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Perched high on Bali’s 70-meter southernmost cliff, Banyan Tree Ungasan resort’s signature restaurant Ju-Ma-Na is one of the latest fine-dining additions on the island. With dramatic views of the Indian Ocean, the stylish restaurant, which serves delectable fresh seafood with a contemporary Asian twist, presented the perfect destination for my food-tasting mission.

After a 20-minute drive from my hotel in Nusa Dua, passing green and serene Ungasan village, I arrived at the resort, famous among honeymooners around the globe for its remoteness and serenity.

Ju-Ma-Na, which means silver pearl in Arabic, opened its doors at the beginning of the year. As its name suggests, the exterior and interior are dominated by pearly hues.

One of my favorite features of the restaurant is the wooden rack that holds a broad selection of fine wine, such as 1995 Chateau Petrus and 1998 Chateau D’Yquem. The bottle tops poking out of the rack add an artistic touch, lending that corner of the restaurant a chic and elegant atmosphere.

The restaurant’s alluring terrace faces the ocean and the comfy rattan chairs present the perfect location for pre- or post-dinner drinks.

Ju-Ma-Na offers an la carte menu as well as a tasting menu; both options feature seafood.

“Seafood restaurants are everywhere in Bali, but if you’re looking for an alternative in preparation and taste, then come to Ju-Ma-Na,” head chef Mandif Membramo said.

With the simplicity of Japanese cuisine, Ju-Ma-Na’s seafood is so beautifully arranged that I found it hard to bring myself to “destroy” these mini-pieces of art.

I sampled five items of the six-course tasting menu, skipping the braised wagyu beef, which according to Mandif takes a lot of effort to prepare. The beef is usually boiled for 36 hours at 64 degrees Celsius to give it a soft texture.

“The time and temperature have to be precise, otherwise you’ll end up with a different taste and texture,” the chef said.

My first dish was ama ebi, or sweet shrimp, served with avocado and avruga caviar. Although shrimp was its main ingredient, the dish didn’t taste of shrimp at all, with the avocado and the caviar dominating the flavor.

The avruga caviar comes from Spanish herring and its smoky, lemony flavor makes it a popular garnish.

Next was a favorite of mine, pumpkin bisque. I have always loved the mild, sweet flavor and soft texture. I usually have it plain, but Mandif combined it with sweet corn agnolotti or pasta and coconut froth. While the dish was good, I am a conventional pumpkin-bisque lover, so I prefer the simple alternative. With pasta, the creamy dish just felt slightly too heavy.

The lime sorbet with hazelnut crumble was served to neutralize my palate after tasting so many different flavors before moving on to the main course: the five-spice red snapper. The sorbet wasn’t too sweet and the best part was that this refreshing, zesty neutralizer had a pleasant aftertaste.

The entree, red snapper served with melted fennel, spinach and saffron pernod cream, tasted rich. While delicious, overall I found the dish too creamy.

I ended the feast with a frozen coconut souffle with white rum sauce. The blend of coconut and rum was simply delicious and left a nice aroma in my mouth.

The three-hour session of sheer gourmet decadence on the cliff edge ended with the best neutralizer of all: hot peppermint tea.

I left Ungasan’s night skyline full and satisfied, and prepared to greet next morning’s sun at the Nusa Dua beach.
Ju-Ma-Na


Banyan Tree Ungasan
Jl. Melasti, Banjar Kelod, Ungasan, Bali
Tel. 0361 300700
banyantree.com