Beach clubs and restaurants are aplenty in Bali, but there’s no denying that it can be difficult to choose where to spend your precious moments of vacation. If you're looking for the perfect hideaway where you can indulge in tasty food and relax in a luxurious setting, look no further than Mari Beach Club—one of the newest establishments in Batu Belig, near Seminyak.
Opened only in April, Mari has been attracting a discerning crowd seeking to luxuriate in its beautiful facilities and captivating ambiance. Recently awarded as the Best Lavish Beach Club, Mari is unlike anything you've seen on the island. The property seamlessly combines impressive bamboo architecture, manicured foliage, stone elements, swimming pools, and cozy cabanas with Batu Belig beach. Every corner is picture-perfect, and indeed, it is the place to be and be seen in right now in Bali.
But more than the stunning and unique design, the food deserves as much praise and attention. Created by Swedish chef Martin Loving, Mari’s culinary offerings are just as thoughtful as how the place was designed. Every detail was carefully considered, presentations are perfect, and the flavors aim to please. As a result, you’ll find yourself wanting to lounge and linger all day—there’s no need for a special occasion either.
I’d talk about Mari’s food on a separate blog post, because today, I actually want to highlight Solé Dining, a Mediterranean-Japanese concept nestled right at the beach club. It just opened in August, offering guests a more upscale experience that features coastal Mediterranean food (Greek, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Lebanese) with a Japanese touch. This fusion is not something you would typically see in most restaurant menus, and that’s why I was incredibly excited to visit this place.
The restaurant sits on an expansive open-air space crowned by bamboos and rattan, overlooking the beach club’s infinity pool and the beach beyond. It’s both casual and elegant—the perfect spot for relishing food treated like fine dining but enjoyed casually right by the sea. Whether you’re simply looking for light bites to enjoy with handcrafted cocktails or in the mood for an indulgent dinner with steaks and seafood, Solé has something for you.
Chef Loving is no stranger to Asian cuisine, having traveled and worked extensively at kitchens in Japan and Taiwan. I’m happy to say that his food delights both Western and Asian palates: his magic hands—or should I say, taste buds—know how to get the perfect balance and how to fuse the two worlds impeccably.
The perfect testament to that is his version of the Agedashi Tofu. A beautiful cube of tofu sits on a bowl, stunningly garnished, while the broth is poured tableside. They skipped the frying part—and I agree, there’s no need to fry a piece of tofu this beautiful. The broth tastes like typical Japanese dashi stock and then … once you hit the accompaniments, typical transforms to magical: there’s a burst of flavor from dumplings containing mustard cream cheese; some acidity and sweetness from pickled daikon; a delightful crispness from fried kale; some salinity from bonito flakes; and chewiness from enoki mushrooms. This is one hell of a bowl.
Chef Loving continues to demonstrate his mastery of flavors with their version of temaki. The ones at Solé are not shaped like cones but instead, the beautiful pieces of fish are showcased. The Salmon Temaki has crispy thin strips of potatoes, chives, and Avruga caviar, while the Kingfish Temaki has salmon roe, lemon zest, and browned butter. Both are wrapped in nori sheets and are meant to be eaten with hands. The way these flavors meld is just incredible!
I couldn’t stop raving about the Green Tomatoes—I even had to send a photo of it to my friends back home mid-dinner. Visually, it’s spectacular, and it tastes just as good. If I were vegetarian and could only eat one dish, I’d happily eat this for the rest of my life: green tomatoes with some ponzu and olive oil, a torched block of feta, some greens, and a sourdough crisp make for a really delicious salad. The caramelized feta is sweetish and just mildly salty, and combined with some basil oil underneath, the dish makes you think of a caprese—just ten times better. I salivate just thinking about it.
My Instagram followers know very well that I’m obsessed with yuzu, and it just so happens that Solé has a yuzu kosho-crusted Grilled Octopus. So delicious!! But that schmear on the side is not to be ignored—the smoked potato cream is smooth and luscious, topped with a bunch of things that blow the mind: browned butter, yuzu kosho, almonds, jalapeno, pomegranate syrup, nasturtium leaves, and fennel. So many things going on inside the mouth. I licked that plate clean!
Don’t leave Solé without ordering dessert. The Orange and Coconut Gelato boasts of caramelized orange, orange coulis, Campari, orange and coconut gelato, and a coconut meringue—different textures and flavors, a bit of sweetness, tartness, and bitterness. Make sure to get a bit of everything in each bite as it’s meant to be eaten that way.
For the cocktails, my personal favorite is the Dewata Caipiroska which has vodka, arak, lemon leaf, palm sugar, and lime. Very similar in flavor to a caipirinha, but not too sour and more aromatic. For something refreshing, try the Paradise Spritz which complements the food very well. It has chamomile-infused Aperol, pineapple-infused gin, tamarillo cordial, and sparkling wine—not too sweet and leaning a bit towards the bitter side.
It’s very nice to see a beach club restaurant that puts a lot of care and thought into their food, and pushes forth a unique foreign concept while celebrating local produce. The food is refined and exquisite without being overdone. It’s also great to see the chef put things inspired from his experiences and travels into our plates—and with that, I say Solé should be on your top list when you visit Bali.
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Solé Dining
Mari Beach Club, Jl. Batu Belig No. 66, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Bali
+62 361 9347 766 | WhatsApp
reservations@maribeachclub.com
Have you been to Bali? What do you think of Solé at the Mari Beach Club?
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