Over 4
0 years ago, Ubud was known as a traditional balinese village with clusters of terracotta rooftops nestling among vast rice terraces and jungle gorges. nowadays, it is an international travel centre in its own right, withan ample choice of place to visit to rejuvente the mind and souland to satisfy the stomach with beautifully prepared healthy food in abundance.
The best way to get into the Ubud culinary scene is, of course, by sampling the local cuisine. For all-round eaters, there are places such as Nasi Ayam Kedewatan which serves a satisfying dish of Balinese chicken with rice comprising of lawar sayur (sauted vegetables), ayam pelalah (chicken with pelalah spices), sate lilit, telur pindang (simmered egg), sambal and topped with the mandatory spicy sauce (which can be left out for non-spicy eaters). For lovers of pork, the famous Babi Guling Bu Oka should be the next port of call, serving their signature take of Balinese suckling pig prepared in the most authentic way possible.
For those who prefer to sample a more ‘home away from home’ experience, Ubud offers its visitors an ample array of international-class restaurants. From ‘fine-dining with views’ such as The Sayan House (and its chic Sunset Bar) serving a Japanese fusion menu in a beautiful hillside location, to a more down-to-earth approach such as the Monkey Forest’s Habitat restaurant, serving international Western and exotic South East Asian dishes.
For a fine gastronomic experience in Ubud, you can head down to Locavore in Dewi Sita street. Committed to using local ingredients in their dishes, Locavore literally means ‘to only eat food produced with quality local products.’ Locavore has become recognised as one of the 50 best restaurants in Asia. The menu selection at Locavore is mainly European but they are dynamic and flexible, and they change the menu on a daily basis. The concept of a seasonal menu pushes the creativity and innovation of their dishes to higher levels each day and provides pleasant surprises for their regular guests. The restaurant’s cosy green, white and wooden interior is
fully air-conditioned
With such a broad array of dining selections ranging from lavish five-star offerings to authentic local eateries, it is no surprise that Ubud holds its own annual Food Festival which features more than 100 talented chefs, culinary icons and restaurateurs from around the island and places beyond; to showcase the culinary diversity of the Indonesian archipelago.