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.

The Eccentric Bangkok

Previous installment - Once Upon A Time in Bangkok ....

It's a long, 3-days weekend, therefore I'll spare you the endless rantings, and instead let the pictures do the talking ..... 

Theme for the day? Bangkok, best described as Quirky, Wacky & Eccentric? ......=)

#1 - The Relentless Traffic Jams - 5 lanes vs 1 lane?

#2 - Talking Eggs searching for lurve Loft in the mall ....

#3 - Fans cheering for the guys & gals doing the Macarena

#4 - Dun pray pray .... Eyelashes longer than your fingernails !!

#5 - Of Knights and Wizards ... POSERS.

#6 - How nice if our politicians dress down sometimes, and live out their fantasies like the Thais ....

#7 - Fairer than your SKII/Shu Uemura/Bedak Sejuk ambassadors

#8 - Want some of my BALLS? No thanks, my hands are stuck to my cap. The politically-incorrect, WHITE Michael Jackson

#9 - Even the staff of the restaurant were dancing for no reason! Wui, mogok ah?!!

#10 - MK Platter - Lacklustre at best. C'mon, they thought we're dumb enough to fall for the fish-impostors?!!

#11 - Green, mean and lean noodles, Saviour in the form of the spicy/tangy dipping sauce, and the pot of vegetables in clear (bland) broth

MK Steamboat Restaurant has many chains all over Thailand. One of their most famous chain,alongside Fuji Japanese Restaurant, and Bar-B-Q Plaza, which one can find in most major shopping centres in KL.

At 12.30pm sharp (not sure about the other 'performance' hour), the whole restaurant will come into a standstill, with every single staff dancing to the music, with some tongue-in-cheek, and rather cringe-worthy moves. FOC, don't worry. They don't ask for donations either.

The meal was rather disappointing, with an almost tasteless soup base. The set with mixed seafood and meats, as well as another that came with an array of vegetables, were nothing out-of-the-ordinary. Total damage = 492baht/RM50 for the four of us, which although was reasonable, but left us craving for more.

#12 - Get your Sugar Fix Here .... Khanom Buang @ 10baht each (MBK Shopping Complex)

#13 - Trudge Strut along the Walk of Fame .... Siam Paragon-style.

And with that, Happy Weekend everyone. 

P/S : This has gotta be my shortest post ever.

*Ahem, I see you clapping back there .... !!

Breakfast in Kampar, Tapah or Tanjung Malim?

Happy Merdeka everyone !!! A little late, but better be late than never, right? A rather eventful journey back from KL moments ago, with a 10 cars pile-up on the highway heading north, creating a helluva ruckus, mainly from the slowed down vehicles no thanks to the over-eager and caring crowd (read : nosy), and the traffic on the opposite side that's heading south snaking from Ipoh all the way to the accident scene at around Tapah.

Goes to show how united we Malaysians are, especially in such dire situations (or interesting, depends on which side of the fence you're on), as people from all walks of life, from the young 'rempits' to the old-timers, we never failed to come to a halt on the roads, and express our 'concern' towards such unfortunate incidents befalling others. 1Malaysia indeed ....

Breakfast @ Medan Selera Kampar, beside Kampar's morning wet market

Shivering from the inevitable 'balik kampung' exodus yet? No fret, as if you're not fond of the highways, go for the trunk roads instead. Not that I'm giving my words suggesting there won't be any traffic jams on the significantly longer and tedious journey on the one-lane roads from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur, but at least one can stop over for a leisurely breakfast in various smaller towns, and be amazed by the sheer quality of the simpler, hawker food, aside from the possibly more fruitful and entertaining journey along the way.

Just be sure to endure the incessant "Are we there yet?" nonsense from the young ones, as the rural outlook of the towns and whatever else sandwiched in the middle between the towns may get to a child's nerve pretty fast. Especially if one's tailing a lorry or roadhog at 40km/h.

Kampar is a developing town about 30km south of Ipoh. Previously only famous for the 'Chicken Biscuits' (Kai Jai Peng), Claypot chicken Rice (coincidentally, I wrote about the origin of claypot chicken rice HERE before) and Curry Chicken Bread, Kampar has been transformed to a bustling town complete with a hypermarket, a university, and new residential areas sprouting to cater to the growing population.

For breakfast, hop over to Medan Selera Kampar adjacent to Kampar's wet market that houses an impressive number of stalls selling a delicious array of hawker fare, from the hearty pork porridge and famous glutinous rice to Kampar famous 'Lou Shu Fan' and Char Kuey Teow.

The Char Kuey Teow (fried noodles with eggs, prawns, and waxed sausages) was served on a sheet of banana leaf, and a welcoming half a calamansi lime for extra zing. A respectable portion, enough to feed a big eater (Mr Z had them, not me ... LOL), the noodles was fried with enough 'wok hei' or fire from the wok, hence ensuring a satisfying plate of greasy noodles for breakfast. At RM3.30 per plate, considered a steal if you ask me.

The Nasi Pulut or Glutinous Rice (Stall No 42) was ever so satisfying, with the usual slices of Char Siew, and peanuts, with optional curry gravy, and garnished with chopped spring onions. At a mere RM1.70, one pack or plate may not be enough. Just be sure to arrive early as they finish rather fast especially on weekends and public holidays.

Skip the Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun though, for the taste was a little off, with an evidently pungent taste emitting from somewhere (probably the steamed rice noodles was soaked in some foul liquid).

Location : Medan Selera Kampar @ Jalan Pasar, Kampar, Perak.

Thick, fragrant Roti Telur with a piping hot cup of teh susu @ Anjung Ria in Tapah

Not fond of the crowd? Don't fret. Make your way further down south (from Ipoh's direction) to Tapah, for a fulfilling breakfast of Roti Telur and Teh tarik from Anjung Ria Restaurant, facing the Tapah bus station on Jalan Raja.

Previously, I blogged about Roti Telur at Restoran Haji before, the two-lots mamak restaurant next to Restoran Anjung Ria. But once I've tasted the crisp on the outside, warm and perfectly-cooked egg omelette on the inside Roti Telur from Anjung Ria, I was hooked. They also serve Roti Sardin, albeit in a different manner. The chunks of sardine is served at the side, instead of in between the layers of dough (roti canai).

Location : Restoran Anjung Ria @ 16, Jalan Raja, Tapah, Perak. Opposite the bus station in Tapah. Jalan Raja is the road parallel to Jalan Stesen, which leads to Tapah Road, and subsequently Teluk Intan.

A little commercialization never hurts ... their pockets. But ours did.

Okay, so if you're heading northbound, and breakfast in Kampar or Tapah sounds like a far-fetched idea, why not stop over in Tanjung Malim instead, for a taste of the traditional Yik Mun Pau?

Coincidentally (again), I blogged about them HERE. In a short span of few months, they're renovated, giving the shop a modernized, cleaner look. But in exchange, the old school, authentic kopitiam decor from the olden days is lost.

The quality of the pau remained mediocre, with highly-processed minced meat (chicken or beef) dominating, with a rather run of the mill curry paste. At RM1.60 per piece, a little exorbitant in a small town like this. The thick toast with kaya and butter (Roti Kahwin) @ RM3.00 per portion fared much better, as the sides remained crispy while the bread was soft, and warm, sandwiching blocks of butter and kaya. The beverages were nothing to shout about though, bordering on being diluted, tasteless liquids.

Still wondering where the charm from the yesteryears has disappeared to? Sigh ....

Location : Yik Mun Famous Tanjung Malim Pau @ 6043, Jalan Slim River, Tanjung Malim, Perak. Tel No : 05-4596380.

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.

Fuji Japanese Restaurant @ Bangkok, Thailand

Continuation from Bangkok - S2S Boutique Resort Bangkok .....

Spacious, modern and pleasant decor - Sip on your hot cup of ocha, and ends your meal with some fresh-cut fruits.

Since I started a post on Japanese food in Ipoh, might as well continue the saga. And this time around, I'd like bring to your attention, Bangkok's (or Thailand's) equivalent to our very own Sushi King, a Japanese restaurant (without the kaiten belt) serving reasonably-priced, yet delicious Japanese cuisine.

Shoes off, hair down, and relish those precious dining moments ......

With 40 outlets in Thailand alone, and still counting, this charming, modern and affordable restaurant chain serves up an amazing array of Japanese food, from the ubiquitous sushi and sashimi, to various competently-priced bento sets (from a lowly 120baht/RM12 to 260baht/RM26 each), as well as other cooked items.

Fuji Special Bento Set with Sashimi @ 260baht/RM26 - Drooling yet?

Fuji outlets are commonly located in shopping centres, hence you'll basically run into one sooner or later, if your main aim is to shop til you drop, in Bangkok.

We had our meals in Fuji twice throughout our stay, given the extremely attractive prices, food choices and strategic location. Nothing beats sitting down on those plush cushions after a tiring day of walking around, with the shoes finally off your feet, and subsequently indulging in a most droolworthy Japanese meal.

Zaru Soba - with the eeeevil cholesterol-laden quail egg!

For a sampler set (in case you're indecisive, or plain wanna wallop on everything in sight - trust me, the menu may take some time to browse through), go for the Fuji Bento Special, either served with Tempura or Sashimi. The set also comes with miso soup, and chawan mushi (steamed egg with mushrooms, crabsticks, and shrimps), as well as a free drink of coffee or tea! Well worth the price paid (260baht/RM26), as the set can even be shared if you're not famished from all the shopping.

The cold soba noodles (strands of buckwheat noodles) came in a most simple presentation, garnished with shredded seaweed, and served with the soba tsuyu sauce on the side, with optional chopped scallions, and a raw quail egg for added protein. Swirl a few strands of them in the sauce, and savour the cold, slithery noodles in one gulp. A most suitable dish for the summer, this one.

Kuro Buta Set (200baht/RM20)

The tender, almost melt-in-mouth texture of the kurobuta pork grilled then served with a most basic gravy (ala brown sauce) had us singing praises. A prized species of the pig, also known as black hog, the meat has the right amount of fat, and lean meat, and requires almost no chewing. The set came with the usual sides, being a mixed salad, miso soup, rice, desserts and a drink.

Tonkatsu Set (120baht/RM12) - Deep fried cutlets of pork


The caffeine we all needed in the form of Japanese milk coffee, mixed tempura (so-so), mixed salad which came with most sets, and the set I forgot the name. It was chicken cutlets in sauce, served underneath the egg omelette.

Another winner in a pork dish, grilled with sesame seed, chopped scallions, and vegetables on the side

Okonomiyaki - Japanese pancake/pizza - SERIOUSLY good stuff!

But one of the dish that captivated us the most, ordered on both occasions, was the Okonomiyaki or Japanese style pizza. Topped with an egg with runny yolk, we polished this pancake off in record time. The okonomiyaki sauce was sweet, savoury and tangy at the same time.

Grilled squid/Ika, and Mussels with chopped garlic and scallions

10 pieces of mussels for a mere 110baht/RM11. Though small in size, but rather sweet in flavour, and paired off perfectly with abundance of chopped garlic, and scallions. At the side was the sauces for the mussels, but we did not really dip them in the sauce, for they're rather flavourful in nature.

Grilled Beef Cubes Set (sorry, name was made up, as no receipt was issued) - A most lovely, tender and delightful dish

Usually tenderloin beef served at most restaurants retail for at least RM20+, or many folds more. But at Fuji's, a whole set with 2 mussels (cooked in same way as the previous Garlic Mussels), grilled greens, dipping sauces (the creamy mayo was spot-on!) rice and miso soup, as well as a glass of Thai milk tea or coffee, was shockingly priced at about 180baht/RM18 (I think). A steal, given the juicy cubes of beef was not of the most stingy portion.

Apologies for the lack in details of the dishes, given the fact that I did not jot them down from the menu in time. Yeah, rookie mistake I know, but I'm a mere mortal. Pardon moi? ;)

Location : Fuji Japanese Restaurants in most major shopping complexes in Bangkok. Here's their site, but mostly in Thai language.

Here's Food4Thot's erm, thought on the place and Jason's glowing review last year.

S2S Boutique Resort Bangkok - RM70 per night, in Pratunam?!

rom previous chapter - Bangkok - Wat Arun/Wat Pho and Giant Baguettes ....

S2S Boutique Resort Bangkok (formerly Moeleng Boutique Resort) (http://www.moeleng-bangkok-resort.com/)

What a long hiatus since the last post on Bangkok. Before amnesia kicks in (again), allow me to refresh my aged mind, with a simple, food-less post.

Vibrant floral influences abound, with a generally rustic, yet modern decor, and a charming little boutique resort is born.

The first two nights we spent in Lamphu House on Soi Rambuttri near Khao San Road. A budgeted option, given the location amidst the universally-acknowledged backpacker's haven of Khao San Road.

Free Internet service (aside from Free Wifi Spot within the hotel's vicinity)

On the 3rd day, after our excursion to the famous Floating Market @ Damnoen Saduak, Ratchaburi on the previous day, we checked out from the homely Lamphu House and proceeded to check in to our hotel for the remaining days of our trip; S2S Boutique Resort Bangkok in Pratunam area (within the city centre of Bangkok).

The lounge on every floor

Frequent travellers to Bangkok, or even those on a shoe-string budget will attest to the fact that seeking a budget hotel, or cheaper hotels in Bangkok's city centre may be a difficult task indeed; almost akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. An air-conditioned room, with attached bathroom & hot shower, TV, fridge, minibar and other basic amenities rarely come below RM100/1000baht per night.

Cozy garden for a leisurely acquaintance, or for one to soak in the sun while reading a book

But lo and behold, imagine our surprise when we managed to book two rooms at S2S Boutique Resort for a mere RM70/700 baht per night !!! Yup, read that right. A room for two person, at only RM70 per night. Dirt-cheap or what?

But we booked earlier, about a month before we departed to Bangkok. E-mail reservation is possible, and the hotel's staff are certainly friendly and accomodating. We were even served with a welcome drink of pineapple juice the instant we walked in with our luggages!

Picture perfect - Lush greeneries, and a serene atmosphere.

The term 'Boutique Hotel' depicts the hotel exactly, fitting the description right to a tee. One can't help but feel uplifted, and immensely rejuvenated after a night's stay here. The theme incorporates a lot of lush greeneries and fresh flowers as decoration, setting an idyllic, and relaxing ambience.

The Standard Room for two. Not the most spacious around, but bear in mind this being a BUDGET hotel, so every positive detail is taken into account

The rooms are in tip-top condition, very clean and comfortable. The attached bathroom comes with hot shower, and a most pleasant large wooden shelf for one to put their toiletries and such. The air-conditioning system comes with individual control as well.

Best of all, the room also comes with a television with cable channels. Not 10, not 20, but an astounding 90+ channels!!!! Of course, most in Thai language, but still a rather exclusive touch to the rooms, as most budget hotels, or guesthouses do not even provide a TV in each room.

The simple cafe at the lobby that serves breakfast sets, without menu.

But best of all, S2S Boutique Hotel is located right smack in town area, yet hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the traffic in the city. The nearest shopping malls being Platinum Mall and Central World, about 10-15 minutes walk from the hotel.

For the time being, the nearest train station may require some walking, as they are still in the process of expanding the train service to a yet-unofficiated station a stone's throw away from this hotel. But hailing a cab in Bangkok is never a hassle, as taxis roam the streets 24 hours a day. And in comparison to Malaysia's very own taxi service, the ones in Bangkok charge reasonably cheaper rates, with most rides in and around town area at less than RM10/100baht per way. And most of the time, they DO use their meters, hence no bargaining necessary.

Location : S2S Boutique Resort Bangkok (Moeleng) - previously known as Moeleng Boutique Resort, @ 21/1 Soi Ratchatapan (Moeleng) Ratchaprapop Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevee Bangkok 10400 Thailand.

Tel No : 66(0)-2642 4646.

Fax No : 66(0)-2245 4386.

E-mail : reservations@moeleng-bangkok-resort.com

If you're one who dreads walking for miles before reaching your favourite departmental store, and would rather stay in a hotel that's within spitting distance from the retail outlets, you can search for other options at http://www.hotelscombined.com/. You can search for hotels in almost every country in the world, and they're even sorted out according to the cities! Click HERE for the Malaysian listing, and you'll see what I mean.

Motormouth in Betong, Thailand - 2 Countries in 1 Day

For the sake of first-timers, or the newly-poisoned (followers) of this blog, Betong is a quiet (depending on how you look at it, really) town in southern Thailand, that shares its border with the even smaller and serene town of Pengkalan Hulu in northern Perak.

WHERE again you ask?!!! Just refer to my old posts (Betong - The Town Over the Border). Still reeling from the day's stretched-out meeting. And the after-effect of Monday blues.

Lenggong's Famous Loh Dee Wan Tan Mee - Notice even the press has covered this small, almost barely noticeable hut along the main road of Lenggong. Blink and you'll miss it.

(Here's my previous review of the Wan Tan Mee)

Okay, for the benefit of those lazybums (you know who you are), here's a short, short recollection. Last July (exactly a year ago), we went on a 3 days 2 nights trip to Betong, Thailand. From Ipoh to Pengkalan Hulu, it takes about two and a half hours worth of journey by car. Crossing over from Pengkalan Hulu to the other side, aka the Darker/Sinful side (hehe), it takes only about 10 minutes of travelling.

But of course, you have to get down from your car, fill in forms, get your passport stamped, etc etc. More on that later, in this very post.

The almost idyllic town of Lenggong, Perak.

From the PLUS highway northbound, we exited the Kuala Kangsar toll, and proceeded towards Gerik (Timur)/Lenggong. Don't worry, there are ample signboards to guide even the blind-est of person. ;)

Tiny, miniscule fried fish balls from Khen Pang Restaurant - The supposedly famous Lenggong fishballs. This restaurant was even featured in The Star (click HERE for the article)

Then after about an hour's worth of travelling (and incessant naggings IF you've children in your car, or those impatient young-at-hearts), you'll reach the small town of Lenggong. Lenggong is famous because of the erm, infamous Perak cave man. A skeleton of a pre-historic cave man found through some serious excavation and made Lenggong a household name of sorts, amongst the eyes of the world. The archaelogists' world, of course.

For breakfast, we stopped over for some good old Wan Tan Mee at Loh Dee, then crossing over to the opposite side of the street for some fishballs at Khen Pang. A funny scene ensued, as we expected gigantic, huge and bouncy fishballs. Thus I asked for 8 biji (8 pieces), but the waitress laughed it off. Okay ...... she explained that the balls come smaller than usual (hehe, how ironic - mimicking REAL life situation eh? ;P) and the portion served are in tens.

So we took up her offer and proudly exclaimed that ten should be enough. And the 5-10 minutes wait was a little suspicious, given the fact that fishballs simply DO NOT take that long to cook. The whole shop was occupied by uncles and aunties in their 60's, enjoying their leisure bite while scanning the dailies.

And we nearly choked (before we even put the balls into our mouths) when the fishballs were served. Smaller than a 50 cents coin, and deep-fried with lots of oil (the plate was greased like no other - even John Travolta would have been proud!), the only consolation was the balls were bouncy, or with QQ texture. I knew because we did some erm, bouncing experiment on the plate itself. Not something that we'll return for in the future. For directions to Loh Dee Wan Tan Mee and Khen Pang (opposite of Loh Dee), click HERE.

1. Get your departure/arrival form filled for you @ RM2, OR fill them up yourselves.

2. Get in line and wait until your turn for your passport/border pass to be verified and stamped.

3. If you're driving/riding over the border, show your original car grant (or photostated one, but verified by the police - Balai Polis Air Panas over at Pengkalan Hulu can serve you well) and get a declearation form (that's how it's spelled) for your vehicle. RM3 fee is chargeable.

4. And you're GOOD to go !!!!

Dang ... it was cloudy the day we went. Let's make a few quick rounds, and begone!


The largest mailbox in the world (all NINE metres of it!)


Krua Samui Thai Restaurant @ Sukkayang Road, Betong, Thailand

Fast-forward to lunch hour, we warped in a flash to Krua Samui Thai Restaurant, an authentic Thai restaurant in Betong, previously recommended by a "local" (not really, as Aunt Yoong is a Penangite who resides in Betong, but still ...), and the previous post of mine featured the many dishes we ordered for dinner during our trip to Betong last year.

Pork Intestines with Black Pepper, Tom Yum Seafood, Green Curry Chicken, Kerabu Chicken Feet Salad and Sambal Belacan Paku-Pakis (fern leaves)

Since the restaurant opens from 10.00am until 10.00pm (Thailand timezone, one hour earlier than Malaysian time), we decided to drop our anchor, and appease our hunger pangs, before deciding on our next plan for the day.

The stir-fried pork intestines with black pepper was still as flavourful as our previous visit, maintaining its crunchy texture, while heavily seasoned and stir-fried with cili padi (beware), and scallions. The Tom Yum at Krua Samui's resembled the version served in Malaysia, not very spicy, but with a heavier tinge of sourness. Still, beats the average Tom Yum hands down, if you ask me. The Kerabu Chicken Feet packed some punch, in the forms of finely chopped bird's eye chillies (cili padi), hence proceed with caution. You wouldn't want to emerge at the end of the meal with bee-stung lips. Lest you're a Jolie's groupie. The Green Curry chicken was spicier than the milder version served in Malaysia, even to the point of overwhelming the slightly piquant Tom Yum, which paled in comparison to this! And the Sambal Belacan (spicy shrimp paste) Paku-pakis was delicious, crunchy stems, leafy greens, with addictive kick.

The meal came to 550baht (RM60) for the four of us, including coconut drinks (whole coconuts, not watered down version in glasses), and sugar cane juice. Realise that you CAN use Ringgit Malaysia in Betong, it's accepted in every shop, but at a different rate than last time, given the weaker ringgit as of now.

For location, please refer to my old post HERE. Should be easy to find, as you just proceed north from the clock tower in Betong town.

From chickens to dinosaurs, and temples to Buddha statue. Betong is indeed, a riot !!!! Stay for the nightlife or massage services, if you've time to spare.


Scenes around Wat Phuttathiwat, a famous temple in Betong. It was raining rather heavily, hence our camwhoring session was cut short. Shucks.



Betong Town - Shopping for dried foods, snacks and such. And the Malay's HALAL restaurant in blue. There is a lane with several commendable Malay restaurants that cater to the Muslims in Betong town. Just opposite the Central Market.

A pleasing array of tong sui (sweet soups), and the one and only, ginkgo nuts soup with lotsa eggs (even quail's!!!)

We skipped the Piyamit Tunnel (very famous communist tunnel to the north of Betong town), and Hot Spring. Since we had visited both attractions before. But for first-timers, highly recommended to visit the tunnel at least ONCE.

The giant mailbox is on Sukkayang Road, to the north of the clock tower in town (trust me, you WON'T miss it). And we shopped for Koh Kae peanuts (those in colourful canisters) in various flavours, at RM11.50 for three. And the fish maws is also a popular purchase here, from RM10-RM30, depending on the quality of the maws. The cashew nuts, tidbits, etc are the other usual buys from Betong.

And the tropical fruits in abundance (Gerik, Perak) - Tis the season to be jolly?

The weather was cooling in Betong, but rather unforgiving, with heavy rains, storms and the likes. Anyway, we were almost done, and retracted back to our homeland, for some durian-bingeing session at Gerik in Perak !!!!

to be continued ..........