Potato Head

Though it has a silly name, the Potato Head Beach Club on Seminyak beach is a cool spot to spend the day. A collage of antique 18th-century veranda shades surrounds an amphitheater-like space that contains a beach bar, a grassy lawn, and an infinity pool. Three additional restaurants (one homey, one Southeast Asian, one high-end) and a stellar concert lineup make Potato Head a destination, morning ‘til night. A soon-to-open boutique hotel will extend the party even further. Jln. Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali 80361, Indonesia, 62/(0) 361 473 7979.

Bar and restaurant.

From the front, Potato Head has an impressive Colosseum-like façade adorned with rustic multicoloured 18th-century teak shutters. Inside, the large open-air venue with restaurants and bars is classy, elite, and uber swanky. The music is groovy and laid-back. The Indo-industrial architecture combined with the soft lighting creates a mood of sophistication, and the view - with the illuminated pool set against the rolling waves of the beach - is spectacular. It may seem like a place for the rich and fancy, but anyone can fit in here. Young guys in Bintang tank tops, beach shorts and flip flops recline in the cocktails lounges overlooking the beach, parents with kids swim in the pool, groups of friends relax with jugs of sangria on the day beds, and people of all ages and nationalities dine in one of the three restaurants on offer. My four friends and I had a tasty cocktail at the bar before dining at Lilin restaurant. Lilin’s a la carte menu is more pricey than other restaurants in Bali, but the best option is to order from the tapas menu (four tapas approx AUS$20). We were not disappointed. Our table was a flurry of, “Here try this and try this - isn’t’ it delicious?!” My favourite was the Baby Squid in Yellow Curry, Golden Prawn Balls and the Barramundi. We washed it down with sangria served in big balloon wine glasses and left very satisfied...and full. Potato Head is THE place to get you in a gastronomic groove in Bali. Make a reservation to avoid disappointment.

Potato Head beach club did live up to the hype with really chill house music and fantastic food and drinks. Definitely a must-visit when in Seminyak, Bali with a good looking crowd as an added incentive. Come around 4.30 to ensure a good view of the sunset to avoid disappointment.

Beach bar bali