Eating, Drinking and Nightlife
Apart from a few late-opening restaurants, things are pretty quiet by 11pm, and nightlife is low-key in Candi Dasa. There is no disco scene and live music comes and goes - check out Legenda, Ayu's and Ciao e basta; events are advertised on flyers nailed to trees around town. Videos are the main entertainment at Raja's, the Candi Bagus Pub, next door, Ciao e basta and Ari Tavern, but viewing can be frustrating as heavy traffic whizzes past. Balinese dance often accompanies dinner at local restaurants; again, look out for local advertisements . Astawa The most popular of a clutch of places at the eastern end of the main road offering highly competitive prices for good food, well-cooked and attractively presented. This one provides excellent lassis and a wide choice of local dishes and seafood as well as Western options. Also check out Aditya, Ketut, Iris and Lumbung nearby. Ayu's Restaurant This is one of the best-value restaurants on the main street. There's a large menu with all the usual traveller's fare and set menus from Rp15,000 are especially good value. There is regular live music. Ciao e basta Slightly hidden away off the main road, this two-storey place has an extensive menu of superb and good-value pasta, pizza, salads and home-made ice creams and desserts, plus a good selection of drinks and coffees. Legenda , centrally located on the main street. One of the few venues in Candi Dasa for live music, they also have an extensive menu featuring plenty of western choices, including spaghetti, pizza and steak, along with Indonesian food. Nyoman Cafe , on the turning down to the coast from the main road, Buitan. Attractively decorated and furnished with high ceilings, plus a good sound system and selection of recorded music. The menu isn't huge but there's a good choice of Western (lots of Italian) and Indonesian meals at reasonable prices. It's a relaxed spot and a brilliant place to chill out and write those postcards. Pandan Ignore the breakwater in the foreground and this is a pretty fair spot for a sunset drink. There's a big menu, good seafood and twice-weekly Indonesian/Western buffet for Rp25,000. Raja's Lots of people come for the nightly videos, but there is also a very big drinks list and plenty of Indonesian and Western dishes, including sausage and mash, pork chops and fillet steak. Rumah Makan Made There's a huge menu of steaks, pork and seafood featuring Western, local and Chinese cooking, but the baguettes filled with ham, cheese or tuna are especially fine and drinks come with free popcorn. Toke Cafe This long-term Candi Dasa favourite is set far enough back from the main road at the western end of central Candi Dasa for the road noise to be minimal. All customers get a non-alcoholic welcome drink and nibbles and there's a vast menu of seafood, pasta, pizza, chicken, pork and steak (Rp10-25,000), although you can eat more cheaply with nasi goreng. Set menus at Rp25-35,000 are excellent value and a blackboard advertises daily specials. The drinks list is equally varied.
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