After our decadent meal at Ku De Ta there was some discussion amongst our friends on Facebook which lead to a number of alternate dining recommendations being given. We decided to follow their advice and booked a table at La Lucciola which was conveniently in Seminyak where we were staying. To the Boy’s satisfaction we also managed to book the hotel car in advance and dodge being over charged by local taxis. He is not the biggest fan of the whole rorting system of taxis in Bali and this was cause of many complaints from him.
The restaurant is located right up on the beach but unfortunately we arrived just after sunset so we missed the view as the golden sun had already plunged into the sea. Despite this, I was still amazed at what a stunning setting; the restaurant is surrounded by lush gardens and Koi ponds facing out directly onto the beach. It faces towards an area of beach on the northern end of Seminyak beach which is much quieter and more peaceful than the main area.
We were greeted with beaming smiles from all the staff and found a distinct lack of pretention that we saw when at Ku De Ta. Upon arrival I handed the waiter my allergy eating card and off it went to make its obligatory journey around the kitchen to be returned back some time later with the waiter who offered some recommendations off the menu. I was also informed that although normal bread is complementary, they do have gluten-free bread available for a small extra charge. Being the only place in Bali that offered me gluten-free bread, I was already feeling quite positive about our evening.
The bread had great texture and was not crumbly or stodgy and I was quite impressed as I haven’t had a lot of good gluten-free bread experiences when travelling in Asian countries. It was served with freshly whipped butter and olive oil.
Vitello tonnato: poached veal, tuna aioli, Sicilian capers, wild rocket, black olives, Parmigiano Reggiano
I had recently been reading a review on My Kitchen Stories on Café Sopra in Sydney where she tried their vitello tonnato. So when I saw it on the menu I was keen to try this classic and elegant Italian summer dish for the first time. It truly was a taste sensation. The veal was tender and subtly sweet and was topped with big dollops of creamy almost pungent tuna flavoured sauce which contained an astringent hint of capers. The sauce was definitely the key to this dish’s success.
Roast duck breast, beetroot, watercress, pear crostata
The boy ordered the duck for his entrée which consisted of a moist, juicy duck breast on top of a crisp pear pastry. It was accompanied with some crunchy peppery watercress, fresh pear and some sweet beetroot. He was suitably very impressed with his choice.
Pan roasted barramundi with Prosciutto, celeriac puree, snow peas, red wine reduction
My main was not nearly as tasty as the veal. The barramundi was slightly over cooked and lacked that flaky softness I passionately love about this fish. I also felt that wrapping such a delicate fish in prosciutto overpowered the flavours somewhat. The celeriac purée helped to lift some of this heaviness making the dish still overall quite enjoyable.
Seafood stew: scampi, prawns, snapper, calamari, chilli, sourdough bruschetta
According to the Boy this was a very filling dish. It was heartily seasoned and all the seafood was cooked to his liking. We also ordered some sides: the wild rocket salad with Pecorino Toscano and some roasted golden pumpkin with sliced almonds and balsamic. The rocket was crisp and fresh with generous shavings of the salty almost nutty flavoured cheese. The pumpkin had the skin removed prior to roasting which is a shame as I think that caramelised chewy part is the best bit!
Berry pannacotta
The berry pannacotta held good shape despite the heat and didn’t collapse on my plate. It was delightfully light and silky and it filled the last little spot left in my stomach perfectly. The Boy ordered the gelato which he felt was fairly standard and nothing to get too excited about.
Gelato: coconut, vanilla bean, strawberry
La Lucciola was our second favourite meal during this Bali trip (compared to Ku De Ta) but if you take into consideration the venue, the price and the service I would say this meal was actually the best.
Travelling to Bali? Be sure to check out the Lonely Planet Bali and Lombok Travel Guide before you go!
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La Lucciola Jl. Kayu Aya, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia | (+62) 361 730 838 Price: $$$ (Entrée 107-145K Rp, $11-15 AUD, Mains 215-325K Rp, $22-33 incl tax) Food: 4.5/5 (they have gluten-free bread!) Service: 5/5 (faultless, attentive, not obtrusive) Ambience: 4.5/5 (beautiful beachside setting) Drinks: 3/5 (cocktails could be improved) Total: 17/20
Looks like a very nice place. Things have really progressed in Bali dining haven’t they. Well Im jealous any way. Thank you for the link into my blog, very nice of you a gluten free xx to you.
Thanks Tania! Right back at ya!
I haven’t been in Bali in so long…looks like the food scene, which was always divine if not fancy, has really changed. Lovely food. And I am fascinated by that chile-looking candied flower with your dessert. Hmmmm….
It was our first time in Bali (weird seeing as we live only 3 hours flight away!) and we felt thoroughly spoilt with all the wonderful food. I think the fruit with my pannacotta it’s a roasted tamarillo?
Of course it is! I never thought of that. Lovely.
I adore vitello tonnato and the one at Cafe Sopra is fantastic! It’s one of those dishes that I always have to try when I see it on the menu
This was my first taste and I was very impressed. I don’t seem to see it on menus over here in the West, hopefully that might change?
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Clear review which was super helpful. I’m sitting with friends at the moment, planning our September trip to Bali to celebrate our 40th’s (although mine’s not til next year 😉 Of course we’re choosing our restaurants in advance and booking them in advance. This restaurant seems lovely. If you had your time again, what was your best restaurant experience in Bali…? All my food love, Lydia xxx
What a fabulous way to celebrate your birthdays! You will have an absolute ball I’m sure. La Lucciola and Ku De Ta stood out amongst other in quality of food and atmosphere by a mile. We also enjoyed Potato Head for it’s awesome ambience but the food wasn’t as amazing. Make sure you visit Rock Bar too. Next visit I really want to try Sarong…
That’s funny cause we’ve there for 4 nights, and weve locked in La Lucciola, Ku De Ta, Potato Head and drinks at Rock Pool. We’re also having a meal at Warung Eny, and taking a cooking class there too. Have you tried ‘Sari Organik’ in Ubud? It’s magnificent. Organic everything, and you can feel your skin glow when you eat the very simple, unadulterated, but exquisite local food. Truly an experience on stilts overlooking rice fields. You must try it if you haven’t already been
Ive just come back from Sydney btw, for some more Masterchef filming, and I ate at Ms G’s (I met Dan Hong, the head chef there on set) and I also ate at Billy Kwong’s…which is Kylie Kwong amd Bill Granger’s jaunt in Surry Hills. I’ll write a review on those later today but in the meantime, thanks for YOUR reviews, they’ve helped us book our foodie adventures 😉 All my food love, Lydia. Xx
One of my friends told me about the organic restaurant in Ubud, unfortunately we ran out of time to visit there, make sure you blog about it! Sounds like things have been a bit hectic for you so you must be looking forward to a lovely break with friends in Bali….enjoy!
Any Idea how i can contact la lucciolla. Am interested to have a beach wedding around feb 2013 followed by a reception there.
How lovely, would be such a pretty setting over looking the beach. I would try their phone contact, they spoke relatively good English: (+62) 361 730 838
Pull your was in.. Who do you think you are the queen of England? I could imagine the pain in the ass you would be when eating out. Stay at home!
Gee Ryan, I’m sorry you feel that way. Perhaps you can clarify what gives you this opinion a bit more clearly?
Gosh, even I’m offended at Ryan’s comment and I didnt even write the blog! As someone who has recently been told by her GP and Naturopath to avoid certain foods in order to attain improved health I find this blog very useful indeed! Initially the idea of avoiding wheat and dairy seemed like an onerous and daunting task however with Chomp’s help I can still enjoy eating out and having a good time which, let’s face it, is what life is all about! Keep up the good work, Chomp and keep it up!!
Thanks Lickmylips, you are very kind. I’m not exactly sure what I have done to give Ryan such as strong view but everyone is entitled to their opinion. The obvious solution for him is just not to read anymore of my blog!
la Lucciola is a brilliant location as well – sitting there for lunch is the best place in the world. On our fourth trip to Bali , we re-visited an old favourite Sate Bali now in a new location and still just as good.
What a place. The view was simply amazing.
Great food, good prices and excellent service.
A must do for Bali.
Hey delicious dishes I like it…. Congrates very nice place.
Thanks for sharing………..
What a delightful meal it? very interesting. taste makes my stomach feel hungry. Seminyak? It was in Bali. I myself have never been there. I heard, Bali offers a culinary tour that interesting and unforgettable. The information you provide is really nice. i like it very much. I really want to enjoy that “Pan Roasted Barramundi”. delicious.
Hi,
I am trying to get hold of them to book a table. do you have an email I can reach them on?
According to tripadvisor their email is inquiries@lalucciolabali.com – not sure if this is correct sorry!