As most of you might already know, food is more than delicious on Bali. It is bali(cious).
Apart from different food bacteria, the restaurants and cooks have something far nicer to offer - most fresh food, directly from the farm (the chicken might have just been running around 2hours ago...) Everything comes natural and without artificial ingredients. At least if you eat local.
I was first really sceptic, since i am very used to the controlled and checked food in Germany. But after eating very fine and super nice for these 2 weeks on Bali, i really think that we are exaggerating a lot.
One day i went down to the food market in Ubud and the meat was literally lying open on the table, flies that had been sitting on dog's shit before, nagging on the chicken now. My first reaction was of course disgust and shock. So when my air bnb host said she will go to the market and fetch some nice meat to cook for me the next day, i was of course really concerned and not really happy, but could not deny the offer, since she was so very nice. And yet it tasted amazing, best meat i ever ate and i am still alive!
Since i am allergic to really a lot, lot of things, including all milk products, egg and especially peanuts, it's not as easy to find food for me.
So i researched before a lot for vegan places, since then i only need to explain "no peanut pls". There are so many places to eat and there will be something for everyone. Even if you would like to stick to european food like pizza or döner, you will find a spot. Since i tried something new almost every day, i am happy to share some of my greatest culinary suprises.
Dayu's Warung: This place is paradise. From the outside it does not look super fancy, but it's one of the nicest restaurants i have been to in Ubud. They offer a lot of very "exotic" or unusual and vegan combinations. There are sweetpotatoe and pumkin pies, raw balls.. each dessert better than anothers. But best dish is definitly the Mahi-Mahi Lasagne. It's a Lasagne made with mashed pumkin, Mahi-Mahi fish, fresh spinach and some kind of sesampaste. You can find two places in Ubud, one on the main road in the very city, and one on the way to tegallalang rice terraces. I have only been to the one in central Ubus, more than once, since i could not resist!
You can get a main course, smoothie and dessert approx for 10€ in total.
Tukies Cafe: This place offers the best coconut icecream, that you will ever eat. I have been to this place almost every day while my stay in Ubud, since i am allergic to milk, it's hard to find good icecream. You have to try the Coconut Mango Float, which is a high glass with freshly pressed mango-orange and one scoop of finest Icecream floating on top. Added on top are the finest roasted coconut flakes, so crispy and cool! This one costs around 2,70€. The whole store is filled with fresh coconuts, they are also really refreshing after a long hot day!
Tukies Cafe no, Jl. Raya Ubud No.14, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Murni's Warung: This is the oldest Warung in Ubud and might be one of the most famous. It is located a bit outside nearby the way up to Campuhan Ridge walk, west of Ubud. It has several floors and pavillons, where you can directly look in the rain forst. Prices are a bit higher, since they are so very famous, people are paying for good food, but also for the view. I did not get a big choice of seat, since the super nice spots were already reserved, so i ate on first level with an okay view. The food definitly made up for that. I had the Balinese Duck, which was a spicy explosion in my mouth, but in a good way. I paid for a smoothie and the Duck around 15€, quite expensive for Bali. http://www.murnis.com/
Earth Cafe: One of the nicest organic, vegetarian places in Ubud. They do a lot of cakes and amazing sandwiches and pizzas, drinking water is for free. When i was there, half of the people were backpackers, so it seems like the travel cafe to hang out. Unfortunately i could not eat so much, since they didn't want to guarantee nut freeness in the main dishes and cakes. So i had a really nice pink dragonfruit smoothie bowl with banana and cocoa nips for around 7€
Sari Organik: This place is a bit far off and hard to find, but definitly worse a try. The Restaurant is lying between the rice fields in Ubud and approx 20min walk from the main road. It feels pretty long especially on a warm day. One can also take a scooter, but i would only recommend experienced drivers to do that, since its more a path then a real way. If you want to come to dinner, you definitly have to make a reservation. Also if you would prefer the fresh duck, you better come in the evening, since it will be butchered in the afternoon (they told me). So i had instead the nicest Nasi Goreng ever, with fresh ingredients directly from the field and a young coconut. If you like you can also go and pick the ingredients yourself and the cook will prepare the dish then for you, since it is an organic farm. Jl. Subak Sok Wayah, Tjampuhan, Ubud, Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia +62 361 972087
I have been to a lot of more places of course, but some of them are not worse mentioning. In general i would say, that a high price is not a guarantee for good food. I ate Nasi Goreng quite often in these 2 Weeks and the cheapest (2€) from the shabbiest place i have ever seen, was the best and biggest portion comparing to a 7€ Nasi Goreng from fancy Restaurant on Ubud main street.
If you are interested in learning traditional balinese cooking, i would recommend a cooking class in Ubud in one of the most popular cooking schools, Casa Luna. I came across it while i was in Ubud, but unfortunately i was too late to book a space. I have heard that Sunday's evening class for Balinese Duck is really amazing. But as said, better reserve a place via email before you travel there. Also they do not have internet regulary, so if you are in Ubud, better ask personally.
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