Its often said that in a perfect world the Italians would be in change of the cooking, and I have to agree; I mean, really, have you ever heard a sane person say "no" when offered a nice pasta, pizza,or antipasti plate? i doubt it, so, if you are sane, within driving range of Jimbaran , and looking for a seriously authentic Italian estery then you wan't go far wrong at Bella Cucina at InterContinental Bali Resort.
Located deep within the labyrinth of expensive water garden and grand fountains that make up the sprawling grounds of InterContinental Bali Resort , Bella Cucina is a little slice of a cool Italia cozily nestled overlooking the white sands of Jimbaran Beach. Upon entering an air of distinguished elegance pervades throughout the dinning area, with an open kitchen concept, spotless white tablecloths and rich wooden accents throughout. alternatively, the breezy ambiance of the outside decking area provides the perfect place for a casual lunch or romantic dinner.
At the helm is the charismatic (show me an Italian Chef that isn't) figure of milan-born chef Egidio Latorraca. Having spent the last year in Bali, Egidio has been 13 years on the road in Asia honing his cooking skills at a string of luminary restaurants across the region such as the Sofitel Legend Metropole in Hanoi, the Venetian in Macau, and Baci Italian in Lang KwaiFong , Hong Kong.
Despite being as Italian as a Milan espresso, chef Egidio is not averse to absorbing influences from elsewhere, having lived for nearly three years in Paris."I learnt a few things about French food there" he chuckles: "I was 20 years old and it was the first time i'd left home, cooking in this tiny French brasserie. It was Certainly an experience".
From there, he headed east looking for Asian culture and ingredients, a move that is pleasingly reflected in Bella Cucina menu. "I love using fresh local Asian produce with Italian or other European techniques and recipes,"he enthuses. "Like this Asian black sea salt-sprinkled across certain dishes its just sublime."
Having recently revamped the lunch and dinner menus, chef Egidio decided to spoil me with three new offerings from the a la carte section. Winging its way out of the open-fronted kitchen first comes the Cured Norwegian Salmon (210k++). Marinated overnight in equal parts of salt, sugar, &citrus juice, the tender pink flesh is actually cooked by the marinade, resulting in a texture and flavour that is simply out of this world. Served with tomato gelatin, black sesame, beetroot and sprigs of fennel, my taste buds are left fizzing for more.
For the second piatti, i'm delighted to have the slow cooked Black Angus Sirloin (390k++) placed in front of me. With alight dusting of the black sea salt, the buttery steak along with its accompanying baby vegcassoulet, Parmesan caste,muscato wine sauce, sweet shallots and asparagus is elevated to another level.
Never one turn down a bit of Italian dolce, I'm soon tucking into egidio's version of the Classic Tiramisu (95k++). The traditional rcipe has been rebuilt from the ground up to ensure a taste of each component - bailey's infused ladyfinger biscuit, coffee jelly, gas charge mascarpone and Ferrero Rocher ice cream, in every bite.
Looking for alunch or dinnertime indulgence that's truly magnifico? it doesn't get much better than Bella Cucina.
Picture Bella Cucina :
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