This was an oddity of a restaurant that G and I both enjoyed in Ubud.  While the food was a wonderful mix of local and French at a price perfect for the budget conscious, there were however a few quirks and not-so-good dishes that could be improved to make it the fine dining establishment that it strives to be.   Then again, sometimes a restaurant is that much more memorable because of what the chef tries to accomplish in a bold but imperfect manner.

Tropical Bale is better suited for a lazy afternoon idling over tea while enjoying the view of the rice paddies in back.  When we went at night however, the dim lighting coupled with the cavernous parlor created an almost spooky atmosphere made worse with a barely lit open kitchen bathed in harsh fluorescent.  Once seated however, the friendly staff and surrounding decorations conveyed a much warmer greeting.  The nostalgia pictures hanging on the wall implied a story of a local chef that may have once visited and possibly learned to cook in France, but we’ll never know since he was on vacation that week, leaving his very capable and young assistant in charge.

Of course, we would only find this out after the meal had ended.  And this is another reason why G and I both love the place that much more.  We’ve been to enough restaurants where everything goes to hell when the master is away (cough Sky on 57, cough), that to have an enjoyable (and consistent) meal prepared by assistants is sadly a rare joy to come across these days.

As for the food, the chef likes to introduce quite a number of elements into each dish, but the orgy of flavors usually works out surprisingly well.  It’s not often that we have a prawn gazpacho topped with “dabu-dabu” or a creamy tomato soup balanced by ginger and caramelized onions.  Even though both of our soups contained strong sour elements, they were nicely tapered like we were sipping a sweet balsamic as opposed to guzzling cider vinegar.

Our mains were likewise a fun medley of ingredients.  My seared lemongrass tuna was topped with a local “sambal” and supported on a bed of lightly herbed noodles that paired nicely with the oyster curry sauce.  In on dish, I was able to enjoy something French, Japanese and Indonesian.  G’s deep-fried duck breast was a tasty offering of local duck breast (which is wonderfully less gamey and fatty) accompanied by an equally succulent portion of chicken breast and amazing ravioli.  I can’t recall what was in the sauces as honestly by this time G and I both were just enjoying the combination of flavors.

The meal wasn’t without its faults though.  The amuse bouche was a respectable mushroom quiche that we suspected may have been held over from the afternoon tea.  Tasty but a bit tacky.  The bread was freshly baked, but the accompanying mango sauce was a bit of a curiosity- not horrible, but out-of-place.  Glass plating just felt odd against the dark patterned tablecloth.  My dessert was a local-styled soup that I can’t imagine many out-of-town diners would enjoy.  G’s chocolate pudding and caramelized fruits were fine, but a bit of a letdown given the surprising flavor combinations we had both experienced.

Considering that the 3-course tasting menu is cheaper and more adventurous than a main course at most other establishments nearby, Tropical Bale really is a must try when visiting.  The place isn’t perfect, but maybe being a diamond in the rough isn’t such a bad thing.  There are plenty of other overpriced restaurants in Ubud jockeying for those precious tourist dollars, but it’s a more enjoyable experience to leave a meal feeling like you’ve experienced something truly unique and local to the area.

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Tropical Bale
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Bali
0361 7458667 – 7489601