Jimbaran Bay – Fishy Delights

Bali has some fabulous restaurants both up-market and those that are reasonably priced but still serving quality fare. Naturally, being surrounded by the ocean, seafood is prominent on the majority of menus. However, for feasting on the tastiest and freshest fish then the iconic Jimbaran Bay is the place to go. The place has changed dramatically compared to the first time I went there when people used to sit on the beach in front of an open fire whilst a Balinese guy would grill the delights of the ocean as your mouth watered.

Located only a 15 minute ride from Kuta, along the length of the beachfront there is a plethora of restaurants and warungs serving grilled seafood of varying quality and style. Running from Kedonganan in the north to Jalan Bukit Permai in the south, diners are spoilt for choice with over fifty places. However, if your wallet is fat then when you get down to the beach road, turn right. This is where you will find the expensive places. My advice; turn left for some of the greatest fish feasts on the island.

The seafood warungs do good business in the evenings. The accepted method of ordering food at Jimbaran is to check out the fresh fish at the front of the warung, choosing the items you want and asking the price. Most seafood is priced by the kilo, with lobster by the 100gr. Prices vary. Every thing that is caught in the sea you can purchase, literally!

After you have ordered your fish feast choose a table on the sand; my favourite being next to the shoreline. I like the warm ocean lapping over my feet The food generally takes around 25 minutes to appear and will include other items such as potatoes, rice, kangkung (green vegetables) and sambal. The whole beach BBQ atmosphere is also aided by the fact each warung cooks its seafood over huge grills fired with coconut husks, generating tremendous heat.

Some of the most popular seafood warungs are Roma Cafe, Jimbaran Beach Cafe and Bamboo. Jimbaran Seafood Warungs are also okay during the wet season as most can squeeze you inside if a shower suddenly hits.