Savoring dining moments in Jimbaran

Wahyuni Kamah, Contributor, Jimbaran, Bali

For seafood lovers, a visit to Jimbaran beach, about 12 kilometers south of Denpasar, is a must.

It's not only the fish, but the atmosphere that makes a trip to one of the food stalls situated along the beach of Jimbaran Bay worth a try. One such stall is Furama 2.

Location: This beach-front food stall is located along Kedonganan Beach in Jimbaran Bay. There are scores of beach-front food stalls along the two-kilometer stretch of sand from Jimbaran to Kedonganan. Just go to the north of Jl. Pantai Kedonganan, and the food stall is located opposite the village-organized taxi pool.

Hours: From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. But if you want to make sure it is open, call 0361-709021.

Looks: In Jimbaran, most food stalls, usually called cafes, have a simple setting arrangement. In Furama, one can choose to eat inside or outside of the stall. If you eat outside, the square tables and plastic chairs are sunk into the smooth white sand. The tables are lined with red or black Balinese poleng cloth overlaid with a dark gummy tablecloth. Each table can seat up to three or six people, and are located below large white cotton umbrellas.

Inside the stall, the interior is modest since most diners prefer to eat by the beach, although the sea breeze can be a little chilly in the late evening. Overall, the Furama 2 is neat, and in the corner there is a small bar for those who just want to idle the night away with a drink in their hand.

What's It Got: The selection includes fresh lobster, baby prawns, king prawns, squid, red snapper, snapper, crabs and grouper squids, which are displayed just by the kitchen near the parking lot. Diners only need to point to what they want and the waiter will serve the fish either grilled or fried, as requested.

The fish are grilled using coconut husk charcoal, which fills the air with a wonderful aroma. While waiting for the fish, diners are served a small portion of deliciously fried peanuts and a glass or orange syrup.

The steamed rice is placed in a covered, coconut-plaited rice basket (bakul), while the grilled or fried fish is served with different sambal (chili), such as sambal matah (Balinese raw sambal), sambal merah (red chili), sambal kecap (raw sliced shallots and chili mixed with sweet soy sauce) and garlic sambal, and pelecing kangkung (Lombok's spicy traditional dish made of water spinach). Except for the sambal, all the food is served on a banana-leaf covered ingke. Ingke is a typical Balinese plate plaited of palm leaf ribs.

Tea and coffee are served in teapots. A plate of attractively sliced watermelon, melon and banana is served as dessert.

Taste Factor: The morning's catch certainly pleases the taste buds. The fish is well grilled and not too spicy. Of all the sambal, the Balinese sambal matah is the perfect match for the fish.

Price Point: The price depends on the sorts of fish you select. If you only choose fish, the cost starts at Rp 70,000 for two. If you choose lobster or king prawns, you might have to dig deeper into your wallet, with the price starting at Rp 250,000 for two. The price is inclusive tax and service.

Minus Point: Westerners are likely to be very pleased with the sambal, but for Indonesians it will be a bit disappointing because it is not as hot as it should be and the portions are a little small.

The pelecing kangkung is also not as appealing as Lombok's original version, where the vegetables are green and very spicy.

Verdict: The best time to enjoy barbecued fish is while the sun is setting or in the evening, with the twinkling stars shining down on the white sand of the beach. From a distance, the flickering lights from the star-rated hotels add some romance to the dining experience. The absence of loud music blasting >from huge loudspeakers allows you to dine in peace while chatting with your friends or simply enjoying the sea breeze.