Friday, August 28, 2009

Fine Dining @ Mozaic, Ubud (Bali- Day 2)

Mozaic was another restaurant that was on our "Must Eat" list in Bali. Rated Top 5 in Asia by Miele's Eating Guide, Wine Spectator Award for Excellence and the World's Best 50 Restaurants by Restaurant Magazine we made a reservation a week prior just to make sure we had a seat.

Mozaic Restaurant

We arrived 15 minutes early and the doorman allowed me to enter even though I was wearing wearing shorts and sandals (I was too lazy to change in the car). While waiting in the lounge for our table to be setup we were given the menu to figure out what we would like.

Mozaic Lounge Area

The menu was divided into 4 6-Course Tasting Menus; Indonesian Discovery, Chef's Table, Vegetarian and Chef's Surprise. The first three had fixed courses while the Chef's Surprise was based on what the chef could get his hands on for the day and create a 6-Course meal ala minute. We both decided to go with the Chef's Surprise at USD $120 ++ per person to see what they could come out with.

Minutes later we were taken to the dining area which was located outside. Dimly lit and surrounded by manicured trees there was a very Romantic vibe. We really wanted to take shots of the environment but given the poshiness of the restaurant we did not want to invade on other people's privacy.

After placing our orders our food started to roll out one at a time...

Pesto Bread and Walnut Bread
Pesto Bread and Walnut Bread
Bread is served freshly baked from the oven. Both had a nice crust and the inside was warm and fluffy. I liked the strong garlic and basil flavor from the Pesto Bread.


Canapes: Mini-Puff Stuffed with Cheese and Truffle Oil
Complimentary Canapes
Filling of the Canapes
The combination of Truffle Oil and Cheese definitely gave this puff a very pungent flavor.


Amouse Bouche: French Oyster with Yuzu Dressing
Amouse Bouche
The oyster was really fresh and tasted like the sea. The Yuzu dressing was a little too salty.


My camera battery died after the shots above and I could not take a shot of my first course which was Tuna Sashimi with Yuzu Dressing. Believe it or not I was able to give the battery enough power for one shot per course from then on by rubbing the battery lol...

May's First Course: Lobster Carpaccio
May's Lobster Carpaccio
The Carpaccio was paper thin. The cracker and caviar gave it a nice contrast in texture and an added touch of saltiness.


My Second Course: Sauteed Seafood in Coconut Broth
My 2nd Course: Sauteed Seafood in a Coconut Broth
The seafood consisted of Sauteed Langostine, Scallop, Squid, Snapper and Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab. Everything was cooked just right and I really liked the mild Coconut Broth which had a hint of lime.


May's Second Course: Pan Seared Barramundi with Asparagus and Fusilli in a White Truffle Emulsion
May's 2nd Course: Pan Seared Baramundi with Asparagus, Fusilli in a White Truffle Emulsion
This dish was a little disappointing. The Barramundi was very dry and the Fusilli too soft. I think they forgot the white truffles because the emulsion tasted like cream.


My 3rd Course: Baked Rabbit Parcel with Foie Gras, Asparagus and Chestnut Puree
My 3rd Course: Baked Rabbit Parcel, Foie Gras, Asparagus and Chestnut Puree
The Baked Rabbit Parcel was really good. The pastry outside was light and crisp and the Rabbit meat tasted like a sweet version of Rendang. I liked the Foie Gras which was cooked pink in the middle but I felt it should have been left out of this dish. I'd exchange it for another delicious Rabbit Parcel.


May's 3rd Course: Suckling Pig with Burnt Bread Emulsion
May's 3rd Course: Suckling PIg with Burnt Bread Emulsion
This was our favorite! May liked it so much she only gave me 1/4 of it. The skin was super crispy and literally shatters when you bite it. The meat was succulent and tender and went really well when eaten with the onion compote.


My 4th Course: Roast Venison and another Emulsion
My 4th Course: Roast Venison
I've forgotten what Emulsion this was. The venison was quite chewy. I think it's because it was cooked a little too rare.


May's 4th Course: Rack of Lamb with yet another Emulsion
May's 4th Course: Lamb
The lamb was really tender but a little on the fat side. The Balsalmic glaze and jus went well with the lamb.


My 5th Course: Ginger Sorbet with Black Rice Cracker
My 5th Course: Ginger Sorbet with Black Rice Cracker
The sorbet had a really strong ginger flavor which I loved and was creamy. The Black Rice Cracker was really light and crispy. It was a good accompaniment to the sorbet.


May's 5th Course: Tasmanian Cheese Course
May's 5th Course: Tasmanian Cheese Platter
I didn't try this cause I'm not a big fan of blue cheese. May didn't mind it but complained of the small portion.


My 6th Course: Creme Brulee
My 6th Course: Creme Brulee
I was a little disappointed with my dessert. With so many accolades and a hefty price I was shocked the chef could only come up with Creme Brulee for our dessert. Don't get me wrong it is a really good Creme Brulee but I was hoping for something that would wow me.


May's 6th Course: Chocolate Sampler
May's 6th Course: Chocolate Sampler
May's sampler consisted of Dark Chocolate Mousse, Molten Lava Cake and a Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cake. The Dark Chocolate Mousse was really good! It was creamy but light and it was really bitter which we both liked.

Well that sums up our entire meal. Were we happy with the meal? Yes and no. The food was quite good but for USD 300 without alcohol, we felt it was way overpriced. Our neighboring table ordered the Indonesian and Chef's Table Menu and both looked really delicious and was also nearly half of the price of our menu. If we're back in Bali again we would definitely visit Mozaic and give the other 2 menus a try.


Contact Information:
Address: Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Gianyar - Bali 80571 Indonesia
Tel: +62 361 975768
Website: http://www.mozaic-bali.com/

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