KlaIpEda - In Your Pocket

42 palanga palanga 43
Sea Bridge, see p.44.
Molinis Ąsotis C-2, J. Basanavičiaus 8a, tel. (+370)
460 402 08, www.molinisasotis.lt. The Clay Pitcher offers
a modicum of protection from the seething masses on
Lithuania’s most unsophisticated thoroughfare with a choice
of international dishes which by all accounts taste better
than they read (pork chin fried in beer?). Assuming you can
decipher the gobbledygook on the menu, expect a charming,
old world interior, summer terrace, friendly serving girls and an
impressive wine list. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. 21Lt. TABS
Lithuanian
DeCuba C-2, J. Basanavičiaus 28, tel. (+370) 460 510
11, www.decuba.lt. Let’s be honest, this is neither a Cuban
restaurant nor for that matter is it an international restaurant
with Cuban food on the menu. What it actually is is a huge
outdoor theme park of a restaurant with a smaller, year-round
restaurant indoors, complete with little wooden bridges, musical
fountains, cheerful if at times flustered waitresses and a
range of Lithuanian and other dishes to choose from. Popular
with children of all ages, if you had to sum up Palanga in one
location, this would be the place. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. 25Lt.
PTAUBSW
Pizza
Čili Pica C-1, J. Basanavičiaus 45, tel. (+370) 460 573
59, www.cili.lt. Lithuania’s champion of pizza restaurants
has chosen a prime location in Palanga in which to operate,
just off the beach at the far end of the town’s favourite street.
Čili Pica continues to court controversy amongst those
who tried their food, although the opinion here is that for
the price you’d be a bit of a fool to complain. As well as the
aforementioned circular sustenance, the menu also includes
meat and pasta dishes plus one or two options for vegetarians.
Immensely popular, don’t roll up when they’re busy if
you need something quick. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat
10:00 - 24:00. 15Lt. TJAVBSW
Russian
Čagino C-2, J. Basanavičiaus 14a, tel. (+370) 460 535
55. Named after the one-time owner of the building that now
houses their parent restaurant in Vilnius, the Palanga outlet of
this hit-and-miss Russian affair offers classics such as chicken
with smoked plums in modern, glass surroundings on two
floors. Situated along the town’s premier catwalk, recommended
is a plate of blini with lashings of sour cream and a shot of
vodka whilst sat on the terrace watching the rednecks shuffle
by. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. 24Lt. PTJAUBSW
Steak
Lašas Steak House C-2, J. Basanavičiaus 29, tel.
(+370) 460 575 45, www.lasashotel.com. A rather bizarre-looking
two-storey house betrays both a recommended
steak restaurant and a hotel of the same name. Assuming you
only want to eat here, the bill of fare specialises in grilled meat
dishes far beyond the reaches of ordinary steak including
venison, duck and crocodile. Good value, protein rich rations
abound, and if you find yourself with a long wait, you might
consider taking advantage of the special in-house Jacuzzi.
QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. 20 - 30Lt. PTAUEBSW
Valgyklas
Translating into English as dining room or canteen, the
classic Lithuanian valgykla offers students, workers and
in the case of Palanga, cost-conscious holidaymakers,
simple, hearty meals in unsophisticated surroundings at
rock bottom prices. The classic valgykla provides budget
nosh and a step back in time for visitors who need to
watch their pennies. Don’t expect English menus or polyglots
among the staff.
Svetainė (Jūros Akmuo) C-5, Vytauto 94, tel. (+370)
460 532 59. You’ll be hard pushed to find a friendly face in
here, nor for that matter will you come across a matching
knife and fork, but that’s not the point. Sacrificing just about
everything you ever wanted from a restaurant with the exception
of the stuff that goes on the plates, this fine old institution
couldn’t care less about customer service, being far too busy
cooking classic local dishes including cepelinai and kotletai
and keeping them nice and warm until you arrive. Smashing.
QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. 9Lt. BS
Barbecue
Piano Barbecue C-1, Basanavičiaus 24a, tel. (+370)
604 701 01. What else would you call a restaurant that
specialises in barbecue cooking and that features a white
grand piano in the front garden? It may be a bit of a gimmick,
but these people really are trying to make an effort,
which after you’ve run the gauntlet of the standard awful
restaurants in Palanga you’ll be more than grateful for.
There’s also an impressive wine list, and the garden with
the piano in it is a great place to sit and watch the locals
wander by in their thousands on a hot summer day. Q 20Lt.
PTJAEBSW
Microbreweries
Pas Juozą Žibininkai, tel. (+370) 445 446 78,
www.hbh.lt. Looking like a cross between a medieval
village and an out of town shopping centre, what started
as a small bar selling local, family-produced beer in 1995
has turned into something much, much bigger. A recommended
half-day family excursion, surplus to the superb
ale and honest local fare are a huge garden complete with
a basketball court, bizarre sculpture park, sauna, hotel,
an almost endless repertoire of events and, if you need
it, they can also organise everything from horse riding to
paintballing. The beer they make incidentally, HBH, retails
at the marvellous price of just 4Lt for half a litre. In the
tiny settlement of Žibininkai 7km northeast of Palanga,
find it on the other side of the A13 (E272). A taxi should
set you back around 15-20Lt. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00.
20Lt. PTULEBSW
Nightlife
Nightlife in Palanga revolves around the time-honoured
pursuit of bare-chested car mechanics and their wives
drinking lager and singing along to karaoke and variations
therein. Almost without exception, bars and clubs
are only open during the short summer season making
research almost impossible. If you’re visiting Palanga for
the party atmosphere, simply ask around to see what’s
going on and keep and eye out for the posters all over
town. The following diehard venues are guaranteed to
be open for business.
Laukinių Vakarų Salūnas C-1, J. Basanavičiaus
16, tel. (+370) 670 088 88, www.salunas.lt. What
lobotomies were invented for, this mildly cowboythemed
adventure into brilliant absurdity would last
about a week in most civilised towns. In Palanga
however it’s been packing them in for years, helped
along by a tantalising programme of banality including
karaoke, wet-T-shirt contests and the occasional
foray into the world of impromptu fisticuffs. Brutal,
bonkers and just what every group of puerile staggers
ever desired. Q Open 24hrs. Entrance 10 - 50Lt.
AUEBW
Vila Ramybė D-2, Vytauto 54, tel. (+370) 460
541 24, www.vilaramybe.lt. A hotel bar worth
visiting is a rare thing indeed, and whilst some nights
it’s like the Mary Celeste in here, others are a different
kettle of fish altogether. This welcome haven of
culture comes to life each summer with a very un-
Palanga set of guests who wish nothing more than
to hobnob it with a more arty crowd than the usual
knuckle-draggers. The terrace also acts as a stage
for live jazz from time to time. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00.
Entrance free. AUBSW
Caucasian
Ararat Vytauto 147a, tel. (+370) 652 249 91, www.
ararat.lt. Palanga’s hardly lacking in places to eat grilled
Armenian food, although it does fall down a bit when it’s
required with a touch of class. This restaurant owned and
run by the people of the same name in Klaipėda serves an
extensive range of quality Armenian nosh in an atmosphere
of mild sophistication. A good option for equally decent food
in a less hectic part of town. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. 20Lt.
PTAUBS
Armėniška Virtuvė C-2, Basanavičiaus 17, tel.
(+370) 652 875 79, www.kaukazietiskipatiekalai.lt.
One of a number of exemplary restaurants in town serving
this marvellous style of cooking, the grilled meat here, not to
mention the spicy soups, are well worth trying. Concerning
the meat on the menu, avoid everything that isn’t cooked in
the traditional way. Recommended. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00.
TJABSW
What to see
If your cultural expectations extend beyond collecting
strangers’ telephone numbers and emptying your
bladder on the beach in the middle of the night, all is
not lost if you find yourself in Palanga. The following few
recommendations provide several opportunities to get
away from the morons and enjoy one or two of the finer
things in life.
Museums
Amber Museum (Gintaro Muziejus) E-1, Vytauto
17, tel. (+370) 460 513 19, www.pgm.lt. Situated inside
the fabulous 19th-century neo-Classical former mansion of
Count Tiškevičius (Pol. Tyszkiewicz), this exemplary museum
holds some 25,000 pieces of amber of which over half have
animals and plants trapped inside. Telling the fascinating story
of Baltic Gold, this is a wonderful place to spend an hour in
and is highly recommended for keeping children entertained.
The back of the mansion features a famous rose garden,
and the mansion itself also hosts the occasional concert
and recital. Q Ticket office open 11:00 - 16:30, Sun 11:00
- 16:30. Closed Mon (Sep 1 - May 30). 10:00 - 19:00, Sun
10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon (Jun 1 - Aug 31). Admission 8/4Lt.
Antanas Mončys House Museum (Antano Mončio
Namai - Muziejus) D-2, S. Daukanto 16, tel. (+370)
460 493 67, www.antanasmoncys.com. Lithuanian sculptor
Antanas Mončys (1921-1993) fled the country in 1944,
eventually finding a home and a place to work in post-war
Paris. Recognised during the massive changes taking place
in Lithuania in 1988, this small cottage-museum features
some of his finest work as well as drawings, exhibition posters,
personal affects and other items of interest. Like all great
sculptors, Mončys was obsessed with the tactile quality of
his work, and accordingly left a clause in his will specifying
that it was perfectly acceptable for others to touch it, these
pieces included. QOpen 13:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon, Tue.
Admission 4/2Lt.
Dog Museum (Šunų Muziejus) Taikos 8, tel. (+370)
688 188 20, www.sunumuziejus.lt. Not to be outdone by
Šiauliai and its rather splendid Cat Museum, Palanga fights
back tooth and claw with this baffling little diversion. Starting
life two decades ago with a single ceramic dog, the museum
has simply ballooned out of all proportions into a collection
of over 2,000 souvenir hounds made from some 22 different
materials and originating from almost 40 countries. Featuring
everything from dog-shaped earrings to soft stuffed pooches,
the Dog Museum is the only one of its kind in the Baltics, and
we think we know why. Q Open 16:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon,
Sun. Also by appointment. Admission 5/2.50Lt.
Exile & Resistance Museum (Tremties ir Rezistencijos
Muziejus) C-2, J. Basanavičiaus 21. The owners
appear to be in almost permanent exile and there’s a certain
amount of resistance when it comes to unlocking the doors
to this small museum dedicated to those who fought against
the Soviets and who were transported to Siberia. We haven’t
managed to get inside ourselves, so we can’t tell you much
more. A similar museum in Kaunas is well worth visiting if
that’s anything to go by. Q Open Wed, Sat, Sun 16:00 - 18:00.
Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri. Admission free. J
Churches
Church of the Assumption (Šv. Mergelės Marijos
Dangun Ėmimo Bažnyčia) C-2, M. Valančiaus 51, tel.
(+370) 460 561 86. This grand, neo-Gothic beauty between
the bus station and Basanavičiaus was built between 1897
and 1906 to a design by the Swedish architect K. Strandman.
The dark interior offers a welcome and distinctly cool
break from the madness outside, with the altars made from
scores of little silver arms and legs being of particular interest.
At 76m, the imposing spire can be seen from just about
anywhere in town. Across the street and just to the left is a
WWII Red Army war memorial complete with one of the few
remaining hammer and sickles in the country. Q Mass 08:00,
19:00, Sun 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 19:00.
Klaipėda In Your Pocket klaipeda.inyourpocket.com klaipeda.inyourpocket.com
June 2012 - May 2013