Fine Dining in Ubud

What is fine dining like in Ubud?

Ubud grew up around Balinese cooking and the international cafes that followed the wellness crowd, so its higher-end dining tends to be small and chef-led rather than large and formal. A special-occasion dinner here is more often a set menu or a seat at a counter than a long list to order from. The setting is usually quiet and low-lit, closer to a slow evening than a grand dining room.

How do you choose where to have a special dinner in Ubud?

Start from the evening you want. A set-menu or chef's-counter dinner suits an occasion, where the kitchen paces the courses and you settle in for the night, while an a la carte room suits a more flexible meal. Where you are staying matters too, since a central base keeps dinner within a short walk or scooter ride instead of a drive across town.

What is a chef's-counter dinner, and where do you find one in Ubud?

At a chef's counter you sit facing the kitchen and are served a sequence the chef sets and paces, watching each course made in front of you. It is a slower way to eat, closer to an evening out than a quick meal. Kumo runs this format on Jalan Raya Pengosekan, in the central belt south of the Monkey Forest, so it is a short trip from most central lodging.

What does Kumo serve?

Kumo is a fusion omakase and steak counter, so its range spans Japanese, fusion and steakhouse cooking. At the counter the omakase runs as fixed menus that differ by length, from a short introductory sequence up to a long tasting, and you choose the length when you book while the kitchen decides the courses.

For a plated dinner instead of a tasting, the same room runs a steak menu at the tables, each main served as a set with an appetiser, soup, vegetables, a carbohydrate and a sauce. So one table can mix a counter seat for the omakase with the steak side, and dinner runs from 5pm to 10pm daily.

Which area of Ubud is best for a special dinner?

The central belt around the Monkey Forest and Pengosekan keeps most dining within reach, which is why a base there does more with the evening. Riviera Boutique Hotel sits on Jalan Raya Pengosekan with Kumo on the grounds, alongside a spa and a cafe and coffee lounge, so a dinner at the counter can follow a spa afternoon and a morning coffee without leaving the site.