My Fave Eats In Bali
By Mark O’Brien
I had a few favourite eating places in Bali, where I felt most comfortable and liked the ambience, the staff, the food and the environment which separated them from lots of other places.
Have you been to Bali and got your favourite places to eat? Share them and your story at the bottom of this page.
I really liked Sea Circus (visit balifoodanfun.com for an updated review), which is on the Oberoi Road Seminyak, just down the road from Ku De Ta.
It is owned by an English expat, Charlie, who I met one night and charmed me with her humour, (she generously did her best to not smear the egg that was on my face after some assumptions I had made – I like compassion in a woman!) and is set in a very airy light filled pavilion.
They have a Melbourne chef who cooks up a modern style menu (tastes not quantity being the order of the day), all delicious. Visit to find out more, and tell Charlie I sent you.
One night I ordered something which I did not want (my ignorance of the menu) the chef offered to replace it with another dish, much to my embarrassed relief! So of course I went back.
I went there a few nights after tennis, sweaty and smelly, and other than place me in a remote table near the window, the very sweet waitresses were very polite and friendly, greeting me and offering commiserations for my defeat!
Expect to pay around $15-20 for a very nice dinner, with sweets and a beer or two.
Wine is very expensive everywhere in Bali, BUT they have an impressive cocktail list they are proud of. AND, one day when the gods are smiling, their state of the art capuccino machine will be up and running and Charlie will be happy.
There is restaurant in Kerobakan called Warung Sobat II which was on my way home, and many other nights after playing tennis I ate there. Really good food, especially fish dishes, and cheap.
I used to eat a really nice tuna steak with veggies and salad, plus a beer, and it cost me around $6. They do not have a website, I do not know the street other than it is about 250 metres north of Kerobakan Gaol, where the Bali 9 and Schapelle Corby are spending their time.
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The taxi will know where it is. Nice Balinese restaurant, lovely people.
Where I also spent many evenings was the Mannekepis in Seminyak. The food is Belgium, a great place to have good solid fare, tasty and sophisticated, with a convivial host (Yannick) making sure everyone is happy.
To eat and have a beer, around $13-15. Great fish, chicken vol au vent, specialty Belgium food. And they have lots of live music, some really good jazz and some enthusiastic rhythym and blues bands.
AND upstairs, a great pool table! With well balanced cues, very smooth and ‘true’ table, and lots of good competition.
I was there a few nights and some really players passed through (and yes, I beat everyone at least once, and no, I did not get sharked like I did at the Balinese pool hall, see Shark Attack in Bali) including one, Yehudi, Yannick’s son, who is the best player I have seen (felt great to beat him, oddly, more than he won!).
There are also very good female players also which is a bit unusual in my experience in the West but quite common here, though it really has been years since I hung out in pool circles – clearly things have changed since I last did that.
Oh, and pool in Bali is usually free, which matters if you like to play 20-30 games a night.
See Playing pool in Bali for a list of the various options in Bali where you can play pool
I went out a lot alone at night, and found myself playing pool on many nights, which I really like. As a young adult I played a lot, and really enjoy it as a hobby, and it is a nice way to meet people.
In Bali you can spend as much or as little as you want. My preference was to find places where I really liked the food without spending masses of money. There are many great places, these are ones I recommend.
This was written by Mark O’Brien in July 2011. Since then the author has launched Balifoodandfun.com where there are hundreds of new My Fave Eats In Bali. Check them out if you are thinking of a Bali holiday.
See Going out in Bali for a fairly comprehensive list of the various bars, beachclubs, clubs, and restaurants in Bali
For more reviews and info about eating, wining, partying and generally availing yourself of what’s on offer in Bali, Jakarta, Lombok and the Gilis, visit, balifoodandfun.com
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