Restaurant Review

Review by The Travellist

Picture this...you’ve had a busy day diving, or snorkelling with the kids, or exploring the island, and you just want to relax, have good food and maybe a drink or two. But the younger people in the family still want entertainment!

Now picture sitting on deck chairs, under palm trees and stars, with a delicious pizza, icy cold beer (only for the parents!) and you’re watching a movie. Sounds like a perfect way to end the day right?

Let me introduce myself – my name is Clare, a.k.a The Travellist, and I am a Movies Under the Stars fan through and through. So much so I plan my trips to Lembongan around what movies are playing. I do live in Sanur so it’s not a hard trip to plan! I just happen to really like sitting close to the beach, in the fresh air, under the stars, drinking wine and eating great food – the movie is a lovely bonus.

Movies Under the Stars is held at Hai Bar & Grill, located at the Hai Tide Beach Resort, so you have the advantage of being able to order off their full menu while chilling out on deck chairs. You can even order your dinner and cocktails before the movie starts and the staff will bring it out to you. I like matching my food to the movie. So for example they played Star Wars recently so I had a Hawaiian pizza because it took me right back to my childhood. For The Castle I had a burger, only because they don’t do rissoles – a Castle reference. And yes, the place was packed for The Castle, with Aussies quoting their favourite lines before, during and after the movie. (What do you want with jousting sticks Darl?)

The great thing about Movies Under the Stars is that it’s great to go as a whole family or parents – let the kids order pizza and watch a classic like The Goonies or The Princess Bride, while you enjoy a quiet dinner and a cocktail or three at the restaurant.

Holidaying on Lembongan can be as action-packed as you like: with diving; surfing; yoga-ing; motor-biking; or just walking from one great bar to another. And in a few days you can do all this and more. But holidays on Lembongan can also be very relaxing with long lazy days by the pool, daily massages and afternoon siestas. For me there is something quite magical about watching a movie in the open air, with a cool breeze, candle light, and wine. And aren’t holidays meant to be just that little bit magical?

Hai Bar & Grill change the movie selection weekly with movie nights being Monday, Thursday and Saturday currently. So if you are heading to Lembongan, check their Facebook page for what’s showing at the movies.

https://www.facebook.com/haibarandgrill/

Oh and one more thing to love about Movies Under the Stars, if you are doing dinner at Hai Bar & Grill, they have a pick up and drop off service. So tired kids don’t have to walk home and you can safely enjoy an extra wine...or two!

Happy Lembongan-ing holiday makers!

Words and images by The Travellist

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Review by The Travellist

Not many restaurants open and are packed every single day and night from the moment they open the doors. It’s a sign of delicious food, great service and good prices. Lemongrass Bar & Restaurant opened just over 6 months ago and if they could fit in more tables, they would fill them too.

On a busy night, if you don’t have a booking, you can expect to sit at the bar and wait for a table for a short time...which is fine because the drinks list is huge and the wait for a table is more than worth it.

I’m not going to pretend that this is my first visit to Lemongrass. In fact a few friends know if I’m not home, it’s a safe bet I’m at Lemongrass Bar & Restaurant. There’s not much on the menu I haven’t tried but I do have a few faves. The pizzas are all cheesy goodness on a crispy base – if you can handle heat, add a handful of freshly chopped chilli to the vegetarian pizza. The pasta Mediterranean is a light but filling combination of fresh tuna, olives, tomato and eggplant. And the Nasi Campur...a huge plate of delicious! You could order that dish and a few starters and share with it with someone...or don’t share it. And for 65,000IDR, it’s great value. A good friend of mine who also lives here swears by the Crispy Chicken, good comfort food served on mash potato or chips.

Lemongrass also offers a home delivery service. So for those nights when you just don’t want to leave the villa, order in and enjoy great food in the comfort of your villa or by the pool. A great solution when the kids are tired from a day of snorkelling and swimming or when last night’s cocktails means you need a quiet night at home.

However Lemongrass isn’t just a restaurant. It has great live music and the drink selection is so big it has a menu all of its own. Try one of their namesake fresh juices (Lemongrass Detox is my fave) or be naughty and have a cocktail and listen to local island or Bali bands.

I admit when I first went to Lemongrass Bar & Restaurant was because when a new restaurant opens it’s exciting to go check it out. But I kept coming back. Partly for the food and partly for how the place makes you feel. With the big couches and chairs you could curl up in, it’s like having your good friends over for dinner...where someone else is cooking amazing food and making sure your glass is never empty.

But for this Lemongrass fan and foodie, it’s the staff and the owners who make me want to come back all the time. Pak Wayan and Ibu Wayan care about their business and their staff and it shows. They greet you as you come up the steps and if you go there as often as I do, you get a hug from everyone!

Put Lemongrass Bar & Restaurant at the top of your list of places to eat and drink when visiting our beautiful island. Oh and say hi from me and The Lembongan Traveller!

For more information about Lemongrass Bar & Restaurant CLICK HERE

Words and images by The Travellist

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