Begawan Giri has been the home of five different Executive Chefs during its short but exciting life, four of whom have been Australian. All have contributed something to the growing acceptance of this magnificent estate as Bali's home of fine dining!
Its location, perched high above the sacred Ayung River, north-east of Ubud, sets the scene. The food only confirms it. Begawan is now under the Como Shambhala umbrella. The Como Group has a penchant for chefs trained by Neil Perry, and the incumbent Chris Miller hails from that background.
The cuisine at Glow is virtually 100% vegetarian, with just a few exceptions. The entire estate is tobacco free, and virtually alcohol free as well. If you think that a vegetarian meal sounds boring, then think again! The emphasis here is on healthy food that tastes great. No calorie counting, just a strict use of organic fruits and vegetables, the best in the world.
Sea Vegetable, Avocado, Cucumber & Radish Salad with Japanese Dressing (right) is a sample of things to come. It is a layered stack of finely sliced cucumber at the base, topped with slabs of avocado, a pile of sea vegetables (3 different seaweeds, one fresh and the other two re-hydrated) and thin discs of radish. It looks good on the plate and tastes wonderful.
A base of lentils and crushed walnuts is topped with goat's curd, green beans and roasted baby beetroot. Once again so healthy and not a scrap left on the plate. A touch of Thai with the Poached Prawns & Pomelo Salad with chilli and lime, the prawn meat perfect with just their tails intact, the fresh juicy pomelo balancing the dressing.
The Ayam Pelelah is a Balinese special; thicker-than-usual spicy shredded chicken is tossed with diced long beans, split cherry tomatoes and chilli. A Zucchini, Basil & Semi-dried Tomato Lasagna consists of many paper-thin layers of alternating ingredients. A Lentil & 7 Grain Wrap is just that. The flour of seven different high fibre grains is the base, the wrap stuffed with healthy lentils, tomato salsa, avocado and alfalfa sprouts.
When you consume plate after plate of food at this level it becomes difficult for a single dish to stand out. But for me the Hot-pot of Asian Greens was so simple, yet sensational. A large handle-less ceramic cup is filled with paper-thin slices of Asian greens, fresh and re-hydrated seaweed and slabs of tofu atop a pile of Udon noodles made from Quinoa, all sitting in a fragrant Dashi broth. After devouring all the ingredients, forget protocol and lift the cup to your lips to drain the remaining fluid - no one will notice.
Quinoa is an incredible product. Used by the Aztecs and Incas centuries ago to eat as a cereal and pound into flour for breads, it is in fact not really a cereal grain but rather the botanical fruit of an herb plant. When cooked, the germ coils into a small tail that lends a pleasant crunch when eating. Gluten free and high in fibre, it is a nutritionist's dream. Eating a spoonful of Quinoa is similar to swallowing a multi-vitamin capsule - it is so rich in minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids.
Whatever and how ever much you eat at Glow, desserts are mandatory. Dairy-free ice creams, sorbets and granitas made from an assortment of tropical fruits, even flowers. They are more than just palate-cleansers - just eat slowly and savour the intense flavours.
Chris Miller is a young chef of exceptional talent destined to take his place on the international stage. After graduating from the kitchens of Rockpool, a rare fine dining seafood restaurant in Sydney, Chris joined Como Shambhala in their Parrot Cay Resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands before arriving in Bali for the opening of its sister hotel Uma in Sanggingan, Ubud, subsequently taking over from Tim Bouget at Glow.
Although it may sound like a contradiction, dining at Glow is a relaxed form of fine dining. The gentle sound of cascading waters in the distance echoing through the valley is the perfect match for whispered conversations at the well spaced tables. Most of the conversation is about the how amazing the food tastes.
Glow
Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri
Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Tel: (62-361) 978.888
Open: Lunch from 11.00 a.m., Dinner from 6.00 p.m., daily
Price: $150 for two (+ drinks)
This is an abridged version of the full review that appears on the BaliEats web site, Bali's comprehensive restaurant guide: www.balieats.com
Sea Vegetable, Avocado, Cucumber & Radish Salad with Japanese Dressing (right) is a sample of things to come. It is a layered stack of finely sliced cucumber at the base, topped with slabs of avocado, a pile of sea vegetables (3 different seaweeds, one fresh and the other two re-hydrated) and thin discs of radish. It looks good on the plate and tastes wonderful.
Quinoa is an incredible product. Used by the Aztecs and Incas centuries ago to eat as a cereal and pound into flour for breads, it is in fact not really a cereal grain but rather the botanical fruit of an herb plant. When cooked, the germ coils into a small tail that lends a pleasant crunch when eating. Gluten free and high in fibre, it is a nutritionist's dream. Eating a spoonful of Quinoa is similar to swallowing a multi-vitamin capsule - it is so rich in minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids.
