Nevertheless, Venue at the Moon is first and foremost an eatery. Australian Chef Darren Anderson has taken up the reins, creating a varied yet concise menu of typically creative Australian contemporary dishes. In addition to the standard entrées, mains and desserts, there’s a very reasonably priced international tapas menu for snack hungry barflies. Try the Duck Spring Rolls with Seville Ginger Jam (15) or the smooth, succulent Goose Liver Pate served with a tower of Melba Toast (12).

Darren’s menu is a well balanced mix of seafood, meats & fowl and vegetarian fare which betray both his classic French training and a certain Mediterranean influence together with some subtle Asian accents. From the entrées, the Honey Roasted Quail, Baked Ricotta, Zuchini & Peppery Greens(30) offer a pleasing mix of sweet, sour and bitter elements while the Grilled Baby Squid (35) is intriguingly stuffed with juicy chunks of melanzane with lemon aioli and citrus fillets adding a zing.

		Both dishes were pleasingly yet unfussily presented – Darren doesn’t describe his food as fine dining – ‘I like my guests to go away feeling satisfied, not only their taste buds but their appetite too,” he explains between courses. This proclamation is heartily confirmed with the arrival of a Char Veal Rib (90) of Jurassic proportions.

No gnawing is required however, the meat falls apart delicately beneath the knife and is offset by crisp Cannelini beans in a delightfully creamy sauce of shallots, garlic, chicken stock and cream.
In contrast, the Atlantic Salmon Couliabac (75) comes wrapped in a light puff pastry served with a white truffle pea puree and salmon pearls (eggs, that is). Usually served as starter, this more substantial version works well as a main. The desserts (all 30) are uniformly rich at the moment – the Trifle with Malibu custard is a challenge but a welcome one.
Darren plans to modify the menu every couple of months or so – an executive chef with many years of experience, he is as adept in management as he is in cooking, having worked as a consultant to a range of fine dining boutique style restaurants and as executive chef at the multi-award winning seafood restaurant Scratchleys in Newcastle South Australia..
For now, you can expect consistently high quality cuisine accompanied by funky downtempo beats courtesy of the in house DJ. The wine list is still fairly brief, though the Zonin Valpolicella (60 per glass) is a must – soft yet well rounded and fruity. You’ll also find a good selection of cocktails including martini mixers all priced at 35.
All in all, a welcome addition in the Petitenget area, with friendly staff who are quickly learning the rudiments of good service. Venue At The Moon will be concentrating on special events from Sunday Roasts to theme dinners and even coffee and tea afternoons, so keep your eyes on The Beat for details.

Venue At The Moon
Jl. Patitenget 2001x Kerobokan Kuta
Tel: 0361 730 629