It’s so rare these days that I take time to explore and shoot things just because I want to, so for my birthday week this year I decided to do exactly whatever my heart felt like. No more, no less. Bali is generally the easiest place to get a bunch of people to fly into, so I started based on that - and because I hadn’t been since just before pandemic.
I was dying to try out Locavore NXT - the brand new home/restaurant/campus/research outpost/don’t know what they’re actually calling it, but it’s definitely more than a restaurant - that finally opened a few months ago to replace Locavore in downtown Ubud.
The website is kind of cryptic, with no real info on the menu, but I only remember good things from my previous dinner at Locavore so it didn’t take me much convincing on what would be served. They also offer an additional “Full NXT Experience” you can add on with a dinner reservation and spend the night on site and explore the facilities a bit more. Also, without much actual information about the experience. Sounded perfect. I’m far more interested in the whole process and design behind a meal than just what’s on a multi-course tasting menu, which is only the tip of the iceberg, and doesn’t really tell the full story.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the experience far exceeded anything I possibly could have hoped for and the facility is absolutely amazing: full of really cool research and production labs, loads of beautiful natural light, clean lines and a good helping of Bali aesthetic sensibility. Reminded me so much of my days shooting at Future Cities Laboratory… but purely food-focused. Awesome.
I can’t speak highly enough of the entire experience - every single detail was so thoughtfully perfected and the generosity of hospitality was far above any of my nicest hotel stays… and then the food. Dinner was about 20 courses, lots of experimental stuff, showcasing loads of local ingredients, many of which I’d never even heard of. Cool, yes, and I’d happily try the next menu just to see what they’re working on, but the breakfast we were served the next morning… absolutely divine. I’d eat it over and over and over.
Anyways - enough chit chat, here’s some pictures. It was pretty as hell. If you don’t believe me, book it for yourself. Dinner + the extended experience was less than dinner at a top restaurant in SG++
