Golden Lotus Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Kuta

Golden Lotus – Promising Flavours with Scope for Refinement

Golden Lotus presents itself as a Chinese restaurant with much to offer, and my recent visit revealed both moments of culinary excellence and areas that would benefit from greater precision.

The crispy prawns were exceptional — delicately coated, maintaining a light crunch while allowing the prawn itself to remain tender and succulent. Equally impressive were the stir-fried prawns in Cantonese sauce, which carried a bold, spicy profile that was balanced, vibrant, and deeply satisfying. These two dishes stood out as the highlight of the meal.

The chicken fried rice, however, faltered. The excessive oil and pronounced use of soy sauce overshadowed the dish, resulting in an unappealingly dark presentation and vegetables that had lost both their brightness and natural flavor. A more restrained approach would allow the rice and accompanying ingredients to deliver the freshness and balance that the dish requires.

The soup was well-prepared and enjoyable, while the stir-fried chicken proved competent but ultimately underwhelming. The glaze in particular felt heavy-handed, masking the inherent quality of the chicken rather than enhancing it. In this instance, restraint would have delivered a more nuanced and memorable result.

Overall, Golden Lotus succeeds in parts, particularly with its seafood offerings, which showcase both skill and attention to detail. While certain dishes would benefit from refinement — especially in terms of balance and restraint — the experience was strong enough to merit a return visit. With thoughtful adjustments, Golden Lotus has the potential to establish itself as a distinguished name in its category....

As the New Year dawns, it is tradition to partake in the blessings of fish, for Nian Nian You Yu—abundance year after year. This year, we found ourselves in Bali, where the Golden Lotus restaurant delivered a feast that brought the flavors of home. The Peking Duck, crisp and tender, wrapped with spring onions and plum sauce, was a delight. The remaining duck meat, prepared in Gong Bao style, was rich and flavorful, a symbol of the prosperity we wish for all.

We shared a Steamed Sea Bass, symbolizing abundance and prosperity, a whole fish representing blessings in the year ahead. Yellow Hokkien Mee for longevity, Lou Han Chye, a monk’s blessing for peace, and Pan-Fried Carrot Cake, symbolizing good fortune, rounded out the meal, each offering a wish for the year ahead.

In the spirit of Karuna (compassion) and Metta (loving-kindness), these dishes remind us that true prosperity lies not in wealth, but in the quality of our hearts. Just as the Golden Lotus symbolizes purity and enlightenment, we feel lucky to have found such a high-quality Chinese restaurant here in Bali. May it continue to thrive, bringing good fortune to the staff and owners, and may more guests come to enjoy the authentic flavors that make this place a...

Very dissapointed with our experience here. We didnt make a booking but the staff helped us set up placing for our group of 21 with no notice, seemed like not a big hassle. Took more than 30 minutes to take our drink order, then a further 20+ minutes to order our food. We were then overshadowed by a large(same size) private booking which received their food within 10 minutes of being seated. We recieved 1 main dish after maybe 25 minutes, then 15 minutes later 1 more main dish.. so we decided to pay for what we had received and left seeing as we felt like we had been such a burden on their night - which was very occupied by the private booking. The rest of the restaurant was almost empty so it is clear this wasnt just our issue. I cant review the food as we didnt recieve any to actually taste. Service was POOR. Don't reccomend going here if you plan on eating because you'll still be hungry 2+hours later. Very...