Powder white sands, tropical-chic vibes and now a lip-smackingly delicious gourmet menu from famed Aussie chef James Viles - Sundays Beach Club just keeps getting better and better!
When the sun is shining and the weather is sweet, Bali’s sun-seekers, sand-worshippers and oceanfront luxury lovers can be found flocking down to Uluwatu with their Raybans in hand and Havaianas on their feet to spend the day at Sundays Beach Club – the island’s tropical-chic hideaway at the Ungasan Clifftop Resort.
And though we can think of countless reasons why Sundays is our favourite weekend [and weekday] hangout, now there’s one more reason to head down south in your hottest bikini to lay beneath the breezy parasols – the Sundays kitchen has just launched its brand new menu curated by famed Aussie chef James Viles, and it’s absolutely, positively, lip-smackingly delicious!
Chef James is the acclaimed Australian chef and owner of two-hatted Biota Dining in Bowral, New South Wales, and if you know a thing or two about Australia’s hottest gourmet spots, you’ll know that Biota is right up there with the very best thanks to Chef James’ dedication to fresh local produce and sustainable kitchen practices. And now, he’s bringing these award-winning culinary skills to The Ungasan Clifftop Resort and Sundays Beach Club kitchens.
With an ethos that regularly sees James foraging for premium produce at the local fish markets, growers and farmers, the new menu showcases vibrant, seasonal dishes prepared to world-class standards – and we can’t get enough! Think chilled poke bowls, gourmet burgers with home baked buns, succulent seafood treats barbecued on a charcoal grill, and for the first time ever, there’s hearty and healthy breakfasts from 8am, too – YUM!
So to whet your appetites [and get you down to the beach before the lunch crowds now that there’s a new brekkie spot in town], here’s five dishes you won’t want to miss, and some insider inspo from Chef James himself:
The chilled soba noodle salad
Cuttlefish, snake beans, tahini and soba noodles – we’ve never seen such a scrumptious and totally unique combo in Bali before, and somehow, these dreamy ingredients work so deliciously well together, we’re happy to order a salad over a steak!
“The inspiration for this dish came from a warm salad I once had in a Japanese eating house. It’s usually made with soybeans, however, I tried the young snake beans that the hotel team grow in the kitchen gardens, and the salad just came to life. It’s served with cuttlefish cooked over coals – my favourite way to cook cuttlefish.” – Chef James
The chilled white cut chicken salad
Deliciously fresh and totally tropical with its mishmash of coconut, pomelo, coriander and seaweed oil, if you ask us, this dish was simply made to be enjoyed on Bali’s swankiest beachfront.
“This is my version of a Thai-style chilled salad, yet the cooking methods use a touch of Cantonese. I designed this dish to be ultra chilled and refreshing, and it’s now one of my favourites on the menu at Sundays.” – Chef James
Sundays’ whole local lobster
Chef James is renowned for his locally sourced, farm-fresh feasts, and this luxe gourmet dish is testament to his admirable trade. Gently chargrilled in garlic and garden parsley butter, this local Indonesian lobster is straight from the ocean and served in style.
“Local Indonesian lobsters are as good as those we find in Australia, they’re just slightly smaller and softer. But what’s most crucial for us is that we source the seafood at Sundays in the correct manner: chilled on delivery and always cooked the same day.” – Chef James Viles
The sticky peanut and pork bao buns
Here in Bali, pork is a specialty, and this version takes the island’s fave delicacy to the next level with hearty morsels flavoured by shallots from the garden, ginger and soy.
“To make this dish, we slow roast succulent pork belly before chopping it up with a paste of sweet soy, sesame, coriander root and fried peanuts. It’s then served in the amazing bao buns that Head Chef Ryan has developed, steamed to the minute with every order.” – Chef James Viles
Sundays’ Poke bowls
Though we love our burgers, fries and wood-fired pizzas [and the Sundays versions are some of our faves] there’s nothing quite like a healthier bite by the seaside, especially when it’s the Hawaiian poke craze that’s hit Bali’s shores.
“Whether you try the Mochiko fried chicken or tuna with seafood, these wildly popular bowls are a stand out at Sundays. They’re so fresh and packed with chilled ingredients. I love the fresh shiso leaf and the togarashi in the tuna – it’s so tasty and both bowls are totally gluten free.
So what are you waiting for? Pack up your sunnies, beat the lunchtime crowds, hit the sand at Sundays in time for brekkie and don’t be surprised if you’re still there at sunset.
Sundays Beach Club, Jalan Pantai Selatan Gau, Banjar Wijaya Kusuma, Ungasan, p. + 62 361 848 2111, e. [email protected]
This story was proudly sponsored by Sundays Beach Club
