The Element of Surprise
If it has been awhile since you’ve dined at Kayuputi, there’s no better time than the present return, to celebrate The St. Regis Bali’s 5th anniversary with the ‘Panca Anniversary Menu’, a five-course surprise menu that is inspired by the Balinese spiritual concept of the five senses.
When confirming your dinner reservation, do your best to time it with the resort’s captivating fire dance ritual that takes place every evening at 6:30PM on the grand staircase next to King Cole Bar. Not only is this an enchanting way to begin your St. Regis experience, it allows you to indulge in the last remaining hues of the island’s legendary sunsets.
As you walk along the glowing pathway lined with flowering trees and verdant foliage, Kayuputi emerges from immaculately landscaped gardens. Inviting you in with iconic Balinese smiles, stepping into Kayuputi feels as if you are being personally welcomed into the St. Regis family. Kayuputi’s open beam Hamptons-style interior design is at once chic and regal, beckoning you from one captivating view to the next; from the pristine Nusa Dua beachfront adorned with red umbrellas, to the dramatic stainless steel display kitchen that showcases stylishly dressed chefs who are at the very top of their game.
Harmoniously combined with the culinary team’s Asian haute cuisine concept, the Panca Anniversary Menu is a set menu that not only changes nightly, but is also modified from table-to-table. Custom designed to accommodate your personal preferences, specific dietary requirements, and even favourite ingredients, each course is artisan crafted to bring each one of the five senses to life through elegant presentation, seductive aroma, complex flavours, subtle sounds and irresistible textures.
Depending on your preference, you may also choose to heighten the journey with a wine pairing option that is thoughtfully chosen by Kayuputi’s team of internationally trained sommeliers. Hand selected to complement each course, our knowledgeable Sommelier, Made Yudiana, chose a captivating variety of wines from the most recognised vineyards across the globe to ensure a perfect match.
To cleanse the palate, our sommelier commences the evening with a flute of Duval-Leroy Champagne, The St. Regis Bali’s signature Champagne. The perfect ending to another beautiful day in Bali, we toast to the culinary adventure that lies ahead. Executive Sous Chef Agung Gede and his first mate, Executive Chef Agung Ardiawan, greet us personally to introduce the first course. Fresh from garnering multiple accolades just hours before at the Salon Culinaire competition hosted in Nusa Dua every March, the power couple ease us into the surprise menu with their three pieces of nigiri-style sushi. Topped with mouth-watering slices of yellowfin tuna, each mound is neatly shaped with cucumber salsa instead of traditional white rice. Delivering an exquisite fusion of multiple textures, the delicate tuna is complemented with the refreshing crunch of fresh vegetables. A deconstructed work of art, dabs of wasabi coulis, shoyu, citrus and nut crumble, yuzu pearls and balsamic powder allow you to sample classic Japanese flavours prepared in a contemporary style.
Paired with a crisp Le Rime Pinot Grigio from Tuscany, underlying tones of pear and citrus balance the steaming bowl of classic Italian strozzapreti presented before us. Basking in an authentic lobster bisque broth infused with lemongrass, turmeric and galangal, whisper thin black truffles and succulent slices of marinated Hokkaido scallops tantalise your sense of smell. This was not a course we wanted to rush through, savouring each spoonful as if they were drops of gold.
Inspired by his travels to Germany, our third course is Chef Agung Gede’s version of the country’s favourite comfort food. As the server deftly delivers two silver domes, concealing the dish ensconced inside, we are each presented with a tender white filet of poached sea bream atop a bed of slow braised savoy cabbage. To balance the rich underlying nuances of bacon and smoked emulsion, our sommelier confidently recommends a New Zealand Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc.
For the beef course, the sommelier adds a twist to his previous recommendations by delivering two luminous glasses of Penfolds BIN 2 Shiraz, a medium bodied red with soft tannins and distinctive notes of apple and cedar. As each silver dome is lifted, a filet of 200-day grass-fed Angus beef is the centrepiece amidst a vivid presentation that showcases spinach mousseline, butter glazed seasonal vegetables, Papua vanilla air and Perigueux jus.
As if transported from a contemporary glass exhibition, our fifth course is encased within a one-half metre high hand-spun sugar bell. Complemented by a chilled glass of Chateau Lafon Sauternes, the dramatic Bedugul Highland Carrot Cake delivers four delicately sweetened layers including carrot and lime mousse, spiced carrot cake, fresh carrot espuma and a generous dollop of yoghurt sherbet. Although the feeling of joy cannot necessarily be characterised as one of the five senses, Kayuputi’s signature dessert certainly tickled our sense of delight.
