ALL NEW ESCAPE TRAVEL
BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS CALM AND CHILLED AT NIGHT AND WHEN MANARAI CRANKS IT UP, IT BRINGS A HOST OF BIG NAMES TO TOWN.
YOU don’t get to be the No.1 restaurant on Trip Advisor unless you are doing something right and Manarai Beach House is doing plenty right. The establishment rocketed to the No.1 position (out of 238) in Nusa Dua and No.3 overall (out of 6822) in Bali this month. The cool, casual and chilled beach club, right on the sandy beach front at Nusa Dua, is quietly winning over a legion of fans who prefer the serenity of Nusa Dua and the absence of high entry fees, long hot queues and the cruel sting of a large minimum spend. Instead Manarai Beach House welcomes guests of all ages into its indoor or outdoor restaurants that serve a melting pot fusion of Indonesian and Western food. Try, for example, a delicious crispy tuna tempe, true aioli and caramelised onion with micro greens. If it’s a morning visit with the kids, float around in one of the two pools, play on the sandy beach and have an iced coffee, or a sneaky mimosa and tasty hot dish or two to share. Stay for lunch and all afternoon if you like, lounging on the wide, soft, comfy lounge chairs on the beach or poolside. Or come late afternoon, try their famous cocktails served in artistic and outrageous style and hang late for dinner, inside the air-conditioned restaurant or in the breezy cabanas and outdoor areas. But it is not always calm and chilled at night and when Manarai cranks it up, it brings a host of big names to town. Last month rapper A$AP Rocky entertained 2300 fans and other big-name performers have included Elrow, Jonas Blue and Galantis, among other world-class entertainment. The well-known and loved Australian musician and DJ Flume will be entertaining the crowds on August 24 with Brit singer Grace Carter during the Sunny Side Up Tropical Festival in August at Manarai. The Manarai Beach House is managed by Ismaya, which started from humble beginnings with a single outlet, Blowfish Kitchen and Bar in Jakarta, introducing its original and innovative concept in entertainment. Now a market leader for the past 16 years, Ismaya Group owns and operates 27 exceptional lifestyle brands that encompass restaurants, lounges and entertainment, stretched out between Bali, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai. Ismaya has now gone big. The group has opened many outlets outside of Jakarta in 2018, including beloved brands such as Mr Fox, Tokyo Belly, and The People’s Cafe, among others, in Surabaya, Bali and Balikpapan. Continuing its expansion in 2019, Ismaya is set to conquer foreign markets outside of Indonesia. After its very successful entry in Dubai with brands such as Social House, GIA and Markette, this year Ismaya is expected to open more branches in the Asia region, with Blackbyrd and Dragonfly Kuala Lumpur marking its first foray into the Malaysian market. Ismaya is expected to double the number of its establishments by the end of the year with 80 additional outlets, which will make it one of the largest lifestyle companies in South-East Asia.