Above: seared scallops with cauliflower puree and pomegranate dressing.

Bali Restaurants: Sea Circus

This Seminyak eatery is all about fun. Kaleidoscopic glass louvers enclose the dining room, giving the space the feel of a modern circus tent, while meals are delivered to your table not by waiters, but by “plate spinners.” The equally whimsical menu is overseen by Australian chef Stuart Marsden, who earned his stripes cooking at a number of antipodean institutions before bringing his mod-Oz creations to Bali. Dishes are designed to be shared, and range from the indulgent—organic beer-battered fish and chips with shoe-string fries and sweet-chili mayo—to plates that would not be out of place on a spa menu: think grilled mahi-mahi topped with bell pepper and roasted walnut salsa. Leave room for dessert, highlighted by decadent churros with dark-chocolate dipping sauce and scoops of handmade gelato in flavors like hazelnut and pistachio (22 Jl. Laksmana, Seminyak; 62-361/738-667).

Originally appeared in the June/July 2010 print issue of DestinAsian magazine as part of  “Top Tables”