Situated near the southern tip of Bali, the resort town of Jimbaran is a popular tourist destination with Jimbaran’s breathtaking beaches acting as the backdrop to many a Luxury Hotel Bali housing five-star dining venues. Jimbaran’s vibrant fine-dining venues add to the island’s title as a must-visit tourist destination.

Among the four international gourmet dining options available in Intercontinental bali resort, KO Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge is recognised as one of Bali’s best Japanese restaurants. This award-winning restaurant serves gourmet Japanese cuisine in a cleverly designed Japanese-inspired setting. The restaurant sits amidst bonsai plants, delicate ponds and artistically placed stones and rocks that reflect the Rock Garden in Japan. Inside, the soft glow of light accentuates the restaurant’s elegant red, white and black interior. The Japanese influence is evident inside the restaurant with the use of pebbles, bamboo plants and sliding doors bearing a strong resemblance to traditional Japanese homes.

A dinner-only dining venue, a long hallway carries guests through KO Restaurant’s three dining options. Guests can sample an 8 piece sushi dinner with sashimi, tempura and yakitori accompaniments at Sushi Lounge and Bar served by kimono-clad waitresses or enjoy the theatrics of itamae chefs as they prepare authentic and contemporary Japanese dishes at two sit-up Teppanyaki counters in the Teppanyaki Room. For a more intimate dining experience, the restaurant’s Tatami Dining Room offers à la carte menus to be tasted in traditional Japanese Tatami-style with floor seating for 20 guests. The assortment of sushi, sashimi, tempura, salads, sukiyaki and shabu-shabu give credit to the restaurant’s five-star status and its Michelin Star Executive Chef. A section of the 100-seater KO Restaurant is dedicated to the quiet Cocktail Lounge serving an extensive selection of sake, sake-based cocktails and Japanese beers while the menu offers the best pairing of food with sake beverages. The popular ‘Tokyo Nights’ held every Friday offers 15 traditional Japanese dishes paired with unlimited servings of sake or sake cocktails.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+