My blog's collecting dust cos I'm very busy. Just a short update on what I've been up to in June, which involved contributing to Indonesia's economy thrice.
Went to Ubud for 4 days in early June to take a much needed break from work. My 2 months of misery has such long lasting effects - my friends think that I've undergone reformative training, and one even claims that my handphone has been hacked -___-"
So many people have been raving about the Crispy Duck from Bebek Bengil, so I had to be one of those lemmings. I did my research before going there, so I managed to try both the crispy duck and the smoked duck (cos I can't pass up the chance not to!).
Being my greedy self, I ordered the smoked duck (comes in a standard portion for 2 people) even though I was dining there myself, just because I simply could not have gone all the way to Ubud and not try it. It costs about SGD$30 for the whole set which includes keropok crackers, rice, some sticks of satay, a vegetable dish, and 2 fruit punch.
The smoked duck has to be preordered 24hours before, so I got my driver (yep got a driver cos I didn't want to worry about transportation) to drop me at the restaurant the day before to put in my order. They didn't require a deposit - not sure if it's cos it's low season but I read somewhere else that they do require a deposit?
The smoked duck has a very strong herby taste, and a more gamey taste than the crispy duck, which is really quite dry and pales in comparison to the rich smells and flavours of the smoked duck. The duck is smoked in a betel leaf and stuffed with traditional herbs and spices. It looks like a mummified duck (as pointed out by WKR) but it's really very soft and moist, with the meat easily falling off the bone. Definitely a must try if you go to Ubud.
Managed to get a table on the 2nd floor, overlooking the paddy fields (which are increasingly being cleared to make way for new restaurants and hotels). I hope that there are still rice field left in the next 5 years.
Dirty Duck Diner (Bebek Bengil)
Jalan Hanoman, Padangtegal, Ubud
Gianyar Bali 80571, Indonesia
I found these pictures in the recesses of my computer - they're very shakey cos I was using my older ixus which didn't have an image stabilizer, plus the pictures looked fine in the screen, but thye're extremely blurry. Can't survive without my image stabilizers :P
Personally, I think that Ayam Penyat is overhyped, especiall the one in Changi Village - I've trudged there once (when I was nearby) to eat it and it's just deep fried smashed chicken with super alot of chilli sauce. Not impressive. Neither was this one , cos it's all oil and chilli sauce (which is so tongue numbing you can't taste anything else). Not something that I'll be going back for, I don't fancy clogging my atreries on this kind of food (save it for something yummier with as much artery clogging potential). 
