Anthony Bourdain Recommends Ibu Oka Babi Guling In Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Was Ibu Oka’s Babi Guling Worth The Flight To Bali?

June 29th, 2008 · 19 Comments

Yes, I am the wacko who flew all the way around the world to eat pork at Ibu Oka in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Like I said before, it wasn’t my only reason, but it was high up there. I’m a sucker for succulence.

So, after many months leaving you hanging, I’m sure you’re wondering, was it worth it?

Well, yes and no.

You know how sometimes you spy a stone sexy fox from across the room and quickly create the perfect scenario in your head that he will be an expert lover, a thoughtful listener, a comedian, a high-wage earner, and have a knack for reducing the ever-present tension between you and your mother? All this before you’ve even been able to blurt out a hello? That was the pork.

Then you know how once you do muster the courage to say hello, he responds with a phlegm-filled throat that makes your eyes tear up and once he finally coughs up the sputum, he stutters something about how Republicans rule and then laments his recent impotency? That wasn’t exactly the pork, but you get the point I’m making.

You see, nothing can really ever live up to the idealized perfections we create in our heads. I knew that going in, but still I hoped. Thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s awesome Indonesia show on No Reservations, I had built up the idea of this babi guling so much so, that barring an instant tongue orgasm upon first bite, I had set myself up for disappointment.

But all was not lost. First, I had the months of anticipation to feel grateful for. Sometimes I think that’s better than experiencing the actual thing you’ve been anticipating. When someone at work is giving you a hard time, you can just think, “pork.” When your car breaks down on the highway and your cell phone battery is dead, “pork.” It’s a much better option than gun violence.

Second, to be fair, the babi guling actually was pretty fucking tasty. They give you a healthy heaping of pork parts as well as rice and veggies, and the best part…spicy sauce and crispy piggy skin! Chomp, chomp, yum! All for the ridiculously low price of $3ish. It wasn’t the best pork I’ve ever eaten (that distinction goes to the meal created by Travel Boyfriend’s best friend up in Seattle during one of his annual pig roast parties). But it was up there in the charts.

Would I fly back for a second helping? No. But would I go out of my way to eat it if I ever found myself again on the Isle of the Gods? You betcha.

So, if you’re already planning a trip to Bali and are looking for the best babi guling on the island, look no further than Ibu Oka. As long as you don’t perfectionize it beforehand like I did, you won’t be disappointed one bit! And even if you do perfectionize it beforehand like I did, you’re still going to get a mouthful of tastiness.

Travel Betty Basics
Ibu Oka
Located just across from the Ubud Tourist Information Center. Go early because once they sell out for the day, they close.
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Download Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations Season One

Tags: Bali · Food and Drink

19 responses so far ↓

1 Melody Platz // Jun 29, 2008 at 3:53 pm

Today, I waited 6 hours for a brownie. When it was served up, it looked like it had already been eaten by someone else. I was mad for at least a half an hour, and as you can see, I’m still thinking about it.

So at least your pork was tasty. You also got to Bali, and that was probably good. : )
2 Travel Betty // Jun 29, 2008 at 8:37 pm

Wow, that sucks, Melody! I hope it was at least chocolatey and/or warm. Thanks for stopping by
3 Balinese Suckling Pig | Bali My World // Jun 30, 2008 at 7:57 am

[...] The article mentions about restaurants around the world where you can find this special food. To my surprise, Warung Ibu Oka in Ubud Bali, is also listed. Here is the complete [...]
4 Nomadic Matt // Jun 30, 2008 at 2:20 pm

hmmm and i thought i was crazy when i flew to tokyo for sushi……..
5 Travel Betty // Jul 3, 2008 at 9:04 pm

That’s not crazy, Matt! Settling for Midwestern grocery store sushi, now that’s crazy.
6 Albert // Aug 4, 2008 at 8:41 pm

Hi Betty,

I am planning a trip to Bali JUST to eat the pork! I thought I was crazy but I guess I’m not alone!

Me and Pork…

If you ever come to Taiwan and need a tourguide, please let me know, I’d be more than happy to take you to the secret eating places..
7 Travel Betty // Aug 4, 2008 at 9:57 pm

AWESOME, Albert! Looks like we’re both crazy!! And be careful, I just might take you up on the tour guide offer. I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about Taiwan lately.

Have a great trip!
8 Scott // Aug 25, 2008 at 3:21 pm

A couple of us deployed here in Kuwait plan a Bali adventure for early next year, including the pilgrimage to Ibu Oka’s. After all, if both Anthony Bourdain and Lonely Planet’s Indonesia Food Guide call it the best, I’ve got to try it!

Beyond that, though, what else do you recommend we try while on Bali?
9 Travel Betty // Sep 7, 2008 at 7:08 pm

You won’t be disappointed, Scott! Enjoy the trip. Bali is full of many wonderful things to see and do.

Click around my site a bit for recommendations or check out my good friend Nomad4Ever: http://www.nomad4ever.com

He lives in Bali and knows all the cool secret spots.
10 sheena // May 25, 2009 at 1:22 am

oooh, la la. i want that pig in my mouth, and that bali under my feet. i’m adoring your blog. sure you’re crazy busy, but if you have time: on a scale of 1 to hell, how much does/would it suck to be in bali with no car? or is it alright?
11 Travel Betty // May 25, 2009 at 1:31 pm

no need for a car, sheena. you can hire someone to drive you around fairly cheaply if you want to go off the beaten path. and of course you can rent a car yourself, but i didn’t feel comfortable since they drive like crazy people and do so on the opposite side of the road. if it was just one or the other, then it would be fine. but to me, the two together is a scary combination.

have fun!
12 Nyoman // Jun 5, 2009 at 6:18 pm

Hi Betty,
I am glad I found your website. I am a babi guling lover and I have done that many times. I am going to make babi guling for my neighbor’s party on 4 of July. I want to make them sweat.
13 V // Jun 23, 2009 at 11:57 am

I just love Ibu Oka…. btw… congrats to Betty on her recent wedding…..
14 Aaron // Jun 26, 2009 at 6:19 am

I’m going to this place tomorrow. I’ve been in 35 countries and the last several stops I went everywhere Bourdain did. I’ve been building up this place in my mind too and mostly planned my trip to Bali around it. Hope I’m not let down! http://www.twitter.com/qmg
15 Frency Importado // Jul 10, 2009 at 12:59 am

Hi Travel Betty. You should also come to the Philippines and experience our own version of Babi Guling. We call it “LECHON” in the Philippines. You may want to go to Talisay, Cebu in the island of Visayas if youre really up for a good suckling pig. Actually, Mr. Bourdain featured it in his show too!

Best regards
16 LAKBAI // Nov 24, 2009 at 10:52 pm

[...] start to the day, we went straight for lunch at Bali’s famous Babi Guling (suckling pig) at Ibu Oka’s. Since growing up eating Filipino food and having a huge lechon roasted pig as our main course for [...]
17 Mike // Dec 7, 2009 at 5:44 pm

Well, I’m glad you wrote this up because we’re on our way to Ubud and now I can go to the restaurant with lowered expectations. Which puts me in the position to enjoy it more than you did

Love the site – keep traveling fearlessly.
18 Legal Nomads // Dec 10, 2009 at 8:45 pm

I stumbled upon this post when I was looking for Ibu Oka’s address and I just had to add: nothing crazy about you hauling it to Bali for babi guling. I ate there too and it was fantastic, as were so many other delicious Balinese dishes. I had to take a cooking class before I left, but there’s no freaking way I can cook like a true Balinese; it’s just not possible!

Jodi
19 Glen // Jun 28, 2010 at 5:14 am

I went there about an hour ago and was very dissapointed. Not because i had anticipated it so much beforehand, but because it was NOT THAT GOOD at all. Serving sizes for who looked like the locals were generous, where as anyone who looked like westerners were dished up a pittyfull little portion. The meat was full of the fattiest parts of the pig, and it was finished in about three spoonfulls. Oh and the crackling it looked nice, I could see locals eating it, but apparently it had run out an hour ago. Roast pork at home would beat this hyped up eatery hands down on any day. It was certainly not a suckling pig, more like an old sow. Not worth the drive to Ubud just for this, markets and the monkey gardens worth a look though.