Shoot First Eat Later

Lunch at Keeree Tara Restaurant

We asked our driver, Cha, if he could recommend a place to eat before we go to our second destination. He brought us to the historic River Kwai bridge.

We looked at the restaurant right next to the bridge called The Floating Restaurant.

The restaurant had a great view of the bridge. They had a buffet area as well a la carte dining. The buffet wasn’t impressive at all since most of the food was carbs. The prices on the menu were on a high side so we left the restaurant in search of an alternative.

Rochelle and I had had a photo op with the short banana tree before leaving.

Right next door was the Keeree Tara restaurant where we finally had lunch.

I liked this restaurant even more. It had a spectacular view of the river and the place was more modern. It even had a small waterfall in the bathroom. It was also one of the cleanest we’ve used during our entire trip.

We had to sit indoors since the tables outside were too small for us.

How can you go wrong with fried golden mushrooms? Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

fried golden mushroom

This salad made of peanuts, cashews and dried shrimp and squid was everyone’s instant favorite. We’ve never tried anything like this in Manila. Each ingredient had it’s own level of crunchiness and the strong, salty flavors of the dried seafood just complemented the milder nuts.

cashew, peanut & dried seafood salad

I ordered the smoked sausage thinking it was a special kind of Thai sausage. It tasted just like your average pork sausage.

smoked pork sausage

We were still dreaming of the fried rice we had the night before so we ordered fried rice again. Even though this fried rice was also served with fresh lime and fish sauce, somehow it wasn’t as good.

fried rice

I liked the bagoong (shrimp paste) fried rice much more.

Khao khluk kapi – shrimp paste rice

The Pad Thai was just ok. It tasted much better with a little sprinkling of sugar. Yes sugar. More on that later.

Pad Thai

The fish was very delicate and tender and the flavor of the coconut curry sauce was fragrant and delicious but it was way too spicy. I could feel my throat burning as I swallowed. Only Chris was strong enough to consume the spicy fish.

dry curry kang fish

I was so happy that my favorite chicken soup with coconut and ginger wasn’t too spicy.

tom kha kai – galanga chicken soup

Everywhere we ate these 4 spices were standard on the table. Sugar, dried chili flakes, fish sauce and vinegar (i think). I wondered why there was sugar until I needed it on my noodles. Now I get it.

We were fascinated with the waiter’s monster ‘crocs’.

All the desserts were actually the same with a coconut cream base and just different contents. Some were soft and chewy, others were crunchy and all of them were fantastic. Cold, sweet and refreshing. My type of dessert.

fantasy trio ball in coconut cream

crispy water chestnut in coconut cream

Siamese fantasy ruby in coconut milk

We took our sweet time eating and taking pictures that we arrived at the Tiger Temple at 3:30 to find it closed already. We didn’t know that they close daily at 3:15 pm. We were so disappointed. We really wanted to play around with the cute tiger cubs.

Keeree Tara Restaurant
43 / 1, Tha Makham, Muang Kanchanaburi,
Kanchanaburi 71000 Thailand

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Our second day in Thailand was devoted to a day of touring.
,
The first stop on our itinerary was Damnoen Saduak Floating Market which was 2 hours away. Instead of joining a tour group, our friend Kathy introduced us to Alisa from Bangkok who leased us her super duper comfy van with driver for the day. We spent less on the van rental than what one person would have paid in a tour group.

The Toyota Commuter seats 10 very comfortably. We were amused with all the lights on the ceiling. We slept during the entire 2 hour drive since we left the hotel at 6:00 am. It was too early and too cold that’s why as soon as we sat in the van we nodded off into la la land.

We finally arrived in Ratchaburi and the first thing we did was look for the bathroom. We had to pass these boats on display.

I can’t believe I used this toilet!! Luckily it didn’t smell as bad as it looked.

The walkway to the boats.

Five of us fit in one boat and it cost 200 baht per person for a 45 minute ride.

Smart lady just parked her boat filled with fruits at the dock.

This picture reminded me when large parts of Manila was under water from Typhoon Ondoy.

fruits & flowers

There were so many tourist that our boat often got stuck in traffic. But with a little push we always made our way through.

boat traffic

The best part of the floating market was trying different food and sweets offered along the canal. Our first purchase was a bowl of hot noodle soup which we shared. Surprisingly yummy.

Thai noodle soup – 30 baht

Next was a cup of Thai coffee which was strong and sweet. Can you believe this was the only Thai coffee I had for the entire trip? It’s because in other places I noticed they used instant coffee. What’s the point?

Thai coffee – 20 baht

We didn’t know what this was but it looked interesting.

These were crispy crepes were filled with a meringue mixture and topped with orange shredded coconut. Through research I learned these sweet tacos were called khanom buang and are a traditional Thai dessert sold by vendors and restaurants all over Thailand. Really, really delicious. I wish we bought more.

khanom buang – 40 baht

Hmm balls that looked like Japanese takoyaki. I wondered if these were sweet or savory. I took a bite and it was soft and sweet but with a savory onion filling. It reminded me of the Philippine puto or rice cake. Again through research I found out that these were coconut pancakes or pudding. It was pretty good too but I liked the crispy crepes more.

khanom krok – 20 baht

Our boat’s driver patiently waited while we ate and ate. After that he took us shopping even against our will. As our boat neared a shop, the shop owner would hook our boat and drag us to his store. Look this guy does it even without looking.

shopping hook

We didn’t mind getting hooked to this store that sold cute wooden animals hanging on string. My friends bought a few as gifts.

wood animal mobiles – 100 baht

We were also brought to an area where we had to get off the boat and look around to buy food and gift items. I bought some delicious peanut coconut candy but not the one below.

Thai coconut candy

This stall sold so many kinds of spices. I wish we stopped so I could buy some.

spices galore

I have a deathly fear of snakes. I don’t know what made me tell my friends at the beginning of the boat ride that if they should see any snakes to warn me in advance. And they saw a giant snake. Thankfully I was looking the other way when they saw it. I thought they were joking. They took this picture which I just saw when I made this entry. Yuck!!!

When we disembarked from the boat we had to pass a series of stalls selling clothing, hats and souvenirs before reaching the exit. At the end there were a couple of boats parked selling more food. Last chance!

It was a very enjoyable boat ride along the canal. The water was murky but it wasn’t stinky at all. The best part was all the snacks we got to try. Yes it was very touristy but it showed a real part of the way Thai people live and do business. You should not miss going to the floating market.

Damnoen Saduak in Ratchaburi is about 109 kilometres south of Bangkok or approximately 2 hours drive.

How to Get There
By Car: From Bangkok you can take Highway No. 4 (Phetchakasem Rd.) and turn left at Km. 80 for another 25 kms. along Bangpae-Damnoen Saduak Rd.

By Bus: There are public buses both air and non air-conditioned leaving from the Southern Bus Terminal. Pinklao-Nakhonchaisi Rd. for Damnoen Saduak every 40 minutes from 06.00 hrs. onwards. Fare is around Baht 49 (one way) for air-conditioned (tel . 435-5031) and Baht 30 for normal buses (tel. 434-5558). The most suitable time to be at the market is from 08.00-10.00 hrs.

Dinner with Sonia

The title of this post is dinner with Sonia because I don’t know the name of the restaurant she brought us too. Everything was written in Thai. It was definitely a place for the locals.

We finished our massage at almost 11:00 pm. We were surprised that Sonia wanted to take us for late dinner. We didn’t really want to go but she insisted. She said this place was one of her and her daughter’s favorite places to eat at.

This cooking cart was on the sidewalk just outside the restaurant.

Everything was cooked in this small cart.

The seating extended to the sidewalk.

It was soooooo cold that night. We were really shivering outside. Yes we were in Bangkok in March.

Luckily a big table became available and we moved inside where it was warm and toasty.

If you can read this I suggest you go this restaurant asap and try their food.

The restaurant was like our carinderia.

Sonia and her daughter

This simply cooked yet delicious vegetable dish was the most expensive because of the fresh clams.

veggies with clams – 200 baht

I don’t know what kind of fish was used or what else was in the stew but it was really, really good.

fish stew – 60

The tom yum soup was very flavorful but too spicy for me.

tom yum soup – 80

We all loved the tender pork bursting with flavors and wanted to order another plate but they ran out. That’s the disadvantage of eating at 11:00 pm.

pork with Thai basil

My favorite was the crab fried rice. It wasn’t anything fancy but what made it fabulous was when you put some spicy fish sauce and lime on it. Just adding those two condiments made the ordinary fried rice into a fantabulous, kick @$$ rice.

crab fried rice – 35 baht

The noodles were just ordinary for me. Not bad at all but I loved the rice much more.

noodles – 35 baht

We told Sonia not too order too much since we weren’t hungry. She didn’t listen to us. Thank goodness. We wiped out 5 plates of fried rice and 4 noodles. Hey there were 7 of us ok?

Sonia ordered a bottle of roselle juice for us to try. Roselle is the same as hibiscus which we are more familiar with usually in tea form. It was mild and sweet.

roselle juice – 10 baht

It was late and we were tired and cold. But when we tried the good food our appetites suddenly came alive and we ate with gusto. Sonia said our whole meal cost only 700 baht. We probably could have eaten more if they didn’t run out of food. I really wanted one more order of fried rice. Thanks again for dinner Sonia!!!

For a restaurant with a kitchen in the form of a small cart on the sidewalk they sure have a lot of variety on their menu.

Klongtoey area
telephone: 66860009367 (they don’t speak English)

Thai Massage @ Mr. Feet

Pain. Our feet were in so much pain from the first day of non-stop walking. We needed massage badly.

Our friend Sonia who moved to Bangkok several years ago when she got married is now super fluent in the Thai language. She recommended Mr. Feet which was just across her office and very near the malls.

The place was very simple but clean. It was also always full. We had the foot and body massage for 1.5 hours which cost 400 baht or US$13 or P570. The foot massage was done on these chairs. It was so painful. The masseuse knew which points to press and it had all of us squirming and grimacing in pain. After several minutes of even pressure the pain subsided. Just when we were about to nod off we were asked to move upstairs for our body massage.

The masseuse in the pink shirt was in one of the rooms where the body massage was held. It was your usual Thai massage which involved a lot of stretching.

The price of contentment, relaxation and much happiness was indeed a steal. We wanted to go back every night but managed to return just one more time. I miss you Mr. Feet.

FoodLoft @ Central Chidlom

After checking in our hotel we didn’t bother to unpack. We immediately went to the nearest mall to do some window shopping. We walked to nearby Central Chidlom department store.

We weren’t successful with the shopping so we decided to eat instead. It was at least 6 hours since our last meal on the plane. We looked at all the dining options in the seven storey department store and chose the the food court on the 7th floor called FoodLoft.

It was a beautiful, modern and swanky looking food court that had several cuisines to choose from. The only problem was they forbade me to take pictures. Can you believe that? I managed to take these few shots.

These traditional Thai desserts looked yummy but we ended up not buying any after our disastrous meal.

Naturally we wanted to eat Thai food so we chose the stall that cooked the food upon ordering to ensure hot and fresh food. Too bad that was as good as it got. I ordered my favorite Thai dish, Pad Thai and it was one of the most bland and boring noodle dish I’ve ever eaten.

Pad Thai

My friends’ choices weren’t good either. Thai food in Manila tasted so much better than these. Our food wasn’t cheap either. The average was 140 baht per person without drinks. They don’t even give free hot water. They grudgingly gave me one cup and said we had to pay for more. Really sosyal huh?

Tom Yum

Duck curry

Thankfully the rest of our meals in Bangkok was so much better than this.

FoodLoft

7th flr. Central Chidlom
Open every day: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
telephone: 66 2793 7070

Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Bangkok

Last March as soon as classes ended and Rochelle was done with her motherly duties we quickly hopped on a plane and took our first summer vacation in Bangkok.

The last time I was in Bangkok the new Suvarnabhumi Airport wasn’t open yet. I don’t remember the immigration line being this long. There were two immigration areas and both were overflowing with people. This was just the hallway that you pass to get to the lines.

We just arrived that’s why my travel mates were still all smiles.

Based on my research there were 130 passport control checkpoints for arrivals and it looked like most of them were open and had long queues. I’m so envious. I wish the Philippines had even a tenth of Thailand’s tourist.

After 1 and 1/2 hours of standing in line I finally got to the counter.

We took the escalator down to the taxi area and found an iridescent pink mini van that was just perfect for the 5 of us. Don’t get a ride from the many people offering you transport to the city. Go directly to the taxi stand where taxis of different makes and models await passengers. Our fare to the hotel including toll fees and tip amounted to ฿400 baht.

My friends brought light jackets and thankfully I brought a shawl mostly for the plane ride which sometimes gets cold. We never imagined we will arrive in Bangkok to 19 degrees centigrade weather. The weather remained the same and even dropped to as low as 17 degrees for two days. It was really very unusual for Bangkok to have that kind of temperature in March.

We chose to stay at the Courtyard hotel because I got a discount with the help of my friend Ariel and it was very convenient to the malls and BTS Skytrain which we never got to ride because it was cheaper for 5 people to split cab fare.

The lobby was small but the colors were bright and cheery.

The room was just the right size with two double beds. It was very clean and well maintained.

Every time we were in the room we had the tv tuned to NHK channel for updates on the Japan earthquake. We were in Bangkok on March 17 just a week after the horrible earthquake.

A unique feature in the room was this mirror on the clear glass wall of the bathroom. If you want privacy there was a shade you could pull down. Believe me that shade stayed down our entire trip.

The bathroom was a bit small and didn’t have a bathtub which was ok since I prefer a shower stall.

The shower stall was quite big and I appreciated the hand held shower which isn’t common in hotels.

Back on the ground floor was the business center, the MoMo mart convenience store and the MoMo Cafe.

We never had a chance to try the food at MoMo Cafe since our hotel room didn’t include breakfast. We just bought bread and fruits for our daily grub.

The Courtyard was located in a small street with several hotels and apartments. It was a three to five minute walk to the main street where all the malls were located. It took another 5 minutes to reach the first mall and from there it’s mall heaven to the left, right and across.

The hotel had a free shuttle and we took it one morning to see where it would take us. We almost had cramps laughing when it took us only to the end of the road and the trip lasted for all of thirty seconds. We were hoping it would take us to one of the malls.

The Courtyard was a very nice hotel to stay in when in Bangkok. Sure it wasn’t smack dab in the middle of shopping like other hotels but it was only a short walk or taxi ride anyway. And for the price we paid I wouldn’t stay anywhere else.

View Larger Map

Courtyard Bangkok
155/1 Soi Mahadlekluang 1,
Rajdamri Road,
Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
telephone: 66 2 690 1888

Dinner at 2nd’s, Comfort Food Revisited

Our group went to 2nd’s to meet up with some HS classmates for an impromptu reunion. We went there straight from Tagaytay that’s why we were late. It was probably due to our shopping spree at Mr. Moo’s.

To find 2nd’s go to Cav Wine Shop and Cafe and it’s right across. This is the only sign you will see since they are located on the 2nd floor.

I really liked the ambiance. It felt like I was in a restaurant in New York.

New faces on my blog!

When we arrived they had already ordered 2 appetizers. The Angus beef salpicao was good but I didn’t find any foie gras in it. I asked the waiter to show me where it was and he couldn’t find it too so he took the dish back to the kitchen.

Angus salpicao with foie gras P625

The small dish came back with 3 tiny cubes of foie gras. This was a pretty expensive dish and I don’t think it’s worth it as an appetizer.

The chicken adobo croquetas were delish! Crispy, creamy and flavorful.

chicken adobo croquetas P325

I ordered the lamb shepherd’s pie since I haven’t started my diet then. Tender pieces of lamb with veggies including potatoes cooked in a tomato based sauce and topped with the richest, buttered smashed potatoes and a very, very generous amount of cheddar cheese. I liked it but the über buttery potatoes and cheese made it a bit too rich. I could feel the fat crawling through my arteries. I also expected a brown sauce which was more traditional. I wonder why they put potatoes in the stew when it was to be topped with more potatoes. I wish they would use some other vegetable or just omit it.

lamb shepherd’s pie P435

These are what my other friends ordered. I didn’t get to try any of the other dishes but I assume it was good since everyone’s plate was wiped clean.

Take a classic Filipino dish like caldereta and use lamb instead and top it with Swiss cheese. Very imaginative!

lamb caldereta gratin P590

Debbie said she preferred the duck confit of Antonio’s but it wasn’t bad at all. She really liked the emmenthal mashed potatoes and pineapple chutney.

crispy duck confit P850

Janet liked her fish and chips made with barramundi fish. She probably liked it because of the Red Horse beer batter. I really liked the skinny fries and the inclusion of malt vinegar and dill aoili. Very authentic!

Red Horse fish and chips P520

Some health conscious classmates ordered the sea bass sinigang. This must be the only place where you can find sea bass in a sour soup.

sea bass sinigang P455

When I get off this diet I want to try the yummy looking Tilapia with Thai red curry sauce. This was the cheapest item on the menu for main dishes yet it looked like a generous serving.

shoreshide Thai red curry P375

A simple text message that was forwarded around yielded these many classmates eager to meet and eat. Anytime ladies! Text away.

I highly recommend you try the comfort food with a twist at 2nd’s. Their food is inventive, innovative and well cooked. They do have healthy choices too proving not all comfort food is fattening.

2nd’s menu

2nd’s
2/F Wumaco Bldg. 1, Quadrant 3,
9th Ave. Bonifacio High Street
Taguig City, Metro Manila
telephone: 846-5293

Nespresso Pixie

Meet my new passion, an espresso.

I love coffee and I used to drink plain brewed coffee or a cafe Americano. But since my Saeco espresso machine finally died and I had to return it to Costco where I got a full refund after 6 years (don’t you just love their return policy) I’ve relied on a plastic drip filter to make coffee. I also have acid reflux that’s why I can’t have too much coffee.

Last month when I stayed at The Venetian in Macao, our room had a Nespresso machine and I got to try an espresso for the first time. I always thought that espresso was really strong but I was surprised how good and satisfying it was. I read on a forum – Espresso is NOT simply strong coffee. It’s a completely different beverage. Coffee uses water to wash through grinds and only release their water-soluble flavors (the “solubles”). Espresso is made with a small amount of water forced through the grinds at extreme pressure, thus releasing their oil-based flavors (the “insolubles”).

When I went back to Hong Kong I visited the Nespresso boutique at Elements Mall. I tried more free espresso and finally bought their newest machine, the Nespresso Pixie.

Nespresso Pixie in electric red, Pixie sleeve

The Pixie has a water reservoir in the back.

The Pixie has a really small footprint. Here you can see it beside a Jack Lalaine juicer. It’s perfect for small spaces.

When I bought the Pixie it came with a free discovery box containing all 16 grand crus capsules and a espresso cup and saucer. Nespresso machines use only their proprietary capsules filled with different blends of coffee. The capsules are available in 2 stores in Hong Kong, Elements Mall and IFC Mall. I found a supplier in Manila but the capsules cost twice as much. It’s good many people go to Hong Kong so it’s easy to get my supply of capsules. A capsule cost HK$4.7 to 5.30 each.

All these came with the Nespresso Pixie

I also bought this aluminum sleeve dispenser from the Pixie collection. It holds 4 different boxes of capsules for easy access.

When I got back to Manila I got obsessed buying espresso cups. I was happy to find a decent selection from Gourdo’s, Landmark, SM and Rustan’s.

my espresso cup collection (so far)

I even found espresso spoons. I thought my regular teaspoon would do until I tried stirring my espresso. It won’t even fit in the cup.

I store all my espresso related stuff in the cabinet above the machine.

I’m now a Nespresso addict. I take my espresso with a dash of non dairy creamer and some stevia. I love how smooth and non acidic it tastes. The body of the espresso is full and the taste lasts a long time in my mouth, long after I’ve finished this small cup. It really can’t compare with a regular cup of coffee. This is now my dessert after meals. On weekends I’ve consumed up to 3 espressos a day. I’ve been drinking this for almost a month and have yet to experience acid reflux. Before, drinking regular coffee for 4 days straight would already trigger my acid reflux.

This shot of espresso is also the perfect base for a latte or cappuccino. I tried adding some hot milk to my espresso but I realized I liked it better with a little non dairy creamer.

thick crema – love, love, love!

Nespresso has 16 kinds of capsules to choose from. They rate from an intensity of 10 to 2. The blends are described woody, cereal, fruity, roasted or cocoa.

image from Nespresso.com

I’ve tried a lot of the blends but my favorites are the Arpeggio which has an intensity of 9. It has a very distinct cocoa flavor that I really love. It’s taken the place of chocolates in my diet. At night I drink the Decaffeinato Intenso which has an intensity of 7. It’s similar in taste to the Arpeggio but just a little lighter. This is one decaf that lets me sleep soundly every night. If I want a lighter and sweeter espresso I drink the Dulsao do Brasil which has honey and malt notes.

image from Nespresso.com

Nespresso Boutique Hong Kong
2nd Level, Shop #2096. No. 1 Austin Road, West Kowloon, Hong Kong
1 Harbour View Street, Central, IFC Mall, Podium Level One, Shop 1019B, Hong Kong

Small and Amazing Homes

It’s been a while since I posted videos about homes but I saw these videos recently and was so impressed and amazed.

This apartment measures 24 square meters or 258 square feet. Hopefully these will inspire the condo owners in Manila.

You think your place is small? Look at this apartment that measures only 90 square feet or 8.4 square meters. To put that into perspective, an average parking space is 12 square meters.

This is a house good for 1 or 2 thin people. It measures 3x3x3 meters. It has a bathroom and kitchen too.

Chef Philippe Breads

I love bread. All kinds of bread – soft, crusty, flaky, plain or filled, sweet or savory. I probably love bread more than rice. Gasp!

As much as I love bread I limit myself to the occasional wheat bread only. Bread is carbs and I don’t have much control when confronted with good bread.

One day my *evil* bff Rochelle gave me two long breads from Chef Philippe. I’ve known about their party breads for quite some time already but I never dared try them since I knew my weakness. So it was part apprehension and part “jump for joy” when I saw the breads on the kitchen table.

Chef Philippe Party Breads

Party breads came in five varieties – 3 savory and 2 sweet. Rochelle knew me so well in choosing the walnut cream & chocolate bread.

I was already drooling when I took these pictures. It was the quickest photo shoot ever.

Walnut, Cream & Chocolate Party Bread

Despite being filled with a generous amount of chocolate, the bread wasn’t too sweet. The brioche had a slightly chewy crust and soft interior. It was a really wonderful experience biting into chocolate, pieces of walnut and sweet vanilla cream. It was even better when toasted in the oven for a few minutes.

Varieties of Party Breads (image from http://chefphilippe.org)

The other bread was a classic cinnamon raisin bread.

Raisin Bread

I’ve never been a big fan of raisin bread but this was pretty good too. Now I know that I don’t have to go to Baguio to buy raisin bread.

Premium Raisin Breads (image from http://chefphilippe.org)

Both breads were good but my most favorite bread from Chef Philippe are their crusty rolls. These aren’t in their website and needs to be pre-ordered. I thank Deb for introducing me to the best rolls ever.

Crusty Roll

The crusty roll is as big as a pan de sal. It just looks big in this picture which Rochelle took. The rolls aren’t fully baked and you have to finish baking them in a toaster oven. This made it taste like freshly baked bread. I usually store these rolls in the freezer and heat them in the oven straight from the freezer.

The roll is super crunchy in the outside just like a baguette and soft yet a bit dense in the inside. It’s perfect with simply butter and marmalade. A box of 12 white rolls cost P150 while the wheat variety which is equally good costs P180.

I had left over roast beef from a party which cut into cubes and sauteed in lots of garlic, olive oil, pepper and a dash of liquid seasoning and used it as a hearty filling for the crusty roll. It was one of the best mini steak sandwiches I’ve ever had. It definitely beat anything I’ve eaten in a restaurant.

Crusty roll filled w/ steak cubes

Since I’ve been on a diet for the past 6 weeks and haven’t eaten a single piece of bread this post made me yearn for bread. As soon as I reach my goal weight I’m buying a box of whole wheat crusty rolls to celebrate.

Chef Philippe on Facebook

Chef Philippe Comissary
2310 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City
telephone: 556-7768, 232-9643, 0917-5847588