A night where the performer changes with every dish — Bali NXT Experience Diary ③

I enjoyed the garden as a kind of "prelude," and then returned once more to the main dining room. (The previous installment is here → The Garden Is a Prelude to the Cuisine — Bali NXT Experience Journal ②) This time, I'd like to write about what was happening at that table. Not just the food, but how the "people" themselves had been designed. The real experience begins after you return from the garden and come back to the main dining room once more. The table is very wide, and rather than sitting face-to-face, it's a style where the two of you sit side by side. In the lounge space, the tables are arranged with plenty of distance between each guest. Each one is independent, so naturally you never overhear the conversation next to you, nor do your eyes ever meet. In contrast to the guest seating, the cooks and hall staff go about their preparations in an island-style kitchen. That remarkably spacious area is almost like a stage, with the staff moving about full of life. It is lively and convivial, and you can even see the chief pulling everyone together and giving directions, It's a joy just to gaze at it. You come to realize that the food isn't the only star of this restaurant. As each dish is brought out, it's the staff member in charge who explains it.

The ingredients, the intent behind the cooking, and the sequence of flavors are described with great care. The words flow smoothly, with none of the ring of memorization. Seeking to delight the guest right in front of them, they spare no words. From that attitude, a confidence and conviction in the work comes through. The mains are fish and meat.

⚫️The Bali beef is served with grilled banana leaves, and stewed. Each dish comes with an intricate sauce that I could never possibly recreate on my own. And the white fish comes with a coconut curry sauce.

⚫️The color of the curry sauce The steamed lobster was served as a dish to be enjoyed together with somen noodles. The sauce for the dipping noodles was, believe it or not, a durian broth. There was no off-putting smell at all. The richness was amazing. The sommelier also explains the drinks paired with each dish. Not only wine, but also an alcoholic drink made with koji fermented at the restaurant was served. The alcohol, which tasted like a blend of sake and tororo kombu, slid down my throat refreshingly. And even the tea had been thought through to the finest detail.

Now that matcha is popular all over the world, here they whisked up a powder made from pandan leaves for us. Handling the tea whisk with swift, practiced movements, the cup that was offered had no bitterness and slid down the throat cleanly and refreshingly. At the very end, the gentleman in charge of dessert cheerfully explained a "fruit plate." What is it with that smile...? I was impressed not just by the cooking, but by the presentation as well.

It was as if I were watching a stage where the performer changed with every single dish. Simply being able to deploy this many people is not easy in itself. There is a structure in place that can afford the labor costs. But what left an impression on me was not the sheer number of people, but their quality. Everyone was confident, yet never pushy. The explanations were given in their own words, never excessive. Their gaze was kept low, and the tone of their voices was gentle. There was room left to entrust things to the guest. And what surprised me was that the staff were constantly checking in with one another on the progress of each table. Eye contact from a distance. A signal exchanged through nothing but a glance. Twice, I was asked, "Would it be all right for us to serve your next dish at this pace?" Never rushing you. Yet never keeping you waiting. Attending completely to the guest's own pace. It's surely a design made possible precisely because it's a course meal rather than à la carte, but time itself is being managed as a part of the cuisine. Even so, what exactly is the evolution of a restaurant? It's not merely innovation in flavor. A presentation like an attraction that doesn't let you stay at just one table. Perhaps it's a comprehensive maturity that encompasses the movements of the servers, the warmth of their voices, and even the way they pace the intervals. Even so, if only I could speak English more freely, I'm sure I could have asked deeper questions. I wanted to hear more about their background and their pride. But even though my words fell short, there was plenty that still came across. Service is not merely an accompaniment to the food. It is, in itself, another dish! It was a thoroughly satisfying three-hour course. *The place we visited this time is "NXT," located in Ubud on the island of Bali. By the way, the official site is https://locavorenxt.com Relocation Life Ranking