Fungal Feast
Mozaic Restaurant in Ubud holds its seventh Annual Batasiolo White Truffle Dinner
Batasiolo White Truffle Dinner at Mozaic was an evening of profound culinary joy. This special event took place on one evening only, during the season of the white truffle harvest in Italy. This year, the event was even more special because, for the first time, the meal took place in Mozaic’s Workshop—a studio kitchen-cum-private dining room. Led by the brilliant Chef Chris Salans, guests were in for a dining experience unlike any other.
Truffles are a type of fungus that only grows underground among the roots of evergreen and pubescent oaks in the Mediterranean region. Amongst the various species of edible truffles, the white truffle is the most highly prized. It is found in the northern regions of Italy and cannot be cultivated. These delicacies are found only in the wild and can only be discovered with the help of specially trained truffle-hunting dogs.
Truffles are precious ingredients that are seductive in depth and bring subtle complexity to dishes. The rarity and high price point of truffles make them the treasures of haute cuisine. White truffles are only fresh for a very short while. For the Batasiolo White Truffle dinner, the truffles are sought out in Italy, by Mr Fiorenzo Dogliani, owner of the Batasiolo winery, in the morning and then immediately packed—to preserve their quality—for the 11,600km journey to Bali.
Once they were safely in Bali, the white truffles were transported to Mozaic
Restaurant in Ubud where Chef Chris Salans and his team were waiting. The chefs only had hours to prepare the meal before guests arrived. Chef Chris describes the white truffle as “amazingly aromatic, with a strong aroma that can be described as earth, musky or garlicky”. Unlike black truffles that are known for their flavour, white truffles are revered for their intoxicating fragrance.
Chris Salans is known for his mastery of bringing together local flavours and luxurious imported ingredients through French culinary techniques. The special menu of the night fully explored the versatility of white truffle, from the amuse bouche to the dessert. On this special night, each dish was served with an impeccably paired wine from Batasiolo. With a selection of wonderful wines to choose from, each course was paired with a specific wine that further elevated the flavours of the dish.
Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a glass of crisp, dry and fresh Batasiolo 7 Cascine Extra Dry Prosecco and truffle canapés in the Mozaic Lounge. Guests were then escorted into the depths of Mozaic where the Workshop awaited. The Workshop houses a sleek, stateof-the-art kitchen with an adjoining dining room space, designed for private events. The 20 guests took their seats at the long tables after a cordial welcome from the chef.
Chef Chris impressed right from the get-go, with an exquisite opening course of Canadian lobster with white truffles, radish, watermelon and coulis of kecicang. Sweet, succulent lobster paired with the refreshing crunch of watermelon and radish, topped off with the fragrance of white truffle, made for the most excellent of starters. The dish was accompanied by the Chardonnay, Langhe, Serbato, DOC, 2013.
The second course featured the freshest French turbot in creamy foam with asparagus, tempe and white truffle crumble. The various textures of the dish—from the delicate flesh of the turbot, to the crunch of the asparagus and tempe—created a most wonderful tasting experience. The accompanying wine was a Cortese, Gavi del Commune di Gavi, Granee, DOCD, 2011.
At this point, the room was buzzing with excitement. Each course had been better than the last. Guests could hardly wait for the next course. Chef Chris invited guests to the kitchen to watch him put the finishing touches on the third course. Mouths watered as the
chef effortlessly seared 20 pieces of foie gras. The dish consisted of quail, duck, and foie gras in duck consommé, with molecular Manchego gnocchi and daun jinten on the side. A dry, robust Nebolio, Barbera, Barbaresco, DOCG, 2012, accompanied this complex dish.
Chef Chris once again invited guests to watch the preparation of the last dish before dessert. Guests watched in awe as he assembled the various pieces of the penultimate dish of the night. The dish featured the New Zealand venison, white truffle espuma, wild mushroom and crispy ketan hitam bits. The venison was cooked to such levels of perfection that it melted in the mouth. The wild mushrooms were a hearty complement to the tender venison. The crispy ketan hitam bits and white truffle espuma provided a delicious aroma and texture. A heady Nebolio, Barolo, DOCG, 2012 was paired with this delicious course.
Only the most divine of desserts could top off a meal like this, and Chef Chris delivered. White truffle ice-cream along with chocolate flash frozen in liquid nitrogen ended the meal on a note just as high as it had started. Raspberries and Balinese kemangi made for vibrant and delectable garnishes. A most intense and aromatic Moscato Bianco, Bosc Dla Rei, Moscato D’asti, DOCG, 2014, was the final wine served.
The seventh Annual Batasiolo White Truffle Dinner was more than just a meal. It was an intimate dining experience in which guests got to taste scrumptious food and interact with the chefs. As the curtain closed on this year’s edition, we look forward with eager anticipation to its next iteration.
A short walk away from Mozaic is one of Ubud’s premier getaway locations: Como Uma Ubud. Surrounded by rice paddies and a thick green canopy of trees, a stay at Como Uma Ubud will bring guests close to nature. The open, clean and simple lobby, pool and bar area of the resort are contrasts to the narrow paths leading to the rooms and suites. A wave of calm washes over as guests walk down the paths lined with tall, lushly planted walls. A dip in the infinity plunge pool will relax even the most tested of travellers. Take in the silence that is only broken the calls of the local primates and lose yourself in the mesmerising fluttering of butterflies that bring much colour to the region.
The seventh Annual Batasiolo White Truffle Dinner was more than just a meal.