REVIEW BABI GULING AT LIVINGSTONE CAFE MELBOURNE

Hi, welcome back! So I went to Livingstone Cafe in Melbourne. It's located in South Yarra not CBD. Livingstone is actually my favorite cafe when I was living in Bali since 2015. I think they opened this new branch in Melbourne last year.

DIFFERENT CONCEPT FROM BALI

I would say, they have a different concept from the main store in Bali. I usually go to livingstone Bali to drink coffee, eat cake and just to relax, because seems like most of the people who goes there is like people 'Working From Cafe'. It's more like a light bite for me, their cake and pastry is my favorite.

But comparing with melbourne outlet, I only see a little bit of their pastry (croissant) and there was no cake? So I assume they want focus selling the coffee? Also here in Melbourne store what I actually like is, their food is mostly main dish from Indonesia or Bali, it's different with Bali store, as long as I remember their food is western style?

BABI GULING FOR WINTER SPECIAL

I searched first their menu from Google maps review, okay I decided want to try their Balinese Mix Rice (Nasi campur). But then I changed my mind after saw their Winter special menu. Wow Suckling Pig / Babi Guling, definitely my favorite Balinese dish ever! I want to eat Babi guling!

In Melbourne I tried 2 different restaurants that serve Babi guling. So I feel like I can judge it fairly in Melbourne standard? All the restaurants with Babi guling menu are having similar price! $29 or $30 per portion.

In Livingstone it's $29 fair enough. But when the dish came, wow beyond my expectation. Let me tell you, in other restaurants in Melbourne they serve Babi guling as a single dish only the meat and skin, not with other condiments. But in livingstone, it was perfect for me! It came with a big portion, full set menu with soup!

It was hard to finish it for me, it was too big for me. It came with rice, pork skin, sambal matah, coconut, shallot, satay lilit, and pork bone soup. I enjoyed it, every bite to be honest. I can tell if that's my number 2 as top bali guling in Melbourne after warung agus. But for me, if I just alone, I awould defenitely go to Livingstone rather than warung agus.

I really like their pork bone soup, authentic taste but I rarely see tofu in the soup when in Bali or never? The only thing for me is the pork skin, I wish they make it more crispy? Because in Bali, it supposed to have like a 'glass' texture, but there the skin was too thick and soft. But overall satisfied. I wish they make this menu not only for winter special.

And not forget to mention I tried their Chai Latte for $6, kinda good for winter weather with spices! Next time, I'll try their Nasi campur! Cheers!