Two Eateries Put Bali on the Map in Foodie Stakes

Lisa Siregar | October 20, 2010 Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Two Indonesian establishments have scored coveted spots on the annual Miele Guide’s Top 20 Restaurants in Asia.

Mozaic came in at No. 6, while Ku De Ta followed down the list at No. 18.

Mozaic’s general manager, Nicola Scaramuzzino, said it was the third time the restaurant had made it on the list.

She said securing a spot again was a big deal as it proved they were maintaining standards.

“This is the result of so much work from every section – the kitchen, the bar. It is all about keeping our standards,” Scaramuzzino said.

The Miele Guide is a respected arbiter of Asian culinary excellence. The top 20 list is decided after four rounds of voting by a panel of food and wine critics, as well as a public poll and a vote by Miele’s contributing editors.

This year the list was dominated by six Hong Kong and four Singapore restaurants, with a growing number of entries coming from Taiwan and Korea.

Voters and the jury judge restaurants based on the quality of the food, ambience and service.

The Miele Guide has its own shortlist panel, whose responsibility is to create a shortlist of restaurants which later will be voted through a public poll.

Members of the panel this year included food writers and restaurant critics from countries including Laos, Myanmar and Nepal.

Five Indonesia-based foodies participated in the panel: James Watling, Jason Tedjasukmana, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Petty Elliott and Sophie Digby.

The top 20 restaurants in Asia for 2010/2011 are – Iggy’s (Singapore), L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hong Kong), Robuchon a Galera (Macau), Jaan (Singapore), Antonio’s (Cavite, Philippines), Mozaic (Bali), Cilantro, (Malaysia), L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Tokyo), Caprice (Hong Kong), Les Amis (Singapore), Yung Kee (Singapore), Yung Kee (Hong Kong), Gunther’s Modern French Cuisine (Singapore), Bukhara (New Delhi), Tippling Club (Singapore), Nobu (Hong Kong), Dum Pukht (Mumbai), Ku De Ta (Bali), Bo Innovation (Hong Kong) and Beijing Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant (Beijing).

This year, the Miele Guide recognizes four newcomers. They are Malaysia’s decade-old Cilantro, India’s Dum Pukht, Singapore’s gastro bar Tippling Club, and Hong Kong’s Bo Innovation.