Bali’s Best Meal - Babi Guling Spesial
Babi Guling Spesial, originally uploaded by jaremfan.
This is my photo tribute to Ibu Oka, the famous babi guling stall in Ubud, Bali. Good visuals help to prepare the meal, and I present to you nothing less than the delectable impression of this local delicacy.
Pictured above here is the Babi Guling Spesial - the dish that comes with the works. Spesial just means it’s served on a plate of rice. The other serving is “pisah”, which means the rice and meat are served seperately, albeit a larger serving. The nasi spesial costs Rp15,000 and the nasi pisah costs Rp25,000 due the larger serving.
The wait isn’t unbearably lengthy. The laid-back culture here affords a bit of relaxation in the relatively cool shades under the trees, umbrellas and main dining area.
The crowd builds up REALLY FAST. The staff comes in to start preparing around 11am, and the gates open around 12pm. You’ll see all sorts of people here - locals and tourists alike.
The waitresses are relatively helpful. They really work in an unceasingly hurried pace not very common to Bali. You’ll have to be nice. Lots are waiting in line. In fact the drinks can sometimes take longer than the dishes to arrive.
The onset is simple - it’s all about one dish, and one dish only. Everything else is secondary. There’s not much choice, otherwise. If you’re looking for mee goreng or satay, you need to go next door, to Bumbu Bali, which I hear is pretty good, too.
I think people keep coming back because it’s such a charming place. And undoubtedly, the meals never fail to disappoint. It’s as though the customers and the business work closely together to get the right blend of “Ibu Oka” experience.
This is my third time here, since 2002. Little has changed about this place.
But then, few things need changing in Bali - a place where time catches up to you, not the other way around.
This is why I keep coming back.
The good people here and spent long lifetimes building intricate detail into every single thing - their culture, art, heritage, service and land.
It’s curious how the world tends to navigate around it. Bali is a pit stop for life’s reflection.
When will you get here?
If you do, give this guy a call: Made (pronounced “mah day”) at +62-8123985395. He is my regular tour guide around the island, and has been for the last 2 years. A very dependable and decent guy, his service is reasonably priced and he’ll try to accommodate customized requests like day trips to Ubud, art shopping, or more off-beat tours (he took us Jatiluwih).
Meanwhile, time will move along. Pigs will be slaughtered. People will come and go.
Just to show you some internal workings of what makes this babi guling so special:
It’s cooked inside as well as outside.
If you do get here, time it well. 5 pigs come and go in one day. Servings start at 12pm, and often end at 2pm.
Categorized as discoveries/food, discoveries/travel
The closest experience I have to what you describe is when I went to Jakarta. The bottolled drinks is very familiar. I can almost smell the cooked meat from here
oohhh… i didn’t make it to ibu oka when i went to ubud but did have some babi guling nearer legian.
these pics have definitely convinced me to make it a point to go next time i’m there
and thanks for Made’s contact details. our driver was nice enough but was kinda grumpy and emo
. kept saying my LP guide was crap. haha.
I’ve tried other babi guling before, but this is by far the best. Made even told me that Balinese aren’t very good at food (the Javanese are better). But this one stands out from the crowd.
Lonely Planet is not crap. It’s chock full of information. I borrowed my friend’s when I was in Bali this last time… it’s an encyclopedia.
Boon,
I had some babi guling when I was holidaying there. It didn’t impress me much, and I echo what Made thinks, that Balinese aren’t good with their food. Infact, I (over??) generalise it as “Indonesian food tastes horrible”. Maybe I have not tried Bu Oka’s. Maybe it will change my generalised view of the Indonesian food.
I just came back from a fantastic holiday in Bali and I’m still thinking about it!
I’ve tried Bu Oka’s babi guling, and I have to say that it’s probably one of the best pork dishes I’ve ever tasted.
Soon as I arrived, I asked around about where is the best place to sample babi guling - I knew there was a place that was featured in Discovery channel, but I didn’t watch the episode, therefore, I had no idea what the place looked like, etc. Basically, I didn’t know what to expect. But each and every person I asked told me to go to Ubud if I wanted to try the babi guling, which I did on my 3rd day in Bali.
I, too, agree with Made’s comment, that generally, Balinese aren’t very good cooks, but Bu Oka begs to differ. I guess Bu Oka’s babi guling really is special! I’m just glad I had the chance to experience it!