Omber isn’t one of those restaurants that you decide to stop by on a whim. Its location inside Hiliwatu, Bali Ubud, a Tribute Portfolio Resort requires more effort to reach than your standard streetside eatery. But the kitchen team makes sure the long trip is worth making, and not just for the views.
Led by Executive Chef Ida Bagus Ananta Putra, this restaurant is the crown jewel of the dining libations at one of Marriott’s latest resorts on the island. Built around the state-of-the-art Mibrasa Parrilla grill, the menu champions open-fire cooking that takes cues from European and Mediterranean cuisine.
The latter’s presence in Bali is mostly associated with coastal flavours, and Omber isn’t trying to change that; items like line-caught fish of the day and Lombok lobsters are still more than readily available for those who seek them out. However, its location among Ubud’s jungles suggests a direction away from the sea.
The headliners here are the lineup of Wagyu, including the rare and highly prized Sanchoku MB 10+, making Omber among the first restaurants in Bali to serve this level of marbling. The kitchen’s penchant for flames is put on full display when it’s time to serve the steaks. Wheeled out on a cart, the hefty cuts are lit on fire tableside before freshly carved right off the bone, arriving on diners’ plates glistening with juice and still carrying a whiff of pleasant smokiness.
It’s one of the many examples of Omber’s playful take on fine dining (“fun” dining, as they put it). The name hints at this outlook: a portmanteau of ombré and ember, representing the gradation of colours earned from the charcoal grilling that anchors the offerings here.
Theatrical spectacle aside, the excitement also comes from an interplay of textures found in the menu’s supporting acts. Jardín de Tomate, for example, serves heirloom tomatoes in different ways: as pickles, a roughly chopped “tartare”, and even clarified juice, living up to its name, the Spanish word for tomato garden. Other dishes are revamped with a slight twist; the Lobster Bisque is transformed into a frothy cappuccino, while Beef Tartare with Habanero Aioli is nestled inside a crunchy tart shell.
It would be remiss, however, to let the sweeping views go unappreciated. The dining room puts the panorama on display, after all, opening up to the dramatic, emeraldine valleys of Payangan. Take it all in while enjoying an aperitivo at one of the smaller sofa setups overlooking the dense jungle foliage, or simply welcome the evening breeze as a constant companion through your dinner, setting the mood for an evening that flows easily. It’s one of the many ways to lose yourself in the atmosphere of Omber, where the quality of fine dining food doesn’t come with all the rigorous pedantry.