As one of the most beloved cuisines, Japanese food has been done a thousand times over. It’s so ubiquitous that diners can find it anywhere in the world, from humble streetside eateries to decorated luxury resorts. That’s why NAMI opened at The Apurva Kempinski Bali with a distinctive expression of Japanese gastronomy without abandoning its foundational building blocks.
NAMI’s ethos is anchored by five principles of fives, a nod to the number’s auspiciousness and symbolism of balance, harmony, completeness, and good fortune in Japanese philosophy. The first, Godai, is palpable even upon first arrival at the restaurant. Representing the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space, guests are invited into a wood-clad, 50-top dining room that feels quintessentially Japanese. Its focal point is the teppanyaki counter where diners can get an up close look at the theatrical interplay of the metallic clangs, aromas wafting from sizzling meats, and the flavours of dishes served fresh off the griddle, making up the five senses of Gokan, the restaurant’s second tenet.
The third, Goshiki, or five colours, tantalises the appetite even before the first bite with bright, chromatic presentations on the plate. It gives way to Gomi, balancing the five tastes of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami that create layered dimensions of flavours. Diners can experience this best through Namikase, the signature eight-, nine-, or 10-course menu served omakase-style at one’s private table.
The beverage programme follows the same level of care and attention, built on the foundation of sake, tea, and matcha in true Japanese style. A dedicated Sake Sommelier commands a curated sake trolley, offering diners a tableside exploration of different origins, rice-polishing levels, vessels, and serving temperatures, including the kankaze practice of serving the spirits warm. For those who wish to stay alcohol-free, look for the Tea Master, who will introduce the restaurant’s selection of leaf cultivars, presented in its purest forms, or take part in the traditional matcha ceremony and gain a better understanding of its roots beyond the glorified lattes.
True to its name, the Japanese word for wave, NAMI demonstrates that precision and attention to quality, two strongholds of Japanese cuisine, can be matched by a fluidity that leaves room for reinvention. It’s even translated through the atmosphere, a reflection of its fifth principle of Goen. Drawing from the five-yen coins used at offerings in shrines, which diners can take home after each meal here, it represents meaningful connections and the good fortune of bringing people together, keeping a flow that doesn’t rock the boat but never stays complacent.
