Pomona, a new South American-inspired restaurant, has opened on Gili Meno, the smallest of the Gili Islands. The eatery is the second venture from executive chef Bastian Marcel and Australian owner Greg Meyer, who also run the beach club at Bask, a luxury hotel on the island.
Pomona features pink-washed walls, baby-blue picnic tables, and custom-made cutlery and dishware, creating a Mexican motif that suits the tropical setting. The restaurant offers three dining areas: an inner courtyard with cacti, an interior with high-arched doors and deep booths, and an al fresco area facing the beach with beanbags for sunset views.
The menu is Tex-Mex style, with dishes including fries loaded with chorizo sausage, Baja fish tacos, spicy chipotle wings, and beef anticuchos—Peruvian-style tenderloin skewers with pickled red onions, coriander, and chilli oil. The skewers were praised as the best meat on a stick the reviewer had ever had, except for lamb kebabs in Iran.
Pomona is 100 per cent gluten-free, with crunchy nachos and taco shells. However, the gluten-free churros were noted as lacking crunch. The reviewer felt some dishes were missing heat, likely to appeal to Western tastes, but suggested adding more spice for depth of flavour.
Overall, Pomona was described as a colourful, novel addition to the Gili Islands dining scene, receiving four stars. The restaurant is open for dinner, and reservations can be made via Instagram at pomona_gilimeno.
