Joanna James
Bali is a tropical island loved for its holiday vibes, culture and traditions. As part of the Indonesian Archipelago, the food in Bali is amazing. Treat yourself to a range of exotic dishes including satays, spit roast pig, traditional snacks, desserts and more. Check out these top Balinese foods.
Warungs are the Balinese version of Thailand's street food courts where you can enjoy a range of local delights. Nasi Campur and Ayam, simply put, is chicken rice cooked to Balinese standards. The dish consists of rice accompanied by various additions served around it including babi gulung roast suckling pig, vegetables, roast duck or chicken, and sambal matah, which is a spicy Balinese sauce. Opt out of the sauce if you can't tolerate spicy food. The 360 rooftop is popular among Uluwatu restaurants serving a range of Indonesian delights. Located at Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort, it's one of the places for you to explore the range of mouth-watering local delights.
Skewers of marinated meat are the main ingredient in Bali's satays. The meat is wrapped around bamboo, sugarcane or stalk of lemongrass for added fragrance and flavour. Popular meat options include mutton, chicken, beef, pork and fish. Sate lilit is a popular option and consists of a mix made from minced pork, beef, fish, mutton and sometimes turtle meat that's blended with coconut cream, shredded coconut and vegetables. It's the perfect snack for chilling on the terrace of your Bali resort as you enjoy sunset cocktails.
Spit roast whole suckling pig is one of the top dishes on the island. Babi guling, as it is known locally, is a whole pig stuffed with a blend of exotic spices and herbs as well as cassava leaves. The pig is slow roasted over coals until its skin is crisp and crackly and the meat is deliciously tender. Originating as a festival dish, which is made only for special occasions, babi guling is so popular that just about all local warungs serve the dish.
Locally known as betutu, the roast chicken or duck is the non-pork version of babi guling and is just as delicious. A whole duck, known as bebek or chicken called ayam, is wrapped in banana leaves once spices and herbs have been rubbed into the skin. It's then placed inside the trunk of a banana plant before being buried under hot coals to bake. Once done, the result is extremely tender meat that falls off the bones.
Check out the beachside cafes for a range of fresh seafood options. Your Bali resort restaurant will have an exotic selection as well. Favourites include lobster, prawn, clams, calamari, crabs and other delights of the ocean. A special feature of the seafood in Bali is the sambal or sauce that accompanies the dishes. Each version will taste different depending on the restaurant. Sambal can be sweet and sour or spicy and hot. Make sure to check your options and let them know your preferences.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
