Makan Bali - Seafood

This one is not so much about good food but about seafood in Bali. Bali, being an island surrounded by the sea, should have plenty of seafood right? Well, yes there is Jimbaran Beach which has a whole cluster of seafood restaurants. Naturally when we said we wanted to eat seafood, our driver cum guide brought us there.

The nice but so dark beach restaurant

The atmosphere was fantastic. We sat on the beach on beautiful wooden chairs. There was a band of roving musicians moving from table to table. There was also traditional Balinese dancers. Great for a romantic night dinner until we saw the price of the seafood.

It was super ex by our standard. Coming from a place where a lobster can cost close to a $100.00, when I said expensive I mean it is really expensive. After looking through the menu which was basically just a list of seafood items with prices on a per kg basis, we settled for the set menu for 2 which looks the most reasonably priced.

This is a platter of seafood - 4 Tiger prawns which seems very small, 5 squids, 6 mussels and 1 fish. Plus of course the kangkong and 2 beer and a tiny plate of fruit. All that for RP800,000 excluding tax which came up to about S$110.00.

Not satisfied, we went to Kuta Beach on another evening and this time we went to this very atas looking place.

Bali seems to serve seafood in only 1 way ie barbecue and the restaurant had a similar menu to what we ate at Jimbaran but for a quarter of the price. We ordered the mix combo which was again 4 Tiger prawns, 4 squids, 6 mussels and 1 fish plus a tiny plate of fruit. No drinks included.

Fish and mussel

Prawn and squid

We threw in 2 beers, a soup and a desert of chendol and the bill came to RP400,000 or thereabout, about half of what we paid for earlier and we got the beach, nice comfortable sofa seat in a gazebo overlooking the sea with candle light of course.

The lesson we learnt was never to be led by the tour guide. Do our own research first and choose only those place we have heard good review of otherwise be prepared to be butchered!