Bebek Bengil, ‘dirty duck’ in Indonesian hence the restaurant’s moniker, the Dirty Duck Diner, boasts a specialty menu offering Bali’s ‘original crispy duck since 1990’, as well as duck satays and smoked duck (which has to be ordered a day in advance) together with a host of other international and Indonesian selections. The first restaurant is located midway along Jalan Hanoman in the village of Padangtegal in Ubud, before the turn right that leads to the famous Ubud Monkey Forest Sanctuary. The restaurant is part of the Agung Raka group that is behind the Agung Raka Bungalows and the Agung Raka Fine Art Gallery, as well as another branch of the Bebek Bengil restaurant up Jalan Monkey Forest road.
Bebek Bengil 1 (the first, original restaurant) features spacious dining settings with good daytime views provided by its lush crafted gardens and landscaping inspired by its natural rice field surroundings. The restaurant features wooden-based décor with raised platforms and optional dining spaces on two levels, as well as outdoor seating in its gardens. Innovative à la carte dishes include satays, fish and chips, and finger foods and ultimately the most popular crispy duck, which is steamed with a blend of Balinese spices and then quickly deep-fried at a high temperature for a very crispy result and delicious taste.
Also found on the menu at Bebek Bengil are a range of western snacks and appetizers such as guacamole served with melinjo or paddy oat crackers, roasted tomato salad, organic green salad tossed with avocado and tomatoes, Ginger Rogers chicken salad with pineapple and cashews, fish and chips , French fries, grilled chicken sandwich with foccacia bread, and clubhouse sandwich. The Bebek Bengil crispy duck main course highlight comes with a choice of sautéed potatoes and a side salad or steamed white or yellow (turmeric infused) rice and Indonesian vegetables. Chicken options come in the choice of ginger chicken, chicken Kiev, and chicken teriyaki.
The inspiration of the diner's name came when one tropical monsoon morning, as its construction was nearing completion; a flock of ducks from the adjacent rice field ran quacking into the establishment and across the floor and tables, leaving muddy footprints all over the premise. A second branch is just up the Jalan Monkey Forest, called Bebek Bengil 2. The latest addition to the restaurant brand’s line-up of restaurants is at The Bay Bali Nusa Dua, featuring a beachfront location in the premier destination. This latest addition is a unique breakaway from its two first locations in the central highlands that is Ubud. The restaurant is often packed at any given day, although diners are used to just walking in and finding their own favourite available corner. Reservations are recommended, although the former is much more common practice.
