We rented a car in Bali so we could drive to Ubud and enjoy the day there. This turned out to be quite the adventure. After the one hour journey to Ubud, we found ourselves in a bustling, busy area and it was a challenge to find parking.

But once we found parking, we enjoyed the cool breeze as we walked to the heart of Ubud, where the art market is. That’s where we found Hujan Locale, a sanctuary tucked away in one of the side streets.

Downstairs, an old world vintage charm welcomes you. But upstairs is where all the action is at. Most of the diners were just finishing up their lunches when we got there at 2PM. So we got a rather quiet, private space to ourselves.

Upstairs is where the magic happens with the bar. Stools are set up here for those who enjoy watching bartenders work their skills with the drinks.

We couldn’t resist trying a few cocktails ourselves (midday drinking is the best!). We tried their butterfly pea martini (RP. 120,000), which is a refreshing blend of gin, citrus, elderflower and egg white. I loved the colour and flavours of the drink and it’s a great afternoon drink to unwind to.

We also sampled their Tropic Mule and Pala Margarita, which were both incredibly mixed with just the right amount of alcohol to ingredient ratio. What a treat it was! Both cocktails were RP. 120,000 which we found to be affordable and value for money.

We were famished by the time it came to eating. We started off with a soft shell crab with salted duck egg gravy. This was such a beautiful dish both aesthetically and on the palate.

Now, normally I’m not a huge fan of raw fish. But I have to give two thumbs up to the Chef’s at Hujan Locale for making me fall utterly in love with their tuna watermelon salad. And how gorgeous is dish. The pairing of the foam and the charcoal crisp were nice touches to the dish too.

And if it's one thing I love about Bali and how it's fast become one of my favourite food destinations, it's the sheer amount of PORK available on the island. Pork is life. #justsaying

This pork belly GAVE ME LIFE. Man, in Singapore and Malaysia, we get pork belly a lot. But not like this. This was some next level chargrilled pork belly that just MELTED in our mouths. Nuff' said.

Something that will definitely get you salivating is the red curry. This was super spicy for me, but I just couldn't get enough. With enough white rice, you will can just savour this dish till you're absolutely stuffed.

Bebek goreng? In case you didn't know, bebek is duck in Bahasa Indonesia. And I normally indulge in this meat in roasted form or a smoked duck breast, but never like this. The bebek goreng was so crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I just couldn't get enough. Now I know I can appreciate duck in this form too.

Now, Bali was just transforming my preconceptions on certain dishes - like the duck. Another dish that blew me away was the fish. I've had grilled fish before, but nothing quite as juicy and well marinated as Hujan Locale's. It was just the right amount of spice and for the first time ever, I think I ate a whole side of the fish!

For desserts, we tried their creme brulee, which was just so perfectly baked and topped with all the berry goodness. Though at this point of the meal, I was too full to enjoy the whole dish, I tried to get as much of this in my belly as possible! No regrets!

We have since recommended Hujan Locale to anyone we know is going to Bali, because it is an absolute MUST-TRY.

Hujan Locale

Jl. Sri Wedari No.5, Ubud,

Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia

Open daily from 12PM - 11PM

#indonesia #bali #ubud