Merlin's — Restaurant in Bali

Merlin's in Ubud Bali I had never heard of it but that is of course not that strange as a European 😊 but my wife's daughter who is Indonesian did....and since she loves the magic of Harry Potter she thought this was also worth visiting. It started by a valetparking of the car. The day we arrived it was extremely busy and since we had not made a reservation it was quite difficult to get a spot. The restaurant is not really that big, with for instance a large table in the middle where 12 people can sit on a at the same time. The roof is in a kind of dome with colored glass (stained glass windows), which is beautiful in itself. Ultimately we were given a table with a prior notice that the table had been reserved for others at 8 p.m., which meant that we would only have a total of 1.5 hours to experience the entire experience. The boy who served us was super kind and explained the concept well, which is quite unique, that you have the option to draw 3 cards that then determine what you get to eat. Initially, we drew all three cards and looked at which starter, main course and dessert were matched. Ultimately, I opted for the full experience and therefore relied on the cards. This arrangement will cost you Euro 400,000 in total, approximately Euro 24, something which you almost have to pay for a Big Mac menu at McDonald's in the Netherlands these days 😊 Not really expensive so... as a starter I got the sorcerer's burrata (mozzarella) with garnish, 2 carrots and 3 slices of rock hard bread or as we would call it in the Netherlands, ship's rusk 😊 not bad but not really special either. The main course was Merlin's Catch salmon with broccoli, turmeric, dill rice, pistachio, pomegranate and toum. I asked for a medium rare baked salmon but ended up getting it raw. There was nothing wrong with the taste etc. and the quantity and the piece was quite large, but here too I have to say that it was ok but not special. For dessert I got the "The Lovers Flirt" White chocolate mousse, raspberry coulis, almond crumble, white chocolate strawberry chards and dried flowers. This was very tasty indeed. My wife and her daughter were both served a cocktail by the owner, which I thought was very nice. One with whiskey as an ingredient and the other, of course, without alcohol as she was only 14 years old. Conclusion: in itself the whole thing was quite good, but I expected more, especially because the ambiance around it did not really exude magic.... that was what you got downstairs towards the exit where the gift shop was located and where you could, for example, read a large book and had to open a page that corresponded with a spell which was again in connection with a necklace or ring, which of course you had to buy. By the way for a moment I thought I ended up in De Efteling (theme park in the Netherlands) 😁when I heard some music that is also played in De Efteling. End conclusion nice concept but I would have expected more in that respect and I don't know if it will last because the prices are really based on the frequent visits of foreigners and not...

This restaurant truly impressed me. The ambiance is enchanting, and the dinner was excellent in every aspect. My wife and I booked a table for dinner to celebrate our honeymoon in Bali. Our dishes were chosen by a tarot card; we picked cards randomly drawn from the deck to determine the dish/ menu. The experience was authentic and absolutely positive. The menu suggestions and guidance from Yannik, who served us exceptionally well, as did the entire team, were fantastic. From the menus, we selected appetizers, main course, and dessert (three cards each) and ordered drinks separately. The drink menu is diverse, with special cocktails. I particularly highlight the Marigold juice, with ginger, marigold flower, spiced orange, and egg white, and the Tamarillo juice, made with tamarillo fruit, honey, lemon juice, and egg white. Both are delicious, memorable, and unique. One of the appetizers, the burrata, was impeccable, and the other, the tuna sashimi, with a subtle and tasty seasoning, was also an excellent starter. The main course chosen was a well-served barramundi, and the other was a cheese-stuffed gnocchi, the latter being particularly exceptional. The desserts were crafted with precision and presented flawlessly. The panna cotta concluded the meal in a sublime way, and the coconut and almond dessert was also delicious. We were surprised with an extra dessert and a gift celebrating our honeymoon, a very appreciated gesture that made our night and experience even more special. Initially, I had some concerns about a fixed menu restaurant, fearing it might not be substantial enough, but I left very satisfied. I'd like to clarify something mentioned in other reviews I read. The full menu, consisting of appetizer, main course, and dessert, cost 400K rp. While it's possible to swap between menus, we chose to follow the original recommendations. Drinks are not included in the menu, but the juices cost between 50k and 60k rp. Like many establishments in Bali, there's a 10% service charge and a 10% government tax on the total bill + service (10%). It's worth noting that the plants in the environment, moss, and dried algae, are real, making the ambiance authentic. In summary, it was a truly memorable experience and one of the best restaurants I've ever visited. I highly recommend it for anyone in Bali seeking a unique...

The worst food in Ubud we’ve tried

There’s not many disappointing restaurants in Ubud. This is one of them and the biggest disappointment of them all. It’s certainly gorgeous and enchanting, but it ends there. It’s pure aesthetic. When you get to the main dining room, it’s incredibly hot and it wasn’t even that busy when we arrived. You’re sweating and lacking oxygen. We ordered the trinity pastels, dragon broth, the barramundi, and the tenderloin.

First the pastel- this was a sign of the dishes to come. Whether it was the cheese, chicken or beef dumpling they all missed the mark. The dough seemed store bought, and the fillings were so dry it made economy class airplane food taste good. The dragon broth was described so well but tasted the exact opposite. A cup noodle would’ve been better and more satisfying.

The Excalibur steak was mediocre at best but served less than lukewarm.

The worst and most disappointing was the barramundi. No thought was placed in to creating. This dish. It was served deep fried and it was fried s much that it came out dryer then the dessert. It was topped with some bell pepper thing that looked so messy and tasted exactly how it looked. Gross. There was also cold eggplant that made the dish worst.

I have never returned food, once in a blue moon I’ll send it back to the kitchen so they can fix it. This is the first time I’ve sent it back and didn’t want them to fix it. They were willing to replace it which I didn’t accept because everything was terrible and I didn’t want to be disappointed anymore then I was.

It breaks my heart to write a review like this especially when you expect at the very least, the minimum standard of edible food. Sadly this place is just a concept and food is an afterthought. That coupled with the heat wasn’t anywhere near comfortable and the food unbearable.

You’ve got a great concept why ride on that alone when it cost the same to make your food taste good and cook a fish properly? Lastly don’t put food out that you’re not able to execute properly. It may look good but do us all a favor and make it taste somewhat close to the way it...