Umami Media Follow Oct 2, 2018 · 2 min read

Babi guling (suckling pig) is possibly Bali’s signature dish, with streetside warungs (hawkers) and famous restaurants vying for the title of the island’s best joint.

Often hotly contested by lovers of the dish is where one can find the best rendition of babi guling. Connoisseurs of the dish go on road trips, visiting all the famous spots to sample all the various takes on the classic Balinese dish. From famous joints in Jimbaran packed all-day long with ravenous diners to hidden back-alley secret spots in Canggu open only in the wee hours of the dusk, the depths of a cult following that the dish inspires is mind-boggling.

A traditional Balinese dish, the pig is typically cut, cleaned and stuffed with an assortment of aromatics, the proportion and mixture of which are closely-guarded secret handed down through the generations by individual vendors. Spices commonly used include salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, galangal, chili, shallots, turmeric, coriander seeds, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Once marinated and infused with the spices, the pork is grilled over spitfire and basted till it is cooked to crisp perfection. The crackling is separated, the meat is sliced and both are portioned atop steaming hot white rice, accompanied by lawar (Balinese salad) and sambal matah (Balinese chili dip) for one’s enjoyment.

Whether one is a first-time traveler to Bali or a returning visitor, a trip to a babi guling joint is something of a mandatory checkpoint amongst other delicious offerings on the island.

DIRECTORY

Babi Guling Sanur

Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai

Sanur, Bali, Indonesia

T: (+62) 361 2873 08

Warung Babi Guling Pak Malen

Jalan Sunset Road, №554

Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

T: (+62) 851 0045 2968