Hujan Locale — Restaurant in Pulau Bali

BEWARE! For people with seafood allergy, DO NOT COME HERE! Plus save yourself from embarrassment by being declined by very inconsiderate staff/kitchen.

So disappointed since we are an avid supporter of Hujan locale visiting several times whenever we are in Ubud, until last night NEVER AGAIN. Last night we brought our two minor kids and explained to them (just like in any international/local kitchens) that our sons have seafood allergies. When we gave our orders, waiter said “oh we cannot guarantee cross-contamination with seafood in our kitchen”. Then we proceeded to say: “okay can you please ask the chef/kitchen: how about just indicate to us any specific dish that they can make “seafood free”. Waiter comes back and says: “I’m sorry chef said we cannot guarantee any cross contamination with seafood in terms of preparation”. I said, “oh so what should we do, is there really nothing you can prepare or do to accommodate our sons”? And waiter just says: “Yes i’m sorry but we cannot do anything” BASICALLY SAYING: JUST LEAVE.

So we did leave. AGAIN BEWARE: THIS establishment cannot guarantee cross contamination with seafood in terms of preparation with their dishes. Plus, save yourself from embarrassment of not being accommodated because they just don’t care.

After this incident, we immediately went to our favorite restaurant in Ubud- at NUSANTARA! And it was amazing as usual, they had good kitchen protocols for customers with seafood allergy, they even gave my sons a customized pre-meal complimentary sidedishes without seafood specifically made for them. Needless to say, we didn’t mind paying a hefty bill and tip because they deserve it unlike HUJAN LOCALE! Btw, all restaurants in Ubud accomodated us except this establishment. Go to LYKNED, NUSANTARA, DONNA’S, TEPI SARI, SUN SUN WARUNG, etc. instead!

Again, FOR ALL WITH SEAFOOD ALLERGY (let alone for people with Anaphylaxis history), DON’T COME TO HUJAN LOCALE FOR YOUR SAFETY (and Dignity). Thank God for google reviews where in customers can put in honest feedbacks for the sake of other potential customers.

I am telling everyone I know, all my friends and travel partners/tour clients not to come to...

Hujan Locale’s Acehnese Charred Grilled Octopus was one of the most exciting dishes I’ve ever tried on Bali — full of flavors I’d never imagined and new fruits I’d never tasted before.

Most of the Balinese food I’ve had in the past was on the mild or subtle side, but this octopus arrived looking a bit like a curry — and the flavor was anything but ordinary. The sauce was very sour, but not in the sharp, high-note way white vinegar hits. Instead, it had a deeper, rounder sourness that sat lower on the flavor spectrum, intense yet balanced.

The spice level was perfect for me with a full portion of rice — it started as a gentle tingle at the back of my tongue, then moved to the tip, settling into a comfortable medium heat I could taste and enjoy without being overwhelmed.

Midway through, I came across a small, brown, dried object, which the staff told me was asam kandis — a dried sour fruit from a Garcinia tree, similar to tamarind but sharper and less sweet.

I realized I hadn’t yet spotted the sour starfruit from the menu description, so they kindly brought one out. It turned out to be belimbing wuluh — not shaped like the familiar starfruit in the US, but more like the size of a tiny Persian cucumber with very thin skin. When I bit into it, the texture was airy and crisp, with a skin even more delicate than a grape. The flesh was light and juicy like starfruit, less dense than apple, with an extraordinarily tangy, vinegary brightness without any harsh astringency to my dolly.

Learning to appreciate tangy flavors has been a journey for me, but this was the kind of sourness that felt like a pleasant vinegar substitute — vibrant, mouthwatering, and refreshing. The belimbing wuluh added a bright, tangy note that balanced the richness of the dish perfectly. In Indonesian and Malay, “belimbing” refers to star-shaped fruits, while “wuluh” comes from Javanese for “sour,” literally “sour starfruit.”

Every element — the tender, charred octopus; the aroma of curry leaf and pandan; the warmth of green chili; and the tang of okra and these remarkable sour fruits — worked in harmony. Truly...

Mixed emotions here as I write this review. The beef rendang was one of the best I’ve ever had and the vibe is really nice there , beer on tap , good wine list just a bit expensive though for the mains. I wasn’t blown away by everything else we ordered like the lobster dumplings. So here’s the unfortunate issue we had. The staff did everything to address what my girlfriend pointed out as she has a good nose and taste by telling the management and kitchen I think. She tasted something off in tuna betel leaf (not the tuna) which I ate and she put back in a tissue, I’m suffering for that today and didn’t think it tasted good or bad myself… The other thing was the papaya salad was neither cold or hot, it was luke warm which was a very strange for what should be a refreshing salad. We were the last to order for the night and were rushed to make the order when we were sat down the waitress wouldnt leave the table until we decided which got us a bit flustered at our choices as she’s was looking at her watch. After the meal, the manager came and rectified the bill after and was really great and offered is a desert which we decline as we were full. It’s a shame that at first they didn’t think customer was right as the waitress was saying it’s all fresh and it’s not possible. My girlfriends stomach is fine today so I guess she was right in the end as we have been eating the same food all trip except that tuna betel leaf and I’m the sick one in the bathroom all morning, I could have picked this bug up anywhere with my hands so I can’t put the blame directly on the restaurant as it looks clean and everything. Overall the rendang and the manager saved the meal for us , given the price of the meal compared to some great warungs we have eaten at. I don’t usually do reviews but I have tried to leave some constructive feedback here for you. We will be going back to our safer options for the rest of the trip for a bigger meal at a third...