Warung Rasa

Warung Rasa sits right on the waterfront in Sekotong's small fishing harbor, serving seafood so fresh it was swimming hours before it hits your plate. This is not a tourist-facing restaurant with menus and prices — it is a genuine fisherman's warung where you walk up to the display of the morning's catch, point at what you want, negotiate a fair price, and then watch it grilled over coconut husks right in front of you. Typical options include whole snapper, barramundi, grouper, squid, prawns, and sometimes lobster when the season is right. A whole grilled fish with rice, sambal, and vegetables runs IDR 40,000-70,000 depending on species and size — a fraction of what you would pay on the Gilis or in Senggigi for the same quality. The lobster, when available, is an absurd bargain at IDR 100,000-150,000 for a plate-sized specimen. The sambal is made fresh and nuclear-hot. Drinks are limited to water, sweet tea, and young coconut. The setting is wonderfully raw: wooden platforms extend over the water, fishing boats bob in the harbor, and the Secret Gili islands dot the horizon. Seating is on the floor on woven mats — bring a cushion if you are not used to sitting cross-legged for an hour. No English spoken, but smiling and pointing works. Cash only. Best visited at lunchtime when the morning catch is freshest. Open roughly 10am to 6pm.