Quick Answer
Pomona is BASK's main restaurant: a South American kitchen on Gili Meno with wood-fire at the centre. Argentine and Peruvian foundations, Indonesian produce, a generous wine list, and a room that opens to the sea. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended in high season; the chef's tasting is the move if you have time.
How a South American kitchen ended up here
The honest answer is the chef. His training is in Buenos Aires and Lima, he cooked in London for a decade, and he believes the techniques and grammar of South American cooking translate beautifully to small islands with great fish and live fire. Open flame, charred vegetables, citrus, herbs you can pronounce, salt that respects what it's seasoning.
The conviction has held up. Pomona's plates would feel at home on a quiet street in Palermo. They also feel like they belong in front of the water on Gili Meno, which is the harder thing to pull off.
The room
Open to the breeze on three sides. A long bar in dark wood at the back. Tables spaced more generously than most restaurants this side of the equator allow. The lighting after sunset is candle and low warm pendants; nobody is squinting at a menu.
A handful of seats at the kitchen pass, if you'd like to watch the fire. Ask when you book.
What to order
The menu shifts with what comes in by boat. A few constants:
To start.
- Ceviche of the day. Whatever's freshest, cured short and bright. Often a snapper or a kingfish. Citrus from local groves where possible.
- Charred eggplant, miso butter, sesame. Sounds quiet; isn't.
- Empanadas. Two or three to a plate. The dough is right.
From the fire.
- Whole grilled fish. When the boat brings something extraordinary, this is the move. Served with two simple sides.
- Asado plate for two. Beef short rib, chimichurri, a piece of grilled chorizo, charred onion. Hearty in a way that surprises some guests.
- Cauliflower steak. The vegetarian option that doesn't feel like an afterthought.
To finish.
- Dulce de leche something. Format rotates. Always good.
- Chocolate tasting plate. Three small bites with espresso. Order before you need it.
The wine list
Manuel runs the wine programme across both Pomona and Rosalee. The list at Pomona leans toward South American producers (Argentine Malbec, Patagonian whites, biodynamic Chilean) with thoughtful French and Italian options. Glass selection is generous. Half-bottles available if you'd like to mix two with dinner.
A friendly note: the markup at Pomona is restrained. The bottles aren't priced like a Las Vegas steakhouse. If you'd like Manuel to choose for you, just ask.
The chef's tasting
A seven-course set menu, available on request, ideally booked the day before so the kitchen can shape it around your preferences. Two and a half to three hours at the table. We pace it slowly because pacing it any other way would miss the point.
The tasting is the most popular reservation among guests who stay three nights or more. It pairs naturally with the wine flight Manuel writes for it.
Lunch vs dinner
Two different rooms, almost.
Lunch is light. The breeze is steady, the light is full, the menu shrinks to ceviches, grain salads, grilled fish, a smaller list of wines that survive a warm afternoon. Long lunches are normal here and the staff doesn't try to turn the table.
Dinner is the fuller experience. Lower light, slower pace, more wine, the asado coming out of the kitchen in a slow stream. Reserve a table by 19:00 if you'd like the corner with the best view of the water.
A note on dietary preferences
The kitchen takes them seriously and quietly. If you've told us at sign-up to the concierge app that you're vegan, no shellfish, no gluten, or anything else, the kitchen sees it before you arrive. The menu adapts without you having to ask. If your preferences shift on the day, tell the team; nothing is locked.
Pairing Pomona with the rest of the day
A few honest sequences guests return to:
- Snorkel The Nest in the morning, lunch at Pomona, daybed afternoon, sunset on the west side, light dinner back at the villa. A slow day.
- Beach club lunch, spa late afternoon, Pomona for dinner. The standard first night.
- Long Pomona lunch, swim, repeat. Day three of a six-day stay. We see it constantly.
Children at Pomona
Welcome. The kitchen handles less spicy variations of most plates without fuss. The room is calm enough that older kids enjoy the kitchen pass seats; younger ones we tuck near the garden side where they can wander without being underfoot.
What Pomona isn't
For setting expectations:
- Not a beach shack. The kitchen is serious; the room is considered. The dress code is gentle but the food is the centre.
- Not a high-touch service performance. The team is attentive but quiet. No singing waiters, no flaming desserts at the table.
- Not a fusion restaurant. It's a South American kitchen with respect for Indonesian produce. The plates are Argentine and Peruvian; the fish is local. We don't dress that up.
How to book
Walk-ins are taken when there's space. In high season (July, August, Christmas, New Year) we recommend booking 24 hours ahead. The concierge app has a single button to do this. So does our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of food does Pomona serve?
South American, with Argentine and Peruvian foundations. Wood-fire is central. Ceviches, empanadas, grilled meats and fish, plus thoughtful vegetarian and vegan options.
Do I need to book?
In high season and on weekends, yes. Outside those windows walk-ins are usually fine. Hotel guests can book through the BASK Concierge app or just message the team.
Is Pomona only for hotel guests?
No. Pomona is open to non-resident guests too. Most diners in any given evening are a mix of in-house BASK guests and visitors from the other Gili Islands.
What's the dress code?
Resort smart. No singlets at dinner, please. Otherwise relaxed. The room doesn't ask you to perform.
Are there vegetarian and vegan options?
Yes, several. The cauliflower steak and the charred eggplant are highlights. The kitchen will adapt almost anything; tell them what you'd like.
How long is a typical dinner?
Two hours for an a la carte dinner with wine. Two and a half to three for the chef's tasting. We pace deliberately; nobody is rushed.
Is there a wine pairing?
Yes, Manuel writes a pairing for the chef's tasting and will hand-build glasses for any a la carte order. Ask when you sit down.
