After 12 years at two Michelin star North Sea restaurant Pure C, Dutch chef Syrco Bakker is embarking on a new career adventure in Indonesia. This is perhaps fitting as Bakker’s grandparents are Indonesian – his grandfather is Javanese and his grandmother is Sumatran – so this new beginning could in some ways be an ancestral homage.

Opened in January 2024, Syrco BASÈ is all about honoring local Balinese ingredients, artisans, and produce. The restaurant offers two distinct dining experiences – eight course degustation menus with drink pairings served in the main dining room, and a 17-course omakase-style menu served at the chef’s table.

Food: The meats, seafoods, herbs, fruits, and vegetables used here are all locally sourced. In the main dining room, guests have the option of three, eight-course menus –  a plant-based menu with dishes like a chayote, fermented jackfruit and kenari nut curry; a “heritage” menu with flavours inspired by Balinese tradition spices, and a “pure local” menu, where local seafood, meats, and vegetables – enhanced with subtle but sophisticated sauces, vinaigrettes, and reductions – are the stars of the show. At the omakase-style chef’s table, guests get to watch Chef Bakker and his team preparing and serving them 17 courses with drink pairings. Some of the items that might show up on the ever-changing menus include shrimp with jumbu fruit and a lemon basil vinaigrette, spiny lobster with cassava leaves, lemongrass and ginger, and black pork done three ways with chayote and corn. The restaurant’s master mixologist Aris Sanjaya serves up impressive cocktails with local medicinal herbs like legundi and curcuma, as well as refreshing zero-proof beverages like tomato water with sambal oil.

Ambience: Housed in a beautiful, minimalist two-story building designed by Balinese architect Parisuda Mangun, Syrco BASÈ has three distinct zones – a guest reception area that adjoins to an open kitchen bar called the “chef’s table”; the main dining area with a lounge on the upper level, and a bar – all set around an expansive herb garden courtyard.

“At the heart of Syrco BASÈ, we are cultivating a harmonious synergy among local farmers, suppliers, our Indonesian team, and international chefs,” says Bakker who is committed to taking his guests on an unforgettable gastronomic journey that’s also socially responsible and sustainable. “This cross-cultural collaboration not only defines our culinary landscape but also nurtures a dynamic learning environment for everyone involved. Together, we are creating a culinary experience that transcends borders and celebrates the artistry of shared expertise,” says Bakker.

Average price per person: 1,250,000 – 2,200,000 IDR

Address: Syrco BASÈ, Jl. Sri Wedari No. 72, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, Tel (+62) 813-3995-5622