Bangkok Street Food - Grilled Fish @ Pratunam

Third and last (LAST?!!!) day of the 3-Days-Long-Weekend here in Perak. Time flies when you're minding your own business, chomping on some good grubs here and there (delightful Big Tree Foot/Dai Shu Geok's  Fried 'Liew' aka Yong Tau Foo comes to mind, naturally. Just had 10 or so pieces of those absolutely scrumptious stuffed fish paste deep-fried to oily/greasy perfection!), attended a "Thankfully-we-survived the 3 years in service" feast over at Mun Choong Restaurant in Pasir Puteh , Ipoh yesterday night, and mentally preparing myself for the impending doom (aka work+travels+meetings) on the subsequent 4 days. 

And the much-dreaded thought of working during Raya, which to our dismay, might come into fruition after all, and high probability of shattering our dreams of a 4 days long weekend on the week after next. Shucks, BIG time .....

Grilled Tilapia, rubbed with salt and wheat flour, and served with a side dipping of fiery & tangy dipping sauce

Highly recommended by both Jason and sc, this was without a doubt, one of the top must-try in our itinerary. And the strategic placing of the rows after rows of stalls lining the side of the street between Central World and Platinum Shopping Mall in Pratunam, made it all better, since we're staying somewhere around the area and dining at eateries inside the malls can be a rather taxing affair.

If you're wondering how to locate these stalls, selling delightful and cheap grilled seafood and meats when for one, you probably can't read Thai, and two, the stalls do not even have any signboards for a start. Don't worry, as this glutton row of Bangkok cheap eats is directly outside of Central World Shopping Centre, coming out from the Isetan exit, walking towards Platinum Shopping Mall, which is directly behind Central World, across the river.

Our order consisted of a grilled whole fish (tilapia), which was encrusted with sea salt and wheat flour on the outer layer of the skin, then subsequently grilled over charcoal-fuelled fire. The skin is not meant to be eaten (who would, after some serious charring over the grill?!), but the sweet and firm flesh underneath is the glorified loot, to be dipped into the fiery dipping sauce concocted from cili padi (bird eye chillies), lime juice, etc. Though came with a mild earthy tone, typical characteristic of a river fish, we devoured the tilapia like a hungry pack of wolves. All the while sipping/guzzling on some much-needed Coke. (The soft drink, mind you).

The other dishes paled in comparison, with notable exception of the kerabu chicken feet salad, otherwise known as glass chicken feet salad, referring to the translucent, gelatinous layers of skin incorporated into the piquant appetizer. 

The Tom Yum was a meagre affair, lacking in both taste and presentation departments. A little too bland to our liking, as we expected a more robust flavour, given the fact that this is after all, a thorough street food feast. The fried rice was passable, being at the right balance of fluffiness, though a little more ingredients thrown in would be a welcoming touch.

The meal came to 540 baht/RM54 for the four of us, a reasonably-priced feast, and we were eating alongside the locals which were considerably more than the number of tourists/foreigners dining there, which is a good sign in itself.

Appreciate the remaining hours of the holiday, fellow bloggers/readers .....

For it's almost unheard of in other countries, to be granted with so many public holidays back to back, within the span of a month.

Once Upon A Time ... in Bangkok - Traditional Thai Food

From previous chapter of Fuji Japanese Restaurant in Bangkok ....

The world famous, Erawan Shrine aka Four-Faced Buddha (or actually, Phra Phrom/Brahma) in the heart of Bangkok city

For a brief rundown on the shrine, the deity and the infamous incident whereby a mentally-ill man was beaten to death by bystanders, following the vandalisation of the statue back in 2006, refer to Wikipedia's story HERE.

Light em up, make your most sincere offers, and wash away the sins?

Situated at a corner on a very busy intersection of Ratchaprasong in Pathumwan district, this shrine has seen visitors from all over the world, flocking to the gated area, coming to pay their respect, and more often than not, making their wishes. To get to the shrine, one can either take the taxi and alight at Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, next to the shrine, or take the skytrain to Chitlom station, within walking distance to this shrine.

But beware!!! While we were on our way to the shrine, we were stopped in our tracks by an 'officer'. Seemingly, the shrine was closed until 2pm that day (it was only about 10 or 11am) for some ceremony. Hence he suggested for us to visit the Lucky Buddha instead. But this is a proven SCAM! Refer to various forums and tips from other travellers.

Needless to say, Erawan Shrine was NOT closed to the public, nor holding any specific ceremony that morning. Kinda left a bad taste in the mouth .... imagine foreigners falling for the prank, or scam.

Once Upon A Time Restaurant - Unwind, Relax, & Travel back in Time

There is this rather obscure Thai restaurant with a long standing history in Pratunam area of Bangkok, aptly named, Once Upon A Time. For their colourful past, refer to their website HERE. Astonishingly, the brand started way back in 1989. A grand 20 glittering years.

Selection of liquors to go with your Thai cuisine, a porcelain cup of tea, and the classic aura of the place was indeed captivating

Thanks to sc, we managed to drag our fatigued carcasses to this place, on a small lane opposite of Phantip Plaza. We nearly gave up halfway, for the lane (Soi Petchaburi 17) looks like it's leading us to another part of town, lined with houses, and empty lots. Halfway through the lane, from the corner of our eyes, (with saliva a-dripping, and hunger pangs a-drumming) we caught sight of the restaurant, almost invisible to the naked eye, amidst a rich foliage of greeneries, trees and occupying a rather spacious lot.

Mieng Kam (98.50 baht) - The traditional appetizer originating from Northern Thailand

The premise consists of 3 wooden houses in a compound decorated lusciously with mango trees, pleasing vegetations, with different corner to cater to the different crowd, as well as to the patrons' moods. You can choose to be seated indoor, in an air-conditioned seating area, with a capacity of about 30 people. The ornaments, pictures, lighting and scent did conjure up vivid images of the yesteryears, almost a litte eerie to be dining amidst the nostalgic, ancient ambience.

Or if you do not mind being feasted upon by mosquitoes, feel free to enjoy a refreshing meal al fresco, with minimal intrusion & source of light, mainly coming from the candle lit and placed on every table. Bad for photography, hence we hurried like rats on the run, and parked our derrieres inside the more comfortable dining hall.

The ubiquitous Tom Yum Kung - continuously heated to preserve the warmth of the piquant soup ...

Even the workers were decked in the most simple, and traditional clothings. White t-shirts, long loose pants (almost passes off as 'sarung'), and sandals. ;) They probably saved a lot on the staff's costumes.

Hoy Dja Pou Kho You Douay (Deepfried Crab Shells, stuffed with marinated pork+crab meat) @ 153.75 baht, Panfried vegetables, and Phaneng, Phad Phong Curry Chicken @ 217.50baht

Sadly, the food failed to impress as much. Other than the thick, aromatic curry chicken (boneless fillets of chicken was served, a nice touch), the other dishes did not manage to impress. The Tom Yum was passable, but a little too diluted, even when compared to T&K's version at Chinatown. Probably accustomed to Malaysia's close encounter of the fiery/tangy kind, we felt a little shorthanded on this one. Not brimming with ingredients as well, given the rather pricey tag, at about 300baht/RM30 for the small serving.

The Mieng Kam (appetizer of wrapped ingredients in leaves) served its purpose well, as a stimulating appetizer for the ensuing meal. The sauce concocted to be served with the myriad of ingredients wrapped in the betel leaves was a thick, dark, sweet and tasty one.

The stuffed crab shells was terribly dry, even when dipped into the accompanying Thai chilli sauce, and rather bland in terms of taste. The panfried vegetables was NOT our call, but the waiter persistently insisted that we ordered the dish, being one of their 'specialties', or so it seemed. Only to realise that we were served with plain, stir-fried mixed vegetables, or chap chai cooked Chinese style.

A romantic meal for two is possible, at Once Upon A Time ...

If it's still bright, feel free to be seated on the outside. Once dark, creatures lurk in the bushes. Nah ....... not the District 9's prawns. But those dastardly buzzing bloodsuckers.

The meal came to 1200baht/RM120 for the four of us. A rather expensive meal, given the smaller than usual portions (we were still craving for food after the meal), but the environment was a justifiable trade-off. The service was top notch as well, consistently filling our cups with the jasmine tea, without being too intrusive.

The upstairs of the restaurant consist of two exhibitional bedrooms, with classic wooden decor, and ornaments not commonly seen. Lest you're from the 60's.

Location : Once Upon A Time Restaurant @ 32, soi Petchaburi 17 (opposite Phantip Plaza) Petchaburi Road, Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand.

Tel. 0-2252-8629 Fax 0-2251-5975 Mobile 0-1833-8336

Opens daily from 11am until 12am.

Khuntai Restaurant @ Butterworth, Penang - Thai Food, No Frills

A short break from the Bangkok posts, here's something closely related, yet hundreds of miles away from Thailand. Khuntai Restaurant is indeed closer to home; A heaven for those craving for a lip-smackingly sumptuous Thai meal, with emphasis on grilled/BBQ meats and seafood, and dining al fresco style, in Butterworth, Penang.

With ample seats, whether one chooses to be seated 'indoors' or 'outdoors' (under those bamboo + straw huts), dining here can be either fun and cooling, OR darn hot and infested with mosquitoes!

A little long overdue, this post was supposed to see the light of day sometime ago, right after the Penang's exodus. But somehow got suffocated in my own work, and Whoosh!!!! The month of June has come and gone in a flash.

And even July is miraculously slipping under my nose. Geez ..... Time DOES fly when one's having fun eh? ;)

The ambience is no doubt, one of the pulling factor @ Khuntai

Thanks to tintin (yeah, farny name I know), a resident on mainland of Penang, we were brought to Khuntai Restaurant in Raja Uda, Butterworth, Penang. A spacious restaurant, with its own parking lot by the side (but you can actually park haphazardly anywhere at all, given the rather obscure location), this al fresco style restaurant purpotedly serves delicious yet authentic Thai food, at a fraction of the prices in higher end restaurants.

Mieng Kam, a famous appetizer - Wrap em up and pop the whole thing into your mouth!

Started off withe Mieng Kam, one of my most preferred Thai appetizer, aside from the tangy mango/papaya salad. Betel leaves wrapping peanuts, dried shrimps, ginger, dried coconut flesh, bird's eye chillies and onion. Then add a dollop of the sweetish chilli sauce, and voila! A mixture of spicy, sour, and sweet flavours bursting in one's mouth. Unless of course, you're not fond of the green and raw, ulam-like taste.

It's hot, It's red. But it ain't that spicy .... Tom Yum with Seafood

The Tom Yum was barely torching our tongues, with heavier hints of fresh tomatoes and a generally thicker, wholesome taste with a nice touch of herbs. As far as Tom Yum goes in my book, this one passed the test of the palate, but without flying colours. Or probably we were expecting a lot more than this.

BBQ Squids

Bouncy texture of squids, barbecued to perfection, served with two dipping sauces. One being the familiar Thai chilli sauce with crushed peanuts, and another with a distinct fiery and sour kick. Not bad, but the portion was slightly on the smaller end of the scale.

Thai-style Steamed Fish

Geez, my memory failed me yet again. Price-wise, and species-wise. But this should be a siakap, steamed with the signature spicy and tangy sauce, and served over the fire. Firm and tender flesh, the fish was thankfully fresh and devoid of unpleasant fishy/muddy taste.

Pandan Chicken, Batter-fried Kangkung, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Ambra Juice (or was it Sugar Cane?)

Negligible items include the fried rice with pineapples and cashew nuts, and the pandan chicken. The deep-fried kangkung (water convolvulus or morning glory) was okay, paired with sweet Thai chilli sauce, but turned soggy soon after.

Steamed Large Mantis Prawns (RM7.50 each) and La-la Clams

But the highlight of our Thai experience were the steamed mantis prawns, and steamed lala clams. Lightly steamed with slices of garlic, and some chopped cili padi, the fresh and succulent mantis prawns were devoured in record time, almost shells and all! OK, maybe not. But the crustacean was really fresh, firm and springy, and needed no condiments to enhance the already sweet flavour of the flesh. The same goes for the clams, which was equally fresh and sweet. (And pleasantly clean - No gritty bits of sands, or dirt)

It is VERY dark on the outside at night, hence take note of where the other cars are heading to, and the signboard.

The meal came to about RM150 for the 5 of us, including white rice, and drinks. Rather reasonable, given the amount of food ordered. The menu covers a whole range of Thai delights, but we left the ordering to the 'local' instead. :)

Location : Khuntai Restaurant @ 104, Permatang Tengah, 13000 Butterworth, Penang. Opens from 11 am until 12 midnight. Tel No : +604-3327523.

Here's a Google MAP I managed to get from the internet. Sorry I can't verify the exact location, as I am not familiar with roads in Butterworth.

B-Suite (www) @ Bayan Lepas, Penang. Where I spent my nights .....

Chinatown, Bangkok - Night and Day

From previous chapter of Best Pad Thai, Lamphu House & Khao San Road .....

Complete with neon lights, gaudy architectures, cabs plying the route non-stop, and tuk-tuk terrorizing the streets .... Bangkok's Chinatown lights up come sundown.

Chinatown (or Yaowarat Road) is a part of Bangkok that's rather famous come sundown, aside from the perennial favourite of many (hehe); Patpong. But of course, for all the RIGHT reasons, as opposed to the RED light district aforementioned. ;)

T&K Seafood Restaurant @ Chinatown - With the cheerful workers all decked in GREEN. Such nature lovers these Thais are .....

Thanks to sc, we managed to manoeuvred our ways to one of Chinatown's best offerings, the seafood restaurants. We took a cab from somewhere around Khao San Road (we were fresh off the river taxi ride from Wat Arun) to Chinatown, telling the driver that we were on the prowl for seafood at Chinatown. And hey, no perfect Engrish necessary, as Chinatown (or better known as Yaowarat, referring to the name of the road) is well-known to locals and foreigners alike. 100baht/RM10 per way, and don't try to bargain unnecessarily. (Trust me, I did and nearly got rolled over at Chinatown!!)

Tangy tangerine juice, sweet coconut juice fresh from the shell, and the condiments - sweet, sour and fiery

There are two VERY prominent seafood restaurants in Chinatown, by the roadside. But of course, you can choose to sit inside, with air-conditioning in times of near-heatstroke. One of them being T&K Seafood, with workers all decked in lime GREEN T-shirts, while their stiff competitor wears RED, directly opposite of each other, named Lek & Rut. At each other's throat or not, I don't know. But one thing for sure, both outlets were packed like sardines the moment we were there for dinner. And it wasn't even a weekend or public holiday.

Juicy, succulent LARGE prawns barbecued @ 150baht/RM15

Most impressive dish in their repertoire is their BBQ seafood, from crabs to prawns, and fish to squids. Fresh, succulent supplies grilled to perfection, retaining most moisture, and freshness. The prawns for one, reminded me of our very own Tanjung Tualang's BIG-headed river prawns, only a little larger at T&K. From 150 to 300 baht per serving. Very juicy, sweet & fresh. Smokey flavour imparted from the grill, the prawns can be eaten plain or with the accompanying dipping sauces. One being the sweet Thai chilli sauce, another was the slightly sour & spicier green chilli dip.

Fried Meat Crab with Yellow Curry Powder @ 300baht/RM30

The crabs cooked with the thick, almost gelatinous curry powder and beaten eggs fared not too well though. The curry paste being a little overwhelming and rich, while the crab (only one, for we ordered the small portion) was nothing to shout about. (300baht for Small, 350baht for Medium, and 400baht for Large).

Oyster Omelette/Or Chien @ 100baht/RM10

Unlike sc's version, this one did not come on a bed of bean sprouts, but instead akin to the average fried egg omelette commonly found everywhere. Not crispy at all, with meagre servings of oysters. Served with a sweet chilli sauce. Forgettable.

Steamed Squid with Garlic, Lemon Juice and Chilli @ 150baht/RM15

Fortunately, the steamed squids fared so much better. Springy, fresh squids complemented perfectly by the zesty sauce. Almost resembling the type of gravy used in steaming fish, Thai-style.

Tom Yum Seafood @ 100-150baht/RM10-RM15

The Tom Yum came brimming with fish slices, prawns, squids, mushrooms and such. Surprisingly not spicy at all, given the country's notorious fiery dishes. Maybe because it was Chinatown? But the combination of flavours worked wonders, especially paired with the fluffy white rice.

See the small, confined seating area? In fact, there are FIVE storeys to T&K, climbing the steep staircases endlessly til you find an empty table!

The meal was priced at 1035 baht/RM103, including drinks for the four of us. Reasonable, but not dirt-cheap. But still, with prawns, crabs, and squids all present (albeit in small portions), it's a steal, really.

Location : T&K Seafood Restaurant @ 49-51 Phadung Dao Rd, Chinatown, Bangkok.

Tel No : (02) 223 4519. Opens daily: 4:30 pm – 2:00 a.m.

(info taken from sc's blog HERE)

Hop over after dinner, for some cooling desserts .......

Chinatown in Bangkok's not only famous for the seafood, but also for the many shops selling cheap bird's nest soup, shark's fins soup, as well as outlets selling typical Chinese dried goods.

Sweet, cooling and soothing .... who cares if they're real or made from jelly? :)

We passed by Nam Sing, a few shops away from T&K Seafood, and instantly drawn to the two shoplots, air-conditioned restaurant serving shark's fins and bird's nest soups. Of course, at Chinatown, you can savour a full bowl to yourself, at almost dirt cheap prices.

The accompanying ginkgo, red dates and longan in syrup

At Nam Sing, we were served with cooling chrysanthemum tea the instant we sat down. Welcomingly refreshing, given the hotter than ideal weather in Bangkok right then.

The bird's nest is segregated into 4 different classes, with 1st class being the most pricey (1000baht/serving!), and the 4th being cheapest (200baht/bowl). We picked the 3rd class (hehehe, being 3rd world mentality and all?) at 300baht/RM30 per bowl. Enough to be shared amongst two, served with sides of either longan, or ginkgo nuts in syrup. A lovely end to the meal, and call it placebo effect if you would; We felt soothed, refreshed, and radiant almost instantly. LOL.

Location : Nam Sing Bird Nest @ 39-47 Soi Texas, Phadung Dao Road, Yaowaraj, Bangkok, Thailand. Various other branches elsewhere, even in Pattaya, and Hong Kong! Opens from 9.00am - 2.00am.

Daytime in Chinatown .... a little lonely, but not without its charm

Then one fine morning (after we've moved to a boutique hotel in town - more on that in later posts), we've lost all opinions on where to have our breakfast. Sure the omnipresent 7-11 was tempting, with cheap hot dogs, burgers, pizzas and buns, but we practically had them for breakfast almost every single day during the last trip, 3 years ago.

Wat Traimit in Chinatown, still under construction it seemed

So, for something completely out of the ordinary, we ventured to Chinatown for some good old dim sum breakfast. Yup, read that right. Dim Sum in Bangkok. We were near locos, nearing the end of our trip. Side effect of over-paranoia (no thanks to H1N1)?

Temples at almost every corner in Bangkok. Nothing to do after meal? Let's Pray! Enough of shopping and walking around? Let's Pray! ;)

But dear taxi driver was probably not very familiar with Chinatown area. As we requested to stop at any good dim sum outlet, and though he nodded, we alighted from the cab directly in front of a hotel. Or sorts. And thinking "Wah .... so posh meh ... go hotel's dim sum restaurant?!" Only to be shamed as the hotel does not permit entry to outsiders. Whoops.

A corner lot at Soi Sukon in Chinatown, serving typical Chinese hawker fare.

And so, round and round we went on foot, desperately seeking for a dim sum place to satisfy our hunger. We woke up rather late that morning, since it's a Sunday after all.

But to no avail. Most shops were not even opened that early, and directions from the locals ain't helping at all.

Chicken Rice, Popiah, Pork Noodles and Pork Congee for breakfast -Simple, yet effective

Thankfully, as the locals spoke Mandarin fluently around the area, one lady guided us to Soi Sukon for breakfast. Or wait .... that has to be brunch, by that time.

A very old and classic coffee shop, it reminded us of Penang's typical kopitiam, with several stalls all around, lining up to satiate the hunger pangs.

We had some hawker grubs, particularly memorable was the porridge with pork meat balls, and a raw egg, and the unassumingly-delicious popiah (julienned vegetables + pork slices wrapped crepe-style, served with a sweetish sauce).

This uncle was even featured in the papers! Frying some Or Chien/Oyster Omelette

Nice, crispy edges gave the Or Chien some crunch, with lots of bean sprouts, chives and coriander. And of course, plump oysters. But if I'm not mistaken, mussels were used instead.

The Or Chien/Oyster (or in this case, mussels) omelette was scrumptious, miles better than the one at T&K. A little greasy, but negligible given the extra crisp in exchange. No wonder the uncle was frying the omelette non-stop that morning!

The meal costed a mere 193 baht/RM19.30, for everything including drinks.

Location : Corner shoplot No 342 (facing a corner 7-11 Store), on Soi Sukon 1, Samphantawong, Bangkok, Thailand. Here's a Google Map of the place.

Sweet, sweet Bananas on a High !!!

Ever heard of roasted bananas? They're sweet, they're filling, they're cheap, and they're everywhere in Bangkok !!! Located in front of a 7-11 Store, opposite the aforementioned No 342 Coffee Shop.

And that wraps up the Chinatown segment of our Bangkok 2009 getaway .....