NOW! Bali once again put the island’s food and beverage industry to the test through a campaign known as the NOW! Bali Best Restaurant, Bar and Café Awards (BRBCA). The 2016 campaign had grown with new developments and innovations to really push the levels of recognition good dining establishments in Bali deserve, as well as creating an awards series that is both transparent and unbiased.
Finally, at the end of a 2 month campaign, 250 representatives of the hospitality and food & beverage industry’s crème de la crème gathered at the beautiful Awarta Nusa Dua Luxury Villas & Spa for the 2016 Awards Gala Night. Here the winners received their well-deserved trophy plates, sponsored by ZEN dinnerware and presented by special guest Indonesian cookbook writer, Wina Bissett. All enjoyed an enjoyable evening of food, drinks and entertainment, supported by Plaga wines, Stark Beer and Coca-Cola Amatil.
This year, for the first time ever, NOW! Bali actually had 3 different sub-campaigns in an attempt to cover the many facets of judging the range of venues in the hospitality world:
READER’S CHOICE AWARDS
A whopping total of 150 F & B venues signed up to compete for 20 titles in the NOW! Bali Best Restaurant, Bar, and Café Awards (BRBCA) 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards. More than 600,000 people visited the BRBCA 2016 website to vote for these 150 participating venues, which ended with over 70,000 votes submitted.
EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARDS
Establishments are hand-picked by the NOW! Bali Editor for noteworthy traits and values outside of traditional categories found in the public votes. Restaurants in Bali strive to be different from each other and The Editor’s Choice Awards highlights venues that are doing just that little bit extra.
INDUSTRY’S CHOICE AWARDS
New this year is the Industry’s Choice Awards; in this campaign, NOW! Bali handpicks FnB professionals to choose their top-3 venues on the island, completely unprompted. The winners are then chosen through a weighted point system and the 3 venues with the highest points are the winners, chosen by their peers.
The winners of the 2016 competition are as follow:-
BEST CAFE (SINGLE OUTLET)
Winner : The Kitchen
First Runner Up : Kukusan – Steamed Buns
Second Runner Up : Folk Kitchen & Espresso
BEST CAFE (MULTIPLE OUTLETS)
Winner : Nebula
First Runner Up : Grocer & Grind
BEST PUB AND SPORTS BAR
Winner : Nu Lazer Restaurant, Sports Bar & Club
First Runner Up : 8 Degrees Bar
Second Runner Up : Centerstage
BEST COCKTAIL & WHISKEY BAR
Winner : The 18th Rooftop Bar
First Runner Up : Single Malt – Whiskies & Cocktails
Second Runner Up : ZJ’S Bar & Lounge
BEST BEACH CLUB
Winner : S.K.A.I Beach Club
First Runner Up : Sakala Beach Club
Second Runner Up : Sundays Beach Club
BEST VEGAN/VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT
Winner : Alchemy
First Runner Up : Fresh
Second Runner Up : Kafe
BEST STEAK, SEAFOOD AND GRILL RESTAURANT
Winner : Dava Bar & Grill
First Runner Up : Sea Fire Salt
Second Runner Up : The Beach Grill at The Ritz-Carlton Bali
BEST INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT
Winner : The Restaurant at The Trans Resort Bali
First Runner Up : Cut Catch Cucina
Second Runner Up : The Puhu Restaurant & Lounge
BEST PAN-ASIAN RESTAURANT
Winner : Kwee Zeen
First Runner Up : The Shore Restaurant and Bar
Second Runner Up : Ginger Moon Canteen
BEST BALINESE/INDONESIAN RESTAURANT
Winner : Kampoeng Bali
First Runner Up : Mr. Wayan Balinese Cuisine
Second Runner Up : Paon Bali Resto & Bar
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT
Winner : Ahyat Abalone Seafood Restaurant
First Runner Up : Chopstick Restaurant
Second Runner Up : Paradise Dynasty
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT
Winner : Queens Tandoor
First Runner Up : Queens of India
Second Runner Up : Bumbu Delhi Restaurant
BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT (SINGLE OUTLET)
Winner : Tenkai Japanese Restaurant
First Runner Up : Sono Teppanyaki
Second Runner Up : Hamabe Japanese Restaurant
BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT (MULTIPLE OUTLETS)
Winners : Sushi Tei Bali
BEST MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT
Winner : The Pool Cafe & Bar
First Runner Up : Solei
Second Runner Up : Kebun Bistro
BEST MEXICAN & LATIN RESTAURANT
Winner : Motel Mexicola
First Runner Up : Jalapeño
Second Runner Up : What the Truck!
BEST SPANISH RESTAURANT
Winner : Velada Tapas Bar & Kitchen
First Runner Up : Miura Pintxos Bar & Grill
Second Runner Up : MoVida Bali
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Winner : Prego
First Runner Up : Bene Italian Kitchen
Second Runner Up : Jamie’s Italian Kuta Beach
BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT
Winner : Ju-Ma-Na
Second Runner Up : Métis Restaurant, Lounge & Gallery
BEST FINE DINING
Winner : Kayuputi
First Runner Up : Blanco Par Mandif
Second Runner Up : Copper Kitchen & Bar
EDITOR’S CHOICE
INVENTIVE MIXOLOGY CENTRE is Akademi Bar
NOTEWORTHY ORIGINAL CONCEPT is Ji at Bale Sutra
INTRIGUING SETTING is Char Char Bar & Grill
NOTABLE NEW COMER is Manisan Bali
OUTSTANDING KITCHEN COLLABORATION is CasCades Restaurant
INDUSTRY CHOICE
First place : Locavore
Second place : Kayuputi
Third place : Cuca
