We take a ten-minute walk down the road from Hard Rock Cafe to experience one of Kuta’s newer star spots, Velvet Hypnotized. “The challenge is having to distinguish ourselves from all the other clubs in the Legian area,” says Villy Syanitha, restaurant and banquet officer of Velvet Hypnotized. “Drinks play an important part and helps to enhance the overall night experience, apart from the right crowd and music,” says Chief bartender Bojez.
One of their highlights is the series of molecular cocktails on their drinks menu, such as the Calsium martini, colorful jelly balls infused with a mixture of spirits. Using scientific analysis and techniques, mixologists experiment with cocktail ingredients on the molecular level, manipulating states of matter to create new flavours, feels, textures and visuals.
Over at Salt tapas, located within the five-star Sentosa Villas in the heart of Seminyak, allout efforts are being made to create a mean repertoire of cocktails that complements the high food standards set out by Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan, who has a family of “Salt” restaurants in Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney. The restaurant engages external consultant Michael Callahan, mixologist and head bartender of Singapore’s hip bar 28 Hong Kong Street, to come up with the cocktails menu and train their bartenders to ensure consistency. The main draw is still the tapas—the pulled pork cigars with tomato relish and seared scallops with lemon, horseradish and crisp pancetta are particularly refreshing especially if you’ve had one too many meals of Babi Guling or Ayam Betutu.
Introducing some New York excitement and flair to the Seminyak neighbourhood is Townhouse, a five-storey building which houses a bistro and juice bar, photo gallery, lounge and roof garden. This concept is developed by club icon Mark Baker and his team, who are behind a number of A-list nightlife joints as well as a chain of organic juice bars in the Big Apple. Having such a multi-purpose venue pleases early birds who can start their day with a cold-pressed juice as well as night owls who can wind down with chill-out music and cocktails. Too tired to climb the stairs? A charming old-fashioned birdcage elevator will take you from the cafe on the ground floor all the way to the rooftop.
Also in the chic enclave of Seminyak is Potato Head—if you ask around for a nice perch to catch the sunset it is likely this name will be mentioned more than once. Potato Head is a whimsical piece of art in itself made from thousands of antique shutters mounted to resemble a quirky replica of the colosseum. Beyond that façade lies a great view of the ocean. We managed to score a beachfront seating and feasted on a mixed platter as we watched the sun melt into the Indian Ocean, casting the sky in varying shades of pink and blue.
“Drinks play an important part and help to enhance the overall night experience, apart from the right crowd and music.”
H Directory
Velvet Hypnotized
[Permanently closed]
Beachwalk rooftop, Level 3,
Sahid Kuta Lifestyle Resort,
Jalan Pantai Kuta, Bali
Tel +62 819 9958 6999
Salt Tapas & Bar
[Permanently closed]
Jalan Pura Telaga Waja, Seminyak, Bali
Tel +62 361 737 675
Townhouse
[Permanently closed]
Jalan Laksamana 151, Seminyak, Bali
Tel +62 857 3968 3850
Potato Head Beach Club
[Temporarily closed]
Jalan Petitenget 51B, Seminyak, Bali
Tel +62 361 473 7979