When I was doing my foodie research for Ubud, Bridges Bali was very high on the list everywhere as a top restaurant to visit. I had made it my mission to visit while I was there and I’m happy I did. Bridges Bali is centrally located yet tucked away in the tropical part of Ubud, right by a bridge funny enough.
Bridges offers European cuisine and is so nice for a special occasion dinner or even just a drink at their lower level bar. The lower bar offers a jungle view right above the river. If you visit, make sure you try their passionfruit mojito.
Before the dinner I was invited to attend their weekly 1-hour wine tasting masterclass held every Friday (IDR295K / £16). The wine tasting was intimate and informative. Alongside each wine, 6 in total, we had bite-size food pairings. After the wine tasting we made our way up to the restaurant where our dining table had the same lovely jungle view but in a more formal setting.
For dinner we had the tasting menu with another wine pairing (I know! A lot of wine indeed). Let me tell you, the wine pairing is very generous! Both throughout the wine tasting and the meal, it was nice to enjoy really good wine as it’s quite expensive in Bali otherwise. The tasing menu itself cost IDR550K / £30, with another IDR400k / £26 on top if you’d like wine pairing.
The appetisers were my favourites, they came in three mini portions but served as one dish.
– Tuna sashimi, seaweed salad, yuzu dressing
– Foie gras terrine, grape chutney, toasted brioche
– Spiced gazpacho, Gruyère cheese straw
Paired wine: Undurraga Brut, Chardonnay/Pinot noir, Chile N/V
The entrees as well as mains were a mix of meat and seafood. In my opinion the seafood dishes outshine the meat:
– Grilled baby calamari with tomato risotto, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives and watercress.
Paired wine: Lavau Côtes du Rhône Villages, Syrah/Grenache, Rhône, France 2013
– Australian wagyu beef braised with orange-infused soy sauce, creamed fennel, roasted button mushroom.
As you already know, since Japan I am extremely fussy with Wagyu or any beef in general. Given this, the beef was my least favourite out of the dishes simply because it didn’t meet my expectation.
Paired wine: Babich, Pinot noir, Marlborough, New Zealand 2015
For mains we had:
– Grilled marinated salmon with local prawn tortellini, dill and fennel purée, con t cherry tomato, edamame and white wine sauce. I really enjoyed the tortellini as the soft texture and taste were on point.
Paired wine: Beringer Founders’ Estate, Chardonnay, California, USA 2014
– Pan-seared duck breast and baked duck leg, red wine cherries, crispy almond, farm-picked watercress, sautéed kale.
I loved the flavour combinations of this dish, however again, I felt that the duck could have been more tender.
Paired wine: Feudi di San Marzano, Primitivo, Puglia, Italy 2014
Finally, the desserts were once again served in cute little mini portions. It contained a delicious chocolate mousse, lemon-tamarillo tart and refreshing minty fruit salad with lime-ginger sorbet.
Paired wine: Pino de Bali, Muscat of Alexandria, Indonesia N/V
BRIDGES BALI REVIEW, UBUD, SUMMARY
The setting and atmosphere of Bridges is very special, especially given it’s central location. Wine is one of their specialties which is quite unique in Ubud I’d say. Despite some hit and miss with the texture of the meats, all dishes were gorgeously presented with so much detail to all ingredients and flavour combinations. The service was impeccable and so attentive, they really go out of their ways to make your evening as special as possible.
Bridges Ubud
Jl. Raya Campuhan, Ubud, Sayan, Ubud,
Bali 80571, Indonesia
+62 361 970095
