#2 BABI GULING
IBU MANGKU
Tucked away off the street is Ibu Mangku’s, a tiny little warung serving up Bali’s favourite kind of local worker’s breakfast – babi guling.
When I got here at 9:15am, she’d already almost sold out. All that was left were a few remnants of the suckling pig she is famous for. Luckily there was enough for us, so we did get to try a taste anyway.
While I was eating, Ibu Mangku is bundling up 100 bungkus (triangular shaped paper takeaway parcels) for delivery that morning.
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They are on their way to the airport for staff catering at the canteen there. I find out that she sells up to 300 bungkus – and makes up to 9000 small sates – per day. Shocked, I realize that this humble holy man’s wife is a real culinary entrepreneur, giving new meaning to the term ‘quiet achiever’.
The Balinese can create thriving little businesses like this for much less of an investment and effort than Westerners do. Even high-end restaurants can learn a thing or two from this kind of enterprising side to their main gig. There is definitely something to be said for doing takeaway!
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BABI GULING GERENCENG
Another great option for lunch is Babi Guling Gerenceng (just a few metres up the road from yesterday’s warung tip, Tahu Tipat Gerenceng).
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A relaxed affair, it’s shoes off at the front steps here, with ‘lesehan’ style seating on rattan floor mats.
The babi guling is good and offers quite a variety of accompaniments to the traditional slow-roasted pork. The paper-lined basket offers up lots of flavours, with young coconut braised in bumbu gede sitting alongside sausage and fried curly intestines (which I quietly pass on).
Other accompaniments include a super fresh urap with cassava leaf, green beans and fresh grated coconut, and two types of sates , one being soft, unctuous pork belly, the other being babi lilit, with minced pork. The crispy crackling here is generous and just as crunchy as it should be.
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The lawar is served two ways: one with fresh pig’s blood to stain it that tell-tale hue of pink, one without (for hygiene reasons). A little too carnivorous for me, I always get it without, and luckily it’s just as delicious that way.
Tip: a locals favourite, this warung is open from 10:00am to 6:30pm, but the peak hours are 11:00am-1:00pm when the lunch rush is on, so come early to avoid disappointment. It’s not the same without that crackling!
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