Gado gado in Candi Dasa Bali

Candi Dasa makes a great stop off point for a trip to the East Coast of Bali. Yesterday heading back to Kuta I swung down the steep winding road from the coastal bukit into downtown Candi Dasa and had lunch at the Dewata Agung restaurant. The Dewata Agung is located next to the famous lagoon. One European family sat close by with their young child. The staff all took turns to hold and play with it. The menu at the Dewata Agung featured the usual grilled snapper fried tuna etc. that you can find everywhere on the coast. For 25,000rp I ate a delicious gado gado (steamed vegetables with peanut sauce and rice). My gado gado featured steamed cabbage, hard-boiled egg, spinach, cucumber, tomato, green beans, carrots and sprouts. A side of nasi putih (white rice) completed the dish.

This restaurant seemed affordable, though not flashy. The staff, all in traditional attire was friendly, 4 separate people coming over to say hello.

Chatting to one young waitress I asked if she was married. She said yes but her husband is sick. He drinks a lot and had hepatitis. I said I hope he gets better then she will not have to work all the time. I asked if she had been around Bali and she said coming from Amlapura, she had only ever been to Kintamani, Kuta and Ubud. You will find with many Balinese that apart from their job location, their village and a regional temple, they probably have not seen much of the island.