Perched directly on the edge of Seminyak Beach, Sanje Restaurant & Lounge has been one of the area’s best kept secrets, but with an ever-more tempting menu and now direct beach access, the secret is getting out.
Open to both in-house and outside guests, Sanje restaurant at The Seminyak Beach Resort & Spa is a delightfully relaxed alfresco venue with bright turquoise accents, pale wood tables and chairs and shade provided by colourful umbrellas and trees. With a backdrop of glistening white sand, the Indian Ocean’s crashing waves and Bali’s stunning sky ranging from pale gold at sunrise, through vivid blue to glorious mango-hued sunsets and finally inky black, Sanje lifts the spirits and makes you smile even before you try the food.
The man behind the menu, Executive Chef Joshua Job, is focused on serving light, rustic food that suits Bali’s warm climate, whether it’s the impressive breakfast menu, or the equally delicious lunch and dinner menus. In addition, a regular Fisherman’s Night sees the freshest bounty from the sea barbecued to order with loaded platters of oysters, prawn and calamari, salads, sushi, ceviche and more served at candlelit tables, all accompanied by live music.
On the recently updated Sanje menu, Chef Josh said, “The idea is to stay true to traditionalism, to respect the beauty of simplicity. I love to finesse rustic traditional foods with a simple cooking technique, or to elaborate conventional plating. For this menu, I envisioned myself walking down the fields of Sicily or on the island of Naxos and stumbling upon a retired cook’s hut and being welcomed with whatever homey dishes they would eat for lunch or dinner. We combine that heritage with schools of training for simple yet flavoursome and healthy dishes, which is the real nature of authentic Mediterranean cuisines.”
New signature items on the updated menu include Saganaki – hand-pressed haloumi-style cheese skillet grilled with lemon and honey; Sanje individual Caesars with grilled baby romaine, coddled egg dressing and shaved parmesan; a wonderful Ottoman beetroot salad with roasted beetroot, tahini emulsion, za’atar, toasted seeds and garden picked greens; our favourite Gambas Pil Pil with sizzling tiger prawns in chilli, garlic, parsley and lemon with torn crusty sourdough to soak up the sauce; super tempting parmesan and herb-crusted lamb rack with homemade labneh, sumac and Mediterranean broccoli and pea salad; rounded off by a melting beetroot and local chocolate mousse cake with beetroot gel.
Paired perfectly with healthy juices, delectable wines, zinging cocktails or the house limoncello, Sanje serves feasts to suit a whole range of palates and is ideal for long laid-back afternoons dining with family and friends at the family tables over a wide range of chilled rose wines, including magnums. Not to forget, it also has probably the largest pizzas on the island at a whopping 1.5 metres and if you’re a gnocchi fan, then don’t miss it here.
Sanje Restaurant & Lounge
The Seminyak Beach Resort & Spa
Jalan Kayu Aya, Seminyak Beach
Bali 80361, Indonesia
T: (+62) 361730814
Asia Dreams August – October 2019
