Enter The Dragon
Discover plenty of double happiness and more at Happy Chappy, Seminyak’s hot new Chinese bar and restaurant.
Enter Happy Chappy, a sprawling bar and restaurant recently opened in Seminyak and not only will you be wowed by one of Bali’s most beautifully designed dining spaces, but you will easily guess what food you should expect. With its sumptuous, traditional-style Chinese interiors, diners are transported back to old China, starting at the entrance with a stunning large Buddha statue standing in a water feature to the carved dark wood throughout, offset by plum-hued walls. The huge attention to detail features Chinese art works and characters carved into wood, down to the glistening Peking ducks suspended in the kitchen windows.
The Dragon’s Den Bar (open 11AM to 1AM), with adjoining garden terrace, again oozes a bygone China, courtesy of a carved dragon snaking atop the solid wood bar and the classic Hong Kong Kung Fu movies screened continuously. Unique Signature Cocktails each come infused with premium regional teas and ingredients, labeled with iconic Chinese names such as Big Boss Drunken Tea, Enter the Dragon, the Dragon’s Den (refreshingly fragrant with vodka-infused lemongrass tea) and the China Doll (spicy with Szechuan pepper syrup). Or try the Lucky Beer imported from China. All are well priced, but Double Happiness Hour (daily 6PM to 7PM) offers a 30 percent discount off alcoholic beverages.
Open for lunch and dinner, Happy Chappy’s extensive menu is Australian and US-Chinese cuisine tweaked for Western palates and is very affordable, showcasing dishes from the Chinese culinary heavyweights, the Szechuan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Canton regions. Large dining tables spread across the vast dining floor, complete with “Lazy Susan” turntables, are perfect for families and groups and positively encourage sharing the large or small portion options.
Chopsticks at the ready for excellent value, the Dim Sum Platters (fried or steamed), are presented in large bamboo steamers with steamed dumplings, including flavoursome Xailongpao, pork “soup dumpling” and the classic entrée, Sang Choy Bau.
Other notables cover a Mongolian beef stir-fry with succulent tenderloin and juicy capsicums, Roasted Hong Kong Pork Belly and Traditional BBQ Peking Duck served two ways, including classic crispy skin duck rolled in mini-pancakes. Select live seafood from fish tanks within the vast open kitchen for Hong Kong-style steamed lobster or garupa, rounded off with Ginger Jelly with Lemon Sorbet — a tangy, palette-cleansing dessert. Don’t miss Friday Crab Night and the weekend Dim Sum Trolley (11AM to 2.30PM), served traditional-style on steel trolleys and with Hong Kong Babi Guling set menus.
Kiddies’ menus and takeaways are also available. No wonder we’re all “happy chappies”!
