Ibu Oka Ubud

Warung Babi Guling Ibu Oka is a Bali institution for roasted suckling pig and perhaps the most famous food spot on the island. Many local chefs recommend it and it was popularized even more after it aired on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's show in 2006.
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Babi Guling is essentially a whole roasted pig stuffed with different spices including turmeric, coriander seeds, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, bird’s eye chilli, black peppercorn, salt, and shrimp paste. Then, they hand turn them on a spit over an open fire for 6 hours as it slowly roasts. Finally, the whole pig is carved and served with rice and vegetables; the innards are also chopped up and fried to a crisp.
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While this place was packed with tourists, we found the local spot Nasi Babi Guling Pak Dobiel in Nusa Dua to be better. The highlight at Ibu Oka turned out to be the extremely tasty squash.
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Babi Guling Ibu Oka, Bali (Feb 2017)
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I am sucker for Anthony Bourdain as he is one of my primary food compasses whenever I go to a new environment so it made absolutely no sense whatsoever to not come to Bali and not do this venue which Bourdain had some of the finest pig produce ever. This turned out to being the third installment of the Ibu Oka brand in Ubud, Bali. Same format, just bigger, the pigs are slaughtered and spit-roasted every day and then ‘painted’ with coconut water throughout their 5 hours of spit-roasting. This causes the coconut juice to caramelise on the pig skin giving a coconut / sugary glaze to the skin which was very good to have although I found this a little faint when having the skin at lunch. The owner kindly showed me around the roasting areas and the array of spices and herbs that went physically in to the meat prior to roasting which was great to see. A great place to enjoy with Bintang beer and even if Bourdain hadn’t been here, I still would have been as curious to try the skin above everything else – a lovely thing to try.

Food Grade: 58%

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