We took a cab from our villa to Kuta Square because the complimentary drop-off did not extend to areas outside Seminyak. We were pretty clueless when we got off the cab so we simply walked around and went into random shops. There were many shops selling the usual surfing attire and a large departmental store called Matahari. I enjoyed shopping at Matahari where I grabbed a whole bunch of basic tank tops and the boyfriend picked a couple of tees. I have to say that they were very cheap but my tops kind of expanded after washing whilst his shrank.
Kuta Beach is right behind Kuta Square and is a long stretch of coarse sand and blue waters. The waters aren't clean and clear such that you can see the sea bed and the beach generally is not as clean and pristine as the beaches at Railay either. But it is definitely a crowded beach, full of surfers and people lazing around. We strolled along the beach for awhile until we were both hungry and started wandering back to Kuta Square in search of food.
We had our lunch at Gabah Restaurant and Bar which was an airy restaurant with average food. He had a cheeseburger while I had grilled chicken rice, neither of which was particularly memorable. We both ordered some cocktails which were decent but so forgettable that I cannot remember what we ordered anymore.
We continued walking down the street to the next mall which was Discovery Mall. It was a pretty regular mall with boring stuff that I did not fancy. I think we simply walked around and around, went up to the top floor, came back down, and concluded there was really nothing much here. There was nothing much along that street either so we decided to buy some water and grab a cab back to our villa.
We lazed around watching some movies at the villa and made a reservation for Sardines because I read many good reviews about it and was really keen to have dinner there. We hopped out of the villa and got the driver to give us a ride to Sardines. As it was a fine dining establishment, there was a dress code and the boyfriend obviously did not meet the criteria because he was wearing a singlet. Thankfully we anticipated this and he brought a tee along, so he changed into it and we were ushered into the restaurant.
For all those visiting Bali in a hot month and intending to have dinner at Sardines, I have to say that it was not a very comfortable affair. Granted, the view of the padi field right beside the restaurant was awesome and the food was fantastic, but the heat was really something else altogether. It is an al fresco restaurant and we were seated away from the main area so there wasn't any breeze or wind reaching us. I was wearing a cotton spaghetti strap dress yet I was beginning to sweat by the time I started on my main course, so yes. Food for thought if you are heading there.
We ordered a tuna carpaccio and a smoked salmon salad as appetizers. Our main courses were sauteed kingfish for the boyfriend and pan seared sea bass for me. The tuna carpaccio was great. The tuna was fresh, deliciously sweet, and I love the garnishing.
The smoked salmon salad was good too! Crunchy fresh vegetables and smoked salmon with a tangy salad dressing.
My pan seared sea bass was awesome. It was so awesome that I would go so far to say that it was the best meal I had in Bali (even La Lucciola cannot triumph this). The sea bass was tender, extremely fresh, and so sweet! It was pan seared to perfection, slightly crispy on the outside yet incredibly tender within. Drizzled with the sauce, the combination was heavenly. The mashed potatoes and salad were good too!
The boyfriend's sauteed kingfish. It was not as great as my pan seared sea bass but still good nonetheless. The boyfriend observed that the highlight of this dish was actually the rice because the grains were so chewy and tasty.
Service was impeccable and very attentive. As we opened a bottle of red wine, they moved us to a lower table beside the padi field after we were done with our food so that we could enjoy our drinks with the awesome view.
The food was great, very memorable, and I love everything about Sardines. Might be prudent to wear less if you are a lady and keen on managing the heat. If you are a guy then I suppose you would just have to suffer in slightly more clothes.
We came out of the restaurant in high spirits and were promptly led to a cab which was waiting across the street. The amazing thing was the price of the cab ride which was a shocking 50,000 rupiah for a ride which was less than 5 minutes. In all honesty, we could have walked but I guess we were too lazy and the red wine was taking its effect. Ah well.
Read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6!
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