Seascape Dining at Seasalt Seminyak

Bali is magical. No one can argue that. It’s a place where one falls in love, enjoys breathtaking views of the beaches, waterfalls and mountains, partakes in water sports or starts a yoga routine; the list can go on and on. And recently, the list includes ‘endless cafe-hopping’ and ‘becomes a self-taught foodie’. Looking at the sprawl of new restaurants and eateries across the island, I can’t disagree.

Seasalt Seminyak, a brand-new addition in South Bali proves just that, and then some. The oh-so-chic Alila Seminyak plays host to this beautiful seascape restaurant. When one talks about Alila, their boutique properties and refined hospitality experiences most likely come to mind. With plenty of outposts in Bali, Alila launches their food and beverage arm with this Seminyak beachfront beauty.

Welcome to Seasalt Seminyak.

The Interior

Alila Seminyak‘s lobby is an uphill passage but the restaurant is on ground level. This can only mean that upon approaching Seasalt Seminyak, you’ll be treated with the spaciousness of the hotel’s reception area and beautifully done staircases at each side. If you are like me, you would have taken at least 20 photos before even reaching the host.

This spacious entrance way with the restaurant’s logo is a visual feast on its own. It tells you a bit of what’s inside. Vintage Balinese door, huge wood chairs and comfy chaise loungers. The designer sure knows how to make Instagram-worthy spots. Upon entering the space, my eyes were set straight to the beach that beckoned to me with the breeze and waving palm trees. I chose a table on the terrace with shades. The larger-than-usual tables caught my attention; when the orders came, I figured out why. The table fitted the sharing concept well as the beautifully-presented plates arrived one by one.

Welcome to Seasalt Seminyak.

Entrance to the restaurant.

Convenience is the goal indeed.

Different section, different pieces of furniture, same comforting ambience.

Seasalt Seminyak’s Menu

Lunch commences with such a great idea: refreshing watermelon skewers with a dash of curry. This was before the pleasant waiters served us the bread with Japanese-styled flavorful aioli. The Bonitonara, Seasalt Seminyak’s refreshing take on pasta a la carbonara, not only sounded inventive, it’s bonito-tasty. The dessert menu is simple, probably the simplest I’ve ever encountered. Our table got much love for Matcha to finish our lunch, with its irresistible green tea namelaka (super creamy texture), green tea cake and red bean ice cream.

While I also ordered the divine Fried Rice – theirs came with cured yolk, leek and bacon – I simply could not hold back my breath when the White Snapper signature menu came. It looked like a shipwreck on a giant wooden platter with a white snapper buried in a dune of sea salt. The waiters presented the salt-encased fish on the table and with a nod from you, they proceeded to crack it open with a hammer-like tool, walked back to the kitchen and returned with the fish.

The sea salt definitely adds flavour and tenderness to the fish. One bite together with any of the five condiments and I was blown away by how soft the white meat was. Finally, a fish dish that actually tastes like summer.

Watermelon Skewer and bread before everything else.

Signature White Snapper at Seasalt Seminyak.

After the White Snapper is cracked open, deboned and served with the condiments.

The delicious fried rice at Seasalt Seminyak

Much love for Matcha

The dinner crowd was a bit different during my visit. Younger patrons in groups were seen enjoying the sea breeze and music during dinner, while lunch was more of a calmer being. I sampled some of the raw items from the menu like the celebrated Cured Bonito which stood out from the menu. If you had one too many White Snapper at Seasalt Seminyak like me, go for the melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu Short Ribs, served with miso and ginger jus. Perfect withdrawal dish from the fish.

Cured Bonito – dashi mayonnaise, green tomato, wasabi

Wagyu Short Ribs, a withdrawal dish from the White Snapper

Why You Should Visit Seasalt Seminyak

Seasalt Seminyak boasts impressive views over Seminyak Beach. However, the real hero here is the modern incarnation of seafood with a dash of Japanese infusion. The signature White Snapper dish is already a good enough reason to come back and having experienced the restaurant twice, I have been thinking about the complementing dishes as well.

Seminyak hosts regular world-class parties and Seasalt Seminyak’s take on weekend soirées and dining events have been the talk-of-the-island so we are keeping watch on what’s to come. Seems like I am going to come back for their Sunday Brunch, and then some.