Welcome to Alice in Wonderland…
When you think of Bali, you may think of cornrows, humidity and Australian tourists. You don’t really think of Alice In Wonderland. But when the lovely local blogger Sinead from Airy Fairy Cupcakess told me about Divine Wonderland, an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant, I knew I had to pay it a visit. I am admittedly rather obsessed with Alice In wonderland and all things to do with her and her merry and mischievous companions.
Peering inside the window
Formerly open for breakfast and lunch, Divine Wonderland is only open for dinner nowadays from 4pm (we learned this the hard way when we arrived for lunch to find it closed). There is valet parking outside and the green Astroturf lawn is a colourful contrast to the white walls, chairs and tables outside. We walk inside and the Alice banded waitress asks us where we would like to sit. I look around and the answer hits me instantly. There are two enormous chairs at least double the size of regular chairs. ” We’ ll take those please!” I say happily.
Mr NQN in a giant chair!
We climb up onto the chairs and feel like kids again. “We’ve been shrunken like Alice!” I tell a confused Mr NQN who hasn’t read the book or seen the movie. “Mmm right” he mumbles while climbing up into the chair. I suspect that at 188 cms tall he hasn’t felt this small in a long time whereas I at 155cms have never felt tall. We start with some lovely drinks. Most restaurants in Bali are open air and it’s usually quite pleasant but today is particularly hot so we need a lot of thirst quenching. The music selection it has to be said is great and on some nights they have a DJ. It’s a shame there isn’t afternoon tea served here.
Red queen 59,000 rupiah (approximately $6.66AUD)
Mr NQN orders the Red Queen which has gin, sweet vermouth, lime, apple, cranberry and grenadine which is sweet and very fruity.
Strawberry juice 18000 rupiah (approximately $2 AUD)
I love the strawberry juice which tastes just of sweet, fresh strawberries. Although the menu does say at there isn’t any sugar added I would have to guess that there is some sugar syrup as strawberries are never this lovely and sweet.
Carne platter for two 78000 rupiah (approximately $8.80 AUD)
We are only just peckish as we know that we have dinner coming up and Villa Sungai has been feeding us aplenty so we order a carne platter – there is a choice of seafood, carne or vegetarian platters. And yes I know how silly that sounds to order a platter when you’re peckish but the platter had a little bit of everything on it and of course we had to try it for research purposes-don’t look at me that way! 
On the platter there are two mini pork belly squares which have a nice and crispy blistered skin although the meat is slightly dry. The cinnamon apples help to counteract the dryness but there needs to be a bit more of the apple. The albondigas are soft meatballs with a light tomato based sauce on a stick and the BBQ spicy chicken wings are in an Asian style spicy sauce which reminds me of a Peking pork rib sauce with a sweet and sour element as well as a spiciness.
Banana juice 18,000 rupiah (approximately $2 AUD)
Mr NQN has an insatiable thirst for drinks and at $2 a drink he is in heaven so he orders another drink to try. We’re curious to see what a banana juice is like. It is similar to a banana smoothie with milk and ice cream and fresh banana.
And the bill? Well it comes slipped into a copy of Elmo Loves you! We climb back down off the gigantic chairs and emerge back into adult world. We do a little bit of last minute shopping for homewares and before we know it, it’s getting dark and night is falling. We only have a few hours until our flight out of Bali and we have just enough time to fit in one last meal!
Sarong
I do occasionally fantasise about having my own eatery. It would be an afternoon tea place, a restaurant is far too much for me to handle and it would be decorated like one of my fantasies come to life. I always like to have a look at restaurant decor just to see how I would decorate my own fantasy afternoon tea place and I can certainly appreciate a nice interior. So when we walk into Sarong I am pleased. It is just how I want my afternoon tea place to look-part exotic, part posh and a whole lot of luxurious!
Sarong spiced tamarillo 110,000 rupiah (about $12AUD)
We take a seat in the garden but it’s a bit too dark -even reading the menu proves a challenge so they give us a light. We end up moving inside because if it is too dark to read a menu, then it will be too dark for photography. We take a look at the cocktail menu although I’ve banned myself from cocktail consumption since I seem to handle my liqueur like a two year old baby. Instead Mr NQN partakes of the Sarong spiced tamarillo cocktail with orange vodka, tamarillo puree, Cointreau and lemon juice. I beg for a little like a puppy and it is delicious. OK it’s probably best that I didn’t partake too much.
Amuse bouche
When we order the food we gently remind them that we need leave for the airport in one and a quarter hours and true to promise the food comes out quickly. The menu traipses all over Asia but we’re most drawn to the Thai dishes. We start with the amuse bouche with the fattest Atlantic scallops in a green chilli, garlic and ginger dressing highlights with Thai basil. “I’m so glad I ordered the scallops” I say to Mr NQN as I anticipate that the scallop entree will be good.
Wagyu beef perkedel with chilli, capsicum and shallot dipping relish 75,000 rupiah (approximately $8.50 AUD)
The perkedel is a mashed potato and soft wagyu beef croquette fried and reminds of an soft mashed potato fritter in texture and mild in taste. I adore the chilling, lemongrass, capsicum and the shallot dipping sauce which reminds me instantly of Thai dishes like banana flower salad.
Sichuan prawn dumplings with black vinegar and chilli oil 65,000 rupiah (approximately $7.33 AUD)
These four juicy little devils are moreish with a chilli burst via the chilli oil and a satisfying flavour from the tangy, sweet black vinegar, coriander leaves and coriander root.
Seared scallop salad with crispy pork belly, young coconut, Thai basil and red onion 105,000 rupiah (approximately $11.85 AUD)
There are three plump Atlantic scallops in this dish and two soft pork belly slices. On top of them is a mountain of fresh herbs including Thai basil and is accompanied by a green chilli sauce with garlic and ginger. The Thai herbs give the rich protein a freshness and we later learn why the Thai food is so good!
Tuna tartar with avocado, sesame seeds and black vinegar dressing 105000 rupiah (approximately $11.85 AUD)
Mr NQN’s favourite dish, this was fresh diced tuna sashimi paired with tomato and avocado with sesame seeds. It is simple but well seasoned with flavours and the black vinegar dressing is an unusual but fitting accompaniment to the raw tuna.
Roti
The roti is buttery and what seems like hundred of layers of crispy pastry.
Chef Will Meyrick
Sarong’s chef Will Meyrick comes out to say hello. Friendly and talkative he is the former sous chef from Sydney’s Longrain restaurant and he also set up Jimmy Liks in Potts Point which explains why the Thai offerings are so good as well as why there is an emphasis on delicious cocktails. Originally from Scotland, he found his way to Australia cooking there for several years before moving to Bali where he has now settled with his wife.
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South East Asian dessert platter 75,000 rupiahs (approx $8.50AUD)
I know, I am still disbelieving at the prices here in Bali. Even in one of Bali’s best restaurants the prices are incredibly reasonable. In this two person platter is black sticky rice with a whole lychee in the centre and covered in coconut cream, a duck egg and ginger custard, banana fritters, sweet deep fried sesame balls filled with palm sugar syrup and chopped peanuts, coconut cake, cashew nut ice cream and kelapon, the Balinese rice balls filled with liquid palm sugar syrup. And oh my it is delicious. My favourites would have to be the black sticky rice and the kelapon but all are worthy of bargaining with your stomach for space.
We take a look at the time and are slightly saddened that we will actually make our flight back home. It is with a very sad goodbye that we leave Bali, our obsession with this lovely place rekindled most strongly through food and the gentle nature of the Balinese people.
So tell me Dear Reader, how do you choose your travel destination? Is it the food, weather, price or do you just like to go somewhere new?
NQN and Mr NQN travelled to and explored Bali as guests of Villa Sungai. They dined at Sarong as guests of Sarong.
Divine Wonderland
Jl.Laksmana(opposite Trattoris Pizza), Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Tel: +62 (0)36 173 0759
Open from 4pm
Sarong
19x Jalan Petitengat, Kerobokan, Kuta
Tel: +62 (0)36 173 7809
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44 Comments | Add your own
You made me laugh at 6.30am with that photo of Mr NQN in the giant chair! Food looks amazing, especially the tuna tartare…
It sounds yummy!
Awesome post Lorraine, love reading about Bali & have a little fantasy of picking up moving there, the way of life & cost of living, so, so alluring. Love the Alice place, such fun & your afternoon tea place… Wow! Do IT
I live Alice in Wonderland. I’d love a Red Queen. I choose where I travel on a whim – and often places I have seen in the movies and loved.
I love to travel to new places! Although the sights and the food are definitely two great reasons!
woah that chair is massive! food looks delish- great photos~ I can’t stop looking at that chair!
wow that last foto is just amazing! and, the food is sooo cheap!
it depends how much money i have in the bank lol but i would like to go somewhere i can make the most of my money and still have some left over, e.g asia
BAHAHA I LOVE that photo of Mr NQN in the giant chair – he looks like a tiny little child!! Fantastic!! And I absolutely adore the bill being in that sesame street book……..oh to be a kid again!!
What fun! I love that giant chair. We are heading to Bali in 3 weeks time for a wedding and it will be our first time there. Can’t wait. Have really been enjoying your Bali posts. Sarong looks lovely too and the prices, wow! I love black sticky rice can’t wait to get stuck in to a few of the gorgeous foods over there. Oh, and i’ll be keeping a special eye out for those cheese tim tams
Oh gad, Thank you, Lorraine! It’s about 3 degrees here and blowing half a gale!
This morning’s trip to Bali has been a huge restorative. Wish I could be ANY character in ‘Alice’ at the moment, even the Mad Hatter 
! The food at Sarong looked marvellous – I too loved the pic of Tuna Tartare: looked a little bit like brawn, which would explain why both Mr NQN and I favour it (genes somewhere?) And since you were en route to the plane, I guess this is the end of the wonderful ‘Bali Saga’? Thanks heaps! 
It’s been many years since I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Bali. A truly gorgeous place with the friendliest, warmest people around. But I missed out on those giant chairs! Too cute. I’d love one for my living room.
Waaaahhh… Lorraine everything looks soo yuuumm …. really really want to fly to Bali right now ;(
I have put Indonesia on my places to go -all the food looks divine and it’s so nice seeing the big numbers dwindle down to a mere $2 Australian.
I love those giant chairs -so ridiculously awesome!
Scallops and pork belly seems to be the most popular combo that all these restaurants are dishing up. My memory of Bali was sweltering heat and drinking copious amounts of Bintang beer with ice for breakfast, lunch and dinner
I re-visited Bali earlier this year after a 14 year break. I kicked myself I had waited so long to go back. It is such a special place, gorgeous people with an innate genteleness about them, wonderful scenery and these days really excellent food. I walked right past Divine Wonderland – damn it! My last meal there pre-flight was also to Sarong – what a superb spot. It’s a definite must for anyone heading to Seminyak.
3 scallops and pork belly for 11 bucks! That is really amazing. What a great restaurant. I would so love to go there.
What a wonderfully whimsical time you had! Those Alice-themed / quasi-Victorian interiors are lovely and that carne platter looked scrumptious.
I am also intrigued by that plate of tuna tartare – because I just posted something about a variation of the dish on my blog this morning.
I have got to tell my AIW-obsessed friend about this place! She has all this gorgeous vintage-ish AIW-themed jewellery that she finds online… she’d love this!
I thought it was a little boy on the chair at first glance, then I read that it was Mr NQN! That place looks like so much fun
Sarong looks so beautifully decorated and the prices are incredible, I love Bali!
I’m off to Japan next month so I have been reading your old Japan posts
That chair looks gynormous or Mr NQN looks tiny!
I have not visited Bali for years but I miss it so much! =)
Such fun Lorraine! Classic shot of Mr NQN
Soooo divine!!
The giant chair photo is so cute! I wish you had a photo of you in it.
I think a destination has to be chosen on all of those things but if it doesn’t have some interesting and tasty food to try then it’s not an option.
love the alice in wonderland style cafe.. i totally would have picked the huge chairs as well, lol.. i am surprised they don’t do afternoon tea! it would be perfect!
I wonder if you can buy those chairs over here? I want one!
My favourite dish above is the pork belly and scallop salad.
We are going to Asia later this year, and one thing we consider is my dietary restrictions. I also have little cards printed with my InTolerances in the various languages of the countries we will be travelling to. Better to be safe than sorry!
I like to go somewhere nice, but also affordable, so I’m loving the sound of Bali (especially the value for money). Now I have kids, increasingly it either has to be a really kid-friendly destination (when I have the kids), or really grown-up destination (when I don’t have the kids and can do things they wouldn’t enjoy, like take in the culture, or do loads of market shopping).
That is hysterical, I thought NQN was a little boy before I read beneath. How fun. And, by the way, we love Elmo!
I had to look twice at Mr NQN in the giant chair to make sure it wasn’t a child! The food sounds wonderful (tuna tartare, Asian dessert platter, yum!) and such reasonable prices! Obviously Sydney’s loss!
I think I need another trip to Bali.
As always, amazing pictures and I am with your Mr, that Red Queen looks incredible!
Oh my! The Wonderland looked great but Sarong… every dish looked better than the last!
Holidays… a combination of all those factors I think
I love the idea of sitting in a huge chair in an ‘Alice’ themed restaurant… not that I need to be reminded that I’m short! LOL
I’m really sorry if this sounds a bit rude (I seriously don’t mean it to be)…but I’m actually a little disappointed at the amount of Balinese or Indonesian food featured in your posts on your trip. Maybe it’s just the fact that every time I’ve been to Bali, we’ve either eaten in a ‘Warung’ or had a home-cooked Balinese meal with my parents’ friends.
Hi Liv-I did review a warung as well as a local’s market but as I am a tourist I don’t have access to home cooked Balinese meals as I don’t have family or friends there. The food I ate was a mix of Asian food which is what is offered in Bali. I feel like I did a representation of the types of cuisine offered in Bali with the warung, a locals only market, the Balinese suckling pig restaurant, a high end restaurant (Dava) and Sarong (which is probably where a tourist would like to visit) and Alice in Wonderland (which was very unique) as well as all of the wonderful Balinese food we had at Villa Sungai. But of course you can’t please everyone and you’re more than entitled to your opinion
I love Bali. I’ve only been once and would so much love to visit again. Hopefully sometime soon.
Every dish look mouth-watering. This restaurant is in my must-go to next time I’m there.
Have a great weekend!
“part exotic, part posh and a whole lot of luxurious!”
YES!
Perrrrrfect Adjectives!
They describe Devine Wonderland, The fabulous looking food (Seared scallop salad) omg! & Of course, YOU XXxx
Wow, so cool!
What a great little adventure, I can’t believe that we lived in Perth for 7years and never ONCE went to Bali, i guess it was so close and easy to get to that we assumed we’d get there one day…but never did
Chose Europe instead.
I want to go even more now!
I like to go somewhere new, and need to have a good mix of adventure and relaxation. I hate getting back from holidays and feeling like you still need a holiday!
I choose a travel destination based on word of mouth, movies and history. Usually europe wins every time
although anywhere that uses an elmo book for the bill is outstanding 
Heidi xo
What a quirky place!
You’re so right in saying it’s very ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – how magical. I’ve still not been to Bali, and considering I spent 18 years of my life staying to close by, it’s rather appalling really!
The Tuna tartar with avocado looks amazing! and Mr NQN looks like a little kid in that chair
I hardly ever look at your site and not get ideas for color schemes or window framing, etc., and the FOOD, I agree with your whole concept on description of your own place…keep that thought ALIVE!!!
Ah Bali food prices – so good! Unfortunately we didn’t get to Sarong, though it was recommended.
That huge chair is fantastic! I’d love one of them at home
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