That same weekend, we went back to the W's Starfish Bloo to experience their Sunday brunch. We arrived earlier than our 11:30 reservation (which is when the brunch actually opens) and settled into one of the large rattan pod-like booths having a drink and watching the staff prepare the vast buffet with young American chef, Jack Yoss overlooking the set-up. With his extensive career in the United States from Wolfgang Puck's Chinois in Las Vegas to San Francisco's Postrio and then to the W Los Angeles' Nine Thirty restaurant in 2005. He was recently executive chef at Ten 01 in Portland's hip Pearl district where he successfully presented "farm to table American cuisine". Jack is in-charge of the kitchen at Starfish Bloo and his creativity, experience and especially his travels all over Asia are evident in the Pan-Asian influenced menu.
Right by the twin aquariums were the platters of shellfish (oysters on the half-shell, scallops) and trays of sashimi and sushi. The food was beautifully presented in ice-filled whitewashed wooden bowls which really brought out the different colors.
By the open kitchen on the long counter, they had the hot station where on one end, all sorts of eggs and hot breakfast items were being cooked to order, towards the middle were individual lidded ceramic bowls filled with different curries - beef in red curry, prawn in yellow curry and at the far end was a large steamer basket for dim sum and other steamed goodies.
On another long table near the bar, they had all the charcuterie (jamon iberico, salami, chorizo) and cheeses, both hard and soft, along with fresh bread and chutneys plus a roast beef or roast lamb with the accompanying mustard and jus.
We tucked in as soon as the buffet opened and the kids had a quick meal then headed out to the adjacent kid's club in the sand where they had lots of activities to keep them busy while we enjoyed the rest of the brunch a deux. During the meal, waitstaff came around with trays of other items that we hadn't even noticed on the buffet: cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella bites, Asian-style steamed bun sandwiches filled with shawarma lamb or shredded duck, fresh fruit smoothies - I tried the delicious papaya and tangerine. There was also gazpacho, fresh bread and much more food that I can actually remember plus the large dessert table alongside the terrace where there were several cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and individual desserts like creme brulee and chocolate mousse.
After our leisurely brunch, we snagged one of the lounge chairs by the beach and settled in with some magazines and even a short siesta while the children continued to play in the kid's club. We would have stayed there all afternoon if not for a sudden tropical rainstorm that had us running for cover, packing up and heading back home. We'll be back soon though, now that the good Bali weather is back, for more food and fun at the W.
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Starfish Bloo
Petitenget, Seminyak
Bali 80361
Telephone: +62 361 738 106
*Open daily for lunch and dinner
Brunch on Sundays from 11:30 to 3:30 (Reservations recommended)
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