Ulu Cliffhouse is a cliff-top oasis that has redefined the Bali beach club scene with world-class food and beverage offerings that set the stage for a truly memorable experience.
Commanding jaw-dropping views of the ocean, Ulu Cliffhouse represents a lifestyle, quickly becoming home to Bali’s creative crowd, as well as being a space for wünderlusters to unwind or let loose.
With an eclectic and international mix of guests at Ulu, the aim is to ensure there is something on the menu for everyone, while never losing the commitment to quality and relevance on a world stage. Ulu Cliffhouse worked with the Peruvian superstar chef Diego Munoz in the early days, and there remains a Peruvian essence to some dishes. Beyond that, the offer is very international, with a genuine commitment to locally sourced fresh ingredients. Seafood comes fresh out of the bay, 100 yards away from the restaurant, and guests can see the local fisherman spear fishing octopus in the rock pools. Fruit and vegetables are grown in a remote region in the central mountains of Tegalalang.
The menu at Ulu Cliffhouse is designed to make anyone welcome at any time of the day. Families wishing to spend the day at Ulu with young children can enjoy homemade beef burgers, freshly baked pizzas and homemade chocolate brownies, whereas a couple spending the evening for an intimate anniversary dinner might enjoy freshly diced tuna ceviche, Flores oysters with fresh basil and whole baked red snapper. The menus are designed to appeal to a wide market, to please everyone without compromising on the delivery of dining and drinks that redefine normal beach club fare.
The culinary team evaluate what produce is available at what time of the year and take their time to curate some truly fun and creative dishes. The chefs at Ulu Cliffhouse have expertise in international cooking but also embrace local cooking techniques, with dishes such as Gado Gado (a dish made up of fresh green vegetables, bean sprouts, tempeh, with a peanut, soy and chilli dressing), Nasi Goreng (a dish with egg fried rice, marinated chicken breast, pak choi, soy and chilli), and for special events, a whole spit-roasted hog, or babi gulung.
At Ulu, the ingredient story is at the centre of everything. Bali has incredible, fresh produce so there is little need to import ingredients, with 95% of the menu created using locally grown products. Ulu uses a supplier in the north of Bali called Island Organic and communicate on a weekly basis to see what exclusive fruits and vegetables they can offer, which then influences their menu additions.
As they are a small, intimate farming community, it gives the culinary team the opportunity to play with more obscure fruit and vegetables, and really showcase what Bali has to offer. Ulu’s seafood supplier is the brother of one of the sous chefs and daily messages are sent to see what fresh products and new seafood has been delivered that morning at the bay, whether oysters from the neighbouring islands, or crabs caught in the rock pools. Sustainability is important to Ulu Cliffhouse and they try very hard to minimise their footprint and hope to soon achieve zero waste.
The drinks menu was created by Albie Barratt, who took inspiration from his travels around the globe but emphasised local flavours. The libations at Ulu Cliffhouse perfectly complement the Bukit’s eternal summer and balmy breeze, with inspiration from the cliffside location, local ingredients and flavours producing tipples that are fun and easy to drink.
The bar offers timeless classics including a variety of Margaritas such as Tommy’s Margarita, Smoked Pineapple Margarita, Watermelon and Mint Margarita, and crowd favourites such as Southside, El Diablo, and Blood and Sand, and a host of beers, ciders, and wines. Adventurous drinkers can try the locally inspired Coco Mango Daiquiri rum spiced with local spices, ripe yellow mango flesh, coconut cream, red chilli and lime all sourced from the local area, whilst revellers looking for a twist can sip on the Son of a Beach, a playful reinterpretation of the classic G&T, with gin combined with house tonic, pomelo and rosemary.
Guests are also spoilt for choice with non-alcoholic beverages. The bar team utilise local fruits, herbs, and vegetables, cold pressing juices in-house every morning. The team also concocts its own tonics, cultures, and sodas, including kombuchas made on the Bukit peninsula and locally made Jamu. With an emphasis on sustainability, the bar adopts an environmentally-friendly approach for its drinks, making efforts to minimise its waste footprint from the very start, partnering with local producers to use locally made recycled glass for the drinks, bamboo straws and cornstarch packaging.
