In Reply to: Thanks! posted by Nick on Thursday, 12. August 1999 at 00:03 Bali Time:
...we ate at several beautiful hotel restaurants (will have to get back to you on the names) but Bumbu Bali (in Tanjung Benoa) stands out because it was our first venture outside the resort area - so does the Lotus Cafe in Ubud - and they both pretty much summed up what made us fall in love with Bali - the completely off-the-wall, unexpected!
Bumbu Bali was our first experience of open-walled, thatch roof Balinese architecture - we shook our heads with wonder (it WAS our first trip to Asia!!) as we'd been expecting what we're used to in Canada, or for that matter, in Europe - a box with a restaurant sign hanging over it. The entire evening was marvellous, and the restaurant houses a cooking school, as it is renowned for preparing authentic BALINESE dishes. If you go, order a lassi (yoghurt drink) to tone down the fire, if you're not used to it! You can eat there in confidence.
The Lotus Cafe was a "must-do" in ubud, and though the famous pond itself was a disappointment as it had been drained for repair (this was in May), the setting, with its enormous temple complex was terrific! I'd ordered grilled chicken and prawns, and my plate arrived at table complete with a tiny hibachi grill, red hot coals, and the skewers sizzling away! For dessert we had terrific brownies!
Still in "reminiscing" mode, suffering from post-Bali depression.
My other recommendations are, be sure to take a gamelan CD home with you (then you can REALLY revel in that post-Bali syndrome!) ...and if you have the time, we highly recommend the two Wakalouka tours we took - the two best days of our stay. We took the Landrover drive up 3000 feet into the rainforest (what a surprise awaits you up there!!! We were like children again ) and the catamaran crossing to Lembongan Island, to Waka louka's own little luxury hideaway on Mushroom Bay. What a spectacular day! Both trips first class, (only six people on the Landrover tour, twenty five or so to the resort), highly romantic and more fun than we've had since...can't remember!! Hope you two have as fabulous a time as we did!!!!!