel + Leisure’s 2009 World’s Best Awards reader’s survey. They also were ranked number one resort in Bali by leading Japanese travel website AB-Road and were voted Asia’s number 3 Spa Resort by SmartTravelAsia readers.

But nothing is sweeter than their most recent award; The World Travel Awards, tagged by the Wall Street Journal as “the Oscars of the travel industry”, have named AYANA as Asia’s leading luxury resort. An honour with high expectations and prestigious commitment to service and luxury, AYANA Resort and Spa Bali is sitting high on their perch and ensures they will stay there…

Ayana Resort and Spa

Jl. Karang Mas Sejahtera

Jimbaran – Bali 80364

T +62 361 702 222

F. +62 361 701 555

www.ayanaresort.com

Source: LINK