UNDER A TUSCAN SUN
THERE’S ALWAYS A PALPABLE AIR OF ANTICIPATION WHEN A NEW, FINE DINING RESTAURANT OPENS ON ONE OF BALI’S LOVELY SHORES, BUT WHEN IT’S SOLEIL, SITUATED WITHIN THE SIX-STAR THE MULIA, MULIA RESORT & VILLAS, HOLIDAY TRAVELERS AND ESTABLISHED RESIDENTS ALIKE CAN’T HELP BUT TAKE NOTICE.
Although Mulia Bali’s impeccable style seems effortlessly perfect, a sophisticated team trained in the art of high-profile discretion is behind every single decision, from the tip-top of the company’s corporate structure to the immaculately dressed bellmen handling the Louis Vuitton. As soon as you drive through the resort’s awe-inspiring entrée, marked by larger than life lotus and rose blossom sculptures, you get the feeling that the luxury travel lifestyle found at Mulia Bali can’t be categorized in a simple way. Adjectives such as opulent, glamorous and over-the-top just won’t do. More than an exclusive, world-class resort, Mulia Bali feels like a world of its own and that’s exactly what it is.
As the team of valet generously welcome you, your car slips gently away, replaced by a smart golf cart ready to transport you to Mulia Bali’s dream-interpretation of the French Riviera. Blessed with a phenomenal location along one of Southeast Asia’s prettiest white sand beaches, the views alone from each one of Soleil’s twin dining rooms make falling in love with the restaurant much too easy. Once the intoxication wears off, guests are impressed, and deservedly so, with so many other reasons to call Soleil their ‘new favorite place’: a renowned food and beverage team imported from every corner of the world? Check. Gilded interiors that capture the essence of refined, understated elegance, creating an ambiance one would expect to find in a contemporary French chateau? Check. Contemporary Mediterranean and Pan-Asian cuisine so fresh, so succulent, that you feel as if you’ve been transported to Portofino or St. Tropez? Check. Check. Check.
There are other surprises too. Refreshing nuances that pleasantly take your breath away considering the impressive scale of Mulia Bali’s size and grandeur. To keep guests on their toes, Soleil’s Executive Chef is committed to sourcing and inspiring the production of fresh, boutique-raised produce and products, including organic, locally grown artichokes, squab, rabbit and quail. For their sumptuous cheese fondue, the team found a local, gourmet cheese maker, who hand crafts the decadent European delight utilizing old-world methods from a time-honored tradition. Being the Italian cuisine perfectionist that he is, the Chef insists on having an authentic Italian chitarra pasta cutter to hand cut six varieties of pasta prepared and offered on Soleil’s menu daily. Meaning ‘guitar’ in Italian, the chitarra resembles a musical instrument with metal strings and creates perfectly shaped morsels of Italian goodness.
Only allowing the very best products in Soleil’s kitchen, the restaurant’s team reaches way beyond paradise to source a handful of Italy’s most beloved ingredients including Parmesan, Reggiano and foie gras. On Sundays, Soleil’s wildly popular brunch (booked months in advance by travelers coming in from all over the world) features oysters flown in directly from Vancouver’s perfectly chilled waters of Fanny Bay. Although the value of Soleil’s brunch is wildly attractive, especially with the lovely amenity of free flow wine, Soleil’s generous philosophy hints that luxury can’t be measured in dollars.
With a Sunday brunch that’s already a cult favorite, Soleil decided to give Bali’s residents and visitors yet another reason to spend more time at the sophisticated hot spot. Weekends have never looked or tasted so good as the Chef and his team now offer an exquisite set dinner menu with free flow wine every Friday and Saturday night, lasting until just before the stroke of midnight. A weekend dinner at Soleil defines the ultimate culinary indulgence before heading upstairs to Mulia Bali’s open-air Sky Bar, where Nusa Dua’s clear, starry skies are an intoxicating complement to innovative cocktails and world-class, international DJs.
In a relatively short time, Soleil has established itself as a gastronomic sanctuary, one that consistently delivers world-class quality and service, exceeding the expectations one expects when making a dinner reservation.
