Byrd House, Bali: Taking fine dining to the nest level

The next time you’re in Bali, if you’re wanting to venture out more towards the coast, then give Sanur a try. This small seaside town in the southeast of the island offers a long stretch of beach with shallow waters that look fairly clear compared to some coastlines we’ve ventured to in Indonesia. Colourful ‘jukung’ fishing boats rest on the sand, backed by a paved cycling path. There are also plenty of market stalls in Segara Village for avid shoppers of crafts and unique boutique buys. So, plenty of activity or relaxation for travelers wanting to get away from the usual hubs.

One of the nicest places to relax at is Byrd House, situated right on Sanur Beach. This restaurant/bar elevates Bali’s beach house scene to greater heights, offering plenty of space to lounge with a cocktail, or dine with friends or family, beach-facing preferably. If popping in for a drink, there’s plenty of room to move on the beach deck lounge. We went to both drink and dine.

Situated just off the market sector, Byrd House is massive; a grand sanctuary designed with minimalism in mind, and with an open airy atmosphere. The venue has a certain Mediterranean vibe although the décor is definitively Indonesian.

As for the dining menu, there’s so much to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice. We started with a couple of share plates including the Tomato & Stracciatella Cheese Bruschetta, and the Australian Beef Carpaccio drizzled with a superb truffle sauce and sprinkled with lumpfish caviar, and quail egg on the side.

The perfect place to kick back with a drink for some fine share-dining.

We also opted to share some mains which, although a bit tricky, we managed to pull it off with a little assistance from our waiter. The standout main had to be the Red Snapper AcquaPazza, a pan-seared red snapper fillet topped with plump prawns, confit cherry tomatoes, and with a side of chickpea puree and bell peppers. It’s a dish ticking all the right food groups and as glorious a seafood treat as you’d find in restaurants on Australian shores.

As for dessert, you cannot go past the gorgeously presented Mango Cheese Parfait which keeps to the ‘Byrd’ theme, topped with a delicately balanced biscuit nest. Top notch, too, is the Pistachio & Strawberry Tiramisu consisting of mascarpone cheese mousse, lady finger sponge, and strawberry with pistachio crumble.

It’s worth fleeing to this place for the desserts alone.

After dinner, we brought our drinks out to the sun lounger area, to relax under palm trees amid the postcard-perfect views. As we were here in the late afternoon, early evening we kind of missed our chance to lay by the pool, but that’s an option for you if you wish to get here earlier in the day.

In fact, Byrd House offers a surprising number of amenities, including their own tennis court (lessons are available at an additional cost per hour but, hey, we’re Aussie and we know our tennis), a Spa & Wellness centre, and even a Kids’ Club to give parents a little time to themselves.

This place is the perfect getaway, but with everything you could want for relaxation, leisure and fine dining a stone’s throw away from one another. We’ll be flocking back to this place on our next trip to Sanur, for sure.

Antonino Tati

Byrd House is situated on Jalan Segara Ayu, Sanur 80228, Bali, Indonesia.

Bookings can be made on +62361288407 or visit byrdhousebali.com for more information.