Damasta Sports Bar & Grill sits right in the top corner of the Seminyak Markets on Jalan Oberoi, or Jalan Kayu Aya as they call it nowadays on maps. It was recently taken over by an old time hospitality management guru from around town, with the directive from the boss, “Do what you can with it.” So what does he do? Easy! Call in his old mate Jonesy to help.
Now, Jonesy is a bit of a character and knows his F&B game like the back of his hand. He’s been involved in restaurants for over 45 years, working in the fanciest of hotels, and setting up and running standalone ventures all over the region. So many in fact, he can’t remember how many. “Look, I was already retired, hung up my apron so to speak, but when I got the call from my old mate, I thought, OK I gotta help,” Jonesy was telling us the story, and many others, when we went to try their new Sunday Roast last weekend. That’s the way Aussies are, always ready to help out a mate and he does love to tell a story. So, first thing he does when he arrives is tell the owner they need this, that and the other―as in new equipment in the kitchen and training for the staff, and “Let’s go!”
With Jonesy out back behind the wheel and the Aussie manager out the front, Damasta has found a new lease of life.
Photos Above: The interiors of the sports bar Damasta right next to famed Warung Nia and the Seminyak Markets.
So, I was there last Sunday night to try their new Sunday Roast. I sat down with my buddy, Gilberto in the middle of the main dining area. There was a live-music duo doing their thing in the corner and a crowd of folks out the front section of the restaurant, but plenty of room inside. Next door neighbours, Warung Nia were packed and we’re told it’s busy there every night of the week with a mix of tourists and locals.
The manager informed us that since Damasta is a sports bar and the footy season has finished for the year, things have obviously slowed down a little and he needed to come up with some new concepts to keep the place moving. Hey presto, a new Sunday evening promo appeared.
While Chef Jonesy has been tweaking the rest of the menu since arriving, in the past week he had been perfecting his roast chicken, lamb and pork game, with the “Sunday Roast Dinner – Just like Mum’s” (Rp199 ++) now available every Sunday.
You have the choice of the roasted meats―chicken, lamb and pork, or mix them if you so desire. It comes with sides of baked potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin, mint peas, a cauliflower broccoli cheese bake, stuffing and trimmings and drizzled homemade gravy sauce. There’s also bread rolls. It says “just like mum’s” is the tagline, and they ain’t wrong. If you like home-style cooking, and who doesn’t, this is the place to be any Sunday night in the future. Delicious, filling and wholesome, there is nothing quite like home style cooked food and after a big Saturday night out, we definitely needed it!
Photos Above: Roast dinner with all the trimmings available every Sunday at Damasta. Finish youself off with an Apple Pie and Ice-cream.
We finished off with a quality Apple pie and ice-cream. We only had room to share it between the two of us as there is plenty of roast dinner to get through, and by the end of it, we were literally stuffed. Washing it all down with beers, I can’t think of a better way to spend your Sunday evening.
Thanks Jonesy, top job, nailed it!
Damasta Sports Bar and Grill Seminyak
Seminyak Markets, Jl. Kayu Aya No.150a, Kerobokan Kelod, Bali
