BALI – HOG WILD IN BALI

While in Bali, Tanah Lot was high on my list of must-sees. A temple perched on a rock cliff over the ocean. During low tide, the temple is easily accessible from the white sandy beach. As the tide rises, the temple is surrounded by salt water and crashing waves. Most websites recommended visiting Tanah Lot during sunset for a spectacular view but warned of equally spectacular crowds. The Hubby and I decided to prioritize our own comfort and chose instead to visit during the morning, a quieter time at the temple. There were still plenty of tourists roaming around, but we managed to snap photos without background extras.

After admiring the view of Tanah Lot, picking up some souvenirs and ice cream, we headed to lunch. With one exceptional rib meal under our belt, we asked our driver for another bbq recommendation in the area. He knew of a place a short drive away and The hubby and I dozed off as soon as the engine started. We woke up as we pulled up in front of Hog Wild in Bali.

Hog Wild in Bali was a fairly modern restaurant with lots of fans and a bright sun room. Menus were in English and we had no issues communicating with our servers. In fact, I felt the restaurant was more of a tourist stop than where locals would eat. Their slogan proclaimed “Been naughty! Now Wild!” hinted at a potential rivalry between BBQ establishments on the island. Personally, Hog Wild in Bali felt like they were pushing hard to get their “wild” message across to visitors. We sat down at a wooden picnic table and settled on ordering half a rack each of beef and pork ribs.

Healthy jabs at the competition and kitschy persona aside, I was there for the ribs and unfortunately, Hog Wild didn’t win me over. Between the beef and pork ribs, the pork ones were way better. I found the beef ribs tough and chewy. The pork ribs were tastier, but a little light on sauce and compared to our previous bbq experience, not as juicy or tender. Based on ribs alone, our meal was ok but not amazing. Hog Wild was tourist friendly, clean and oozed a fun vibe.

Full from the meaty meal we headed to our next stop, Ku De Ta, a popular beach club in Seminyak, to lounge on pillows, sip cocktails people watch and and enjoy the sunset.