There are two Balinese specialties that should not be missed. 'Babi Guling' and 'Bebek Betutu' are must-tries.

The former is pieces of grilled suckling pig with delicious crispy skin and the latter a duck delicacy, where the fowl is marinated with many different herbs and spices, wrapped in banana leaves and then baked over a low flame.

The centerpiece of any Indonesian meal is steamed or boiled rice. Any dish with the word "nasi" in front of it means that it is prepared or served with rice. Nasi Campur is the common fare in Indonesia, which is actually a heap of steamed rice topped with vegetables, meat, pickles and krupuk (crackers). Krupuk is a large, crispy, tangy, oversized cracker made from crab meat, fish flakes, shrimp paste, or even fruit mixed with rice, flour or sago flour. It is first dried to resemble thin, colored plastic and then deep fried in oil.

Very popular is nasi goreng, a soft and crunchy fried rice dish presented by countless restaurants as a standard dish. Mie goreng signify wheat-flour noodles fried in coconut oil, with eggs, meat or seafood, tomatoes, cucumber, shrimp paste, spices and chilies. Both nasi goreng and mie goreng are common breakfast dishes. If you see "istimewa" or special written after either dish, it usually means that it is topped with a fried egg.

Another widely available snack is Balinese sate, usually made from minced chicken or fish, laden with freshly grated coconut, prawn paste, garlic, chilies, lemon leaves and salt to compose a sticky, dough-like mixture. This is then wrapped around a thick vein of bamboo or sugarcane and eventually charcoal-grilled and served with either a mild or peppery sauce.

Dutch influence can also be found in Balinese cuisine. A dish frequently encountered in hotel restaurants is 'rijstaffel' (rice table), which is a sort of Indonesian smorgasbord. During the colonial days, a ceremonial rijstaffel could embrace as many as 35 courses. Today, five to ten courses are normally offered. The total meal presents a variety of dishes, some sweet, others spicy, and all to be eaten with boiled rice and condiments. Balinese-style rijstaffel consists of well-seasoned regional fish, vegetable and meat dishes, completed with black rice pudding for dessert. The rijstaffel items are served in handmade pottery, and generally accompanied by a haunting tingklik orchestra.

Gado-gado is a healthy Javanese salad with a combination of potatoes and vegetables, smothered with a hearty quantity of spicy peanut sauce - a boon for peanut butter enthusiasts! Moreover, gado-gado is of plant origins, thus suitable for vegetarians. Soto, usually served for breakfast, comprises of santen or coconut cream that is added to a soup. On the other hand, sop is synonymous to a meat and vegetable stew except that only water is added. Chinese cap cai is another widespread, nourishing dish, which is a type of meat and/or vegetable chop suey.

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