“Murni’s Warung: Jalan Raya v. Wos-floden pa gransen til Campuhan. Righoldigt menukort og hyggelig atmosfaere.”

Turen Gar Til Bali Lombok – Af Jens Erik Ramussen – 2001

Murni’s Warung – Guide Naturale de Bali

“Face à la gorge à Murni’s Warung: En 1974, Ni Wayan Murni ouvrait le premier restaurant d’Ubud, où elle servait un mélange de recettes occidentales et balinaises. Depuis, des generations de touristes ont savouré la qualité de sa cuisine. Face aux rochers coverts de mousse de la gorge entroite de Campuhan, les quatres étages en terrasses semblent hors de ce monde. Les petits déjeuners sont extraordinaires, et à toute heure vous apprécierez les spécialités locales, les plats végétariens, les yaourts maison, les jus de fruits et les gâteaux inoubliables.”

Guide Naturale de Bali – 2005

Murni’s Warung – Guide Naturale de Bali

“Murni’s Warung: Das bekannteste und schönste Restaurant Ubuds findet sich am Ortsausgang (Campuan) an einer alten Hängebrücke (parallel verläuft die neue Strassenbrücke nach Kedewatan). Das Restaurant ist in den Abhang einer Sclucht gebaut und bietet Sitzmöglichkeiten auf drei Etagen. Die seit langem etablierte Gaststätte hat sich dem westlichen Essensgeschmack angepasst: Auf der Karte stehen neben indonesischen Speisen auch joghurt und Sago-Pudding, Guacamole und Lasagne, ebenso eine grosse Auswahl von hausgemachten Torten und Kuchen.”

Merian Live! Bali Reisen mit Erlebnis-Garantie – 2002

“Murni’s Warung: Sur Jalan Raya Ubud juste avant le pont. Tel: 975233. Bien indiquée de la route. Pleusieurs niveaux, une boutique, un bar-salon… terasse dominant la rivière et l’épaisse vegetation. Superbe addresse où curries, poisson, viande et desserts sont realisés avec brio. Également cuisses de grenouilles, gaspacho et d’autres choses originales et raffinées.”

Le Guide du Routard – Indonésie – 2002 – 3

“Murni’s Warung down by the Campuhan Bridge is one of just a few places which have been catering for travellers since they began to come to Ubud in the 1960s. The warung is actually a restaurant with an excellent menu of traditional and Western-style food, including mouth-watering delicacies such as frozen banana cheesecake.”

Cadogan Guides – Bali

“Murni’s Warung, In-spot for a meat fix; ribs earn local raves. Under $10.”

Miami Herald, 11 September 2005

Where to Eat: Murni’s Warung
Insider’s Guide to Ubud
Delicious, voted the World’s best food magazine, March 2005

“This three-level restaurant is an Ubud institution. The freshly baked breads are delicious, especially in a chilli club sandwich, and you can sit on the top terrace for curries, burgers, hot dogs, steaks and more. For dessert, you’ll want to stay for the cakes and the homemade yoghurt and ice cream.”

Insider’s Guide to Ubud

“Renowned antique collector Ibu Murni founded the first real restaurant in Ubud in 1974, and still manages it actively…”

ShopSmart
Bali & Lombok 2006

All roads lead to Murni’s Warung

All roads lead to Murni’s Warung, Mary, Martha, Murni’s Warung and Me

Bud Smith
The Times, Lombok, August – September 2007

Mary is my wife, Martha is my mistress, Murni’s Warung is a famous restaurant and I am myself. It is a long story but we all found ourselves on the island of Bali in late 2006. A spur of the moment thing, as often the best – and the worst – of things in life are. Summer is a busy time in London for a jazz singer and I was dead beat, so I proposed to my wife that we take off to Bali in October. I remembered the wonderful mushroom pizzas in the late Sixties and Mary, an interior designer, remembered the fantastic art.

Little did I know that my mistress Martha would be there. Martha is a 25 year old blonde living in Greenwich Village, a beautifully talented poet. I was singing in Soho last year and noticed a book signing in Borders right close to the club. I went in between sets, lined up, told the young poet that I was a man in a hurry, a jazz man in a hurry, had to rush and could she write something poetic. Dear Bud, Harvey Wallbanger, 10.30 in the club tonight, Martha!

Hardly had we got over our jet-lag than Mary and I made a bee line for our favourite restaurant in the whole world: Murni’s Warung in Ubud. We both love good food and drink, but even more we love good food and drink in beautiful places, where the prices are reasonable. Murni’s Warung is one of the most beautiful places on Earth! You walk in, facing you are coconut trees, palm trees and betel nut vines. Suddenly a blue-winged kingfisher glimpses by and a second later his mate. It is no surprise that the Bali Bird Club meets there keeping beady eyes out for bird and butterfly life.

The beauty is not only natural. Murni is a well-known collector of fine arts from all over Asia. At the entrance are Balinese statues, all chosen for their fine carving and fabulous expressions. On the walls are antique shadow puppets: the tree of life, which starts and closes the Balinese shadow puppet play, and the expressive clowns, who explain the story to the audience. They are for sale and I have a fine collection of them. The restaurant is on four levels and all the rooms, and especially the Lounge Bar, are decorated with Asian textiles, tribal pieces and objets d’art. Murni is often at hand expounding on art and food in the same breath.

Mary and I went to our favourite part of the restaurant, which is on the lowest level, just above the river, which you can hear rushing by underneath. So romantic. The President of East Timor and his Australian wife were on the next table. Mary ordered the Balinese Smoked Duck, which comes with Balinese vegetables. President Gusmao leaned over and said, ‘Good choice. It’s really smoked. They don’t fry it here.’ I ordered Bali Guling, a spicy pork dish eaten at special festivals. When I’m in Bali, I can’t get enough of it, and it was especially great that evening. Jacobs Creek Chardonnay helped the food go down. President Gusmao’s wife told us it’s the most popular wine in the World.

Murni’s Warung is famous for desserts. I just love the cheesecake in a strawberry coulis – better than New York cheesecake, which is saying something – and Mary adored her Cashew Pie and ice-cream. We then went to the Lounge Bar to have a chat with Murni, who was preparing to go to San Francisco to exhibit some of her collection, and drink a couple of cocktails. They play rather good jazz in there too.

Nyoman, the bartender, discreetly handed me a note. ‘Dear Bud, Harvey Wallbanger,10.30 in the Lounge Bar tomorrow morning, Martha!’. It was the Readers and Writers Festival in Ubud and Martha was launching her latest book of poetry. Nyoman smiled and said, In Bali all roads lead to Murni’s Warung!

All roads lead to Murni’s Warung

Ubud News
Ayu Intipid
Bali Advertiser, December 2007

I remember a time when you were lucky to find anything more than fried bananas on local restaurant menus. Then came Murni’s Warung. Established in the early eighties [actually 1974], Murni’s Warung was one of the first restaurants to serve a selection of international sweet dishes to appease the cake eating, chocolate-craving tourist. It was the chocolate brownies and home-made pies that served many a home-sick traveller.

Perched on the edge of the Tjampuhan suspension bridge, Murni’s Warung is run by none other than Ibu Murni. Ibu Murni is a well-known local identity, hailing from the narrow streets of Penestanan and is one of the culinary tour-de-force mothers who set the gastronomic standard of Ubud.

But it is more than that.

Murni and others in her league shaped the eating style of Ubud by adding loads of gracious Balinese hospitality and charm to their establishments. Ibu Murni still runs her world famous Murni’s Warung, in between belting it out with the local badmington team. Drop in and say hello over a piece of pie.

She loves having a chat.

Ubud News

Ubud & Beyond

Bali Advertiser, 2008

You can’t visit Ubud without going to Murni’s Warung, its most romantic restaurant at the Campuan bridge. The food is simply excellent and very reasonably priced. The setting above the Campuan River is stunning and it’s open every day, 9am – 10 pm.

There are great local and Western dishes or you can just have a snack washed down by a tropical fruit juice or something stronger. Murni’s has the best yoghurt and cheesecake anywhere.

It is owned by Murni, a very charismatic lady, who founded it in 1974. She’s usually around and enjoys a chat. She’s a treasure trove of information and was the consultant for Secrets of Bali which explains all you need to know about Bali.

Murni also has one of the best shops in Bali, known for rare ethnic pieces from all over Asia. She’s the place to go for textiles, jewelry, gifs and high quality handicrafts. Murni’s Warung Shop is very convenient as it’s part of the restaurant. The best pieces are upstairs.

Murni has accommodation too. Murni’s Houses are in the centre of town. Murni’s Villas with its jaw-dropping infininity swimming pool and uninterrupted views of hills and rice terraces are about 15-20 minutes’ drive outside Ubud. They are a favourite place for weddings, very private and luxurious, and about third the price of a 5 star hotel.

2008

Ubud & Beyond