Mosto

Mosto

You could be in Paris, Milan or Sydney but this lively bistro sparkles on the streets of Berawa in Bali showcasing natural wines, cocktails and great food with a whole world of style.

There’s a subtle difference between good and great when it comes to restaurants, and Mosto in Berawa is a venue that sparkles with all the intangible things that create a warm, welcoming and deliciously different atmosphere.

If you have driven past Mosto on busy Jalan Pantai Berawa you can’t help but notice it. The energy is high, the black and white interiors glow, the outdoor tables are often full and the bar is a magnet for wine lovers. With just 60 covers and a handful of bar stools that are in high demand, Mosto revolves around a passion for natural wines. The five partners are all Motel Mexicola group alumni and they are consummate professionals. This is a very big part of what makes Mosto one of the most talked-about bistros in Bali.

The menu is classic bistro fare, crossing the border between France and Italy. Executive Chef Lorenzo is Italian and well-versed in the classics. There are French bistro favourites, with starters like the fabulous chicken liver parfait topped with rosy sumac onions (Rp70K) to jambon de Paris with mustard butter and gherkins (Rp110K) and Italian favourites like bruschetta with whipped tuna, marinated peppers and anchovies (Rp45K each) and cannellini beans with bottarga and kaffir lime (Rp90K).

Main courses also cross the divide from swordfish Milanese with arugula (200K) to beef tartare with umami yolk and sage tempura (Rp90K). The menus rotate regularly and include a couple of delicious hand-made pasta dishes that cry out for a perfect pairing. The staff are well-versed in the wine list and are happy to find the perfect drop for you.

Behind the bar, the wine fridge is filled with beautiful bottles from small estates. They are all-natural wines (pet-nat in the lingo), normally small batches, and many you’ve probably never heard of. This is where the experience begins as the staff talk you through the varieties on hand. To accomplish a wine list like this in Bali is a feat as most venues draw from the same few suppliers.

This is the first venue for partners Isabella Rowell, Lorenzo Depeteris, Nicolas Lento, Federico Sirito, Denny Bakiev and Vanessa Di Maria – all permanent fixtures in Bali’s pioneering Mexicola Group (Da Maria, Luigi’s, Uni, Motel Mexicola). Sommelier Nicolas Lento (co-founder of Indonesia’s only natural wine importer/distributor, Toto Wines) has assembled a collection of more than 70 labels from small producers around the world. Organic and/or biodynamic wines fermented with native yeasts drive this list, including Lento’s first natural wine produced in Indonesia, the delicious sparkling Lazarus.