I can't remember who had heard of Naughty Nuri's. I had obviously read about it in several places and how enticing the ribs were. Given that ribs are possibly my favourite pork cut (as well as roast belly and fried hock), there was no way I would miss this place. It may have been my brother who was keen to try this in Ubud, but since it was out of the way and that I had a plan to come here in Seminyak, we were happy to wait a few extra days. And I can happily report that out of every place eaten in Bali, this one probably lived up to my expectations more than any other.
The street in Seminyak seems full of great eating places. It looks like a non-descript seedy place at night, but people car and taxi here all over the place. The smells leak onto the streets from the guy manning the grill booth at the front - picking up a rack of ribs, dipping it into a container of sweet sauce and straight onto a hot BBQ grill. They don't give away much about the recipe on the menu and I can guess it's a guarded secret.
- Sweet potato fries - deliciously sweeter and better than any normal potato fry;
- Rojak with seasonal fruits (bengkuang, pineapple, green mango, jambu air with spicy sauce, peanut, chilli, tamarind, shrimp paste) - first place in Bali that we saw this. A change from the usual gadogado order for different vegetables mixed with sweeter fruits and a mild tangy sauce;
- Nasi Goreng Pak Wayan special (fried rice, pork sate, veggies, egg, krupuk) - excellently presented inside a folded fried egg with rich heavy seasoned rice;
- Pork Chop - cooked nicely and very tender. Cut extremely easily;
- Pork Ribs Full Rack - the magic begins with rib meat sliding off the bone, but still retaining enough texture for a pleasant chew, sweet soy marinade and sauce and endless amounts of pleasure. One of my favourites ever;
- Bebek Goreng (crispy duck confit with urap veggies & steamed rice) - honestly the ribs were so good I don't remember the duck.
Pork ribs I dream of - The Slanted Door BBQ Willis Ranch pork spareribs in honey hoisin sauce in San Francisco, Bone Daddies Korean pork bones in London, Pitt Cue Co hot chilli rib tips in London (if they ever bring them back) and now Naughty Nuri's full rack pork ribs. There can be no higher compliment.