Where to eat in Bali – Mama San, Seminyak

If you find yourself in Bali, make sure you eat at Mama San at least once. And definitely order a coconut mojito. You’re spoilt for choice with restaurants and bars in Bali as there’s a vibrant foodie scene. Mama San Kitchen, Bar & Lounge in Seminyak serves up a a mix of Asian flavours in a quirky vintage-retro space.

Set slightly off the Sunset Road in Seminyak, there’s a real East meets West feel to Mama San. The downstairs bar is a stylised take on colonial Britain in Shanghai in the 1920s. It’s dark and cool, not only because the space is air-conditioned. A large mural of Mama San looks down over the large dining room and the decor mixes mahjong tables with chesterfield sofas.

Now, back to that coconut mojito.Yes that is a pile of delicious crispy coconut chips on top of my drink. A cocktail that comes topped with bar snacks? That’s my kind of beverage.

And speaking of crispy, the Pan Asian menu devotes an entire section to “crispy things”.  If I hadn’t been so hot from our walk from our villa to Mama San, I would have eaten my way through it all. Instead we tried to cool down in the downstairs dining area with a fresh soursop crush.

We ordered the Vietnamese chicken and pomelo salad with lime leaf white coral mushroom and sesame seeds, which was light and refreshing. I couldn’t resist all the crispy and compromised with the Chatuchak crispy pork rib salad. It’s a delicious mix of fresh and crispy served with a spicy green mango salad.

Upstairs the mood switches to an old school lounge bar. Huge chandeliers hang above dark leather club chairs and ottomans, so you can lounge with a cocktail.

Grab a seat at the bar or settle in along the banquet seating by the long window. The only thing to note is that the upstairs lounge bar is a smoking area. Coming from Australia, you forget what it’s like to be in a smoking bar and personally we don’t love it but it’s par for the course in Bali as most bars have an indoor smoking area. We were happy to head back to our villa but wished we could get some of those cocktails to go.

Mama San is definitely top of our list when we next go to Bali. We need to eat our way through that crispy things section for a start!

Our tip: Definitely make a reservation in advance as Mama San frequently books out for dinner during the week and lunch on the weekends. There’s an online booking system on their website.

Mama San Bar Kitchen and Lounge, Seminyak, Bali

Open: 11-3 for lunch and 6-11 for dinner
Address: Jalan Raya Kerobokan No.135, Kerobokan, Seminyak

W: mamasanbali.com
Fb: @MamaSanBali
Ig: @MamaSanBali
Tw: @MamaSanBali

Have you been to Mama San in Bali? Tell us your fave Bali spots in the comments below.

PS. You might also like where to watch the sunset in Bali.

Images by Mrs Romance using an Olympus OM-D E-M10 camera.