Last week I had the pleasure of traveling around the East end of Bali and I finished my trip in a tiny little town called Arturan, just outside of Lovina. At first, my impression of the place was that it was pretty small and that the beach wasn't very nice - considering I had just come from Amed, where the water is so blue... But within a day I had met just about everybody working in or around those few homestays, and one man in particular who certainly had his pulse on the party situation: Dominggo.
The first night we were there, we were having dinner right next door to The Chico Bungalows when we heard a bunch of guys laughing and singing on the beach. As soon as we went over to see what was happening, rice wine was being offered and the rest of the night was a blur... The next morning, suddenly everyone knew our names, so it must have been a good time! Dominggo greeted me and told me his bother, a local fisherman, had caught a huge mahi-mahi that morning and he was going to BBQ it that evening - Who says no to that?
It was some of the best fish I've ever had in my life - nothing too fancy, just good BBQ through and through. The best part was how Dominggo left his little niece to man the flames! She sat by the fish the whole time and watched it like a hawk. In the end it was more like eating a perfectly cooked salmon then the usual tough, white mahi-mahi steaks I'd had in the past. The meal was HUGE and I couldn't believe it when I finished the whole thing - the chili sauce itself was delectable as well, spicy, but not overpowering. What a meal!
Of course, Dominggo had also ordered some wood for a bonfire and we sat under the stars, singing and playing guitar while staring out across the Pacific. I can't wait to go back and see what else he can cook up!
