BALISTAN Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Bali

Went with friends on a recommendation.. We all live in Bali and we’re quite excited to have a new Indian restaurant on our doorstep.. Where to start! We arrive just after 8pm Asked for a drinks list to be informed they have no license but had “beer”??? We ordered 3 beers and 1 coke and quickly ordered starters: we ordered veg pakoras, chicken samosas and a chicken kebab for APPERTIZERS.. For Mains we ordered 2 pillau rice 1 chicken Kadai 1 chicken Tikka Masala 1 Butter Chicken 1 Mutton Biryani 1 garlic naan 1 cheese naan 1 paratha.. We then waited over an hour and 15 minutes for pakoras to arrive (we had asked on numerous occasions when the food would arrive) On arrival the pakoras were ok (they were the best thing of the night!) The mint sauce was tasty and the other sauce which tasted like ketchup was not great.. then arrived the Naan Brest (cheese) which was due with the mains…. We sent this back, next arrived the samosas which were dry and one of the group didn’t eat his as he said it tasty funny!

Next arrived 2 rice 2 naans and the paratha and 1 butter chicken and the Kadai…. The rice was sat there a while until the tikka masala arrived….. on tasting the chicken Kadai it had a perfumed smell and was not good at all (also on the bone which I’m sure wasn’t mentioned) After a while and asking when the mutton biryani would arrive it eventually turned up… the meat in this dish was truly the worst thing I’ve tasted (it was fatty and slimy) This was bypassed along with the Kadai The garlic naan was cold and dry so had become hard..

In all of this we were told that they’d ran out of plain basmati yet it arrived? We were offered a free drink due to the length of time waiting On arrival of the bill it stated 7 beers even tho 5 had only been drunk and this wasn’t including any free drinks! On querying this they seemed to think that we’d had 7!! The supervisor or more senior lady came and apologised and eventually removed 4 beers We literally spent 2 hours in this place for the worst food and they brought out the sheesh kebab as we had finished our meals??? Yes the appetiser arrived after we’d finished!!! My husband has travelled extensively throughout Pakistan and India for work for many years and we are all Indian Pakistani food lovers but I left all of my meal and wouldn’t even take it as take away as I wouldn’t give to anyone this food… This may really sound harsh but I stand behind my review and maybe others have found this restaurant good but having lived on the island for many years i would never review a place so harshly if not deserved The ambience is severe It looks like a mix between a drs reception and a hotel reception The white and black do nothing for this being an Indian/Pakistani restaurant there is no warm colours that you’d expect to find.

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This restaurant offers an authentic Indian dining experience. I was introduced to it by a friend, and it was my first time dining there with a group of five. Each of us chose our favorites, including chicken curry, lamb curry, fish curry, and various types of naan. The combination of the rich curry sauces with each type of bread was simply delightful. The flavors resonated beautifully with my palate, and I was pleasantly surprised by the wide selection of naan available!

From what I understand, this restaurant is run by Indian chefs, and after tasting the dishes, I can confirm that the flavors are truly exquisite. I ordered the Indian chai, which had a robust and aromatic flavor. My friends opted for different beverages, including Indonesian beer, while the restaurant also offers a selection of white and red wines. I plan to indulge in those during our next dinner together!

As for the ambiance, the restaurant boasts a spacious and comfortable layout, with ample space between tables, ensuring a relaxing dining experience. It features both indoor and outdoor seating across two levels, including a rooftop area. The decor is primarily white, accented with elegant black doorways, creating a striking visual contrast. The walls are adorned with unique and tasteful decorations, complemented by soft lighting and soothing music that enhances the overall dining experience.

The service was exceptional; the staff was attentive, polite, and always greeted us with warm smiles. They frequently offered to refresh our plates, which made us feel well cared for. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to savor authentic Indian cuisine. It’s truly a culinary...

I chose this place to have a quick dinner as was on my way back and this newish restaurant had a high review score. Now I wonder of where the ratings come from.

The decor was pristine, black and white arches and very up to date. So I was glad to find this place until ehm … the electricity kept blacking out starting after they took my order the whole duration I was there. First every 10 mins, then every 5 mins, then 5x in a minute when I needed to pay for the food. Thank God there was the manager there otherwise I would have gotten held hostage cuz the POS didn’t work.

So the palak paneer was good, the signature naan was mediocre, the fish curry … it was fish soup with tasty broth and tough rubbery fish. I thought it was shark meat or something but then the light was back on, I think it was some kind of Spanish mackerel. So I didn’t end up eating it.

The service was ok. It is new so the only waiter there didn’t know the menu well but at least he looked confused enough that the chef came to help. Overall it is an interesting experience.

The manager also told me that the sister company, Jineh Spa across the street was also having the same electrical cut problems. The restaurant had a generator that wasn’t plug to the system yet.

So before you go for dinner, if you are reading this review soon after written, check if the generator is plug into the electrical system yet.

Lunch without electrics could be warm but you’d be ok, it is bright and the kitchen I presume using gas. But in the evening without electricity, everything just looks yellow...