How to Find Vegetarian Food in Ubud, Bali
The landlocked village of Ubud, Bali, is known primarily for its local artists and green rice paddies. But this once rural town on the Indonesian island of Bali has ballooned into a bustling tourist destination and holistic health escape for yogis, spa junkies and Westerners in search of a spiritual awakening. Luckily for vegetarians, this means a wide range of dining options. All you need is an inquisitive mind to find food that suits your personal tastes.
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Instructions
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How to Find Vegetarian Food in Ubud, Bali
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Search Bali-specific websites prior to your trip. Vegetarian-friendly websites like www.happycow.net list vegetarian and vegan restaurants as well as health food stores throughout Bali, including Ubud. Happy Cow's list includes restaurant descriptions, contact information, reviews and ratings---five smiling cows being the highest score.
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View the menus displayed on the streets of the small, walkable village. (Most streets snake off the main road of Jalan Raya Ubud, which runs east to west through town.) Bali Buddha on Jalan Jembawan (across the street from the post office), Juice Ja on Jalan Dewi Sita and Kafe on Jalan Hanoman are popular with vegetarian diners and they're usually crowded during lunch and dinner.
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Ask for recommendations at The Yoga Barn. The Yoga Barn is co-owned by Meghan Pappenheim, a former New Yorker who has become a strong advocate for eco-friendly establishments in Ubud. She also owns the aforementioned Kafe as well as the Balispirit yoga shop, and is a co-founder of the annual Bali Spirit Festival, which attracts yoga teachers and students from all over the world. Yogis tend to be vegetarians. Ask people practicing at The Yoga Barn for their favorite restaurants and it may lead to some delicious discoveries.
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If all else fails, go for the Gado-gado. You will find vegetarian-friendly food like tofu and tempeh in many Indonesian dishes, but they are often cooked with fish sauce or mixed with shrimp and other meats. Gado-gado, a traditional Indonesian salad of steamed vegetables served with a peanut dipping sauce, is served at almost every restaurant in Bali and is a safe fall-back dish if you can't find anything else.
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Tips & Warnings
Buy the Vegan Passport by George Rodger at your local bookstore or through online retailers like www.amazon.com prior to your trip. This passport-sized paperback explains in 56 languages---including Indonesian---what vegans do and don't eat. If you are a vegetarian who craves a daily shot of wheatgrass, Juice Ja is the only place in Ubud that serves it.
Gado-gado is typically served with either shrimp or rice crackers, so before you try those crunchy chips, ask your waiter what they're made of.
