Apéritif Restaurant - Fine Dining in Ubud, Bali

“I ate here to celebrate our wedding anniversary with my partner and selected its three-course menu. First, we were served with the canapés. The corn meringue was amazing. For the entree, I tried beef carpaccio with bone marrow emulsion and my partner tried king prawn with cashew and fermented honey. Her king prawn was much better than my carpaccio. As a main course, I had aged duck with black tamarind consommé. It was amazing, particularly the consommé. My partner had the dorper lamb, which was also really good and had a strong Indonesian cuisine vibe. We had a nice sorbet as pallet cleanser and finally we had desserts. I had klappertaart with coconut ice cream. It was very good. Overall, it was a nice experience. Our server, Rani was very helpful and informative. The manager, Thomas also greeted us and had a nice little chat with us. The venue was beautiful, inspired by the 1920s Dutch colonial era, and filled with some jazz music. Considering the price that we paid, it’s a 5/5 experience.”

“Such an impressive and remarkable place and experience. From the moment that you step in the attentive service feels amazing. The environment is so sophisticated and art deco that it’s like stepping back in time with modern details. Excellent cocktails and the food is over the top. Incredibly accommodating to any food allergies. We had two gluten free people plus one of them is also allergic to tree nuts and dairy. They presented phenomenal options. The staff is so friendly and attentive and the environment is warm and welcoming. Incredible experience.”

“If Bali has a fancier restaurant than Apéritif, we haven’t found it. NB, as part of the Viceroy Hotel, this place has the only helicopter pad we’ve seen. Notice also Art Deco motifs merging with a colonial fantasy of Bali in the 1930s, when it was still ruled by the Dutch. Black and white tiles are typical of the era, okay, but the pattern also alludes to Balinese Hinduism, which acknowledges good and evil as equal parts of life, and life works best when in balance. We reserved an early table to take advantage of ambient light before sunset, but it was hardly necessary. Apéritif is well lit to feature the extraordinary cuisine. This is fine dining with nothing held back. The menu follows the phases of the moon, and all the plates are also shaped like the moon. The staff are marvelously well-trained and in typical Balinese style willing at all times to pause and explain what’s going on. The wine collection is world-class, and considering transportation and taxes, prices are very reasonable, but after a couple of fascinating cocktails that blended classic expressions with Balinese accents, we chose the wine pairing, which was magnificent, both in selections and in the pairings themselves, which were remarkably intelligent, not to mention synergetic. Sommelier Jean-Benoit Iselé has taken full advantage of APÉRETIF’s extraordinary cellar and doubtless collaborated closely with chef Nick Vanderbeeken to evoke every possible nuance. I’m running out of words, but this experience brings to a close our quest for authentic Bali. The power of this ancient anomalous civilization, now almost completely subsumed by tourism, has been raised to pure art here at Apéritif, absent apology, but glowing with respect for the very best.”

“Aprériftif is more than just a great dinner, it’s an experience. From the moment you walk in, the pride and passion of the team are immediately evident. The beautifully crafted menu delivers a thoughtful fusion of Eastern and Western culinary influences, showcasing the very best of locally sourced ingredients. Each dish reflects the team’s commitment to celebrating regional produce and transforming it into something truly memorable.”

“Disappointing. When you come to a place like this, you expect a unique culinary experience. Unfortunately, what I got was just small portions of fairly standard food — especially considering the price. The waiting time between courses was also far too long. We spent more than three hours there, sitting and getting cold, which made the whole experience even less enjoyable. Be prepared that the final bill may be around 25% higher because of taxes and water charges. The water price was not clearly explained: they simply brought a bottle, then another one, and kept refilling the glasses. I would have accepted the price if the meal had felt like a truly special tasting experience. But, to be honest, it was just regular food. It was still tasty, but in my opinion, it should cost significantly less. No complaints about the service — it was professional and on a good level.”