The latest arrival on Ubud’s culinary scene offers fire-cooked dishes in a dining room with the feel of a Wes Anderson film.
Grilled aged snapper with green hummus at Honey & Smoke. (All photos courtesy of Honey & Smoke)
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Will Meyrick has announced his return to Bali after spending the past 2.5 years living in Australia with the launch of Honey & Smoke, a new speakeasy-style bistro in Ubud that turns out modern Australian fare cooked over charcoal or a wood fire. Meyrick’s latest venture was informed by his recent experience running the kitchen at his Perth outpost Will St., where the lauded chef chargrilled all kinds of Western ingredients and prepared them using a straightforward, no-nonsense approach.
Fire-cooked specialties on the dinner menu at Honey & Smoke are meant to be shared: appetizers range from whipped mortadella and caramelized onions on brioche to grilled scallops dressed in chili butter, dried mint yogurt, and sumac. Aside from steak, expect mains like za’atar chargrilled pork loin paired with green chimichurri and harissa; wood-fired aged snapper featuring pennyworth, lima beans, charred kale, and miso beurre blanc; and lamb neck slow-roasted for eight hours and served in mint sauce with kenari nut hummus. Side dishes include baby gem lettuce topped with charred corn and crispy coppa (cured pork shoulder), and charred broccolini and asparagus in a smoked oyster sauce.
The restaurant’s Wes Anderson–inspired interior has a retro 1920s vibe.
Wood-fired Stockyard rib-eye steak with spinach and creamed corn.
A must-try from the dessert selection is the boozy rum baba (featuring rum from local distillery Spice Islands) with charred pineapple and coconut ice cream. For pre- or postprandial drinks, patrons can choose from signature cocktails that harness local ingredients: wine made from torch ginger flower lends its zing to the Honje Hana, while orange-and-clove liquor are muddled with gin and grenadine to create Lost in Ubud.
Dreamt up by Meyrick himself and designed in collaboration with Mirah Group, the plush, art deco–esque interiors of Honey & Smoke were inspired by the films of Wes Anderson. The two-story venue has been fitted out like a 1920s-style train carriage, featuring racks filled with actual luggage and teak flooring and rustic doorways that add to its cozy, nostalgic atmosphere. Honey & Smoke is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 5 p.m. onward.
Left to right: The Lost in Ubud cocktail uses orange-and-clove liquor; a starter of charred corn.
Kitchen-side seating at Honey & Smoke.
Grilled scallops with chili butter, dried mint yogurt, and sumac.
