There is no dearth of quality dining options when you are in the land of the Gods - Bali. But when it comes to Ubud, the story is slightly different. The artistic and cultural centre of Bali as Ubud is often described is not exactly teeming with restaurants and bars. There are plenty of art galleries and wood carving centres but eating options are still quite limited in Ubud. In fact, if you are looking to party then Ubud should probably figure lowest on your list of Bali hangouts. There are just about five bars which open beyond 11 pm and these too shut down by 1:30 pm.
Well, I did not go to Ubud seeking nightlife and on my latest trip my focus was solely on rest and relaxation of the brainless kind. After checking out the big but missable monkey forest (I am an Indian so monkeys don't hold an exotic appeal for me), we walked around Monkey Forest Road looking for a place to have lunch. At the end of the road, we spotted an exterior which looked like an art gallery but had people trooping in and out for ostensibly a meal. Deciding to have a dekko, we too popped in and wow - a new world beckoned us beyond the threshold. Welcome to Indus.
The restaurant does not look fancy from outside but walk in past painting laden walls and you are offered breath taking views of the forest and Tjampuhan river. The restaurant is set on two dining levels offering both indoor and outdoor seating. Ask for outdoor seating on the higher level. We were lucky to get such a table and the setting was just right - windy weather offering us good views of the hills with the river gushing below. Whilst the indoor seating is typical Balinese style with ground seating on cushions around a wooden table, the outdoor seating is contemporary. A melange of music was playing in the background including instrumental versions of Indian devotional songs ! Not sure if this is a regular feature or it was a special gesture for us.
The restaurant offers a day's special menu which is really a selection of dishes from the regular menu. There is a choice of Indonesian fusion food and continental food with hints of Thai influence (generous use of kaffir lime leaves and coconut). A basket of fried tapioca cakes were served as complimentary starters. Whilst it was hot and crispy, there was a slight aftertaste which makes me think the oil was dubious. I ordered a Tasmanian salmon with snake beans in Indonesian spices and it was wonderful. Wrapped in banana leaf and priced at IDR 130,000 (Approx USD 13) it has to be the least expensive chunk of tasty salmon I've ever had. My better half ordered Balinese seafood paella with yellow rice and it was quite decent. Main course dishes are all priced in the range of USD 6 - 13 which is very reasonable given the portion size and restaurant setting. Side orders of mashed potatoes etc are priced at USD 3 and desserts at USD 5. Let me mention here if you do not have the appetite for a full main course dish, they have smaller portions of the same available. What a wonderful feature! Drinks are also reasonably priced with local Bintang beer being priced at just USD 3. Indus has daily happy hours from 5pm - 7pm where cocktails are priced at USD 7 versus regular price of USD 9. As if the Indian music was not enough, the drinks menu also featured 'Lassis' (Indian non alcoholic yoghurt drink)!
Service at Indus is polite and efficient. The staff seem genuinely happy to serve you. I sent back our Bintang as it was not chilled enough and the serving lady promptly got another one without batting an eyelid. The ambience at Indus is laid back and is just the place where you can spend your day looking at the lush greenery. The Indus group has a bar in Ubud town called Casa Luna. Whilst we walked past it later in the evening and saw it packed to the hilt, we did not venture inside. If Indus is any indication, then Casa Luna deserves a visit as well. I have it marked out for my next trip to Ubud. I highly recommend you pay a visit to Indus. Just sit back and gaze at the greenery for hours at end without burning a hole in your pocket.
Well, I did not go to Ubud seeking nightlife and on my latest trip my focus was solely on rest and relaxation of the brainless kind. After checking out the big but missable monkey forest (I am an Indian so monkeys don't hold an exotic appeal for me), we walked around Monkey Forest Road looking for a place to have lunch. At the end of the road, we spotted an exterior which looked like an art gallery but had people trooping in and out for ostensibly a meal. Deciding to have a dekko, we too popped in and wow - a new world beckoned us beyond the threshold. Welcome to Indus.
The restaurant does not look fancy from outside but walk in past painting laden walls and you are offered breath taking views of the forest and Tjampuhan river. The restaurant is set on two dining levels offering both indoor and outdoor seating. Ask for outdoor seating on the higher level. We were lucky to get such a table and the setting was just right - windy weather offering us good views of the hills with the river gushing below. Whilst the indoor seating is typical Balinese style with ground seating on cushions around a wooden table, the outdoor seating is contemporary. A melange of music was playing in the background including instrumental versions of Indian devotional songs ! Not sure if this is a regular feature or it was a special gesture for us.
The restaurant offers a day's special menu which is really a selection of dishes from the regular menu. There is a choice of Indonesian fusion food and continental food with hints of Thai influence (generous use of kaffir lime leaves and coconut). A basket of fried tapioca cakes were served as complimentary starters. Whilst it was hot and crispy, there was a slight aftertaste which makes me think the oil was dubious. I ordered a Tasmanian salmon with snake beans in Indonesian spices and it was wonderful. Wrapped in banana leaf and priced at IDR 130,000 (Approx USD 13) it has to be the least expensive chunk of tasty salmon I've ever had. My better half ordered Balinese seafood paella with yellow rice and it was quite decent. Main course dishes are all priced in the range of USD 6 - 13 which is very reasonable given the portion size and restaurant setting. Side orders of mashed potatoes etc are priced at USD 3 and desserts at USD 5. Let me mention here if you do not have the appetite for a full main course dish, they have smaller portions of the same available. What a wonderful feature! Drinks are also reasonably priced with local Bintang beer being priced at just USD 3. Indus has daily happy hours from 5pm - 7pm where cocktails are priced at USD 7 versus regular price of USD 9. As if the Indian music was not enough, the drinks menu also featured 'Lassis' (Indian non alcoholic yoghurt drink)!
Service at Indus is polite and efficient. The staff seem genuinely happy to serve you. I sent back our Bintang as it was not chilled enough and the serving lady promptly got another one without batting an eyelid. The ambience at Indus is laid back and is just the place where you can spend your day looking at the lush greenery. The Indus group has a bar in Ubud town called Casa Luna. Whilst we walked past it later in the evening and saw it packed to the hilt, we did not venture inside. If Indus is any indication, then Casa Luna deserves a visit as well. I have it marked out for my next trip to Ubud. I highly recommend you pay a visit to Indus. Just sit back and gaze at the greenery for hours at end without burning a hole in your pocket.
Thanks for this informative post...
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