Bali Food : Bebek Bengil (Dirty Duck Diner) @ Ubud
October 22, 2009 | 3,025 views| 33 Comments » |
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Hands down one of the BEST dining experience we had while we were in Bali, was at Bebek Bengil, or more commonly known as Dirty Duck Diner in Ubud town of Bali. Tourists from all over the globe have stepped into, cracked some duck’s bones, and subsequently sworn allegiance to the 19 years old restaurant, situated in Padang Tegal, in the heart of Ubud town.
The restaurant is very spacious, and can easily fits an admirable crowd of hundreds.
If you’re wondering what’s up with the unsavoury name of ‘Dirty Duck’, for a restaurant, the origin of the moniker actually dated back in 1990, when the place was being built. While squeezing out some ideas, brain-storming and all, a flock of ducks (no prize for guessing how hygienic they were!) walked nonchalantly from the paddy fields surrounding the restaurant, squawking their way and leaving their webbed footprints all over the floor! Since the ducks were unofficially the first ‘customers’ waltzing into the still yet to be ready restaurant, the name Dirty Duck Diner has stuck since then, and has graced various travel magazines, forums, and tourist guides.
Do come early for dinner, preferably before 6pm (before sunset) for a chance to savour the magnificient views of the paddy fields, the charming ambience of the restaurant, and of course, avoid being a target of mosquito bites!
If you’re planning to dine here anytime during the peak season (when tourists come in throngs), do remember to make a reservation. Especially if you’re going in a big group (like the ten of us), it’s highly advisable to call and book the best seats, such as the straw hut with blinds, a long wooden table and cushions on the floor for you to sit cross-legged on. Just like the olden days when farmers rejuvenate themselves after some serious ploughing on the rice fields.
Balinese Smoked Duck (IDR185,000 / RM67.50 / USD19.30)
There are a few dishes that need to be ordered a day in advance. The famous smoked duck is one, a set for two that came in a rather large portion of half a duck, with side dishes of vegetables (crunchy long beans and bean sprouts), skewers of delicious satay with peanut sauce, and white rice, as well as a bowl of zesty mixed salad. The smoked duck was executed admirably well, with the meat so tender they fell off the bones. The marinade may be slightly underwhelming, for we expected the dish to be of stronger flavours. But nevertheless, the smoked duck was one of the best dish of the evening, and can easily feed 3 persons.
Bebek Bengil – Crispy Duck (IDR 67,000 / RM24.50 /USD7.00) – Their signature dish, a must-order
And the dish that represents Dirty Duck Diner’s, the Crispy Duck came in a surprisingly small portion, only half a duck marinated in spices and deep-fried to crispy perfection. Very crispy indeed, to the point of edible bones. But take note only the small bones are to be relished. Don’t go for the bigger ones, for you might just paving your way to the dental clinic. Served with sauteed potatoes, a plate of mixed chopped shallots, bird eye chillies, and vinegar, and a slice of watermelon, as well as a wedge of lemon for taste.
Nasi Campur Bali (IDR35,000 / RM12.80 / USD3.65)
Steamed white rice with an assortment of Balinese specialties made up the platter of ‘Nasi Campur Bali’ literally translated to Balinese style Mixed Rice. Comparatively, I found the Nasi Campur here to be better than Made’s Warung’s, with more ingredients such as slices of marinated beef and half an egg with sambal, as well as a skewer of Sate Lilit, or fish satay with a strong hint of lemongrass and spices.
Fresh Creamy Fettucine with Marlin (fish) – IDR47,000 / RM17.20 / USD4.90
Bebek Bengil not only serves Balinese specialties, but also various Western-influenced delights, such as fish & chips, sandwiches, pastas and even pork ribs. The fettucine with cream sauce was a tad disappointing, with the creaminess being nothing but empty promises. The sauce was diluted, and the chunks of marlin (a type of trout) provided much briny flavour to the pasta, which might be misintepreted as salty to some.
Chicken Kebab (IDR 53,000 / RM19.40 / USD5.50)
The most juicy skewers of grilled meats (satay), the Gado-gado (Indonesian salad), the Bebek bengil Fried Chicken with Yellow Rice, and the beverages to down them all
The avocado juice with chocolate syrup at Bebek Bengil remained our top pick throughout the trip. Fresh, creamy and refreshing, accentuated with the slight sweetness of the swirls of chocolate syrup, the drink was a most relished one, at only IDR23,000 / RM8.40 /USD2.40 per glass.
The meal came to IDR 977,130 / RM356.60 / USD 101.90 for the 10 of us, inclusive of 10% tax, and 5% service charge. No doubt one of the more expensive meal we’ve had in Bali, but worth every cent paid, in my opinion. For the food, for the service, and for the ambience. And given the fact that Ubud’s literally asleep come sundown, we really sat back, relaxed, and soaked in the serene atmosphere of Ubud ……
Location & Contact Number :
Bebek Bengil (Dirty Duck Diner)
Hanoman Street,
Padang Tegal, Ubud,
80571 Bali, Indonesia
Telephone Number/Fax No : (62-361) 975 489
Quack, quack, quack… my favourite duck dishes…
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:25 am
the smoked one was rather good, although some may lament it’s a little bland.
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wow, u’ve definitely eaten much better stuff than me in Bali…haha…must make it a point to eat bebek on my next Bali trip. i feel so incomplete now! arghhhh! lol!
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:27 am
hmm, there are but a few outlets in KL serving authentic (or as authentic as it gets) Balinese dishes, I;m sure.
go get your fix.
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LOL Dirty Duck
.-= Tony Wan´s last blog ..<a href=\ =-.
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looks like great stuff, especially the duck of course! so even though it’s become a tourist haunt, the place still manages to live up to its reputation, huh?
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:29 am
yeah, a little commercialized, but the food’s pretty authentic, and the ambience rated high in our books.
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Huh? Why do they have to call it that? Dirty duck dinner. but seriously it does look dirty from here.
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I saw a post from Selba previously. Dirty Duck, a name that I can remember well.
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i didnt try dirty duck when i was there in Bali….maybe I sould try if I were to visit Bali again
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
yeah, the place warrants a visit, for being almost synonymous with Ubud’s best offering.
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This post exceeds it all. You must be well-researched and prepared. I only went with Babi Guling when in Bali last.
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:43 am
but a search on Bali food will net you Bebek Bengil in more forums/posts than one. seriously.
a little high-end, in comparison to the usual Warung and Cafe, but well-worth the price paid.
though the Crispy Duck was not exactly what I had in mind.
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not cheap for that duckie but would love a try because this place and the environment are looking great
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I miss the place and of course the bebek…so nice eating and overlooking into the paddy field.
I miss the babi goleng too.. hope to visit again…
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Wow! Seriously.. the one in Bali looks so good!!! Not just the place but even also the food… eh, but also big possibility coz of you great shots
Definitely will give a visit when I’m in Bali next time.
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:13 am
it’s quite easy for you to fly over eh? or is it even further? hmm …
they’ve a branch over in jakarta?
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That duck looks great~ But isn’t it a bit pricey? :p
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:12 am
it’s not, really. the set is enough for 3 pax.
some more, it’s hard to find smoked duck with spices here, in Msia.
the crispy also looks like normal, but actually very crispy til the bones also to be eaten!
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Ohmygod must jot this place down. Lau hau sui liao.
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Wow..I would love to savor those smoked duck and the creamy fettucine with marlin and that nasi lemak…goodness gracious all those delicious goodness for ten persons costs only RM356! I would say it’s cheap…hmmm thanks for sharing the place. I hope Reanaclaire and myself can make a trip there..whoa u can imagine how we will stuff ourselves with those deliciousness :p
.-= Elin´s last blog ..Vermicelli In Wakame Soup =-.
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:11 am
wait for Air Asia promo, then book away.
the airfare’s really cheap nowadays, hence save up for other stuff ie food and shopping?
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Elin Reply:
October 25th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
yup but no bonus how to book now LOL! Thanks for the info.
.-= Elin´s last blog ..Baileys Cranberry Oats Cookies =-.
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hey James, the fettucine looks pretty familiar… hmmm….seeing this is like motivation…motivating us to go Bali quick! btw, James…did u gain any weight after coming back from your holiday? i sure will if i eat all those… wow…
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:10 am
gained weight? hehehe ….. maybe. but most obvious is the skin colour.
a shade or two darker.
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Wah, bebek looks good. It’s definitely sounds cheap to me. Good recommendation, James. Have a great weekend!
.-= superwilson´s last blog ..Low Yat Plaza Officially Protected by Kaspersky Lab, Eugene Kaspersky =-.
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:08 am
have a great weekend too, Wilson.
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oh my gosh…they are absolutely tempting. without a doubt, they make me salivate =]
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hey bro, isn’t Bali amazing? Dirty Duck Diner was lovely in the sense of the atmosphere but frankly didn’t think that the duck was that great. Nice but not like Babi Guling!
From Warung Ibu Oka 
But that ambience of overlooking the padi field is amazing. We stayed at a boutique hotel adjacent to Bebek Benggil called Biyukukung.
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cp Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 10:38 am
hi
i would concur with your opinion, i had the duck experience again last month .. bebek has a great environment, the crispy duck is not direct from frying , it is heated up with micro wave before serving. babi guling is good at ibu oka.. ubud is a great place to hang around doing nothing
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J2Kfm Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Yeah, I second your opinions. the ambience of Dirty Duck is great. very relaxing, the essence of the paddy farmers all in one place.
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The foods looks similar with one of the restaurant I visited before at Solaris Mont Kiara. But price, it’s cheaper than KL. Anyway, I love Balinese food! Your post really make me hungry now….I’m going for Roti Canai now!
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love this dirty duck dinner … nice ambiance with delicious food! I miss the pork rib there!
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