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Bangkok restaurant suggestions

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:44:53 GMT

You might walk a few hundred meters, east, to the Lumpini MRT (subway) station, then take the train a couple of stops to Sam Yan. This will get you to Somboon Seafood, home to some of the best curry crab and stir frid morning glory. Add some white rice to these two dishes, and you have a great meal. Do not flag a taxi and ask to go to Somboon. There are a couple of knock off eateries that pay drivers well to divert you. The food is bad and the prices are astronomical! The north end of Convent Road has some great sidewalk offers, weekdays, during lunch. The carts cater to all Silom's office staffs. Mondays are the exception. The ban on street vendors is enforced. Convent is across Sathorn, west of the Sukothai.

Taipei: some notes on night markets and restaurants

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:23:59 GMT

Wow, is that really your Yelp list? Your persona on Chowhound is much more subdued than on Yelp! :) Lots of nice looking suggestions on that list.

Taiwan - Where is your favorite place for...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:32:47 GMT

Actually for Keelung, you can easily take a train there from Taipei main station. The famous Miaokou night market is near the train station. I believe the train ticket is about NT$50 one way. http://tourguide.sinotour.com/scenery577.html

Food Tourism in Malaysia and Indonesia

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:05:05 GMT

I think there are a lot of posts on Penang already! Try looking at these: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/611789 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610166 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/627179 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/611612 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/611605 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/556980

North Vietnam Recommendations?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:11:30 GMT

Does seafood include fish? If you eat fish, you shouldn't miss Cha Ca La Vong. There is a street dedicated to Cha Ca. Every place has its own spin on the famous catfish dish. It is expensive, by Vietnamese standards, but a fun experience that shouldn't be missed ... unless you don't care for fish. I'm assuming you're not allergic to fish, as many, if not most, dishes contain fish sauce. Hanoi is also a great city for banh cuon. We found a little open restaurant that had a banh cuon station set up amidst the tables. You give your order, sit, watch them being made, then enjoy. Very tasty. We did most of our dining right on the street, which was rewarding. We found a back street that was setting up for hot pots after dark. We ate lunch at a busy sidewalk set-up that sold pho, a couple of other soups, fried rice, fried noodles, soft drinks, water and beer. My experience throughout Vietnam was that most restaurants had similar items on their menus. It was more rewarding to wander the streets, choose meals by smell and by eye and eat at low tables right on the streets like all the locals do. Another good idea is to make friends with local people who are passionate about good food. They will know the best stalls and what foods are must haves while travelling in North Vietnam.

Best Thanksgiving in Asia?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:28:16 GMT

Two places in Chiang Mai: 1. Dukes does a buffet dinner with everything/anything you could think of appropriate for a Thanksgiving feast. Owned and run by a guy from Chicago. 2. Bake and Bite -- Perfect turkey dinner with all the fixin's. Not much on atmosphere. Owned and operated by a Thai woman who lived in the US for many years. Both are traditional American dinners. i don't think I'd want a Thai-inspired one. I'll be at one of the two this Thanksgiving.

Enoteca - a fabulous Italian restaurant in Bangok!

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:21:15 GMT

Wanting tio go somewhere special, we chose this place because of its glowing reviews and stellar ranking on tripadvisor.com. Across all categorties, it's number 2 of over 500 restaurants in the city! And I'm delighted to report that it lives up to its billing - and more. Never mind Bangkok, this is one of the best examples of modern Italian cooking you'll find anywhere. The technique is brilliant and perfectly judged, the ideas are ingenious and the service - conducted by a smiling, knowledgeable, young Italian maitre and a fleet of beautiful Thai waitresses - combines both friendliness and precision. I don't normally go for taster menus but we took the taster route because there were so many delicious sounding things on the a la carte menu that we wanted to try. Portions were smaller than a usual main course, but we knew we'd eaten well and heartily by the end. (My date even mumbled something about being full and skipping dessert, but I knew she didn't mean it.) I also took the manager's wine recommendation, so much on trust that I don't even remember what we had. But it was what he described as a "crispy" white and it served us perfectly well throughout all four courses. I enjoyed this meal so much, I'm going to describe each course in detail. (Feel no need to read any further if you just want to know if the place is any good or not. It is!) First up was a glass pitcher containing a layer of potato puree over a layer of impossibly tender squid in a highly seasoned black ink sauce. The manager advised us to dig right down and get a taste of both layers in each spoonful. The black and white made ravishing, swirling patterns on the glass as we ate it. And as well as being beautiful, sophisticated and witty, it contained one of the ultimate comfort food combinations - fish and potatoes. All in all, a triumphantly clever, exuberant dish. The next course continued the comfort food theme with a ragu of duck with pappardelle. To make a ragu, you take a strongly flavoured meat such as hare, boar or venison and braise it forever, so the meat virtually tuns to crumbs. When made well, it's intense, dark, rich and satisfying. But a danger of long, slow cooking is that the flavours can sometimes be dulled. This duck was so ducky it was still quacking. It was perfectly complemented by just four or five ribbons of gloriously silky pasta. Next came an illustration of the fact that in the kitchen, simplicity is king. Two chunks of sea bass, fried till the skin is crisp, sitting on a straightforward circle of boiled potato, with a vegetable broth and a few vegetables. That's all. At first taste, I might have asked for just another pinch of salt to kick it up a notch. But the more I ate, the more I realised the chef's brilliance in balancing this so that every single flavour tasted exactly of what it was: half a tiny cherry tomato, a couple of green beans, a couple of capers, half a black olive....total perfection. 20 years ago I ate something just as prosaically simple - poached chicken with a couple of boiled vegetables - at the world famous River Cafe in London, which I can still taste today. I know I will remember this sea bass dish as long and every bit as fondly. Desserts were an unpretentious but solidly delicious chocolate mousse and a fabulous tiramisu with the all-important shot of espresso poured over it at the table. All this, plus a couple more espressos, cost the two of us 6,600 baht. Stratospherically, almost guilt inducingly expensive for Bangkok of course, where you can by a perfectly good plate of noodles off a stall for 15 baht. But if you compare it to other restaurants of this quality around the world, it's an absolute, jaw dropping bargain.

Best street food area in Bangkok?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:06:31 GMT

There's good stuff on Convent, but mostly for lunch as a street food destination. Hai is lovely as is the Kao Man Gai and Kanom Gin. For a destination street I'd recommend soi 38 though. Paul

Singapore - Osvaldo Italiano

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:19:38 GMT

Has anyone tried Osvaldo Forlino's new venture at Maxwell Chambers? I liked him at Forlino's in One Fullerton previously before he suddenly left them.

Different Perspectives

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:45:30 GMT

My favorite eatery got some press while I was away. I hope it isn't overrun now Funny that the writer thought "the restaurant's parking lot ... seemed like the front ground of a local temple". IT IS THE TEMPLE GROUNDS! Maybe a little too focused. http://www.bangkokpost.com/leisure/restaurant/24489/discover-a-hidden-treasure

Taipei, 1st time visitor

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:24:21 GMT

There is a beef noodle festival in Taipei every year, and in fact, the voting will start soon for the 2009 festival soon: http://www.2009tbnf.com.tw/ Unfortunately there is not much information on the 2009 website yet in English (if you can read Chinese then lots of info there), but I found this English list of "60 beef noodle restaurants" from the 2008 website: http://www.taipei.gov.tw/cgi-bin/SM_theme?page=494b9e15 There are so many other kinds of great food in Taipei, and not just beef noodle soup though.

Baguio - Philippines

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:22:05 GMT

Festivals in the Philippines often have special foods attached to them, so while there may be some inconviences, you're right in that you may have other options available to you. Panagbenga is a relatively new festival, though, so I don't know that it will really be all that special food-wise. I forgot to mention, in Baguio Market I didn't see any place that would cook your purchases for you. We stayed mostly around the circumference of the market, though, so we may have missed any kind of food court-type area. One thing you can try in Baguio--if you're staying with people from indigenous tribes (they used to be called "Igorot", but it's a slur much the way the word "Eskimo" is), man's best friend (ahem. . . ) used to be a common part of their diet, and it is still eaten occasionally. One of my mother's cousins married an Igorot, and she said they sometimes have it at certain celebrations. If you've ever wanted to try it, this may be your chance!

Best cities in Asia to visit for chowing?

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:49:41 GMT

Siem Reap is in the top five of places I have been anywhere, it's truly spectacular, but as a chow destination, mmeh, it's pretty lame. We basically ate French food or at the FCC the entire time we were there. Oh, and some of the best gelato I've had anywhere in the world.

Fine Dining/ Must Go Restaurants in Seoul?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:15:50 GMT

Hi there! I need some help with finding some amazing restaurants in Seoul. I'll be there next year from 3/7 to 3/11, and I'm having a very difficult time finding places. I have seen that Pierre Gagniere has an outpost there; is there anywhere else? Also, great street food reccommendations would be appreciated as well! Thanks!

Week-long Culinary Training in Bangkok?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:11:56 GMT

The last time I was in Thailand, I read about a week-long (or so) culinary program/chef training course in Bangkok. It was for people with a strong cooking background, but for the life of me, I can't find any details on it. Does anyone here know what I'm talking about and can point me towards the right information? Thanks!!

[Singapore] New York Times on Restaurant 53, Wild Rocket and Big D's Grill

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:12:01 GMT

I posted a short while back as part of the excellent string you can find at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/647297. Really thoroughly enjoyed everything, including the (somewhat spare) space and absolutely the staff. In a way, lunch was even better than dinner, because you get three or four courses, same great experience, and it leaves you aching for more.

eating my way around southeast asia

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:05:55 GMT

and if by chance "pho cok" is Phu Quoc island in Vietnam, steer clear of most of the beachfront hotels/restaurants. The main city of Duong Dong has some great eats. Check out the market by the bridge early in the morning. Tons of fish. La Miranda has pretty decent upscale cuisine if you want a break from the norm.

HCMC or Hanoi

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:03:51 GMT

I flew over on Korean Air(I used Delta miles to fly free) into Hanoi and out of HCMC. Both trips took me through Seoul. On the return trip I had about 13 hours to kill so I got a brief tour of the city which was nice. In Vietnam I flew on Vietnam airlines one way down to Hue, I think it was around $75. I ended up taking a bus now to Hoi An which basically sucked. After that we ended up just hiring guys to drive us down the coast to each of our stops. With 3 of us it wasn't much more than a bus and a lot easier. I am not too familiar with their train system but I don't remember it being the most convenient option. I ended up seeing a good part of the country in two weeks though I wish I had a full month or longer. I absolutely loved Vietnam. Sam-I did hit up that market in Hue, I ended up getting an egg bahn mi from a vendor with all sorts of fermented goodness. I ate a few good meals there as well.

Chiang Mai Cooking Classes

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:16:58 GMT

There are 5 or 6 cooking schools in CM. From everything I've heard, they're all similar. They all do 6 or 7 dishes, veg and non-veg, in their full day class. Most also offer a shorter evening class. They all offer a morning at the Somphet market as an option. It's the most touristy of CM's many markets but still worthwhile. If you have 4 days in CM and are not doing a 3 day hill tribe trek, a full day cooking class is definitely the way to go.

1 Night + 1 Day in Bangkok

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:04:09 GMT

Khinlom Chomsaphan is ok but service can be hit or miss. The view is nice. for weekends reservation is required. here is a review of Suppatra river House http://www.at-bangkok.com/restaurant_supatra_river_house.php Hotels are pretty nice Oriental, Peninsula, Shangrila For parties chaopraya river cruises is really good

Cambodia Report – May 2009

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:58:31 GMT

Arun was really good. I also liked that the sauce in the amok was thicker and you could scrape some nice slivers of meat from the coconut to supplement the dish. Was also unimpressed by Khmer Kitchen (the one in the alley way). In Sihanoukville, really enjoyed Chi Khmer, which is in the same space as Hapa on the road to Serendipity Beach. It's really 3 restaurants in one small space: Khmer, Japanese-Khmer, and Japanese, and you can order from all the small menus. What really stood out was that whole fish with kroeung. The kroeung was slightly salty and had a faint hint of fish sauce. They put the fish on the teppanyaki grill and covered it and then put the kroeung with it. Had it once with mackerel, but wasn't sure what kind of fish was cooked the second time.

Five Hours to Kill at SGN (airport)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:31:50 GMT

You may have just made my New Year's Day. Thank you very much! The details re on in my organizer.

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) report

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:11:27 GMT

thanks aventinus for your recent notes; planning a trip to HCMC this winter and will be examining all these threads hardcore. are hkdave's recs still relevant, anyone know? also, planning to make this a major eating excursion so if anyone has tips (this may be the wrong site) on nice, decent lodging near some good central areas for eats, I'd love to hear recs. planning on a 2-3 week stay in VN, so if there are other nearby food-worthy cities/destinations, that would be great to. Hoi An? Nha Trang?

Singapore - pretty LONG

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:37:22 GMT

Just got back from a few extended layovers in Singapore Fattys at EAST COAST SEAFOOD CENTER - we were the first customers so we thought everything would be better than when there are 300 people there. Wrong. Had poached shrimps that were overdone as we had to fish them all out of the broth so they stopped cooking. My first time eating real Chili crab in Singapore so i was excited. The actual meat was good but I am not a big fan of the extremely sweet sauce at Fatty's. I do not know if all places do this but the sauce is all heavily cornstarched to which is not my favorite. The buns to go with it are also sweet. I must admit though it is fun to get all dirty and eat it. I have to imagine there are better Chili Crabs out there. Maxwell Hawker Center in CHINATOWN - Tian Tian's Chicken Rice is very delicious. The chicken is just alright but that rice is so flavorful and aromatic. There is a banana fritter (basically just a deep fried small banana) place that is pretty good. Across from that the curry rice that I added on pork chop and belly (very tender) was good but not extraordinary. The Indian place that sells Roti Pratha, make sure that the Roti is fresh and crispy. The sauce that goes with it is very well balanced and tasty. Also try the Ginger Coffee or Tea. Interesting. Also there is a place that makes fresh soy milk up the way from the Indian spot that is pretty good but it is just soy milk. Newton Hawker Center near ORCHARD/SCOTT STREET- Went for BBQ Stingray for memories sake as I ate it there 8 years ago. It was good but not quite the great experience I had the last time I was there. It was tender but a little on the dry side. We also had Durian there but if you are going to have Durian eat it at the fruit vendors in Geylong as I had a much better Malaysian Durian there. Kamals Restaurant near CHINATOWN - We heard it was very good fried chicken. We went in the late afternoon and it kind of seemed like the chicken had been sitting around so was not that impressed with it. I would give it another try coming at that right time but this time was disappointing. Long Beach Seafood Restaurant at EASTCOAST SEAFOOD CENTER - Came back to east coast seafood center to try Black Pepper Crab. First of all it was a Saturday at 8pm and the places were all packed. We waited 15min for a table. All these places are pretty touristy but still fun because of the hustle and the bustle. I am sure there are places that serve better but if you are up for the experience... Anyways, we had steamed razor clams covered in copious amounts of garlic and vermicelli. Very good and the sauce made a wonderful addition to steamed rice but not cheap, SING$10/clam. The Black Pepper Crab (SING$44) was slightly overcooked but I still thought it was excellent. The black pepper crab there is very dry without any sauce really. The black pepper gives it almost a BBQ'd taste with a constant tingling/burn. Combine that with the sweetest of the crab and I was quite happy. Once again, picking at a crab is fun along with 200 other people who are doing the same thing. Food Court at WISMA ATRIA- Had to get out of the heat and it seems that what the malls are for. It was a good place to get some decently good mall food. Had grilled chicken wings which are a little expensive but have a nice grilled taste. The Beef Kway Teow at one the stalls is pretty good without the sauce being too gloopy from corn starch and the beef having a nice seared flavor. The juice bar doesn't strain their juices so you get little bits and there is no ice in their smoothies. The little steamed coconut cakes are good but not that memorable. Ting Heng Seafood Restaurant near CHINATOWN - Went with a friend that had connections and thus were treated well, actually very well by the owner, Maggie. Had a cold steamed crab with creamy roe..so good. Then had drunken prawns that were expertly cooked. So tender and really fresh and delicious. Had a Freshwater fish, sweet and sour stle. The fish was fried so there were a lot of little crunchy little bits. The sauce was one of the best sweet and sour I have ever had as it was nice and balanced and not too thick. Had a noodle dish with sliced fish and bok choy. The sauce that everything was coated in was so savory and delicious. Then had a Black Pepper crab which was good but not quite as memorable as the one at Long Beach Seafood Restaurant but still very good. Tekka Food Center - Had a nasi briyani at the busiest stall there. I order chicken. As a white guy there I think they instinctively give you breast meat. That is not my thing. Next time I will specify I want leg meat. The breast meat was good but only because the sauce was so good. Fun to eat with just your hands, getting all messy with the local guys grubbing down. Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow in GEYLONG - Had the Beef Kway Teow. The sauce is super cornstarched and gloopy. The flavor is good though. I just would prefer a lighter sauce. Also had stir fried morning glory (Ko Xin Cai, SP???), Malaysian style with shrimp paste and chilies that was good but damn spicy.

Bangkok - all things Pandan and Pork Floss

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:37:16 GMT

There's a restaurant called Pandanus on Sathorn Soi 1. They obviously have a few dishes that feature pandanus leaves. I recently dined there with a group of Thais and when I arrived they had already helped themselves to a plate of what looked like fried rice with floss... If you come to Singapore I can give you more direct coordinates of where to buy floss - right underneath my house in Chinatown :D

BALI - very Long Report

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:50:26 GMT

Just back from Bali, very tanned, and well fed. General Impressions: Balinese/Indonesian food isn't quite on the same level as Thai or Vietnamese as far as flavor profiles/dishes. That is not to say that it is not good, it just doesn't have as much to offer as the two aforementioned cuisines. The other problem it suffers from is the influx of Foreigners wanting the same old thing i.e. mee goreng, nasi goreng such that it takes a little bit of searching to get the good stuff. I did also not put a ton of effort into looking for places as I usually do as I wanted a true beach vacation, not the usual trekking around all day looking for that special place that has some random dish you can't get anywhere else. Also, I found Ubud to have much better/more interesting food than Seminyak/Legian area. Jimbaran Beach - Seafood was alright. There are quite a few places. I do not remember the place we went to but it was in the middle of all of them. We had Barramundi and the flesh was mushy like it wasn't all that fresh. The tiger shrimp we had were good but even after we asked them to cook them to about medium rare they were still overcooked but I think 80 percent of people would say they were cooked pretty good. The BEST dish I had in Jimbaran and all of Bali was simple grilled corn. There is this guy that sets up a small cart on the beach (Look for him or ask one of the waiters) and he simple either steams corn in peanuts or grills it. We all got grilled and it was delicious. Make sure they are grilled from raw and they have not been sitting around. He slathers them with butter and spicy salt. Grilled, salty, spicy and sweet...man, I wish I could have another one right now. Naughty Nuris in UBUD - Went there on Thursday which is Tuna Sashimi night. The tuna is very fresh with a nice texture. Highly recommended. Be sure to eat it when it comes out because if you leave it up it warms up quickly unless warm sushi is your thing. Then there are martinis. For me, Bali is not the place for martinis as they once again warm up to fast. If it was a small martini I would be down but these are big, I mean big as in you need to duck down to take your first sip as it is poured to the top. Oh yea, and they are Vodka martinis. They are 9,000rupiah (9usd). The margaritas are not bad either but a little unbalanced on the sweet side. Then there are the Ribs, 5,600rupiah (5.60USD). We were in a group of 12 so we had about 10 orders. There were some racks that were great and some that were a little tough. With such a big group though we were able to divide up and everybody walked away full and happy. It would be a bummer to come by yourself though and get a bad rack but it is a possibility. The ribs are not drenched in sauce which I like. The sauce is an asian sweet and spicy style sauce. They do not accept credit cards so be sure to bring a wad of cash especially if you are going to drink. Sides: French Fries were pretty decent for Bali and the mashed potatoes are garlicky. Overall I really had a good meal here and would highly recommend it. It does get busy around 8ish. Bebek Bengali aka Dirty Duck Diner in UBUD - we had two half ducks, I believe each half was around 56,000 rupiah) one was good the other was not. Once again it depends on what you get. There is also the option to order a whole duck a day in advance which might produce a better duck. 10 or so of our friends went a few days later and they really liked it. One of the best things with the duck is the two sauces that come with it, a roasted spicy red pepper sauce and sambal matah which is a mix of sliced red onions, chili peppers, coconut oil, palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and some garlic. The sambal matah is delicious and the roasted red pepper sauce is not bad too. The ribs here have a little bit of char (not as much Naughty Nuri's) and are a covered with a tomato based sauce which is tasty. We also got Calamari which is pretty good and crunchy but you only get 8 pieces so it is pretty pricey, (49,000 rupiah) for what you get. Mozaic in UBUD - Being in the cooking world and hearing recommendations from friends, I was interested in trying this restaurant but I cannot say that I was looking for it to really wow me. Thank god as I wasn't wowed. First of all it is pricey, 850,000 rupiah for a tasting menu in the context of Bali and what you get. Now I have spent a lot more on tasting menus elsewhere in the world but I always want at least one dish to really impress me or at least feel I got good value. I did not feel either of those. We had courses with Oysters (the garnishes overtook the taste of the oysters), Sweatbreads with Langoustine Ravioli with Truffle Foam (pretty boring) or Seared Cod with Fennel and a red wine sauce (Too heavy and syrupy for a second course IMO), Pork Belly and Foie Gras (Quite Good, probably one of my favorite courses), Lamb Chop (was nice enough, once again nothing special), Composed Cheese Course with Morbier AOC (which was a really bland Morbier), a pink grapefruit sorbet with cilantro custard, apples, and thyme (the cilantro custard was a weird texture, overall alright but not really that great). So overall, way too many foams an airs for my liking. But it also makes me think that the chef went to Bali when foams were big a few years back and hasn't really evolved as much as modern cooking is now in Spain, Bray or New York. Modern cooking is based upon the continuing evolution of scientific or traditional gastronomic findings to further the dining experience. I would also say that the Dessert courses are not quite up to snuff on a tasting menu charging 85,000 rupiah. The service is very warm and friendly and technically sufficient. We did have a bottle of Spanish Wine, Dragon Something or another (42,000 rupiah), that was not very good even though the restaurant has a Wine Spectator Award. I am not sure if there is a Sommelier but we did not see one and I would expect they have one if they have a wine spectator award. A lot of people really love this place on the Chowhound board so I do not know maybe I am a jaded cook but I only though it was alright especially given the price tag. IF you have a lot of money to blow, go for it. Otherwise think twice before spending. Bali Sate in SEMINYAK - A smallish place on the street that parallels the beach that does offer cooking classes. The steamed duck in banana leaf had good flavor with lemongrass and a very nice texture but not too much of a really ducky flavor. The pork belly in sweet soy was tough and not too enjoyable. Beef tenderloin in Coconut cream was dry but tender. I would not recommend it. The mixed sate was good. Not mind blowing good but if I just came by myself and ordered one thing this is what I would order. They also give you this chips (fish chips which are not good and shrimp chips which are good) and three salsas (Two are similar to the ones given with Dirty Duck, and the other is a sweet soy) which is a fun way to start the meal. The service is good. The drinks are small. Overall I am not sure if I would go back there because of all the other places to eat. Made Warung in SEMINYAK - A very popular place with tourists. The meal was nothing special. Had gado-gado, nasi padang, and a curry. They do have margaritas made with the local rice wine that was a nice transition from all the Bintang (Local beer that is really refreshing) I was drinking. Ipu Okah in UBUD - This is one of the most roast suckling pig places in all of Bali. Ordered the special plate that comes with roasted pork meat (got long strands of meat that were chewy but covered in this spicy/sweet/tangy condiment that is delicious), a square of crispy skin (very good), a small piece of blood sausage, this seasoned fried meat puff (one of my favorite things), greens (very good with chilies, coriander stems, pickled greens, very complex and good as a foil to the meat) and some rice. Overall I liked it but the actual meat was a disappointment. If I went again I would try to ask to get shoulder meat as it should have better moisture content and maybe not as chewy but really in a pig it is a muscle by muscle kind of thing. Also, do not miss the pork rinds at 7,000 rupiah. A great snack. Also, make sure you go early 11am-12pm as the skin will sell out. That's it for now. I will also post regarding Singapore.

Recommendations for Kuala Lumpur - 3 days

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:49:17 GMT

Nothing like a local to show you the ropes; http://www.lingzie.com/ Was a great help for a recent trip. Check out the dives she recommends for Thai. Stellar!

Matter of Pride- expat Sg needs a great restaurant recommendation in Singapore!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:48:02 GMT

I love Graze for brunch and on Sunday they do a nice BBQ grill menu. Will be going back soon for that... was eating brunch and saw all this amazing food coming out and someone said some of the best potatoes in town.... http://accidentalepicurean.com/2009/08/sunday-brunch-at-graze-singapore/ Gunthers was my bday treat this year. Did a 5 course Chef's Menu that ended up being 8 courses or so plus complimentary limoncello at the end. One of the best meals I've ever had anywhere. I'd avoid Dempsey like the plague. Overpriced and no good values that I've found. I do like the PS Cafe brunch (one of my fav burgers in Singapore) though. Look on Pervis street where Gunther's is. Another great Italian on their as well... Paul

need a must eat list for bangkok please

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:40:56 GMT

I would consider Soi Polo Chicken a must try http://accidentalepicurean.com/2009/03/soi-polo-chicken-bangkok/ Also really good if you're not wanting fried is to eat at "Hai" on Soi Convent. This is the same as Soi Polo but grilled chicken instead of fried and more emphasis on Som Tam and Larb. Really good food here as well. Be sure to try "Yam Pla Duk Foo" if you can. It's fried but oh so good. They have it at Soi Polo and at a great place across from Pantip Plaza on Soi 4. It's a covered street place with orange chairs called Mama's Place or something like that. Really good local, but clean food. Paul A trip to Soi 38 late night is in order. Just stroll around. Some really good Kao Man Gai (thai chicken rice I guess... but so much better than the tasteless chicken rice of Singapore). Another great Kao Man Gai stand is at lunch time on convent road. Look for the hanging chickens in the street cart and try to get a chair. It's all of 30 THB for a plate (you may want two).

Any can't miss suggestions for a vacation to Koh Samui?

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:35:27 GMT

Not necessarily for dining, but I LOVE the Library. If you ask in person or online you can usually get a better rate. Super place to stay and they sometimes do wine specials or courses in mixology... Paul

2 nights only in Bangkok

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:34:01 GMT

probably too late for your trip but in case others find this in an internet search. Two good bets for street food are Sukhumvit Soi 38... this is a late-night soi and starts up later in the evening for post clubbing Thais (big set of Thai clubs on Thonglor and Ekkamai roads which are nearby). You'll see people roll up in expensive sports cars and order som tam to go :) My personal favorite is a street stall that has moved indoors. Soi Polo Bangkok has great "Issarn" (Northeastern Thai) dishes. Great fried chicken, larb, sausages, som tam and more. http://accidentalepicurean.com/2009/03/soi-polo-chicken-bangkok/ Paul

Singapore - Any good food at Ion Orchard?

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:09:14 GMT

Nothing of interest for me. Only real restaurants here have better locations elsewhere in the city... I live like 30 seconds from the Taste Paradise in Chinatown, so not going to be bothered to dine at one in a mall. I went to Ion once and hope to never return... the bottom floors are full of kids slowly ambling, upper floors are more of the same. I was slightly intrigued by the bottle your own whiskey, oils, etc shop and hear they do samplings :) but I'd have to spend another part of a day traversing the horrible layout and crowds to get there...sadly by the time I've worked up enough energy to venture back into that place I bet that shop is out of business.... Paul

Singapore: Chocolate/Food Gifts Near Raffles Pl/City Hall

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:10:19 GMT

There is also a Canelé in the basement of Raffles City.

2 suggestions in Vientiane, Laos

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:14:21 GMT

Hi Mediakzar, Thanks for taking the time to write out your Vientiane recs. Makphet sounds like great food for a great cause - can't wait to try it when we are there in a few weeks!

One Awesome Lunch in Seoul

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:12:26 GMT

Hi Chowhounders- My wife and I will have a 12-hour layover in Seoul in 2 weeks. Our airline will take us into central Seoul and we will have a few hours to kill -- so I'm hoping to find some amazing food. We love Korean food, at least as it's served here in the U.S. If you could have one awesome meal at lunch time in Seoul, what would it be? Our only restrictions are that it has to be reasonably accessible from central Seoul, and needs to be manageable if we don't speak Korean. Any great ideas out there? Thanks-

Chiang Mai Recommendations

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:39:41 GMT

I spent a lot of time in Chiang Mai in the early 90s, so my info is way out of date. I used to go to a small khao soi place on the outskirts where the King would eat. It was like, 10 baht a bowl. I would definitely try and get some local knowledge of where to find the best bowl of this outside of the tourist area. When it's good, it's amazing. When it's bad, you can stay with you for days!

Great places to eat in Seoul, Korea (long)

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:20:40 GMT

Specifically, if anyone can recommend some great places for soon tofu, that would be great. Thanks in advance!

Sulawesi recs?

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:01:35 GMT

Sulawesi was great. For the scubadiving we stayed at islands off of the coast of Sulwasis northern arm, near Manado. Scubadiving was the best we have ever done. Manado is interesting. The food here is Minahasan (the dominant ethnic group) and is definitely the best food we ate in the country. It’s nothing like Indoneasian food you get in the US and it’s distinct from any other Asian food I have tried. The seasonings are simpler (chillies, tamarind, shallots) and there is little use of traditional Asian ingredients like soysauce. In some ways it reminded me of spicy southern Mediterranean food. The people here were super nice and came off as very down to earth. We had a memorable meal at a Warung (small out door restaurant near our hotel). I wished I remembered the name of the place. If anyone is interest in knowing where it is, I can try and describe how to find it. We were a bit concerned about ordering because lots of people here don’t speak English. Our waiter spoke perfect English and did a great job of steering us right with the meal. We told him we liked spicy food. He strongly recommended this dish that consisted of fish roe, fish liver and I think fish milt in a fiery broth. We ordered it. I was convinced it would be too funky and that we might not enjoy it. We were blown away by this dish. It was absolutely delicious. Not funky or fishy at all. The fish roe and milt were creamy and the liver reminded me of mild ankimo. The rich fiery broth was addicting and perfectly complemented the creaminess of the roe and richness of the ankimo perfectly. We also ordered grilled fresh fish. Amazing. A water spinach dish. Amazing. A thin noodle dish. Amazing. For dessert fried bananas. We had ordered way too much food because the portions were huge. How much did this mind blowingly delicious feast cost? With 2 beers $16. Manado unfortunately is… um…, not a very pretty city. The way the city is layed out seems bizarre. What could be a beautiful seaside promenade is obscured by ugly magamalls and fences. Lots of garbage and litter everywhere. If an effort was made to give it a facelift Manado could turn into a tourist destination. It already has nice and friendly people and access to world class diving. For the diving we stayed at Lembeh resort and Gangga Island resort. Both were great.(If you want more details about the diving I can give them to you). Then we flew to Makassar for one night before taking a tour of Toraja. The people in Makassar are slightly less friendly than Manado. Toraja was a very interesting place and we had amazing guides who I would highly recommend (Wira tours). People in Toraja were very nice. Food in Toraja was interesting, they use unusual spices like pamarassan, an oily black spice made from the seeds of a tree. The flavor is very subtle and difficult to describe, kind of nutty. Probably the main negative thing I can say about Sulawesi is that situation with garbage and litter which pollutes what would otherwise be a beautiful place. Let me know if you want more details and I can provide links to my diving videos on you tube and our Toraja videos.

Less than impressed - Chote Chitr in Bangkok

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:18:03 GMT

i have been there many times and i'll say i've never been disappointed with the food. there are some interesting things on the menu and even the "typical" dishes are more interesting and flavorful. and it's been the same proprietress and assistant every time i go. the proprietress can be a little grouchy at times though! next time i'm there i'll report back with my experience. ps - if you do decide to go, try to go for lunch since you can get the best sticky rice in bangkok around the corner (they close at 4 so it doesn't work for dinner).

Singapore: Pork-rib soup at Founder

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:48:41 GMT

ahh the characters just say chang de although it says it in simplified, i just remember to check this post now that i'm at home

Aceh, Riau, Medan, Lampung?

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:12:40 GMT

Missed this as I'm not here often, and I'm not clear what your timeframe is or was. Write and let me know if you still need suggestions for Aceh. I never wrote mine up.

Singapore - need some recs

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:14:53 GMT

awesome thx for the recs now i'm sort of sad that ill only be there for 3 days...ive forgetten how much good food is in singapore

Foodie Landmarks in Ubud, Bali (Indonesia) - Reviews

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:50:25 GMT

I saw *some* locals although not that many at Ibu Oka. They have also tuned down their spiciness level, probably due to the amount of tourists. I heard there's a popular place called Chandra now that my friends seem to like. But yeah, I was taking my friends from the US who have all watched the Bourdain episode, so Ibu Oka was a must try. Still tasty though I must say :) Of course the last time before that that I went to Bali was 6 yrs ago so I expected the prices to go up. Bebek Bengil is yes, terribly expensive for Indonesia. the portion was pretty small too. But I did love the ambiance. Luckily I am now making US income :p

[Seoul] Han's Cooking School?

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:37:57 GMT

I'm going to be in Seoul in the 2nd week of November (dates aren't firm yet) and I was hoping to take some cooking classes when I am there. I've seen some mentions of Han's Cooking School (http://www.hancooking.co.kr) around. Has anyone tried classes there? Anyone interested in taking a class in November?

Seoul in September

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:28:34 GMT

So what have you found?

2009 Mactan Island and Cebu, Central Visayas, Phillippines Restaurant Reviews by ALEDM

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:28:29 GMT

Exchange Rate: US$1 = P48.8 [ Note: I can't seem to get our photos to load on Chow. If you'd like to see photos such as lechon, have a look at: http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures?userid={8911F498-9A7E-483B-AFA9-A6F402139C50}&AlbumId={E3CEB059-AC54-4B4B-A5C9-3AA69D17D00E}&GroupId={D9A32872-6944-4B2B-8D3D-AB5CCD5C5615}&nt=g] 1. Our Favorites 1.1 Kaishu Seafood Japanese Restaurant, 168 Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines, Tel. (032) 495-2888, e-mail: info@kaishu.com.ph, web: www.kaishu.com.ph (Open 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 10 pm.) It’s a nice room and the service is excellent. We had the place to ourselves at the hour we went. We had 2 bento boxes at about P540 each. We ordered tea and the total bill was about P1200. We were given a 5% discount for the restaurant’s 7th anniversary and there was an added 10% service charge. 1.2 The Breakfast Buffet at the Vanilla Beach Café, Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa, Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu Philippines, Tel. (6332) 492-7777, e-mail: reservations.cebu@hilton.com and web: www.hilton.com. The price of the buffet was included in our room price. It was truly spectacular. It had a traditional hotel breakfast buffet (with made-to-order eggs), supplemented by a Japanese breakfast area, a Chinese breakfast area, a Philippine breakfast area (with delicious garlic rice), a Korean breakfast area, a nod to Spain with a different frittata each day, a fresh fruit area and lots of other goodies. It was breakfast and lunch and then some. One day we tried sikwate, a native hot chocolate that was delicious—not too sweet and intensely chocolaty. The rock melon, papaya, Cebuano mango and the watermelon were all very delicious and sweet. But we don't understand why they don't take all of the skin off of the mango. It makes it so difficult to do the rest of the peeling at the table. A word of caution. We had dinner at this restaurant one night. The famous dish: adobe chicken tasted like a whole salt shaker had been used. The other dish we ordered was a tamarind-tasting soup that was quite delicious. 2. Good Restaurants 2.1 Golden Courie Native Restaurant, Mactan Marina Mall, Mepz Road, IBO, Lapu Lapu City, Tel. 233-4243, P382.10 (without tip). This restaurant was recommended to us and it was a reasonably priced motorcycle tricycle ride away. We had a difficult time deciding what to order and we didn’t choose well. We ordered Tuna Belly P169 and sent it back twice. It was served too soon (with the soup, first) and then it was dry when it came back. We learned that it had been frozen so it probably never would have been juicy. We also ordered Imbao soup [some tiny clams in clam broth with some vegetables—pretty lame] and Adobong Talong [caramelized eggplant] P69. The eggplant was very good. Based on a recommendation of the ladies sitting near us we ordered Puso salad P49 [served hot ,it was a vegetable of some kind (that was kind of stringy) served in a coconut sauce with tomatoes and green onion] that was very good. For dessert we ordered the Filipino national dessert, Halo Halo, which is shaved ice with purple ice cream and marachino red and green cherries. It’s not a dish we would ever have again. The room is nice , the service was quite good and we just think that we needed more help in ordering to have made it a better meal. Lonely Planet Philippines 2009 says: “There is no better place to challenge ambivalence towards Filipino cuisine. Chefs conjure up exquisite regional delicacies from all over the country, with an emphasis on Cebuano specialties such as manok haling haling (spicy chicken soup). 2.2 Dok do, Marina Mall, Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City, Tel. (032) 494-0311. We felt like having a Korean meal (after the disappointing one we had at Korean Seafood Sabu Sabu—see below). The room was okay and there was another table having dinner there so we stayed. The menu was difficult for us but we saw a picture of Dolsod Bibimbab, so we had one each. They served lots of little plates of spicy vegetables, including kimchi, turnips and a fried patty-like thing. Our dinner cost P250 x 2 = P500 + tip. It was good enough. 3. We Wouldn’t Recommend 3.1 Manna Su Tu Kil Food House (next to Mactan shrine in area called STK) , Lapu Lapu City, Cebu Tel. (6332) 340-6448 Mobile of Lydia Lim: 63910-5599063, e-mail: lydia.lim@yahoo.com.ph P1380. This is a touristic area and the open air restaurants prey on the unsuspecting. We ordered 12 oysters on the half shell and they were good. We ordered 2 huge prawns and told them we wanted them sautéed in garlic butter. When they came they were in a tomato sauce (which Audre does not like) so we sent them back. When prawns came back they had not been sautéed in garlic butter but they were acceptable. Unfortunately they were dry and not sweet. We also ordered mixed vegetables which were okay and 2 mango juices which were also okay. 3.2 Korean Seafood Sabu Sabu (across from Shangri La Hotel), Mactan Island, Tel. 340-0003. This restaurant is across the street from the entrance to the Shangri-La. There was no one in it when we arrived and our motorcycle tricycle driver recommended that we should go to the Korean restaurant across the street, next to the entrance of the Shangri-La. We should have taken his advice. This place was awful. The food had almost no taste, the service was surly and the typical little Korean dishes they served were disappointing. The only good thing was that we only spent P650. 4. Lechon We searched for a good restaurant to try the famous Cebu lechon, a baby pig that is roasted to perfection—very, very crisp skin and tender juicy meat inside (with lots of fat in between). We tasted some at a takeaway outlet for Ben’s and it was delicious so we went to the one restaurant location it has (across from SM City Mall, Cebu and next to Sungold, tel. 420-4320). There was no one there and they had no more lechon left (and very little else on display). We had also been told about another famous place nearby called CnT. They did have some lechon left but the place was very uninviting and there was no one else sitting there (most lechon is taken out and eaten at home). So we didn’t stay and we haven’t tried it yet (even though Anthony Bourdain said it was “the best”. We were also told about Lechon de leche, a baby lechon served at Lighthouse Restaurant that is famous so maybe we’ll go there. We went to the branch at the Gaisano County Mail near Banilad Center and asked if they had lechon de leche. They did but it was lunch and we didn’t stay. It turned out we didn’t feel like taking the long ride taxi ride back (even though it only cost US$4). So we haven’t tried it yet.

Korean sesame/mochi bread recipe?

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:14:27 GMT

I have searched high and low for a recipe (preferably with US measurements) for this Korean sesame roll made with rice flour. I bought some from a local Korean market and they sell a mix for the bread but I'd love to be able to make it from scratch. Any guidance would be very much appreciated! Thanks, Holly

Kuala Lumpur: Retro dining at Sek Yuen

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:32:10 GMT

Quick update - had lunch yesterday but found Yook Woo Hin's standards have dropped a lot! The oldest daughter-in-law of the late proprietor who used to run the restaurant seems to have gone. Very disappointed.

favorite kimchi recipe?

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:27:48 GMT

I bought a very large nappa cabbage yesterday at my local farmer's market. Does anyone have a favorite kimchi recipe they would like to share? Thanks.

HCMC Late/ALL night dining

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:33:58 GMT

Good Day, I'll be arriving in HCMC from San Francisco around midnight and figure to get to my district 1 hotel around 1:30 or 2:00 am. I expect to be a little jagged and am wondering if there is someplace not too hectic where I can unwind with some not bad food and drinks. Thanks