The other thing that the town of Gianyar is famous for apart from endek is spit-roasted suckling pig, or babi guling. Ask any Balinese, male or female what their favourite food is and most likely they will say 'babi guling'. I like pork (as well as my Muslim relatives) and remember mum's roast pork in England. Its good stuff so I road downtown again to Jl. Ngurah Rai and asked a Parkirman (parking attendant) where I could find some. Luckily I was only meters away from a place and quickly parked to join the lunch crowd.
Small plastic stools formed a ring around the central table, although most locals preferred to sit around the edge of the room against the wall. I was the token 'bule', a strange creature in their midst eating babi guling.
Actually the way the food was dished up is quite simple. The whole roast pig was sitting at the front of the shop and woman with a big chopping board had made a pile of small meat chunks. She had also separated the other parts of the animal so far chopped. These included, roasted skin, fat from the back, intestines and other bits I couldn't recognize. I gestured that I wanted the 'nasi campur' type of bowl with rice and some sauce. It was dished up and I picked at pieces I wanted. The meat was good but I don't really like large fat chunks. I ate about half the whole thing plus the rice. That and my drink were 12,000rp.
You won't find babi guling on most menus in tourist areas (Glory on Jl. Legian excepted, right Neil?). If you want this dish ask a local and they probably tell you go to Denpasar. I reckon its so-so, but a piece of Balinese culture.
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