The sprawling KU DE TA complex has long been known as one of Bali’s premiere destinations for dining and partying. After more than a decade of being one of the most prominent players in the F&B scene, its newest offering, Mejekawi offers something very different – an intimate, intoxicating and experimental dining experience unlike anything else on the island. A tasting kitchen and laboratory concept, Mejekawi, which loosely translates to “sacred table,” is a playground in which chefs Ben Cross and Will Goldfarb utilise both Balinese produce and cutting-edge cooking techniques to create dishes that are both innovative and appetite pleasing.
Located on a second floor spot that offers spectacular views of the ocean at sunset, the slick modern dining room seats just 30 patrons around a wide open central kitchen that allows diners to watch the chefs as they construct the intricate dishes. Offering only seven or eleven course tasting menus, the chefs are able to showcase a range of flavours and technical skills. Although the food is thoroughly modern, the flavours are accessible and often gob-smackingly delicious – such as in a lamb dish in which the meat undergoes no less than three forms of cooking, giving it an intense richness and melting tenderness you could never get by conventional means. The desserts by Goldfarb, such as the playful Pandanbert pannacotta, end the seriously delicious meal on a playful note. (www.mejekawi.com; Jalan Kayu Aya #9; Seminyak, Bali; +62 361 736969)
