At Dome, the latest culinary concept at Desa Potato Head in Bali, diners are invited into an otherworldly space where futuristic architecture meets earthy aesthetics to communicate a simple, yet important message: food is a medium for connection and change.
The menu
Dome’s menu features casual yet refined shared plates highlighting ingredients from organic farmers and local producers, alongside a conscious curation of natural, organic, and biodynamic wines. Led by Chef Diego Recarte, dishes have been designed to highlight the diversity and quality of Bali’s produce. His creative cooking style inspired by his time working in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world including D.O.M. (Bazil), Le Calandre (Italy), Pakta (Spain) and Enigma (Spain). He brings familiar European dishes and gives them a distinctive Balinese flair by converging local ingredients with global culinary techniques to create dishes that are both experimental and deeply rooted in tradition.
At Dome, find local oysters combined with delicate Indonesian wagyu beef in a tartare seasoned with lime kosho– a riff of the Japanese fermented yuzu and chilli condiment, yuzukosho, using Indonesian jeruk nipis. Where figs or cherries are normally used in a duck tartlet, pomelo and tamarind are substituted in their place to keep things local. Market fish is served either as a ceviche with fermented ponzu and morning glory or grilled with palm heart and an andaliman pepper sauce, capturing the archipelago’s oceanic and jungle terroir.
The concept
At Dome, food becomes a conduit for conversation, unlocking its potential when allowed to take expansive forms. Where possible, all ingredients are sourced from smallholder farmers and regenerative farms. Our modern food system requires radical action to move towards a sustainable future. It is a shared responsibility that necessitates drawing from diverse ways of knowing.
Dome will host monthly talks on subjects like complex rice systems and the future of food, the Importance of cultural representation in food and permaculture farming in Bali whereas Dome’s monthly producer-centric special dinners highlight local winemakers, farmers and ethical foragers who collaborate by offering their knowledge and the bounty of their food forest to share with a new public. As Potato Head draws people from around the world to experience life in Bali, Dome playfully inspires out-of-the-box thinking about sustainability by providing a space for the community to get together to feast, drink and connect.
The space
Designed by OMA, Dome offers a unique blend of cutting-edge design and eco-conscious aesthetics. The interior features reclaimed wood and furniture, antique rugs for a cosy feel, and upcycled cotton uniforms for the staff. The venue’s inspiration from historical cisterns, reinterpreting this ancient architectural form with contemporary local materials and construction techniques. This approach mirrors the juxtaposition of traditional and modern elements in today’s food system, setting the scene for an innovative dining experience that challenges the norms and expectations. The restaurant embodies the belief that building a sustainable future is possible through the integration of the best ideas from various sources, recognising that there is no single way to achieve this goal.
