justintime's Profile
Kuala Lumpur - Incredibly Spicy Noodles from Kin Kin Chili Pan Mee (建記辣椒板麵)
Sigh... Great dish and impossible to replicate. My husband worked on a project around the corner for a few months. Kin kin was reason enough to visit him in KL!
high end dining in thailand, laos, cambodia, vietnam, malaysia/singapore - 6 weeks
i'm frankly surprised about sirocco. i've seen them turn people away, escorted out through the service elevator, for being underdressed, and their dress code is explicitly laid out at the entrance to the elevator banks. i really would not go after rushing from sight seeing. clothing choices aside, this is a hot and sweaty city!
high end dining in thailand, laos, cambodia, vietnam, malaysia/singapore - 6 weeks
i'd just pack a nice linen dress, some sandals and a light wrap or something like that (assuming from your name you are female!). i'm an obsessively light packer and have a couple of go-to dresses that pack well, take up very little space and look nice.
as for gaggan... i hear what you are saying though it's not just about gaggan, i find molecular gastronomy is always a little too much about technique. the most disappointing thing in the restaurant is, IMO, the raita yogurt spheres. some things just were not meant to be spherified and the calcium or whatever they use to get the surface to solidify makes the raita taste weird. ironically the best thing in that restaurant is the chicken tikka, which is prepared more traditionally.
Bangkok Banyon Tree Hotel
as for the grease, you'll be hard pressed to find curry crab that isn't greasy. that's the way it's prepared. my husband and i joke about how you should never take leftovers of curry crab home and stick them in the fridge because you'll see how much fat you've eaten. there are definitely light seafood dishes available in thailand (steamed fish!) but curry crab is not one of them.
high end dining in thailand, laos, cambodia, vietnam, malaysia/singapore - 6 weeks
t-shirts and shorts will not fly at some of the high end places that have been recommended to you. in bkk you'll be turned away at the door. vietnam you'll probably get seated but not without some funny looks. laos and cambodia, you can probably wear whatever you want. my philosophy when it comes to dining is if you look like a backpacker you'll be treated like one, which is to say not as well as if you dress at the same level as the locals eating around you. some might disagree but for me it's mostly a respect issue. not so tough to pack a decent outfit without much space though, especially in this climate.
high end dining in thailand, laos, cambodia, vietnam, malaysia/singapore - 6 weeks
Tatler is probably ok for high end, but I believe its either a pay for placement publication or they take advertising into consideration when listing and ranking. I would not consider them.objective but I may be wrong.
high end dining in thailand, laos, cambodia, vietnam, malaysia/singapore - 6 weeks
in bangkok, try nahm or sra bua for very high end, cutting edge thai. gaggan for molecular gastronomy/experimental indian, sirocco for high end pan euro/med and a spectacular view. all will require reservations and put a nice dent in your wallet. ;-)
Bangkok Banyon Tree Hotel
you're right. i'm always surprised by the weird stuff that happens to our friends and family when they visit. to the OP, i think that somboon is worth the risk, so long as you know where you are going. and also agree with curt the soi hound that it's all about the curry crab and morning glory. order the grab without the bones if you're lazy!
Bangkok Banyon Tree Hotel
i'd skip the new somboon in chamchurri square, only because it has much less atmosphere (not that the original's formica tables are that atmospheric but this one is in a brand new building/mall).
we've never had a problem with taxis taking us to somboon but we've lived here for a while and always ask to be taken to the intersection of narathiwat and surawong as curt the soi hound suggested.
as for nahm versus blue elephant, they are totally different experiences. blue elephant is upscale in that it's nicely decorated and not inexpensive, but there's nothing innovative about the food. it's the sort of place we take my parents or my husband's parents when they are in town. nahm (and sra bua at the kempinsky hotel) are more cutting edge and experimental. just a totally different experience. personally i love bo.lan. it's not really the same experience as nahm. much less... pretentious? not sure that's the right word but even though it's high end everyone is much more relaxed.
Northern Thai restaurant in BKK?
was there some specific dish your husband was looking for? if you are just looking for basic khao soy and chiang mai sausage, there are a handful of places in the city that serve them. for khao soy look in food courts (the less touristy the better tho the pantip plaza food court has it). there's also a restaurant on soi 20 that serves thai food from all regions and has some northern thai dishes, including khao soy. sorry, i've totally blanked on the name of it. not spectacular but pretty good, and the only place i can think of that's open for dinner and is a real sit-down restaurant.
probably the best khao soy is at a the lunch market on lang suan soi 6. it's only open weekdays for lunch tho.
vacuum-packing cheese? any tips?
hey there, just wanted to leave this note for posterity. i ended up at the fromagerie on rue cler (barthelemy was closed on tuesday and we were staying just a few blocks from rue cler anyway). the clerk was both grumpy and super helpful at the same time. we discussed which cheeses would pack best and last longest once home, and settled on an assortment of goats and blues, plus a camembert (for strategic reasons, since the vacuum packaging needed something sturdy in the middle). she asked for my budget and kept track of prices to keep me just under it. then she vacuum packed everything in one package.
she told me to open it immediately when i got home and stick the cheese in with my vegetables in the fridge. :-) i didn't leave paris till early the next day, so kept the package in the fridge in paris till i left. then i stuck it in my checked bag, where it remained for about 22 hours. when i arrived back in bangkok yesterday the only cheese that didn't hold up very well was the blue. the oil in the blue had seeped through the paper and it was very soft (still tasted great tho!). the goats, all individual pieces, are fine if a little smushed.
vacuum-packing cheese? any tips?
hey there, i'm in paris for a week with my sister and plan on bringing back some cheese. actually, i'd love to bring back as much cheese as i can!
the complications:
1. i live in bangkok (not worried about customs but about weather)
2. i have a 12 hour layover in istanbul on my way back.
generally we prefer blues and goats (plus i just sent my husband home from amsterdam with a few kilos of hard cheese!), but i've never had soft cheese vacuum packed and i'm wondering how that even works. doesn't it smush? how long does it last if vacuum packed? i know that rinded soft cheeses can last weeks if not cut, would it be better to try to buy cheese that way?
so confused...
thanks. :-)
Mumbai Restaurants Needed
must also recommend Yazdani Bakery where i went this morning. they've been around for ages and even have their own wiki entry. the owner is friendly and helpful. the bakery is in the fort section (right near Makesh Home Lunch) and is a lovely place (not fancy in any sense) in an interesting part of town. great fresh bread and tea for breakfast.
Mumbai Restaurants Needed
klyeoh,
i just realized i never thanked you for your advice! i'm heading back to mumbai and delhi tomorrow and wanted to check the boards for any new suggestions. i took your advice about vada pav and ended up eating it wherever i could find it. fantastic! my husband and i also fell in love with dahi puri. i am really looking forward to some serious eating this week.
Real Authentic Thai Food in Phuket? Where?
hi rick,
just cutting and pasting what i wrote about raya thai from another posting on phuket thai food. regarding hygiene and safety... it's as good as it gets unless you're in a high-end hotel restaurant.
a great place in phuket that most visitors don't seem to know about is called Raya Thai Cuisine on 48 New Deebuk Cross Road in Phuket Town, tel. +66 07/621-8155. the time i went everyone called it "Madam Rose" (maybe after the proprietress?) and it took me a year to find the actual name of it. old house with a small courtyard, traditional old school thai food and seafood. nice atmosphere and excellent food, particularly since so much of what you find in phuket is crummy tourist stuff. much more popular with thais visiting from bangkok than international tourists.
Bangkok dining tips
curt has some excellent suggestions!
since you are in bangkok for 3 weeks, you have lots of time to experiment.
i would suggest that when you have a couple of hours to spare, pick a neighborhood or area and wander around the street food and restaurant areas, checking out which are crowded, what's on offer, etc. sometimes you'll end up with mediocre noodle soup, sometimes you'll stumble across something excellent or totally unexpected. tipped off by the massive line every morning, we recently "discovered" the most amazing fried chicken i have ever tasted just around the corner from our house. bangkok is full of stuff like that.
what area are you staying in?
6 hours at suvarnabbhumi airport, please help!
there is a lounge you can pay to visit but it's very expensive (more than $100 i think). another option is one of the spas. you can get a massage to relax and kill some time.
there is lots of food in airport. nothing great (or inexpensive) but plenty of thai, fusion asian, pizza, burger king, etc.). for coffee there's a starbucks and a black canyon (thai coffee chain). if you leave the international terminal (go through immigration) there is more food on the floor below the check-in counters. but it might not be worth the hassle of standing in line and going through immigration again to get back in.
eating my way around southeast asia
in bangkok, all of thanon thanao (the road chote chitr is off of) is full of great food during the day, tho not so much at lunch.
a little farther north is, in my view, the best street for eating in all of bangkok. it's called thanon nakhon chaisi, off of samsen road. if you're going by ferry get off at the payap pier. at night the intersection with samsen (called "si yan") has scores of stalls selling great food, tho not on mondays. every taxi driver in bangkok knows this neighborhood and will tell you how good the food is. head further east and you will find some excellent shop houses serving lunch. these aren't places to go with something specific in mind, rather places to go with an appetite and a desire to wander and try things. both are very local.
Bangkok - all things Pandan and Pork Floss
no coordinates, but i think that shop is on yawalot on the left side (if you are coming from hualumpong and the river is on your left). past the block with the shanghai mansion/tops supermarket across the street but before surawong road. it's on one of those few blocks anyway, just a short walk.
that happy pig is a chain. there are outlets in some of the BTS stations. if you go buy a bag of the flat pieces of pork that look like potato chips. no idea what it is exactly but it is delicious.
Less than impressed - Chote Chitr in Bangkok
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).
2 nights only in Bangkok
don't worry, it's not a bad location at all. you're right near siam square and there are some very hole-in-the-wall spots there and some good mall food courts if you don't feel like braving it. plus it's the skytrain interchange station so you can go anywhere pretty easily.
there are hundreds of eating and drinking places in bangkok! right near your hotel there are not lots but if you go to siam square and head towards the back (away from the skytrain) there are some shophouses. i think most are only open during the day for the college students. otherwise there are some cute studenty cafes in siam square. i'd avoid the touristy looking places if you don't want that type of experience. if you do head towards sukhumvit (your hotel is on the road that will become sukhumvit in about a mile) just be preparedf for many, many other foreigners.
thanon thanao in the old city and thanon nakhon chaisi are my favorite local food neighborhoods. you'd have to take a taxi or the river boat (only runs during the day) but i think it's worth the effort. silom (very easy to get to by skytrain from your hotel) has lots of shophouse restaurants. mostly noodle shops but some roast duck, etc. also charoen krung road close to silom road has good places.
for high end drinks and a view of the city, stop at the Sky Bar at Lebua Hotel (take the skytrain to Saphan Thaksin). or tuk sa ra on thanon thanao for a hip, art student type place. otherwise... bars to fit every description from totally sketchy to luxury to jazz bar to local watering hole. if you're more specific about what you're looking for can make some better recs.
Less than impressed - Chote Chitr in Bangkok
really disappointing to hear since that's one of our favorite restaurants and it is/was a special place because of the history and the interesting dishes. thanon tanao has some other excellent eating spots, but mostly, in my experience, for lunch. hope we can find somewhere to replace chote chitr!
1 Night + 1 Day in Bangkok
definitely make a reservation and ask for a table as close to the river as possible!
1 Night + 1 Day in Bangkok
"Thailand is not a place where "loud" foreigners do well. That said, a place like Tawandang is a bit more of a party atmosphere than most "dinner" venues."
that doesn't mean you can't have fun in thailand! laughing and joking are welcome at most restaurants. :-) being loud and aggressive is not but it doesn't sound like that's your group.
given what you said about your plans, was just thinking that maybe Somboon might be a good option to consider. that's a famous seafood restaurant right off Silom. i happen to really like the food, tho some people don't consider it that special. it's hugely popular with local groups and japanese tourists (former PM visited once and i guess that's all it takes) and is *plenty* loud so no one will feel uncomfortable. it does feel a little like a multi-floor cafeteria unless you get one of the few rooms in the old building, but they are really hard to reserve.
another option in the area is Taling Pling, which is also off Silom road. i think the food is pretty good but not stellar, but it is very popular among local professionals. it's comfortable and easy, nice but not too fancy.
or, other options are Secret Garden on Sathorn, Pandanus off Sathorn, or old trusty standby Anna's on Saladeang. i have not been there in a long time but it continues to be popular and is a good place for groups. http://www.annascafes.com/Saladaeng.htm
all are close to where you're staying, take reservations, have pretty good food and offer an easy environment for newcomers to Thailand. they're also not hotel restaurants so will feel a little more interesting and will get you out into the city a bit.
1 Night + 1 Day in Bangkok
illya, where are you staying? if you are only in bangkok for 1 night with a big group, logistics will probably matter!
the deck is great but a little small for 15 people (i think the outside dining area only seats 20).
thiptara is lovely and i have been there for group events, they do a nice job but i think you have to cross the river (not sure tho). and, it's high end hotel food so it's yummy but always seems a little sterile/homogeneous to me. the view and service are excellent but it might be too high end for your (relatively) young group to feel relaxed in.
Chiang Mai Recommendations
mikey, it depends on you, whether you are already very familiar with thai food and want to eat at the fringes or want to eat classic foods instead. either way, try the chiang mai sausage and a nam prik. i can't think of a stand out dish there, the food is pretty consistent.
i just got back from some research in chiang mai and really enjoyed khun mor's for lunch. i had written it off before because it seemed a little form over substance but was really impressed with the khao soi this time. nice lunch spot if you're shopping on nimmanhaimen.
1 Night + 1 Day in Bangkok
if you only have one night, for good thai food with great ambiance i'd vote for The Deck at Arun Residence (http://www.arunresidence.com/dining.htm) because of the beautiful view of Wat Arun at night. mixed thai/western menu. food is solid but not as fantastic or interesting as chot chitr, but you'll still enjoy it a lot.
i love khin lom chom saphan but it's a lot more casual so won't feel special
Chiang Mai Recommendations
it turns out i'll be in chiang mai this weekend with a good friend visiting from new york. i know the restaurant scene pretty well (tho some of these recommendations are new and sound great!), wondering if there are some good hole-in-the-wall spots to try. would love to get a handle on more places like huen phen at lunch or less fancy if anyone has any suggestions. zero ambiance is fine so long as food is yummy!
Chiang Mai Recommendations
i just posted this -
http://gothailand.about.com/od/wheretoeatdrink/tp/5topCMrest.htm
all are good in different ways, some definitely right for a romantic dinner!
