This gorgeous restaurant in Canggu hits all the style points.
From its sumptuous interior design to the wood-fired, Asian-inspired dishes paraded from its kitchen in a marvellous sequence of colours, textures and tastes, everything about ‘Jade by Todd English’ is mesmerising.
Your first visit is bound to generate a few “Wows” and “Oh My Gods” in delighted amazement at the majesty of this Canggu restaurant, which celebrated its grand opening on 15th June.
Featuring lush velvet upholstery in deep purple and rich shades of blue, complemented by parlour palms, slatted teak wood dividers, black and white floor tiles, and hanging lamps, Jade is equally glamorous and comfortable with a setting that creates a lively, fun vibe. Adjacent to the dining area is a lounge featuring a semi-circular cocktail bar with a turquoise tiled façade, presenting a cool spot to survey the scene while drinking up a Balinese Storm, floating on a Sakura Breeze, or indulging in the possibilities of the small bites menu.
Jade honours Indonesia’s cultural heritage with a majestic double door that sits within an ornately carved Javanese screen wall, while Bali’s tropical ambience can be enjoyed upon the open-air terrace with its timber deck, water features, fire bowls, frangipani trees, and moody lighting.
“There are a lot of restaurants in Bali, so when you open a new one, how do you really set yourself apart from the others?” This was the question posed to one of Jade’s owners, Vera Yanti Kretschmar. Her answer was to create some super-cool indoor and outdoor spaces, where guests could savour pre-dinner drinks and shared bites and then stay for dinner followed by some late-night cocktails. An entertainment programme was also thrown into the mix but most importantly, Vera brought in an internationally-renowned celebrity chef.
American-born and proud of his Italian heritage, Todd English is a restaurateur, author, and television personality, who likens music to cuisine. “I love the idea of melodies and harmonies and base notes, all of which are the components of music; a bunch of sounds that come from an orchestra or a band, land on our eardrums, and get processed in our brains as music,” says English.
“It’s the same with cuisine—all these notes of flavour, from saffron to turmeric, the possibilities are endless. The composition forms a melody that lands on our palates and tongues with layers of salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami taste sensations,” he adds. “I like to think of myself as a conductor of ingredients in the kitchen, it’s so exciting when something new comes together”.
With dishes such as ‘Peking Duck Bolognese’ and ‘Beef Tartare Rendang’ on Jade’s ever-evolving menu, it seems appropriate to ask Todd if he describes his cuisine as “Asian fusion”. To which he replies, “The word fusion can be misleading but what it’s actually about is understanding the ingredients. I do common ingredients in uncommon ways”.
And a must-try for those venturing to this Canggu hotspot? The Tuna Tataki Tart, featuring crispy fried wanton, wasabi olive oil creamy mashed potato with buttery soft tuna on top, crowned with an onion teriyaki sauce.
Open from 7pm to 2am, Wednesday to Sunday