CasCades Ubud enjoys a location so prodigiously beautiful, it is reason enough to visit the favorite gourmet established. But the chief Nic Vanderbeeken hope you'll agree that the food is just as attractive. We had the privilege of enjoying a languid, multi-lunch watching the Valley of the Kings, where we ate like kings.
Eating is my main concern in life, and many times I found myself thinking about how similar it is to the experience of dating. CasCades Restaurant in Ubud it has a net perspective on a recent visit. With an area as beautiful to watch as the initial attraction was undeniable. But we were well-matched partnership of mouth-pleasing? The proof of the pudding is, as always, in the eating.
A appetizer is like online-dating profile of a leader. It is a little teaser. Done right, it should have all its key features, and work as a witness trying to come to treats. Like what taste? Swipe right for more.
Manager Nic Vanderbeeken
Manager Nic Vanderbeeken started with a small business whipped salmon decorated with a beetroot sauce and "soil" algae. This tells us several things: one; anyone who goes to the effort to make the ground like technique. It's a safe bet bells, whistles, test tubes, Vacuum machines and dry ice spherical gear Vanderbeeken turn on. Two; he likes to use European classic ingredients like salmon, but modernized. Third; as evidenced algae krupuk as salmon, Indonesian heritage is equally important to him. Each of these three key themes unfolded well throughout our culinary courtyard.
Take the salmon starter (a bit abnormal to be served two salmon dishes in succession in a tasting , but we breeze past). This beautiful piece of smoked fish came with a sweet cream of wasabi, good crispy skin, and soil cousin, toasted breadcrumb 'sand'. But Vanderbeeken technical talent did not stop there. We also had pickled cucumbers, which went very well with other flavors. A successful first day with Belgian chef.
Another input, the a la carte rather than the tasting was delicious: a simple-sounding tomato salad Heirloom celebrated fresh flavors with its beautiful lavender oil and basil sorbet. Vanderbeeken proves to be quite the flirt.
Jimbaran Squid
The next step for the menu was beautifully prepared piece of Jimbaran squid, which nestles on the same soil algae, but innovative and tasty black rice krupuk . There were more stripping - this time, fine shavings of purple carrots, and mango sauce. Another break with flat characteristics CasCades East-meets-West -. And certainly material second date
Suite which was the daily special stars: Grilled scallops with marinated shimeji fungi shiitake , celery sour cream and kalamansi yoghurt 'pearls' . These cold, spherical drops (formed either by a "molecular" machine or dry ice) are not just technology for the sake of modernity, but added the real flavor to the dish. The scallops were perfectly cooked and each element has played its role.
scallop CasCades
Before the main course, we had the opportunity to cleanse our palates with kalamansi sorbet. This citrus fruit tastes like a combination of lime and clementine and is perfect for cooling off in lots of different flavors. It resets your taste buds ready for the next round.
Swerving eastward Vanderbeeken served the big guns for our third day. His view on rendang was made with beef cheek, the tenderest part of many animals. It was sweet, rich sauce dry enough - as it should be - accompanied by a strengthening Nasi Kuning tumeric rice cake, and a cabbage leaf grilled cover on top. Pleasantly, this dish was not too high for the good of modern fusion. Instead, the true flavors of rendang came through, and the meat was very soft.
No romance is complete without a sweet ending. But Vanderbekeen had a surprise up his sleeve again: his dessert "tasty" of red pepper sorbet, chocolate 'aero' cubes, sponge beet and berry-beet sauce. The sorbet tasted exactly as it says on the tin: red peppers, distilled in a mirror quenelle . This in itself was not at all sweet, but the name of the dish turned out to be a bit misleading because the cubes, sponge and the sauce had a sweet aftertaste. Overall it was a cheeky little bomb of a plate, which certainly kept us guessing.
The restaurant has a wine list, which has in the past attracted many industry awards. Wine is what you need with this level of food, and I would consider going to the glass to get the best results of the different flavors on the menu Vanderbeeken. We tasted a delicious rosé, but there is also ample cocktails to be enjoyed as you sit and enjoy one of the best dining experiences in Bali.
CasCades is often presented as the ideal place for a special evening in Ubud, especially for date nights and special occasions. But I insist, it is equally magical for lunch, when pure greenness of your environment are put off to their best advantage by the beautiful architecture of the Hotel Viceroy. Take your paramour and dive into a dining room banter to remember.
CasCades
Jln. Lanyahan, Br. Nagi, Petulu, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali
62 361 972111 www.cascadesbali.com