http://www.chow.com/boards/46 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:32:07 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849475#7342270 I have a few vegetarian friends here in HK who have decided Pork is a vegtable for similar reasons. PhilD Wed, 16 May 2012 12:21:46 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849475#7342270 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/782095#7342220 Your ascription to me of the sentiment of "The fact that a majority of the population is not able to enjoy the facilities at a public space may not concern you" is wholly without merit and is in error. Do not put words into my mouth. I think you and I have different outlooks on what constitutes "compromise" or "acquiescence". There are also varying shades of "Tyranny of the Majority" ranging from abridgement of the rights of a minority to extermination of the minority, and the danger is always of sliding from one end to the other. We will just have to disagree on the matter. As for those pesky food courts or public spaces under discussion - why not simply have halal and non-halal sections, separated from each other? For that matter, one notes that in Kuala Lumpur - the locus of our discussion about imposition of halal regulations - the Malay/Muslim/Mamak population is a MINORITY, not the majority. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur#Demographics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Indian#Religions_and_faiths http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Chinese#Religion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Malay One reads of how excited the Chinese public in KL gets at the news that there is a non-halal eating establishment being opened up. If there were truly such a huge array of pork/non-halal places freely available as you imply there would be no reason for that reaction from them. p.s. I think klyeoh gave some real-life examples in his response to you of the practical realities of this "compromise" as you deem it. huiray Wed, 16 May 2012 11:36:00 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/782095#7342220 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849032#7342160 Lunched at Ippudo today. Nice atmosphere, tasty food. I had spicy tonkatsu and oolong tea, plus a side of black fungus. The fungus was quite nice. Overall, good, but not remarkable. I'd say 50-50 we'd go back. chloehk Wed, 16 May 2012 09:21:55 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849032#7342160 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/830243#7342147 Headed to KK & other parts of Borneo and would love the contact info for your tour guides--do you think we could get a local food tour? Locmgr1@yahoo.com locmgr1 Wed, 16 May 2012 08:57:45 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/830243#7342147 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844972#7342110 Hm, interesting. Then all I can think was that: 1) they screwed up that particular dish on that night; or 2) he sets the level of spiciness on a dish which may differ from the traditional If (2) is the case and it's done to appease foreigner's palates then it's a shame for those familiar with the original and would be purely a commercial decision to maximise clientele as, at the end of the day, restaurants are businesses. Does it compromise the dish? Again, if so, that's a shame as Dylan was adamant he doesn't do that. All I can say is the most common reaction from people on my dinner was how hot/spicy it was. I'm no pussy when it comes to chillies and it was hitting my comfort limits. Perhaps he didn't hold back with our crowd. Anyway, appreciate your comments as it gives a lot to think about. I'll be in Bangkok in August so will do a comparison as you've done, if time permits. p0lst3r Wed, 16 May 2012 07:32:30 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/844972#7342110 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847759#7341867 In Hong Kong, it's a bit of a trek out to Kowloon City (depending where you're coming from) but the Thai district (South Wall Road) has a good selection of dirt cheap and authentic food similar to Curt's pic. The grocery stores have them stacked out the front in plastic bags just he shows. In addition, they had an amazing array of produce - including all of the edible Thai flowers - at very good prices. I don't think you're in HK anymore, right Charles? Sorry! At least for those here, it's worth the hassle to head out to the old Kowloon City as these are Thai people using proper Thai produce to feed other Thai people (unlike the Chinese-ified Thai you see everywhere - ugh!). http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/play/little-thailand-hong-kong-842555 p0lst3r Wed, 16 May 2012 03:08:44 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847759#7341867 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/799523#7341809 you can also try whole earth vegetarian restaurant at tanjong pagar. vegetarian peranakan food. pretty good. their rendangs pack a mean punch. also better than many "real" rendangs out there. http://www.hungryangmo.com/2009/12/whole-earth-vegetarian-restaurant.html akated Wed, 16 May 2012 02:41:21 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/799523#7341809 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849324#7341361 Yes, very likely :-) klyeoh Tue, 15 May 2012 23:05:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849324#7341361 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849292#7339874 Best South Indian is definitely, IMHO, Sri Ananda Bahwan in Penang's atmospheric Little India. It's got an air-conditioned section which provides a cool respite from Penang's warm weather. For family-friendly places, the cluster of restaurants in Penang's Straits Quay (http://www.straitsquay.com/penang/pearl_of_the_orient) is worth checking out: Chinese, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, etc. Or you can check out Precinct 10 in Tanjung Tokong - Chez Weng or Sushi Zento are suitable for families. klyeoh Tue, 15 May 2012 12:46:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849292#7339874 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849288#7339747 Jinju is this beautiful riverine city off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Its proximity to the waters guaranteed some of the freshest seafood I'd tried in Korea this time round. Daewon Hanjeongsik ("hanjeongsik" basically meant Korean cuisine restaurant) was one such place. What we had during dinner last weekend: - Selection of raw sea-squirt, squid and Korean abalone. The selection was ultra-fresh and super-slimy; - Thick cuts of salmon, taken together with a creamy coleslaw and seaweed; - Braised abalones. Tasty, but I really hankered for the Chinese versions as the Korean ones had a drier preparation style; - Various raw fish (I couldn't identify most of them as I;d not seen these types of fish before) - A very interesting "kujoelpan" (Korean spring roll) dish where, in place of rice-paper wrappers, wafer-thin pickled and sliced turnips were used instead to wrap around cooked pbeef and a colorful selection of raw vegetables; - A nightmarish "Hongehoe" of "rotten" skate - I didn't know how my Korean colleagues could relish those infernal uric acid/ammonia-smelling/tasting morsels, usually eaten with deep-fried pork belly slices to temper the strong smell. Well, one man's poison is ... - Boiled octopus - Spicy cooked squid - Pan-fried seabream the list went on and one, I lost count at one stage. The food was fabulous. The lady who owned the restaurant looked matronly and very efficient. I didn't get the address but the telephone number is 853-8511-2. You'll need to get a Korean speaker as it's posh-local :-) klyeoh Tue, 15 May 2012 08:58:14 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849288#7339747 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835670#7339442 Having read many great things about it, I've wanted to try Three Guizhou Men since my first trip to BJ a year ago. I stay near Sanlitun/GongTi, so I looked for the GongTi restaurant on my first trip and couldn't find it. I assumed it was because the signs were in Chinese - which I can't read. However, I my last trip I learned it had closed. Do you know, are any of the Three Guizhou Men locations open? CityWeekend lists two locations, but the comments indicate at least one of them is closed. And there haven't been updates or comments in over a year. I am returning to BJ later this month. If this restaurant is still open, I'd love to give it a try. thomco Tue, 15 May 2012 03:16:08 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/835670#7339442 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849038#7339219 The manager was an immaculately turned-out, well-coiffed Korean "ajuma" who was also very polite and friendly, but with limited spoken English - it *was* difficult for me to tell her face-to-face that the food there was generally *awful* (an understatement still). The waiters looked Bengali/Bangladeshi, but I didn't hear them speak so can't be sure. The chefs looked Indian (see pic below), but I didn't pay close attention to their features, so not sure if they are also from the North-East part of the Indian subcontinent as the wait-staff. You're right - the sauce could have been made more liquid to cater to local tastes. By "spicy", I actually meant the aromatic spices: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, etc., not just the chillis. But I guess the food's also not chilli-hot because the main clientele seemed to be Western foreigners, and also the cuisine tilted more towards Northern Indian. klyeoh Tue, 15 May 2012 01:18:46 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/849038#7339219 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843472#7334137 IIRC you can make reservations online for the first seating for dinner at 辛香汇, though that may have changed. I haven't been to one in about 3 years. soupçon Fri, 11 May 2012 22:21:24 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843472#7334137 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/547868#7330989 Yes I loved this place too! Although it was pricey, the authenticity of the food was second to none in HK. Fortunately I have since found out that the Head Chef opened his own restaurant in TST (a 5 min walk from East TST MTR station. The restaurant is now called Ginza Okura, located inside the Oriental Crystal Finance Centre on Chatham Road on the First floor (107-109 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong). I recently went there and the food was still as good as ever! Definitely would recommend a visit if you miss the old Ginza! k1net1kz Thu, 10 May 2012 08:14:52 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/547868#7330989 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848526#7330506 As a part of a month's trip we stayed here for several days, and as it isn't a routine tourist route it was easy to avoid such traps. Newly acquired wealth from their famed coffee allowed encounters of red and white german sports cars more than occasionally, and neat and clean streets lined with numerous cafes packed with men meeting up for a potently strong but wonderfully aromatic coffee before heading off to work gave impression of bustling calm. The best meal here was on the 2nd floor of the city's Cho (market) where food vendors were gathered. We tried a version of bun cha which was average, but this vendor (see 1st & 2nd pic) selling bun ga vit/bun gio heo? grabbed our attention and held us in silence less the major slurping; several varieties of shavings of aromatic vegetables/herbs that included I think banana flowers (shown on the 2nd pic, correct me if I am wrong) were chopsticked along each grabs of the noodle, and on our return visit here the next day we are not sure if we had noodle soup or salad : ) At this point in our journey we were getting comfortable with the flavors and added more nuoc mam or chilli as fit. Both of our visits here were in the mornings around 7-8am, and not all the vendors were open. Stepping out of the Cho we encountered numerous cafes as described above, and sipping espresso strength local blend amongst them, while lacking in ambience, the sense of dignity among unrushed men sharing half an hour (and more cigarettes) or so of their morning before work amply makes up for it. A disappointing meal we had that was a very popular breakfast dish for the locals ( see 3rd and 4th pic) was varieties of meats including a poor-grade western sausage doused in ketchup sauce. This particular place (see 4th pic) was packed when we walked in in the early morning. The 5th pic (bottom) is a salad dish I had in one of many good bia hoi in BMT. It had jellyfish quality with little bite to it without much flavor, but citrus/herb dressing with hot chille went well with beer bathing in ice. Any idea what this is? Kurtis Thu, 10 May 2012 01:02:30 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848526#7330506 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/679543#7329314 We also stayed in one of the resort west of Mui Ne on the coastal road for several days as a part of a month's trip in VN just past month, and while I agree with you on most what you report, we tremendously enjoyed about 10 street food stalls that were busy and packed with locals just across from the fishing market near the town in early mornings as the market was finishing up to accommodate them. There's also a general store/cafe atop steep concrete bank that leads to the sea where local fishermen gathered to drink coffee as well as the scene overlooking the market and activity both of which we enjoyed as well, and in fact has become embedded in our lasting memory of Vietnamese coffee (and tea to follow) even after a rough trek into the central highlands. The only drawback here was that the food vendors were only to be seen in the mornings (around 6-8am -ish) and our hope to sample them further in the afternoons or evenings were unrewarding and disappointing even with what seems to be wood-coal grilled live varieties of seafood but packed with tourists joints lined along that coastal road, and as you said consistently overcook; this wasn't the case at all in Saigon where grilled seafoods were usually perfectly cooked and seasoned/spiced that are uniquely Vientamese. Here are some pics... Kurtis Wed, 09 May 2012 16:35:27 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/679543#7329314 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847891#7329123 No, huiray, those imperial court cuisine were way more elaborate and had certain fixed characteristics (e.g. more than a dozen side-dishes or "jeop"). Mugunghwa seemed almost modernistic in its serving and presentation. Not cheap though - the lunch was about US$100. Yes, Korean beef tended to be quite chewy. After 9 consecutive meals involving grilled beef at some stage, I think I'm about ready to turn "Hindu" for a while. klyeoh Wed, 09 May 2012 15:19:40 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847891#7329123 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847883#7328957 Still, I thought you'd have gone for bulgogi or samgyetang :) M_Gomez Wed, 09 May 2012 13:58:43 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847883#7328957 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847361#7328847 I used to do Ball Kee once in a while. Absolutely the most run down dai pai dong in Central. Food is good for what it costs, though. Also very impressive to see them fry-up your order in 30 seconds to 1 minute. Yes, I timed them. Huge "after-burners" with 2 guys in wife-beaters in the summer, facing gigantic fans so they don't die from heat stroke. Here's a video I uploaded to YouTube… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bet534BJzKY&list=UU61mXsrRq8uKssbhvG_Wqig&index=21&feature=plcp Peech Wed, 09 May 2012 12:47:26 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847361#7328847 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848065#7328527 Other good options to consider: 1. Dapur Babah (http://www.gourmet-asia.com/jakarta/res_dapur-babah.html). Can seem over-priced by Indonesian standards, but it's a beautiful space. 2. Bunga Rampai (http://www.gourmet-asia.com/jakarta/res_bungarampai.html) - I'd not been here myself, but had heard good things for some friends who'd been here. klyeoh Wed, 09 May 2012 03:49:19 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848065#7328527 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848235#7328445 Fab write-up, Julian. More food pics next time? ;-) klyeoh Wed, 09 May 2012 03:07:09 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848235#7328445 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848300#7327850 Calling all Hong Kong Chowhounds! Anybody up for showing a clueless visitor what's what? I promise to return the favor when you visit New York! This is my first time sampling the myriad of dishes in your amazing city, and it occurred to me that it'd be wonderful to get dim sum with a small group of local food lovers. Please shoot a message to my throwaway email in case you're interested: youliveyoulearn77@gmail.com. (In Wan Chai but happy to travel.) Thanks! Jessica Jessca Tue, 08 May 2012 21:41:37 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848300#7327850 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840778#7327183 If your recipient cooks Chinese, then some of the amazing soy sauce sold by the place at 9 Graham St, Central. Never found anything like it. SoupNoodles Tue, 08 May 2012 17:51:19 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840778#7327183 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846688#7327171 I second your experience. i dined solo at Da Dong (also the Doncheng branch) and found it to be incredibly welcoming. I ordered a half duck and a veggie dish, and would eat there again in a heartbeat. The presentation of the duck is part of the experience. I've also eaten at Quanjude (the Wangfujiang branch) and found the duck very good, but the experience was not as good as Da Dong. LloydG Tue, 08 May 2012 17:47:53 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846688#7327171 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848172#7326613 Tasted pretty much the same as anywhere else, huiray - not surprising, seeing that bulgogi is fairly straight-forward, even the marinated ones. BTW, Samwon Garden is owned by the parents of popular Korean woman pro-golfer, Grace Park - so my Korean colleagues tell me ;-) http://www.samwongarden.com/website/company/e_com_1.asp klyeoh Tue, 08 May 2012 14:34:25 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/848172#7326613 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847894#7326593 Left hand or right hand, thin silver chopsticks are really hard to wield!! klyeoh Tue, 08 May 2012 14:28:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847894#7326593 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847764#7326224 Sure, huiray, I'll check out Win Heng Seng when back in KL. klyeoh Tue, 08 May 2012 06:51:29 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847764#7326224 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/842017#7326150 Completed my wonton horizontal today at Mak An Kee. For me, the noodles are the same in texture and thinness compared to Law Fu Kee. The broth I actually like better at Law Fu Kee. The wonton though I agree with you, Mak An Kee has a slight edge given they use pretty much whole shrimp in each wonton. An unexpected surprise is that while walking down Wing Kut we stumbled on the first lychee of the season. Still a bit green but sweeter and meatier than what I can get stateside so I'm happy. Then it was more congee back at Tasty. This time we added steamed chicken to our order. Chicken abroad just tastes so much better than chicken back in the States. This dish was so good we ordered 2 portions. Bean curd wrapped with shrimp and shrimp roe was also delicious. Now a nap and more time at the gym before Sai Kung. Porthos Tue, 08 May 2012 05:10:10 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/842017#7326150 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/779370#7325231 Following on from this later thread - http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847764 - I was curious about what was still being offered at that kopitiam at the corner of Imbi Rd and Jln Barat. Heh. It seems the pork noodle and pork ball noodle stalls are still there, the char koay teow stall is there (or at least its successor) and dry yong tau foo is available at noontime. (the stuff I used to have was mostly "wet" but could be had dry as well and came from a stall parked on the sidewalk outside the kopitiam proper in the early morning) Ah, KL Hokkien Mee at night too...I had forgotten about that one... http://kyspeaks.com/2011/06/03/ky-eats-pork-noodle-at-win-heng-seng-kopitiam-imbi/ http://kyspeaks.com/2011/12/21/ky-eats-pork-ball-noodle-at-win-heng-seng-jalan-imbi/ http://kyspeaks.com/2011/06/14/ky-eats-char-kuih-teow-at-win-heng-seng-jalan-imbi/ http://food.malaysiamostwanted.com/venues/kedai-kopi-dan-makanan-win-heng-seng-weng-hing-jalan-imbi http://craving4food.blogspot.com/2009/03/weng-hing-hokkien-mee-imbi.html :-) huiray Mon, 07 May 2012 20:05:38 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/779370#7325231 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847649#7324848 Thanks Martinpascual Mon, 07 May 2012 17:24:52 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847649#7324848 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843293#7324189 that's what I figured, but figured it couldn't hurt to ask the experts (that's yall ;) ) ... thanks anyways! kishtar Mon, 07 May 2012 09:21:34 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843293#7324189 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/812570#7323743 We thought it was very good. Strangely we could not find many write-ups or reviews about it and were quite worried that it would be a disappointment, but the dinner there turned out to be of a very high standard. Wine markups were very high, but otherwise the food and service were excellent. Try to get a table by the window if you can, the restaurant overlooks the city from the 35th floor. Smilinglion Mon, 07 May 2012 00:19:39 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/812570#7323743 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/809594#7321413 I'm wondering (just a tad) if you've got into a "kari mode" after your recent Indian sojourn - with your other recent posts about Malay curries as well - although you mentioned being very glad to get your teeth into non-curry stuff on your return to KL! The food looks interesting, as always in your posts. Hmm - what's the yellow "shaved" stuff on the "dahi puri"? huiray Sat, 05 May 2012 14:44:41 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/809594#7321413 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846210#7321304 Yes, I remembered when you posted this:- http://www.chow.com/photos/666468 penang_rojak Sat, 05 May 2012 13:36:30 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846210#7321304 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847648#7319532 My wife and I will be going to Jakarta from May 9-13. Does anyone have any restaurants recommendations. Going with my wife, she prefers romantic more than street food, ambience over authenticity. We will also be celebrating our anniversary so if someone could recommend options for lunch and dinner as well as a special dinner, I would appreciate it. Thanks. Martinpascual Fri, 04 May 2012 14:44:54 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847648#7319532 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/780785#7318937 "So I agree, food should trump "innovation" and ambiance because it the long run most places with ambiance but not the food will be forgotten..." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ageed. Re: Denver - 3 years ago, I met Thanawat Bates, a Thai who's the executive chef at the Brown Palace Hotel's premier restaurant: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/640578 His cooking infused Thai flavors into otherwise mundane Mid-west cuisine ;-) klyeoh Fri, 04 May 2012 03:04:57 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/780785#7318937 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/522404#7316889 Wok&Barrel has nice nasi lemak, for lunch, the price is actually pretty good for what you get. One dish + omelette + ikan bilis + their take on asian salad + cucumber + sambal. You can of course order just the rice and dishes a la carte but lunch has a smaller menu so the full menu is either at dinner or brunch. rolandyap Thu, 03 May 2012 12:13:27 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/522404#7316889 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846983#7316453 Thanks for the rec near Beida. That sounds interesting. I'll definitely look into that. Porthos Thu, 03 May 2012 02:40:43 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846983#7316453 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847039#7313744 Wish I can be in KL for Wesak Day - the food stalls at the Thai Wat Chettawan in PJ should be fabulous. But am back in Singapore that weekend. klyeoh Wed, 02 May 2012 01:42:35 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/847039#7313744 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/808506#7312207 Made me feel like packing my bags and move back to Singapore pronto :-( klyeoh Tue, 01 May 2012 15:07:06 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/808506#7312207 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846963#7312174 IMO, Terminal 3's Crystal Jade Shanghai, or else Imperial Treaure at the Crowne Plaza Hotel adjoining Terminal 3 are the two best dining options in Changi Airport. But if you're in the transit area, then Terminal 3's restaurant row has some interesting options: my fave is Kim Choo Nyonya Kitchen for spicy, local choices. See the other options available here: http://www.changiairport.com/shopping-and-dining/dining/browse-by-category All 3 terminals are linked together, including the transit areas after immigration inside, so you don't have to restrict your dining choices to the terminal you're flying off from. klyeoh Tue, 01 May 2012 14:53:12 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846963#7312174 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/790793#7311597 How much is Ippudo in HK? Its hard to compare prices given fluctuating exchange rates. rolandyap Tue, 01 May 2012 03:48:32 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/790793#7311597 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840007#7311050 Found some vegetarian restaurants online, but you probably want to ask around or do more research before going. Antrodia Themed Restaurant http://en0225233808.tranews.com/ Kuan Shih Yin Buddhist Vegetarian http://www.ksy.com.tw/ http://0225963488.tw.tranews.com/ 功德林 (Shanghainese vegetarian, they have vegetarian soup dumplings) http://0282191988.tw.tranews.com/ There are many seafood themed restaurants around Taipei (where you can clearly see live fish tanks, fish on ice on display) that will also fit the bill nicely. For those places, you ask the price, point to what you like, and tell them how you like them prepared...some options include sashimi. Here's an example of one at Ningxia Road Night Market: http://0225501259.tw.tranews.com/. These types of places will offer a variety of stir fry, and you can specify no meat or ask for recommendations (and/or check the menu and ask to make sure no meat). K K Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:30:56 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/840007#7311050 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846555#7310428 Yes $150 usd, I expect to spend it on food and might spend some extra on a good atmosphere and a good show. I don't usually go for Mexican food outside Mexico. Thanks for the advise chocklock Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:01:17 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846555#7310428 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846623#7309731 A few doors away from De Tai Tong was this very interesting 60-something-year-old bakery called Ng Kee Cake Shop (伍记). It's got the most buttery & moist coconut tarts I'd ever had!! I think it's worth a trip here just to experience a slice of Penang food history - especially when it comes to Cantonese traditional baked goods, including those dragon and phoenix wedding biscuits. P.S. - I actually ate four of those coconut tarts at one go ;-) Address details ============ Ng Kee Cake Shop 61 Cintra Street Penang Tel: +604-2612229. klyeoh Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:08:21 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846623#7309731 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845019#7309115 Haha we've joked many times over the years about making a vacation trip to Taiwan JUST for this purpose!! (I am determined to someday make it happen too!) That would be wonderful if you happen to have any clues from folks who might have a clearer memory of this candy - much appreciated! asiancandymystery Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:23:52 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845019#7309115 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846608#7308980 Ah, OK. Heh. Scenic views of a Monsoon Drain - to be blogged about soon. :-) Still, I am of the personal opinion that dining with companions is often overrated. :-) Solo dining can be delightful, with the need to satisfy only oneself and the pleasure of doing whatever one's heart desired being quite fulfilling. huiray Mon, 30 Apr 2012 01:01:58 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846608#7308980 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846744#7308796 April 2012 Trip Report: Ibu Oka - very good, waited for fresh pig to arrive in the afternoon.... not exactly a revelation, but certainly a must see lunch sport. Murni's Warung - very good, satay came out on a charcoal filled ceramic dish which made the satay itself that much more enjoyable... the main course of smoked chicken was great, but the satay really stood out as a winner. The best for last: Warung Mina - the absolute star jewel of my trip to Bali. Recommended by a local, this restaurant about 5 minutes by car from the main intersection on Ubud had fantastic seating in private bungalow up a hill from the main dinning area. I had the grilled shrimp, chicken & fish satay, and a char-grilled grilled whole fish with coconut curry on the side. The fish was an absolutely revelation, and one of the best dishes I have ever had in Asia... it was was perfectly cooked, with crispy skin, the flavor you can only get from true fire grilling and absolutely buttery fresh flesh... the coconut based curry was spicy with crispy shallots and was to die for. I would highly recommend this restaurant as an absolute must see show-stopper in Bali. (Photo attached). Jalan Gunung Sari 2, Banjar Ambengan | Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia mzx Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:26:32 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846744#7308796 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846614#7307903 Ah I was at the Citibank Gastronomic Jam Sessions (won free two-day passes) and watched him prepare food with Susur Lee on stage. This was Fri 27 ... I guess the jetlag was worse! Thanks for the write-up :-) Zichar Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:32:56 GMT http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846614#7307903