A garden fête

Bali’s leading hotel and restaurant professionals came out to play on a Friday evening at epicure’s annual appreciation party.

At 20,000 sq ft, Starbucks Dewata Coffee Sanctuary is the largest Southeast Asian store for the American coffee chain. Its location pays tribute to Bali as a coffee destination and Indonesia as the world’s fourth largest coffee producer. It was apt that epicure recently threw its annual appreciation party for Bali’s hoteliers and restaurant professionals there, taking up the adjoining The Mill restaurant space. Over 150 guests were welcomed by general manager of Starbucks Dewata Coffee Sanctuary, Daniel Kerr; epicure’s senior publisher, Cecilia Goh; regional business director, Dewi Prasodjo; and associate editor, Eve Tedja. The Mill’s outdoor checkered patio was abuzz with lively conversation amid a background of saxophone music.

To fuel guests on the balmy evening, bartenders concocted coffee-inspired cocktails like Piccolo Martini and Cafe Negroni. Servers presented trays of delectable canapés, such as Green Papaya Salad & Poached Prawn with Nam Jim Sauce, Dutch Croquette with Tomato Sauce, Lapis Legit with Whipped Cream and Almond Tuile, Tahu Isi with Crumbled Furikake, and Organic Vegetable Rice Wrap. As they sipped their pretty in pink cocktails, Goh and Kerr surprised six lucky folks with vouchers from Santrian Resorts & Villas, Prego at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali, Ayodya Resort Bali, W Bali – Seminyak, and the much coveted grand prize — a two-night stay at One Farrer Hotel, Singapore.