A few weeks before the trip I stumbled on an episode of Chef’s Table about experimental dessert chef, Will Goldfarb. After burning out in NYC, he relocated to Bali. Bali… I pondered, briefly, and googled. In a sweet coincidence, his restaurant, Room 4 Dessert, was located in the heart of Ubud, just 20 minutes drive from our hotel.
Don’t be misled by the cheesy name – this is one of the classiest, most delicious and interesting dining experiences I’ve ever had. Truly a trip, and a life, highlight.
We opted for the cocktail pairings. Despite consuming 15 courses, the experience is so well portioned, balanced and timed, that you won’t stumble out feeling uncomfortably full or intoxicated.
As the night progresses, so do you, through the garden and the rooms of the beautifully designed house, finishing on the side patio. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, with local and overseas staff working with visible passion and dedication.
Each course is delivered with a colourful back-story and detailed description of the local produce used. It’s hard to pick favourites, but I loved the savoury pandan pancake, and the dark sesame caramel was hard to surpass.
Although I’m not a big fan of monkeys, and this place is crawling with tourists, I’d still recommend stopping by. It’s incredible to get so close to these crazy little creatures.
After buying a ticket, you wander through the open forest at your own pace, stopping to see the monkeys who completely appear un-phased by the masses of gawking tourists. In our case, the monkeys even jumped on to our back pack – in a somewhat unnerving, extra close encounter. It’s a lot of fun.
We took a short tour of this peaceful plantation, which includes vanilla, tea, coffee beans and Lewaks. The Lewaks aren’t generally kept in captivity, but as you’ll see from the picture, they bring one out each day for tourists to get a closer glimpse.
Staff are lovely, and knowledgeable about the Lewaks and plantation produce. The tour is complimentary, as is the tasting platter (except the Lewak coffee, but it’s worth purchasing a cup). There’s no pressure to buy, although you’ll probably want to because everything we tasted was delicious.
All in all, this is a great place for a breather, where you can relax and experience local produce.
Our friendly and knowledgable driver picked us up around 3am and drove us to a house a lake. I this wasn’t booked through a reputable with site with dozens of great reviews, I’d have been a little weary waiting at this random secluded property in the dark. But everyone was incredibly lovely, had a depth of insight to share, and we were lucky enough to have a totally private tour. The trek begins with a tranquil boat ride across the lake.
Sunlight begins to slowly creep in as you trek up the muddy steep hills, through native bushland, dotted with small farms growing incredible produce.
We were greeted near the top by a charming local woman who had prepared us a breakfast of nutella toast, local bananas and chocolate bars, with some nice string coffee.
You’ll notice the stunning sunrise views are conspicuously absent. We were extremely unlucky with the weather; visibility was virtually zero. But the foggy setting had its own charm. With the mountain enrobed in clouds of white, we enjoyed a private breakfast, surrounded by beautiful nature and good company.
The journey back home is a downward trek, followed by the boat ride back, but this time illuminated, with more of the local landscape to see.
On a clear day, one can only assume the views here would be absolutely spectacular. Even though the fog completely hid everything from us, it was still a fun visit. Once you pass the giant coffee bean out front [which looks oddly like a giant pair of lips] you enter the cafe cascading down the mountain side. It’s certainly touristy, even on a quiet day you sense yourself featuring in the background of dozens of would-be influencer instagram posts. The menu has lots of unique offerings, from local soups made at your desired level of spiciness, to an array of flavoured coffees.
Night Rooster is a very cool speakeasy, hidden away amongst the busiest part of Ubud. It’s somehow both spacious and cosy, with a vintage lounge style.
The cocktails are truly creative, unique and delicious. This place is a great hideaway if you’re keen for a classy and fun night out, without the volume and chaos of crowds.
A spinoff of Room 4 Dessert, this surprisingly quiet cafe is a real treat. We sampled the Sourdough soft serve with olive oil, local made Jamu drink, and bacon and egg muffin. It’s also a great place to buy locally made Spirits or taste baked goods.
A friendly driver gave us this bbq restaurant recommendation. If you’re looking for something genuinely local, this is it. I’m not a huge meat-eater so I went for a fresh vegetable stirfry. But their specialty is in the name – Kayana is a Balinese favourite, pork ribs.
You can’t miss the entrance, with the BBQ out front, filling the air with a tantalising smoke. Also, there are a couple of some-what terrifying human sized, and dressed, pig statues who eerily welcome patrons in. The restaurant is mostly full of locals. The floors are lined with dirty dishes, while we were eating a mysterious little animal – I think a wet cat – darted past our feet. So, I can’t speak to the cleanliness… but we didn’t get sick and the meal was cheap and delicious.
Undoubtedly a tourist trap, but not a bad way to kill some time, this rice terrace and swing is extremely pretty. It’s a kind of flora formation that we don’t see in Australia. The cascading green slopes are vividly vibrant. You can fly a drone here, go for a wander, and take a twirl (with or without a rented trailing dress) on a giant swing.
