The Avocado Picasso salad at Miro’s Garden Restaurant has reached legendary status in our family due to the fact that it is only available on the menu during the avocado season in Ubud and none of us have been able to try it despite very numerous visits to this Ubudian dining institution over many years.
It doesn’t help that the definition of the “season” for avocados in Bali is a little bit vague, with most sources claiming it is between August and November when it is drier here. It has unfortunately been more unusual for us to be visiting here during those months due to work commitments at this time of the year. Hence, the availability of the Avocado Picasso to us at Miro’s has been scarce.
Somehow this time, despite it being late January, we lucked in. Holding our breath we asked the gorgeous Balinese waiter if it was “on” and we were delighted to hear it was! (We actually immediately messaged our family back in Australia to alert them to it’s existence!)
The simple description on the Miro’s menu “Avocado salad with Balinese Spices” belies the delicious flavours and presentation of the actual dish. The colours are indeed evocative of an abstract Picasso painting.
Delicious creamy avocado combined with tomatoes, lettuce, a sprinkle of parsley and crunchy fried shallots, drizzled with the most delicious dressing of young fresh coconut milk mixed with a touch of Balinese Bumbu(spice mix). It must be the complexity and sophistication of Miro’s Bumbu that adds a touch of Balinese magic into this salad.
I am definitely going to try to recreate it at home so that we can keep the legend alive outside of the Avocado season in Bali.
I am not sure if the Avocado Picasso at Miro’s was inspired by the lyrics in Modern Lovers song “Pablo Picasso” (later sung by David Bowie) but I know in our case there a few family members turning the colour of an avocado because we got to Miro’s for this divine salad first!
“Well the girls would turn the color
Of the avocado when he would drive
Down their street in his El Dorado
He could walk down your street
And girls could not resist his stare”
Modern Lovers, Pablo Picasso 1976
We teamed up the Salad with the consistently great Corn Fritters and Ayam Goreng for a lovely dinner in the beautiful traditional Balinese house compound and garden setting of Miro’s which has been in the same family for five generations. If in Ubud then it’s a wonderful place to enjoy lunch or dinner and a great favourite with travellers from far and wide. I just hope you get to try the Avocado Picasso when you visit!
Miro’s Garden Restaurant is on the corner of Jalan Raya Ubud(Main Street) and Jalan Bisma. http://mirosgardenrestaurantubud.blogspot.com/?utm_source=tripadvisor&utm_medium=referral
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