Warung Boni

We ate in a local warung tonight for dinner. $14.00 for two San Miguels, a large water, 2 entrees, rice and desserts. Balinese music played softly in the background; roosters crowed; gecko's hee hawed. It was like Bali used to be and delightful. Our host, Boni, owner of the warung (small restaurant), picked us up at the villa and delivered us back, full and content. 

I had the Soto Ayam and Richard had the fish. The food was fine; the place is a favorite of Trip Advisor contributors, rated as number 1 or number 2 in Candidasa. Boni started his business with two tables two years ago. Now he has 4 or 5 tables - Connie his wife cooks and the daughter waits tables. It's one of those off the beaten path places, despite the rave reviews, that you feel a little smug about finding. It's on a back road with a charming setting - Boni told us monkeys visit them every morning, looking for hand outs, clambering around. It's that kind of place. 

Boni's small son Krishna, aged three, sat in the front seat on the ride back and kind of crawled around - no seat belt, no car seat, no worries. I'm so used to seeing kids strapped in and lashed down that it almost shocked me. But not quite - people still smoke here; ride motorcycles without helmets; eat food fried in lard. It's a different world. 

 They are hospitable to a fault...you are warmly greeted, carefully seated- the service was fast and efficient, but still friendly. When we left, they almost carried us down the stairs, shook our hands, wished us well and invited us back.