The One With The Culinary Whirlwind That Was Bangkok 2010

I have been meaning to write about my Bangkok trip in September, detailing what happened day by day. But after a lapse of some two months and, coupled by the fact that how my seven days in Bangkok blurred into each other, it would probably be more worthwhile for yours truly to focus on the more blogworthy aspects of my trip in September.

Of course, top of my list is FOOD!

To my surprise, Bangkok has more to offer than just the good old Thai food. Perhaps that’s because the last time I visited was in 2006. My spending power was considerably less, so I don’t get too many options to spoil myself with.

But this trip was different. I get to try, try, and keep trying.

Seafood Dinner @ Bangkok’s Chinatown

Easily the best meal for the trip was the first night when we headed down to Bangkok’s Chinatown for a huge dinner of seafood. The wait wasn’t that long, the crowd was jolly, the service was friendly, and all of us were in great spirit.

All those, of course, would be pointless if the food were less than spectacular. For about HKD100 per person, every dish was good till the last drop.

Raw prawns! My favourite, and only the Thais can do this to perfection (and safely!).

Fried calamari with beer. Need I say more?

Steamed fish. Typical Chinese dish. The key is to have the fish still alive prior to cooking. Plenty of garlic cloves and ginger slices for taste.

Oyster omelet. The damn thing was oozing with oil but who can resist the temptation of such a potent combination?

Bangkok Roadside Delights

Another part of the food culture in Thailand is the roadside delights. This is not something many can stomach; afterall how many can bear the sight of exposed food, barely-covered drains and rickety chairs? But those, my friends, are the exact charm these roadside vendors have to offer. Price is always downright cheap (HKD10 for a bowl of noodle soup, anyone?) so what you got to lose?

My most exciting discovery this trip! Coconut ice cream with glutinous rice, sprinkled with corns and peanuts. It was… heavenly.

Noodle soup with pig blood. Call me a pussy but I can never stomach pig blood cubes. Am I the only one who thinks solidified blood is totally gross? But apparently it was so good that my friends were keen to have it everytime it was on the menu.

Wine Connection, K Village Sukhumvit

Being a metropolitan city, Bangkok has its fair share of international cuisine. Whatever you can think off, Bangkok will have it, though you probably need a local to point you to the right direction. During my stay there we did this Italian place called Wine Connection, K Village Sukhumvit, where we had a slightly-overpriced but great food nonetheless. The pasta, especially, was worthy of mention.

Japanese Buffet at Oishi Grand, Siam Discovery

And then I also did this Japanese Buffet at Oishi Grand with a group of Singaporean friends. Pretty decent food, I must say. You can either get your food from the buffet line, or order hot dishesfrom the menu. The prawn tempura and cold udon were highly recommended.

The selection of sashimi was mind boggling. The salmon sashimi was particularly good. I think I must have paid something like HKD400+ for it. Worth the money (but for the price I paid I wish they would let me take more photos of the buffet line!).

L’espace by Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Siam Paragon

During one of the tea breaks towards the end of the trip, we also had the fortune to visit L’espace by Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Siam Paragon. It was more to hang out and rest our weary feet than anything else.

The price was extremely steep, and one would thought the quality will be top-class… but let’s just say, I think I paid more for the ambiance than the actual food and coffee art.

Mango Tree

How can I not conclude my Bangkok trip with an extravagant meal at Mango Tree? I discovered this place during my previous trips to Bangkok, and I felt in love with the place. Firstly, there was the ambiance.

It was classy, with indoor and outdoor dining areas. At certain times there will be live performances of traditional Thai music, complete with dancers serenading you while you tuck in into your tomyum. It will be an experience you will not forget in a hurry.

And of course, there was the food!

Mieng Kham was my absolute favourite, something you can find almost exclusively in Thailand. Basically it was a dryfried coconut meat, diced fresh herb wrapped in kale leaf and served with Mieng sauce. My absolute favourite Thai appetizer.

Grilled fish with vegetables tempura and sambal belacan. The belacan was the killer.

Prawns with vermicelli. Wasn’t the best, but passable.

There were still a couple of other meals I had in Bangkok which didn’t make it into this post (after all, I stayed for a grand total of seven days). If there was one thing I missed the most about my Bangkok trip, it would be the food. Bangkok is a foodie heaven, and I am sure those who knows will think my gastronomical itinerary above was good but far from perfect.

For what it is worth, I am definitely keen to return for more!