Written by Jonathan Look – From May 2, 2014 – Ubud, Bail, Indonesia is a town rich with great restaurants. The island’s cosmopolitan makeup ensures there is great food available no matter what you are craving and over the last few weeks we have definitely done a lot of searching. From Indonesian food in tiny mom and pop warungs to Tex-Mex and Pizza in western style eateries, we have tried it. There is a lot of competition among restaurants in Ubud and this seems to have raised quality throughout the town.
Even among the embarrassment of riches that is the Ubud dining scene one place towers above the rest: Fair Warung. From the outside this unassuming little restaurant looks attractive but unremarkable amid streets that are filled with charm everywhere, but go inside and you are at once made to feel welcome by an attentive staff and a relaxed but “island elegant” décor. The founder Alex always seems to be on hand to greet everyone and make sure things are running just right.
The menu has a nice mix of western and Asian dishes as well as a selection of salads and freshly made juices. The ingredients are high quality and lovingly prepared in the clean and open kitchen. The portions are generous and the prices more than fair. I have ordered the tuna with roasted garlic and vegetables (twice) and it was perfect. The tuna was fresh and cooked with a nice sear on the outside and a rare middle; exactly as I like it. I also had a chance to try the prawn green curry and it is among the best I have had in Asia.
As if this wasn’t enough to recommend this restaurant it is owned by the Swiss “Fair Future Foundation”, an NGO that provides free healthcare to poor Indonesians. They have only been around a few years but seem to already be making a positive impact on Bali. I would say without hesitation that you should eat at this restaurant at least once on any visit to Bali.
Disclosure: I am in no way affiliated with this restaurant, I paid for my own meals and I only recommend it because I have found it to be among the best places I have eaten in Asia. It is great that they use their profits to fund special projects but the restaurant stands on its own.
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In 2011, at the age of 50, Jonathan Look decided to change his life and pursue adventures instead of comfort and possessions. His goal is to travel the world; one country at a time. To accomplish this he got rid of most of his possessions, packed up what little he saw as necessities and headed out. His goal is to spend ten years discovering new places, meeting new people and taking the time to learn about them, their values and their place on this tiny planet. He embraces the philosophy that says a person is the sum of their experiences and rejects the fraud of modern consumerism that makes people slaves of their consumption. He doesn’t intend to be modern day ascetic, just more mindful of his place in the world and to make decisions according to that new standard.