Japanese fine dining in Bali: Takumi offers omakase and kaiseki excellence in the heart of Seminyak

There is no shortage of Japanese restaurants in Bali – whether you're craving ramen, shabu-shabu, teppanyaki or sushi – but one restaurant has taken Japanese fine dining up a notch by bringing authentic Japanese kaiseki and omakase to the heart of Seminyak.

Helmed by chef Daijiro Horikoshi, the former chef de cuisine of legendary Bali beach club KU DE TA, Takumi is a contemporary Japanese fine dining restaurant located on the main strip of Jalan Petitenget in Seminyak. A pocket of zen surrounded by loud, neon-lit nightlife venues, the restaurant has a waterfall and koi pond entrance, sushi bar and intimate dining area on the ground floor – plus a sleek whisky bar upstairs for pre- or post-dinner tipples.

“I had always been dissatisfied with the level of Japanese cuisine overseas and thought that someday, as a Japanese chef, I’d be able to convey the wonders of true Japanese cuisine to young chefs overseas,” said Horikoshi. The third generation owner of a tempura restaurant in Osaka started by his grandmother (and former geisha), he moved to Bali in 2012 to pursue his dream of living on a tropical island after running the family restaurant for 18 years.

"We wanted our children to have a global experience and learn English, so we chose Bali as it offered a mix of different cultures," he said. Horikoshi’s own upbringing was also quite diverse. At the age of 13, he joined his stepfather – Native American activist, leader and co-founder of the American Indian Movement, Dennis Banks – on a round-the-world trip, visiting 23 countries in the process and getting exposed to different cultures, religions and people.

“Through travelling and living with various people, including Native Americans, I have learned that humans are part of this great nature and that we are being kept alive within it, and I have learned to be grateful and to share – and to be tough, flexible, and adaptable,” he said.

Cheerful, laidback and quick to burst into laughter, Horikoshi is not your typical quiet Japanese chef. The 48-year-old is an avid surfer and skater who also counts capoeira as a hobby, and was even the national champion of the Tamiya Mini 4WD (miniature toy car racing competition) back in his youth. A master of his craft, he personifies the restaurant's unique blend of Japanese tradition and modern charm.

Horikoshi’s Kaiseki-style Japanese cuisine at Takumi has been described as a "culinary symphony" where each dish’s flavour, texture and delicate presentation creates a multi-sensory dining experience. Since diners in Bali range from those who’ve never tried Japanese food to hardcore Japanese foodies, Horikoshi said “it’s both a challenge and a pleasure to serve dishes to customers who are not familiar with Japanese ingredients and cuisine.”

Passionate about bringing authentic Japanese cuisine to the island, he explained: “We are not simply importing Japan to Bali, we are creating Japan here. While most of the ingredients at Takumi are sourced directly from Japan, Horikoshi also uses local seafood and ingredients readily available in Bali and Indonesia.

“One of my Japanese friends started a fishery company in Bali last year, and he has been delivering fish to our restaurant every day after providing us with Japanese-level fish treatment,” said Horikoshi. “As long as the fish is treated properly, the fish here in Bali is truly delicious.”

It’s not just the ingredients that make Takumi authentic, either. “We make sure that our kitchen staff are prepared as chefs and operate the kitchen in accordance with the philosophy of Japanese cuisine,” he said. “We also instruct our floor staff to have the uniquely Japanese spirit of hospitality (aka omotenashi), which means to always think from the customer's point of view, and to constantly elevate the quality of our services.”

At Takumi, diners can choose from an 18-course omakase, six- or nine-course kaiseki, vegan kaiseki or dishes from the a la carte menu. This is complemented by an extensive drinks menu with creative Japanese-inspired cocktails, plus classic cocktails, sake, whisky, wines, spirits and tea.

You can't go wrong with the omakase or kaiseki menus, which change regularly based on seasonality. As for the a la carte menu, must-order dishes include the crispy yuzu shrimp tempura, jet-fresh fish carpaccio, moreish black cod saikyoyaki and melt-in-your-mouth wagyu suteki. The ultimate chef’s recommendation, though, is the kamo-shabu (duck shabu shabu) – after trying the two omakase menus, of course.

Besides Takumi, Horikoshi is also one of the founders of KOHAKU, a Japanese confectionery brand and shop in Berawa that makes jewel-like edible candies. The name comes from 'kohakuto', which literally means "amber sugar" in Japanese. Made from agar and sugar, these traditional Japanese candies have been around for about 400 years – since the early Edo period – and are often served as part of a tea ceremony.

At KOHAKU, every piece of candy is hand-carved with painstaking detail to resemble a beautifully-cut gemstone. Crunchy on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside, they are sweetened with dried fruits, herbs, spices, flowers and teas to create an all-natural flavour that's unique to each gem.

“KOHAKU is working to become a brand that can contribute to the local community by introducing traditional Japanese sweets in line with Japanese aesthetics and creating new souvenirs for Bali,” said Horikoshi.

The bejewelled-like candies range from sweet and fruity (strawberry, apple and cinnamon, mango and yuzu) to nutty (matcha, pistachio and apricot, black sesame and activated charcoal) to local Bali espresso and the more experimental limited edition flavours like Bloody Mary, Osmanthus Flower and Annin Tofu. The best part? They're all vegan-friendly and gluten-free.

Whether it’s traditional kaiseki, omakase or Edo-style candy gems, it’s clear that Horikoshi is on a mission to bring authentic Japanese cuisine to the world, whilst redefining what traditional Japanese cuisine is all about.

“Besides collaborating with chefs and brands in different genres, I’d like to raise the level of Japanese cuisine worldwide by passing on the spirit of Japanese cuisine – including its proper knowledge and techniques – to the younger generation of chefs,” he said.