Or Tor Kor Market is the fresh covered market near Chatuchak Market ... If you have heard of Chatuchak Weekend Market (or JJ Market) before for buying a bargaining price products from antique wood carving, clay handicrafts, local souvenirs from every parts of Thailand till garden, plant or even dogs ... That's it ... Or Tor Kor Market is just right next to Chatuchak Market
This Or Tor Kor Food Market is under the Marketing Organization for Farmers ... the government organization that help Thai farmers to find and distribute farmers' goods. This could benefit the farmers as much as they can in terms of value or adding value to the goods and products.
You will be surprised to the cleanliness and calm of the market ... can imagine it as an open-aired supermarket plus food court !!! Anyway, this Or Tor Kor Food Market was also considered as an 'up-scale market' food destination in Bangkok.
In addition to its super clean (sterile) atmosphere, the product available here are set incredibly in system such as piled high, full table, filled pot, filled sack, etc with freshness as it can be !!!
The price of goods and products here are a bit higher than other fresh market (but still cheaper than supermarket). However, the quality and diversity are the best you can find ... lots of varieties of things, many regional specialties, many sources of fruit where it came from ...
In short, this place covers with a selling of fresh fruit, vegetable, spices, fish & seafood (dried and fresh), finished food such as curries even a set of mackerel & nam-prik (spicy dip), grilled pork, bowl of Thai Desserts, etc. This is also the place you can enjoy shopping while eating at the same time !!!
How to get there: Take the MRT subway to Kamphaeng Phet station -- Exit number three, and you're in the market. Also, you can ride the BTS skytrain towards Mo Chit, get off at Saphan Kwai station and take a taxi (35 - 40 baht) or tuk-tuk to the market. Bus number 543 also runs by Or Tor Kor. Open: 06:00 - 20:00 (every day)
LoLo is now away from Bangkok, Thailand for a short while. It's the second time for LoLo this year to be in Hong Kong ... ... All the wonders of Hong Kong Foods ...
'Doi Tung' means 'Flag Peak or Flag Mountain' which can remind you all about a mountain in the northern part of Chiang Rai province (the northernmost tip of Thailand). For me, every time I hear about 'Doi Tung' I always think of 'Doi Tung Development Project' -- The Doi Tung Development Project is a development initiative of the Princess Mother who dedicate herself on this work developement.
The Doi Tung Development Project was conceived with the aim to "help people help themselves" and to make it possible for "people and forest to coexist " in a sustainable way. This was initiated by the Princess Mother in year 1988.
Coffee is one of the cash crops that substitute opium cultivation grown in Doi Tung's economic forest. Therefore, the Doi Tung Coffee has begun followed by The first Doi Tung Coffee shop on Doi Tung itself on 1995. Later in year 2002 The Doi Tung Coffee shop was opened at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar named 'Cafe Doi Tung'.
At Café Doi Tung, as coffee growing is a replacement crop for opium, it uses only the Project's high-quality aromatic Arabica coffee beans harvested from trees grown at approximately 1,000 metres above sea level. The coffee cherries are hand-picked and selected before being carefully roasted and ground.
The bakery is also available ... my favourite was normally 'mushroom puff' but it's gone !!! However, I found this new one which was 'spinach puff' ... what I like here was it's a mashed spinach filling (normally it's the whole spinach leaf appeared) ... look inside !!!
Other drink which I would like to recommend is 'iced chocolate' ... even it's not coffee but you will be wondered how the thickness and chocolaty it can be !!!
Cafe Doi Tung Branch : Bangkok : Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Sindhorn Building, Impact, Muang Thong Thani, Challenger Muang Thong Thani, the Head Office of TMB Bank, Jatujak Market, Siriraj Hospital, Fashion Island Shopping Mall, Chamchuri Square, OP Garden Charoenkrung 36, The Park Condominium Chid lom, Sibunrueng Building Silom, Ramathibodi Hospital Outside Bangkok : Hua Hin,Nimmanhemin Chiang Mai, Le Meridien Chaing Mai, Mae Fah Luang Garden, Doi Tung, JJ Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai Airport
Some people might think this place is an hi-so (hi-society) location to get this kind of food ... boat noodles with beef or pork meatball or fish ball noodles or banana in syrup, etc ... actually it is the place where you can find Thai local foods (all in one place) without any sweating (plus very hygienic).
Provence is the eating place located in a kind of high-end shopping mall in Bangkok (both Peninsula Plaza and Gaysorn Plaza) ... see the picture below for both location full with leafy garden interior -- don't misunderstand that this is Provence in France !!!
Provence @Penninsula Plaza
Provence @ Gaysorn Plaza
Foods at Provence are a wide range of choices of noodles -- the famous 'Boat Noodles' (or int Thai 'Kuey-Tiew- Rueh' with beef, pork, or fish ball ... price at 70Bht for small or 120Bht for large ... you could think of how comes we need to pay this high price for just a boat noodle, right??? I prefer to eat here since the quality which is full of meat, thickness taste from the broth and herb, and lastly a hygienic ... look by yourself for the thinness slices of meat and quantity !!!
and also other Thai famous dish and appetizers such as :
Below Left : Fresh Spring Roll (in Thai : Por-Pea-Sod) 110Bht ... the filling is different from fried spring roll since it's contained tofu, shrimp, mushroom, pork, and beansprouts topped with sugar tamarind sauce plus crab & eggs
Below Middle : Coconut Rice with Papaya Salad (in Thai : Kaow-Mun-Som- Tam) 95Bht ... this is a traditional dish (not really northearn tyep which turned to be central Thai already). Side dish is shreded pork.
Below Right : Stir-fried Chinese Turnip Pancake with beansprouts, prawn, and egg (in Thai : Ka-Nom-Hua-Pak-Kad) 85Bht ... this is also my favourite noodle dish ... you might have seen in Chinese Restaurant (especially with dimsum) but here was adapted to be Thai style
and also some Thai Desserts ... the famous banana in syrup, mango with sticky rice, or other traditional Thai Desserts
especially this banana in syrup (65Bht) ... show you my way of eating at this place ... recommend you to ask for crushed ice to put in ... you will get the different kind of taste from normal banana in syrup ... sweet, sticky, salty, and cold ... so refreshing !!!
This place is also recommended for taking your foreign friends to enjoy ... able to get all kind of Thai dishes and snacks here !!!
Provence Peninsula Plaza, 153 Ratchadamri Road, near BTS Ratchadamri
Tel : 02-652-1399
Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Road
Tel : 02-856-1050
Another gift received from Japan ... this one is from Hakata, Japan ... Yes, Hakata-ku is one of the wards of Fukuoka City. If you can remember, I have mentioned once about Kyushu Food Fair at Isetan. Then you can see how great the city is with food !!!
Here is one of the famous snack from famous snack shop in Hakata-ku called '中洲deいちご' or 'Nakasu de Ichigo' which was translated in English (if I was correct) as 'State de Strawberry' -- Ichigo means strawberry !!! This product would be sold only for certain period (October - April) -- which is the strawberry period ...
In fact, if you know me enough, you can notice that I'm a kind of crazy about Japanese Strawberry (seriously) ... you can see from my previous blogs when I traveled to Japan as 'Japanese Strawberry' and 'Japanese Strawberry - Ichigo Daifuku'. Missing it Missing it a lot !!!
However, with this amazing gift ... I was so delighted that I laughed out loud ... Ha Ha Ha ... can't help enjoying it since I was able to notice it immediately as it's ichigo !!!
This time Japanese Strawberry was preserved with 'Freeze Dried Technology' -- with this technology it could make a ready-to-eat shelf-stable processed food full with 100% dried fruit form. By this you can feel the crispy and crunchy texture but still full with real taste of the fruit ... in this case, Japanese Strawberry !!!
The whole strawberry was coated with white chocolate coverture (which I can taste a bit of yoghurt flavour mixed in) ... cannot really confirm on this but just able to taste it.
In short, perfectly amazing since the whole strawberry was remained with the taste and aroma ... I'm loving it !!!
Where to get this ??? It came from the shop called 'Nikakudo' -- a long established confectionery shop in Hakata consists of sweets, Choco Cake, and other Japanese Traditional Confections at : 1-1 Chuogai, Hakata-eki, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Japan -- or check out its website at : www.nikakudou.co.jp
Yes Yes Yes ... it becomes a tradition on my blog to inform you all about the spirit of'red' --- Christmas (actually New Year) is coming to town every year... even though Thais do not celebrate Christmas at all ... we do this as we are in 'copy culture' !!!
Easy indicator for me ??? Starbucks ... It's always the first shop that set up all things ready for Christmas ... quicker than others ... might be the quickest !!!
and ... this is the look of Starbucks RED cup this year ... together with RED decoration in the shops ... Compared to last year on my previous blog at : Red is coming to town
Be Well Friends !!! Get Ready for coming December Month ... December 2009 ... next move will be a new 2010 year ... Time Flys ... So soon So quick than you can imagine !!!
If you are my blog's fan, you might be able to recall this small cozy restaurant named 'Jarn-Suay' which is in soi Sukhumvit 23 (Prasanmitr) ... Yes, it is one of my favourite places for good food and place ... This eating place is not luxury at all, besides it's a kind of easy and simple place ... however, it can make me feel like I am eating at home or my friend's place.
The interior style is mixed between European Mediteranian (with the orangy colour tone) plus a mix of Italian and Spanish (from tiles & painted potterys including things that were hanged on the wall). Feeling that you can have here would be so comfy plus the soft & light music (especially from the owner's himself - Archan Danu who is the composer).
That's the atmosphere that you can get from this place ... now, what else you can get from food ??? I won't tell you much about the food since I have mentioned enough in my earlier blog.
However, one thing that I like about this place is that this place has never been changed a bit in terms of food quality and size including way of serving!!! Therefore, I always enjoy my same old things (things that I always ordered for) ... especially some of the dished that has been noted with background and history why it appeared here at Jan-Suay.
Arrrr right !!! the menu ... the menu has been changed from one piece of paper (one page) to a kind of easy binding pieces of paper !!! See below picture ...
At this stage, if you are interested in this place enough and would like to see what dishes are available, please refer to :
Jarn Suay the homey cozy Place -- Check out at : Jarn Suay Part 1
Jarn Suay (again) for my birthday party -- Check out at : Jarn Suay Part 2
One thing I need to tell you ... you won't be disappointed from this place ... it's the place for European Type foods (Italian, Spain, and so on) ... read the menu carefully !!!
If you have heard of 'Green World Campaign' before, you might heard that this campaign works to reforest our planet, raise the living standards of the rural poor, and combat global climate change. In fact, I'm not a kind of what's called'Greenista' ... so don't worry that this blog will become environmental friendly ... In fact, this blog is 'food friendly' !!!
However, I just want to have fun with food ... even my mom always said 'don't play with your food' ... I can't resist playing with all these which I put them together here ... my'green'foods.
Starting from a lunch set which was so green from Nanohana @ J.Avenue Thonglor -- check out detail at : Osaka Cuisine Nanohana... The set consists of rice topped with pickled vegetable and small fish serving with saru matcha soba ... so green and so cool !!! There is no more 'global warming' anymore during eating this ...
The next one is my 'always' favourite snack from UK -- WALKERS Salt & Vinegar ... disregard that I used to work at Frito-Lays before, I have to insist that Salt & Vinegar have to be from this brand !!! Besides, my favourite flavour (which is always be a minority in Thailand) is this Salt & Vinegar ... still remember the time when I studied in UK, during lunchtime sandwiches with a pack of chips -- my pick 'salt & vinegar' always !!! The irresisable taste of good combination salty and sour ... yum yummmm !!!
The new launched of drink in Thailand ... Oishi Matcha Mineral ... another way of marketing laungh in terms of added product value ... adding matcha (green tea powder) into plain water (in fact from the claim - it's a mineral water). As the instruction said ... open the lid, pour the powder, then shake, and enjoy !!! The result cold matcha (no sugar) !!!
Can't forget another of my favourite snack -- Kit Kat Chocolate ... yes yes as you can guess ... However, I have to thanks one of my blog fans who reminded me to add this in ... it's a Kit Kat Green Tea Matcha -- what I like about this Kit Kat is that the colour and the taste (especially scent) are so real ... color of the coating is on creamy green with delicate scent of matcha. Read more at : Green Tea (Matcha) Kit Kat from Japan
With this long writing of 'green' foods related ... you can see that lots of things came from 'matcha' or Japanese Green Tea ... In fact, Matcha is a style of preparing green tea that starts with preparing the tea leaves before harvest wihch was covered from the sun before being picked. Then the leaves was dried and grounded into a fine powder to create the matcha. That's a little information for you all ...
Here comes the last part, which is not related to foods directly, but I just want to put my phones down here ... LG Ice-cream (with the colour of green pistachio) and Nokia Express Music with the chain of green tea ice-cream stick ... Yes Yes Yes no one could be so green as me !!!
Today one of my colleague in office received a gift from our Japanese Client, it's not a big gift with high price or something ... but it's just a box of wafer chocolate ... However, I just jumped and grasped it with screaming !!! Yes Yes Yes ... It's a KitKat Strawberry Rilakkuma from Japan !!!
If you have read my blog before, you will understand that I'm a kind of liking Japanese Snack a lot especially the Kit Kat Japanese Version ... for example check out some at : Green Tea (Matcha) KitKat earlier.
One of the reason I love Japanese Kit Kat because Japan Kit Kat has pushed a lot in terms of flavour variant ... sometimes sizing such as the half-finger sized Kit Kat Petit !!! Normally, Kit Kat Bar normally consists of three layers (creme, wafer, and chocolate outer layer). In terms of Variant Flavour launched, as the record, The Kit Kat Orange was the first flavour variant in Uk (Year 1996) follwed by Kit Kat Dark and Kit Kat Mint (in 1997). However, the successful marketing strategy in Japan was about 'flavour variety'.
Not only the flavour, Kit Kat in Japan also co-branding with other brand such as 'Rilakkuma' ... The word 'rilakkuma' came from English Word of 'Relax'. It was mixed with 'Kuma' which means 'Bear' ... In total, it means Relaxing Bear. Rilakkuma enjoys relaxing so much in terms of sleeping, laying around, watching tv, and soaking in hot springs. He loves using Kaoru's yellow bean bag pillow and often accompanied by Korilakkuma (a smaller white bear).
Now, talking about the product itself ... as soon as I opened it, I immediately smell a scent of Strawberry Flavouring ... yes yes yes ... it's the same as you normally had with any Japanese Strawberry Candy or Chocolate which was very fresh, sweet, and strongly powerful -- not like anywhere I had experience before.
About this Kit Kat Stawberry, it's so smooth and creamy in taste ... again milky strawberry with strawberry cream between layers. Can't resist to have more ... too bad ... I was able to get only 2 petits. One thing I could help to notice was that it melted so easily ... easier than Kit Kat Matcha !!!
Have you ever had a feeling of famish between meals and up to a need of elegant & peaceful experience onto your sweet tooth? I would like to introduce you all here for "a traditional high tea with old world charm" at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.This place is located on the ground floor of the Authors’ Wing, this lounge (an original part of the hotel. The decoration is on old colonial style under the translucent roofs with white rattan furniture and greenish bamboo, palm trees, and plants ... a really good place for an afternoon tea or light meal or desserts including drinks.
This part of building (Authors' wing) was opened since 1887 (with the Oriental Hotel - the first luxury hotel of Siam or Thailand at that time) which was designed by Italian Architect S. Cardu. The Authors' Wing at that time was consisted of lobby, bar, restaurant, including kitchen while the guest rooms were upstairs (where now it was called as The Authors Suites).
As the hotel claimed, this place is considered to be an institution for traditional English afternoon tea with scones, finger sandwiches and cakes and of course only the world’s finest teas (or coffee) !!!
Talking about traditional afternoon tea, it is a light meal typically eaten between 3 pm and 5 pm which was originated in England (when the time that England had only 2 main meal - breakfast and evening dinner before) ... with small cakes and hot tea serving for afternoon tea. Later in years passed, afternoon tea became social event in English upper class in everyday event. However, these days it is more likely to be taken as a treat in a hotel, cafe, or even tea shop.
At Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, the serving started with 'refreshing green lime and giner sorbet' -- a real Thai lime sorbet with a tangy sour taste and strong aroma from lime zest ... a real cleaning throat before starting light afternoon tea ... keep us awake and excitement from the up coming.
The key highlight items from 'Traditional Afternoon Tea Set' arrived with a serving on a big tiered stand ... see below as it's 3 layers tiered consisted of
Tradition plain & raisin scones serving with strawberry preserve, original Oriental pomelo marmalade, and unique Oriental rose petal jam with clotted cream and creamy butter
Warm savoury chicken mince turnovers,
Smoked salmon finger on caraway whole wheat, Egg & Chive mayonnaise salad on four grain rye, Cucumber & cream cheese and micro cress on wheat bread, Cooked ham & cheddar cheese remoulade
English fruit cake & orange butter cake, Opera, Seasonal berry tartlets
Dotted ginger Crème brûlée, Berry panna cotta shot, Soft brownie
Macadamia and chocolate cookies, cinnamon Short Bread
All of these were served with our choices of either Mariage Freres Teas, or freshly brewed coffee or any herbal infusions ... our choices of course 'Mariage Freres Tea' -- one of the finest well- known French tea companies in Paris (which was established since 1854) which produces tea for hotels and Parisian high society for long.
Ask me about the taste and quality ??? Umm difficult to say about each items since it's gorgeous by the look, superb in taste, sophisticate in preparation, calm & peaceful in atmosphere together well-trained & friendly service ... in short, it was such a perfect afternoon tea that I would like to recommend you all to experience ... This is the place where you are able to be melted down into or even able to forget your real life in the real world !!!
It's not just only the quality of food such as the great tea sandwich which was made to be easy to handle -- especially my always favourite cucumber sandwiches or a fantastic dessert with unique of its taste on light custard with thin caramelized of Crème brûlée or a great aroma of Mariage Freres Tea in a pot which was sat on a little lighting stove to keep warm always ...
It's also the atmosphere that you can earn here from the sound of live piano by the adorable man who play exclusively at this hotel ... even though he's blind but his play does not be affected by ... he's the one who was appreciated by The Queen and other Royal Family who visit the hotel found him at Authour's Lounge in the afternoon or Le Normandie French dining at night time ... for me, I myself have not seen him for years -- glad to see him again !!!
Now, what else you can have here ... also afternoon tea set (Thai Style) full with Thai taste of snack and light finger foods ... Moroccan Tea ; the real fresh mint tea with pine nut no sugar added - a very refreshing drink ...
or even the home-made ice-cream which you can select from milk base or sorbet base ... the flavour that you will never had anywhere before ... I'm already fall in love with ice-cream here - it's now the best ice-cream or fresh juice such as Sakura Lime Apple Juice ... a good combination blend perfectly for the hot and waming day
'Urban Kitchen' ... Not much of people can think of this place ... It's an 'Urban Kitchen' at Erawan Bangkok (lower ground floor) which connected with Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel itself. This is what I call an eating place consists with lots of restaurant types ... Chinese, Thai, Singapore, Japanese, Sandwiches, Ice-cream bar, and so on ...
I'm about to talk about a Japanese Restaurant at Urban Kitchen which is my usual place here (or one of my favourite place for Japanese Food). This restaurant 'Japanese Restaurant Erawan' is not related to Hyatt Erawan Bangkok at all. In fact, it related to 'Kizahashi' -- a kind of brother and sister restaurants ... If you cannot recall 'Kizahashi' -- check out at : grill-it-yourself okonomiyaki restaurant / lunch set @ Kizahashi.
Compared to Kizahashi, this place is more upscale -- from the look and atmosphere. Seating was arranged for both front of sushi bar and also table including waitress wearing Japanese kimono.
The way the meal started -- cold wet towel, small plates, wooden chopsticks ... and don't forget appertizers serving in small bowl ... a real appertizer before dishes that we ordered arrived.
If you notice, same as in Kizahashi, we normally order 'Hiyashi Tomato' -- iced cold fresh Japanese Tomato Served with Rock Salt (120 Bht) ... This is a real dish for the one who love fresh tomato !!! So meaty and juicy indeed ... sweet natural dipped a little on rock salt (which is not only salty but sweet included).
Another very Japanese dish is also 'Seaweed Salad' (I have to owe you all for the name and price of this dish) -- 3 types of Japanese Seaweeds dipped with sesame dressing -- 3 types 3 colours 3 texture !!!
Here comes the dish that we just found that we love it ... 'Umeshiso Maki' 200 Bht -- a Japanese Plum & Shiso Leaves (shiso is a kind of Japanese leaves that is the same family as mint) ... so you can imagine the smell of Japanese Plum which was blended well with shiso leaves ... For the taste it's a real Japanese Plum (sweet, salty, and sour in one) !!!
Another 'sound simple' dishes which I have never missed were 'Eringi Yaki' 150Bht -- Grilled Eringi Mushroom with salt ... so big size of Eringi mushroom which was cut along the height of itself grilled with a little salt ... of course, it won't dry out the natural taste of earthy mushroom smell. Also 'Chawanmushi' -- steamed egg in tea cup ... so soft but full with soup taste for cooking eggs ... digged down, it was full with chicken, shrimp, ginko, mushroom, and so on.
The highlight ... Kurobuta Ninniku Rice 750Bht -- Grilled Pork Belly Sticks with marinated garlic pickles and black seaweed ... Infact, there are also choices for beefeater with the choice of normal beef, wagyu, or even matsuzaka !!! Of course, the beef ones will be more tasty than pork ... due to the beef itself ... For me, I always prefer the pork since this is already kurobuta (black hog) already ... soft tender with a little of fatty pork meat on ... Of course, the last step before serving always a show case by waitress since she will fry all thing at front of customers !!!
Another amazing thing that I have never thought that it's can be cooked like this ... Yaki Yasai 180Bht ... Grilled cos lettuce with anchovi wasabi dressing ... Who can think that cos lettuce can be grilled ... besides it's so yummy !!! topped with anchovy dressing (even they said wasabi dressing too -- I cannot detect much of it -- so dont be panic for the one who said you don't take any wasabi) !!!
One thing I sometimes order was 'kids set' ... yes, it's for kids which was served in shinkansen (bullet train) which consists of onigiri, fried chicken, crab stick sushi, and my favourite custard. !!!
As my tradition, I have never forgot my Oshiruko (sweet red beans soup with grilled rice cake) ... the red beans soup might look light but the taste was not ... and my favourite part grilled mochi ... so smoked full !!!
This one we voted for top hit dessert dish as the best tasty round off meal -- Kakigori which is Japanese dessert made from shaved ice flavoured and syrup ... Here you can have two choices of green tea or strawberry ... with topping of red bean paste & mochi ...
Japanese Restaurant Erawan B1 Erawan Bangkok
494 Ploenchit Road, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
Tel : 02-250-7890
Today I went to Kinokuniya Isetan which I bumbed into this book instead of other (thing) that I expected to be in this bookshop. Anyway, as my normal habit, the 1st place I walk to would be the cookbooks shelf. This book was located on eye level ...
'A Day at El Bulli' is a big book (600 pages -- see how thick it is) covers a single day at the Spanish restaurant El Bulli, from sunrise over the Costa Brava through the last staff member's departure.
You might wonder what is 'El Bulli' right? El Bulli is a small restaurant overlooks the Cala Montjoi bay in Catalonia Spain. It has been described as "the most imaginative generator of haute cuisine on the planet and does a great deal of work on molecular gastronomy (a scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes for cooking).
Then who is 'Ferran Adrià' ??? He is a Spanish Catalan Chef -- head chef of the El Bulli. He is considered one of the best chefs in the world and tops the European Restaurant Ranking.
El Bulli is famous not only for its innovative food but also for the legendary difficulty of getting a table there ... This restaurant is only opened from April to October of each year. Adrià spends the remaining six months of the year perfecting recipes in his workshop. Imagine the best chef in the world and the best restaurant in the world !!!
This huge book describes 24-hours at the El Bulli restaurant, with images and photos and also some recipes. It also shows Adrià's creative methods, extraordinary techniques and outstanding dishes. However, most of recipes are so complex and need special (more than ordinary) kitchen tools and so on.
It's not his new book since it was published since 2008 -- but I just like to have and understand this thought !!!
In short, behind this thick book is all about 'creativity' !!! ... Ideas, Methods and Creativity of Ferran Adrià himself ... but there is also one sentence (quote) from him that "It is impossible to be creative without good organization" which you will see one chapter proven on this ... I like him !!!
Anyway, if you want to know more about this book or know more about 'Ferran Adrià' himself and also his restaurant and his dishes, see more detail from Gaurdian (by Jay Rayner who is the Observer's restaurant critic and a novelist) at : http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/video/2008/oct/16/el-bulli-ferran-adria
In Thailand, there are a lots of what I call 'Thai Chinese' -- estimated 14% of Thailand's population claim to be of Chinese ethnicity. Back to the era of Ayuthaya (13th Century I guess), Chinese traders arrived Thailand from Fujian and Guangdong. Until the era of King Taksin, who was also the son of a Chinese immigrant, encouraged high rate of both Chinese immigration and trade. That's the reason why Chinese from Chaozhou came in Thailand with a large numbers which became 'Teochew' Chinese in Thailand.
Teochew Chinese came from Chaozhoe and Teochiu in China which started settled down in Thailand in South Eastern of Thailand and then Bangkok. Therefore, a lots of Teochew Thai Chinese are the most population in Thailand nowadays.
Teochew cuisine is particularly well known for it seafood and vegetarian dishes -- which was perceived as healthy. However, I have read once mentioned that the way to cook Teochew food must remember the rule of 'inner taste and outer taste' which means if material does not have any taste, it must be cooked till the taste is inside. On the other hand, if the material has taste, it must be cooked till the taste came out.
Okay, I have been talking about history and background information for long ... here comes the restaurant that serves Teochew Cuisine ... Thaweechai Potchana (the word 'Potchana' in Thai also means 'Eatery') at Rama 3 Road. At soon as we stepped in, we could see the fridge which intends to show customers on raw material ...
Actually, Thaweechai Potchana was established for almost 30 years starting its business at Suan Mali Area (and still its business there). However, this place at Rama 3 was managed by 2nd generation who try to manage and remain their taste. Therefore, the ambient was set as more modern with air-conditioning room and also outside (sitting besides the Chaopraya River for the fresh air breath) in the evening.
We started the meal with a little crispiness from Pork ... Crispy Pork Coil Served with sweet soya sauce (160/200Bht) ... yes, it's the intestine of the pork which was treated neatly to get rid of bad smell then marinated and deep fried
Sizzling Mussels with eggs and corn flour serve with chilli sauce (120/150 Bht) ... Fresh big mussels in crispy outside and soft inside egg and flour mixed batter ... served on hot plate. Imagine the smell, so crispy smokey indeed
Stirred fried sea slug with chilli and holy basils (270/380 Bht) ... if you know me well, this dish was not for me !!! It's not only the hot & spicy taste but it was the sea slug !!! 'Sea Slug' or 'ปลิงทะเล' or in Japanese 'sea cucumber' is one type of animal in the sea ... Chinese believes that it's good for health -- full with protein and iodine and also help control blood pressure. The picture of sea slug is in the below middle, while on the plate was cut and diced already as a meal.
Stirred fried crab with black peppercorn ... big mud crab on the spicy black pepper sauce ... see how black the colour was so then you can imagine the tasty of the sauce ... not hot as from fresh red chilli but hot as from the black pepper !!!
Fried water mimosa with chilli garlic (90/120 Bht) ... this is always my niece's favourite -- so strange as little girl to like this acrid aoma veggy ... seem like she always enjoy it with only no fresh chilli in !!!
Fried fish maw with crab meat & beansprouts (160/220 Bht) ... fish maw is the air bladder of the fish with a good source of collagen. By the look, it's puffy, light and look like a yellow sponge. For cooking it requires long time of simmering or simply soaking in cold water then sqeezing or soaking hot oil -- depends on dish ... complicate complicate indeed to make it taste good and ready to cook !!!
Fried noodle with sweet pork (90/160/220 Bht) ... this sweet pork it was called in menu as 'moo-ba-teng หมูบะเต็ง' -- it's a small diced pork stir-fried with light soysauce, black soy sauce, and a little of sugar & pepper .... anyway, it's my favourite ... I always ordered this sweet pork as with chinese boiled rice. This is my first time to see it with fried noodle ... so strange good -- yummy yummy !!!!
Fried rice with minced pork and Chinese olive (90/160/220 Bht) -- if you have read all my blog about Chinese food, you will see that we always have rice with chinese olive ... can't help 'cause I love this Chinese Olive a lot !!! This is salted black olive -- see the below middle picture for what it look like and its texture. Fried Ho-Fun Noocles with Pork (80/160/220 Bht) -- it's always my mom's favourite. She always ask for this noodld dish to finish up her chinese meal since she is afraid that we will get hungry soon and sooner !!!
For me, to wrap up Chinese Meal, it have to be Chinese Dessert !!! As we have seen from menu that they are proudly present this 'Icing Taro' 120/150 Bht ... it's a kind of stir-fried taro then mixed with sugar ... sound easy but difficult the restaurant that make it yummy indeed. Don't forget to drink with hot Chinese Tea ... it will help declining the sweet taste and dryness from taro texture.
Another thing, can't help mentioning ... since I walked around the restaurant and saw at counter these 3 glass jars ... they are all cracker and candies (my childhood's favourite) ... the below right was small cracker with hard sugar frost on top (I always call it - ขนมหัวจุก topknot) ... it's was not that yummy ... but for kids, it's another fun to select only the colour we liked and eat only the knot part !!!
Thaweechai Potchana The River 662/73-73, Rama 3 Road Bang Pong Pang, Yannawa, Bangkok Tel : 02-293-02550-1 Suan Mali Branch (original) Tel : 02-224-7575
Iata Chinese Restaurant might be familiar to some of you (actually - especially our parents generations). This is because Iata Restaurant has been in Thailand (Bangkok) for so long (more than 20 years) since its first place in Siam Square.
The first location was in Siam Square soi 4 (Scala cinema) with a dark (I meant lighting) ambient with one Indian man wearing red shoulder belt at the front door -- Later (7 years ago), it was moved to be located in current location New Pethaburi Road with a more of space and area for parking ... The location was very outstanding since there was a big sign at the front on main street and also Big Red Chinese gateway ... one thing that was not changed is the Indian man still remain -- he is still here (not sure whether he's the same person) and still wearing the red shoulder belt !!!
Coming to inside, thing that lying at the front of the hall is a big red carpet brass stairs -- a very outstanding landmark of this restaurant. I think this must be important since it was also appeared on the front of menu.
Here were what we ordered ... starting with Cold Hors d'oeuvres below left (400/600 Bht) and Hot Hors d'oeuvres below right (280/380/600 Bht) ... actually the word 'Hors d'oeuvres' means appetizers are food items served before the main courses of a meal in French but to use as in Chinese should be allowed ... from the look, in cold hors d'oeuvres, you can see the variety of sausage (bolongna), shrimp in tomato sauce, steamed chicken in chinese wine, cold jelly fish salad, potash preserved egg. While hot hors d'oeuvres, there were mostly fried items such as shirmp sesame on bread, fish maw and egg, and so on
Here're the highlighted of Iata ... hot plate items ... Hot Plate Beef Pata Delight (left) and Hot Plate Mixed Pork & Liver (right) 300Bht ... serving hot which we could see the sauce bubbling around !!! From the look below, I bet you won't be able to rekon which type of meat on each plate since it was covered with red pickled bean curd sauce. But one thing I would say is that the meat was so soft and tender ... and the sauce was so tasty !!!
Then, Roasted Goose Feet in Clay Pot (600Bht), here we ordered at the first place to have egg noodle with since in the kitchen would cooked the goose feet with noodle in one time for the best taste.
Another dish, I have to admit that it was so difficult to find this word 'หน่อไม้ทะเล' since even in menu there's no English name. Finally it's a razor shell (another sea animal) which look like white asparagus ... no doubt why Thais call it 'sea asparagus' ... yes, it was fried with green vegetable and black shitake mushroom (400/800 Bht) ... Ho Ho ... so fishy for me (the one who don't like seafood much) ... I was even smell the sea -- strange thou since others enjoyed it a lot.
Sweet & Sour Snapper (270 Bht) ... I myself love chinese sweet & sour sauce a lot ... This is becuase I like tomato, tomato ketchup, carrot, etc ... all the red colour !!! But one thing was that most of chinese sweet & sour always with fish ... even at home, my mom has to cook special sweet & sour chicken for me !!! Here at Iata, it's a fish (snapper) ... amazing, yummy yummy no fishy feeling from me ... that means it must be extreamly yummy.
These four pictures were 'Deep fried pigeon with chinese wine' price per pigeon equals to 320Bht ... so dark with sauce but so crispy as the deep fried !!!
Pigeon here might be in small size but the quality and its crispiness can be guarantee !!!
Last episode, our family always end with rice dishes ... Below are Baked Rice with Chinese Olive in Earthen Pot (100 Bht) ... It came with the white rice at below part while the Chinese Olive and Minced Pork at the top. Therefore, it needed a mixing before serving and eating with cashew nuts, chilli, and lime. I appreciated this dish most while others mentioned that it was not tasty enough ... up to individual taste indeed !!!
Baked Rice with Chiken and Chinese Sausage in Earthen Pot (120Bht) another mixing before serving needed. It's a kind of dice chicken and chinese sausage in brown sauce which was cooked with chinese wine & ginger ... smell good but I still like the chinese olive one !!!
Last dish which was dessert ... a classic item for my family to end of meal ... crispy thin chinese pancake/crepe with chinese date filling ... chinese date inside the flour sheet which was deep fried ... here you can find loads of filling inside don't bother open the pancake sheet to see what;s inside ... when I tried to cut with fork, it's all over the place. The trick on this dessert for my family was to order the biggest size therefore everyone will have enough and more than enough !!!
and that's end of our meal ... below was the last scene proven of what we had on that meal ...
Iata Chinese Restaurant & Coffee Shop 2046/7-11 New Petchaburi Road, Bangkapi, Huay Kwang, Bangkok 10310 Tel : 02-718-1731 - 2 Open : Monday - Saturday (16:00 - 02.00) Open : Sunday & Holiday (11:00 - 02.00) Direction : opposite RCA (next to Petchsiam Thai Massage - just before Italthai Building)
Just found one type of snack during shopping at Emporium Department Store (Korean Food) ... It's called “Kkul Tarae" or Honey Skein ... a kind of sweet snack which contains cereal (from almond and sesame) inside.
At first I think it's a Chinese Snack which I have seen once -- the name is a kind like 'Dragon Beard Candy' or something. However, weeks later after I have seen 'Kkul Tarae a Korean Version', I just happened to see the Chinese Version at WTC Bangkok. Great -- exactly the same but was claimed to be Chinese Snack !!!
I am so in love with the world of competition -- country by country, even the snack, each country claimed to be the originator !!!
Anyway, back to Korean Version in Emporium, I just stood there and waited for them to prepare from the beginning. Here was what I have seen ... started from 3 key raw materials ... ripened honey (he said it's a Korean Honey), flour, and almonds mixed with sesame.
The process was to make the ripened honey to have hole in the middle then pulling out the hole, dipped into dry flour, squeeze and pull (same process of making noodle) ... then from 1 circle turns to be many many hundreds holes (lines).
From the box it said ... "A Traditional Court Cake (honey skein) is a court cake made of ripened honey and malt which was once presented to the king and valuable guests. It is brewed with artisan spirit to make 16,000 strand suggesting the prayer for longevity, health, god fortune and wish-fulfillment. It is not much sweet, not sticky to teeth, but enjoyable with various tastes according to garnishing. It can taste better with teas as it is cold and frozen.”
I have talked about this place Deli LA BOTTEGA di Luca before but it's about deli shop selling homemade pastas and sauces, Italian cold cuts, breads and pastries -- all homemade ingredients which was prepared daily. As promised, we had a visit the restaurant ... It's at the upstairs where you can select to seat inside (air-con) or outside (natural air breath of Sukhumvit) ...
What is good (actually what I like) about this Italian LA BOTTEGA di Luca was the basket of bread ... as you may know, they bake bread themselves .., in the basket, it contained white bread, normal focaccia, and one of my favourite tomato focaccia !!! only missing the onion focaccia ...
Our appetizer was Vegetable Grill (240Bht) ... yes, it's a grilled vegetable as said on its name ... consisted of eggplant, onion, asparagus, and tomato ... grilling and leaving cool in room tempt then marinated with vinegar and olive oil. This is a warning, if you expect the warm grilled plate, this is not it !!! but this is another version of vegetable grill that you can try ...
Spaghetti con aglio, alla e peperoncino (Spaghetti with extra virgin olive oil, chillies and galic) 220Bht ... it's a testing of dry pasta and quality of olive oil for me ... since this shop, as I told you earlier, sells also Italian ingredients too for their deli shop. So the material for their cooking was so good ... nope - great ... starting with the al dente cooked of pasta and the aroma of olive oil. Anyway, this dish made us dream of Italian trip again !!! but it's a matter of when ...
Last savory dish was Paccheri with Italian porcini and truffle cream 440Bht ... another suggestion is that this is really the one who love mushroom ... it's so mushroomy !!! By the look, we found it so dark, damp and moist ... says not appertised at all ... In fact, it's the jewel ... with a deep taste of mushroom from porcini and truffle on paccheri pasta (large hollow tube shaped pasta) ... made me think of one small restaurant in Rome that we went earlier years ago that sold nothing except mushroom with pasta !!!
Here comes the round off meal time, Tiramisu Cake (180Bht) and Coffee ... Again, this is not normal tiramisu that we all know on coffee and chocolaty taste. On the other hand, it's the very fruity taste from orange inside the tiramisu ... have to admit that it's not my taste since I'm a kind of fruit phobia ... but if you like something fruitty, I recommend you this one ... amazing mix !!!
Lastly for a need to be mentioned, you can easily see and meet the chef (Chef Luca Appino) nearby since he also walks around the restaurant greeting customers by himself (and sometimes serve you some dishes himself too).
Deli La Bottega di Luca 2nd Floor, The 49 Terrace 49 Sukhumvit Soi 49, Bangkok 10110 Shop Tel : 02-204-1730 Restaurant Tel : 02-204-1731
In addition to its super clean (sterile) atmosphere, the product available here are set incredibly in system such as piled high, full table, filled pot, filled sack, etc with freshness as it can be !!!
The price of goods and products here are a bit higher than other fresh market (but still cheaper than supermarket). However, the quality and diversity are the best you can find ... lots of varieties of things, many regional specialties, many sources of fruit where it came from ...
In short, this place covers with a selling of fresh fruit, vegetable, spices, fish & seafood (dried and fresh), finished food such as curries even a set of mackerel & nam-prik (spicy dip), grilled pork, bowl of Thai Desserts, etc. This is also the place you can enjoy shopping while eating at the same time !!!
Posts
