Sardine Restaurant Bali

The still spanking new restaurant Sardine blew my mind. Frou, I finally made it there!!! The food is insanely good. I love the decor of the place and its laid back charm. Something different from the usual in Singapore. Of course there're plenty of mosquitoes. They're everywhere in Bali. But I'm very prepared on this trip with citronella patches which makes any al fresco dining experience rather tolerable.

That evening, when we met the friends, everyone was dressed up for dinner in maxi-dresses and sparkly slippers. The men did jeans or pants with short sleeved shirts or long sleeved linen tops. No one wore sloppy. Likewise, so did the rest of the patrons at the restaurant. The co-owner was in a dazzling multi-colored bandeau dress and platform heels. We were pleasantly surprised by the style factor for those few hours. I think Sardine is gaining a very chic reputation. I'd definitely not want to turn up in sand crusted flip flops and greasy hair. I'd dress as though heading for a chic al fresco restaurant (think The Cliff) at home.

We eschewed Jimbaran Bay because that would be like, the dumbest place to hope for decent seafood. At Sardine, we merrily ordered 4 whole lobsters (approximately 850grams each), lots of grilled barramundi and other fish, grilled sardines (but of course!), scallops and the whole hog. We ordered the entire menu. The table shared a couple of bowls of lovely brown rice which was automatically served. I'm quite in love with the food. Everything we had was excellent, and grilled to perfection. The kitchen definitely knows how to complement the various flavors. I can only surmise that the chef, i.e the owner is working really hard back there. Let's hope the standards will prevail for a while more. I honestly prefer the food at Sardine rather than at Metis opposite the road.

The listings in dessert menu are wonderful examples of fusion done well. Say, strawberries and kiwi with Javanese black pepper ice-cream. The only problem, the restaurant is now immensely popular. Again, be prepared to pay Singapore prices. don't expect to get seats without reservations.

Sardine is a restaurant that made me feel excited about trying it. It isn't just because it's something new. The menu offerings are so interesting and every dish refreshes the jaded tastebuds so. What an extremely enjoyable evening.