Cuca Restaurant Review – Jimbaran’s Culinary Powerhouse

PUBLISHED July 12th, 2015 04:00 pm | UPDATED March 27th, 2016 12:55 pm

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Bali is one of the world’s top vacation destinations for many reasons – the sun, surf, sea, spas – Bali has brushes for the differing strokes of different folks. No longer limited to authentic Indonesian food and touristy seafood restaurants, the City Nomads Singapore team embarked on an epicurean journey during our recent week in Bali. Our culinary journey on this island paradise put us in foodie heaven and that is putting it mildly.

We had the pleasure of having a particularly divine dining experience at Cuca, a beautiful (in every way possible) restaurant in Jimbaran. We rode up to its entrance one particularly sweltering afternoon and were received with the warmest of welcomes by its owners, Chef Kevin and partner Virginia. They explained the concept of Cuca and their philosophy behind every aspect of the business. As they chatted with us, their passion and energy for Cuca was almost infectious. This became even more evident as we were given a tour of the restaurant. Every detail is personalised, from the napkins to the plates to the glasses. Cuca has a spacious yet intimate feel, able to cater to different group sizes through the use of strategically placed floating curtains.

Interior of Cuca

When dining at Cuca, you have different seating options. If you are a foodie (like us), you can opt to interact directly with the chefs at the ‘tapas’ bar, where you get front-row seats to their ‘kitchen theater’. If you want a more intimate and private setting, the beautiful dining room has the perfect ambience. If you prefer al fresco dining and drinking, you will enjoy the relaxed mood of the cocktail bar and gargantuan garden lounge.

We were already impressed at the whimsical and elegant aesthetics of the place, but the food at Cuca took us to another level. We started off with the complimentary Cotton Candy Betutu, a reinvention of the traditional Balinese dish. Cotton candy coated in betutu flavor. Our tastebuds were intrigued.

Kevin explained every dish to us and there was never a lull between any of our dishes. The service here is genuine and warm, everyone charms you like a host who wants you to feel welcome in their home. There is also a Chef Tasting Meal (IDR 490. 000++ per person), a communal menu for the whole table, based on Cuca’s best flavors (inclusive of a selection of tapas, a dessert and unique digestives named “Cuca Brews”) or you can order from their incredibly affordable a la carte menu.

We were also enjoying our refreshing cocktails, having heeded Virginia’s recommendations on the Ginger Tonic (IDR 100.000), Sun-gria (IDR 110.000) and the Tokyo Mojito (IDR 110.000). All their cocktails had this special way of morphing into a different drink with every sip, especially the Sun-gria. So instead of having a diluted end, every drink retains its flavor to the last drop.

Cuca’s famed Sun-gria

We then were introduced to the Baked Scallop (IDR 20.000 per piece), a gorgeous Lombok scallop housed in mashed cauliflower and toasted butter crust. It was decadently creamy and flavored to perfection. We also had the Mushroom Fritters (IDR 55.000), artfully pickled mushrooms tempered with roasted garlic and ‘tempe’ cream. This was followed by the Cuban Corn (IDR 50.000), Honey Baked Pumpkin Salad (IDR 80.000) and the Ceviche (IDR 90.000).

Cuca’s Cuban Corn

Every dish here was a star, in our opinion. Stars that deserve a special mention though, were the BBQ Octopus (IDR 100.000), the Crispy Fried Chicken (IDR 85.000) and the Smoked Butterfish (IDR 90.000). Our conversations during these three tapas were limited to grunts of appreciation, looks of amazement and adoration (especially that fried chicken) and positive exclamations of profanity.

Cuca’s Crispy Fried Chicken

By the time we got to dessert, I was already Instagramming Kevin’s inviting re-imagination of ‘After Eight’ chocolate: Cocoa 99 (IDR 90.000), warm organic chocolate accompanied by mint ice cream and sprinkled with cocoa croutons. We also had the sunny Bali Breakfast (IDR 90.000), a dreamy dessert vision of mango and passionfruit delight.

Cuca’s Cocoa 99

We concluded our time at Cuca with digestif cocktails and a purchase of their specialty salts. You know that feeling of having been to a great party where everyone’s invited? This was just like that, except it was in our mouths. Long after the food digested however, Cuca made such a lasting impression on us because of its unpretentiousness. The food here speaks for itself, as Cuca the restaurant does. Most of its clientele learnt about Cuca through word-of-mouth. Much credit goes to its owners, Kevin and Virginia, for their spiritedness. Cuca has a soul, which sets it apart from the best of the rest.

Cuca – Batu Permata Jimbaran

Bali adalah salah satu tujuan utama dunia untuk berlibur – cuaca cerah, berselancar atau surfing, pantai-pantai indah, spa – Bali memiliki kegiatan berbeda untuk rencana berbeda. Tidak lagi terbatas pada makanan asli Indonesia dan restoran hidangan laut turis, kami di City Nomads menjelajah perjalanan penggemar makanan dan minuman selama minggu kami di Bali. Perjalanan kuliner kami di Bali menempatkan kami di surga foodie.

Kami telah berkesempatan mengalami kepuasan bersantap di Cuca, sebuah restoran indah (dalam setiap cara yang mungkin) di Jimbaran. Untuk makan sore, kami naik ke pintu masuk Cuca dan diterima dengan sambutan hangat oleh pemiliknya, Chef Kevin dan pasangannya Virginia. Mereka menjelaskan konsep Cuca dan filosofi mereka di balik setiap aspek bisnis mereka. Saat mereka mengobrol dengan kami, semangat dan keghairahan mereka untuk Cuca amat berjangkit. Ini bahkan lebih jelas ketika kami diberi tur restoran. Setiap segi terperinci, dari serbet makan ke piring ke gelas di meja makan. Cuca memiliki keluasan ruang namun intim, dapat disesuaikan dengan ukuran grup yang berbeda melalui penggunaan tirai yang ditempatkan secara strategis.

Ketika makan di Cuca, pengunjung memiliki pilihan tempat duduk yang berbeda. Jika anda seorang foodie (seperti kita), terdapat peluang untuk berinteraksi langsung dengan para koki di bar makanan, di mana anda dapat barisan depan kursi untuk “dapur teater” mereka. Jika anda inginkan pengaturan yang lebih intim dan pribadi, ruang makan di Cuca memiliki suasana yang sempurna. Jika anda lebih suka manjamu al fresco, anda akan menikmati suasana santai di cocktail bar dan taman ruang.

 Kami sudah terkagum pada estetika khusus dan elegan tapi makanan di Cuca membawa kami ke peringkat terasing. Kita mulai dengan Cotton Candy Betutu, sajian gratis yang mengambil inspirasi dari hidangan tradisional Bali. Manisan kapas dilapisi rasa betutu. Selera kami amat tertarik kepada keanehan rasanya.

 Kevin menjelaskan setiap hidangan kepada kami dan tidak pernah ada jeda antara setiap hidangan kami. Layanan di sini asli dan sejati, seperti berjamu di rumah teman yang bersungguh-sungguh menyambut kehadiran anda. Ada juga Chef Tasting Meal (Rp 490. 000 ++ seorang), menu komunal untuk jmauan bersama, berdasarkan rasa terbaik di Cuca (termasuk pilihan tapas, makanan penutup dan pencernaan yang unik bernama “Cuca Brews”) .

 Kami juga menikmati koktail menyegarkan, setelah mengambil saranan Virginia Ginger Tonic (Rp 100.000), Sun-Gria (Rp 110.000) dan Mojito Tokyo (Rp 110.000). Semua koktail mereka memiliki cara khusus menjadi minuman yang berbeda dengan setiap isapan, terutama Sun-Gria. Setiap minuman di Cuca mempertahankan rasa hingga tetes terakhir.

 Kami kemudian dihidangkan Baked Scallop (Rp 20.000 sepotong), kerang Lombok bertempat di halusan kembang kol dan dipanggang dalam mentega. Sungguh lembut dan enak. Kami juga menjamu Mushroom Fritters (Rp 55.000), jamur acar dengan bawang putih panggang dan krim tempeh. Hidangan ini diikuti oleh Cuban Corn (Rp 50.000), Honey Baked Pumpkin Salad (IDR 80.000) dan Ceviche (Rp 90.000).

 Setiap hidangan di sini berhak mendapat bintang keunggulan, pada pendapat kami. Kami ingin menamakan sebutan khusus untuk hidangan berikut: BBQ Octopus (Rp 100.000), Crispy Fried Chicken (Rp 85.000) dan Smoked Butterfish (Rp 90.000). Percakapan kami selama tiga tapas ini terbatas pada dengusan apresiasi, terlihat takjub dan adorasi (terutama yang ayam goreng) dan seruan senonoh.

 Sewaktu kita sampai ke hidangan penutup, saya telahpun Instagram hindangan pencuci mulut mereka: Cocoa 99 (Rp 90.000), coklat organik hangat disertai dengan es krim permen ditaburi dengan crouton kakao. Kami juga menyantap Bali Breakfast (Rp 90.000), melengkapi penutup jamuan kami dengan rasa mangga dan markisa.

 Kami menyimpulkan waktu kita di Cuca dengan koktail digestif dan pembelian garam khusus mereka. Anda tahu bahwa perasaan pernah ke pesta besar di mana semua orang diundang? Pengalaman kami di Cuca hanya seperti itu, kecuali pesta didalam mulut dan perut kita. Lama setelah makanan dicerna namun, Cuca membuat kesan abadi pada kami karena keasliannya. Makanan di sini enak dan lokasinya indah. Sebagian besar klien yang mengunjung Cuca mengikuti rekomendasi teman. Pemilik-pemilik Cuca, Kevin dan Virginia, sangat bersemangat dan ikhlas. Cuca memiliki jiwa, yang membedakannya dari yang terbaik dari sisanya.