We arrive at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay to find flourishing gardens tumbling to the sparkling sea. We follow a shady path down toTaman Wantilan Italian Restaurant, set in a breezy pavilion surrounded by ornate water gardens. Colourful flowers frame expansive views over Jimbaran Bay, with the picture perfect volcano, Gunung Agung looming in the distance.
We are soon sipping Coconut Grove Gin and Tonics, easily the best G & T I have encountered on the island, thanks to a blend of Hendricks Gin, kaffir lime leaf, a scattering of juniper berries, and dainty twists of lemon. It sets the mood perfectly for the fruity and refreshing desserts that Pastry Chef, Suraj Karmakar has prepared for us. The newest addition to the kitchen team, Karmakar is a talented pastry chef who has perfected his craft in Four Seasons Resorts from the Maldives to Bangkok to Singapore. He tells me that he has been inspired by the fresh fruits of the island to create light and healthy desserts that suit Bali's tropical climate.
The Kalamansi Granita with Fresh Tropical Fruits is a lush, 100% guilt free icy delight with a tart and refreshing citrus flavoured granita served with the sweetest, ripest fruit, including longan, raspberries, kiwi fruit, strawberries, mango, blueberries and sprigs of fresh mint. An ideal choice on a hot day, the dessert is justifiably popular at the resorts Pool Terrace and proves unequivocally that sweets don't need to be laden with calories. The next dish Fresh Watermelon and Strawberry with young coconut and pomegranate further emphasises the point, a pretty concoction with a base of cool watermelon, topped with strawberry jelly thickened with agar agar, and finished with a layer of berries, young coconut & pomegranate seeds. Strawberries also appear in the Strawberry and Rhubarb with Oats Crumble a warm dish served direct from the oven in a blue ceramic pot. The crumble is good and crunchy and just sweet enough to counter the sharpness of the rhubarb, a white peach and mint sorbet provides further contrast. My dessert sensibilities demand at least one chocolate offering, and the Chocolate Fondant fits the bill perfectly. Soft, sticky sponge encasing a gooey fountain of dark and white chocolate, accompanied by pineapple poached in star anise and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
With its languid atmosphere and picturesque setting, Four Seasons provides everything you expect in a tropical resort, while Chef Karmakar has thoughtfully provided everything you would expect in a tropical dessert menu. \AB
