Category Archives: restaurant

by | 10/04/2010 · 3:56 pm

The Taste of Envy

Have you ever had an “envy crush”? Someone who, irritatingly and without fail, always managed to hold up a mirror to your own inadequacies and failures? Someone whose inevitable and apparently easily-won success you always applaud, but with a little seed of dread in your heart?

What is an “envy crush”? It’s a sneaking, reluctant admiration mixed with a dose of self-loathing. Which is how I feel about the proprietor of Soul Food Mahanakorn (56/10 Thonglor, (085) 904-2691), an unassuming restaurant close to home that is generating some healthy buzz.

The owner of the restaurant (OK, OK, it’s Jarrett Wrisley) is a completely inoffensive person who does not deserve crazed people like myself writing about him. Yet here we are. Him: “a long-time food journalist for beloved American magazine The Atlantic and elsewhere” (BK Magazine). Me: not able to get paid unless I write something about GDP or which investment bank is underwriting the latest corporate bond issue from Blah Blah Co. Also, I sometimes read The Atlantic. Him: “…quietly earning a fanbase with cuisine inspired simply by what’s fresh in the market” (CNNGo.com). Me: hoping, someday, to open a restaurant, northern Thai, named after my grandmother. Or, you know. Hoping someday to get paid to write about it. Either one.

Actually, I did correspond with Mr. Wrisley once before. On this site, in fact. I wrote something negative about — not ashamed to say it anymore — Krua Aroy Aroy, especially in regards to their kanom jeen nam ngiew, which is a dish of particular importance to me. Jarrett said I painted the restaurant as a tourist trap, which it isn’t exactly … not in terms of food or execution, at least (in spirit, maybe. I still think they are the Thai street food equivalent of Pierre Cardin). He was sort of right … but never mind. We have agreed to (sort of) disagree.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t wish bad things to happen to this person. I wish him all the success in the world — showcasing the soulful stylings of Thai home cooking and sometimes adding a few American twists is genius, and his food has more “soul” than, say, Krua Aroy Aroy (no, can’t let it go). But I’m happy with that success only to a certain point. Because if his column for The Atlantic gets optioned for a Hollywood movie (pitched as “Under the Tuscan Sun for hipsters”)** and he is played by James Franco and the movie becomes the worldwide success “Eat, Pray, Love” was supposed to be, then I will just have to go shoot myself.

So imagine my dismay when I actually go, and try the northern Thai “nam prik two ways”: roasted banana pepper dip, thick with tiny slivers of garlic, and tomato-and-ground-pork nam prik ong, garnished with tiny pork rinds, quail eggs and fresh vegetables. Or the “one-bite chicken wings”, dusted with ginger, garnished liberally with torn kaffir lime leaves. Or (and I love/hate this most of all), the fried chicken, heavily peppered and fried to a deep, crackling amber, eye-tearingly delicious and accompanied with a sweet chili sauce and clever little chunks of pickled watermelon rind.

A few things: it’s a tourist trap. No, just kidding! Ha ha. I’m so funny. What I meant to say is, it’s early days for this restaurant, so not everything is ironed out yet (but it will be, success is infuriatingly inevitable). The bathroom has to deal with some kinks. Also, our krapao ped order fell through the cracks. Not sure if Jarrett should appoint a maitre’d or an executive chef? Because supervising the dining room AND the pass are hard jobs, particularly when they are on separate floors.

Also, it’s so dark that I couldn’t take any pictures. But it’s also so dark that no one could see what I really look like so … never mind! If you want to see what the food looks like, go to http://www.soulfoodmahanakorn.com (no, I do not know how to link to other places. I am old. Also, I went to Bryn Mawr. Just kidding again, @SpecialKRB!).

**Carey Mulligan shows up as a young British backpacker who tries to run out on her check. My character (played by George Takei) also makes a brief cameo, before I meet a grisly end when my hairspray catches on fire. I am full of these ideas. Call me, Hollywood!

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Filed under Asia, Bangkok, chicken, food, restaurant, Thailand

by | 09/27/2010 · 3:50 pm

It’s not you, it’s me

Thai catfish with green mango salad at Chote Chitr

My husband bought me a painting for my birthday. On some days, it looks to me like the tumultuous juncture where the four elements meet, clash and learn to coexist (earth, fire, water, air). On other days, it looks like a chicken on fire. What I see varies from day to day, depending on what mood I’m in.

Similarly, there are some Thai restaurants that I simply do not “get”. Foodie darlings that get a pass for whatever they serve, thanks to the strength of a couple of specials, or the exclusivity of the surroundings, or the remarkable history. But the onus of “getting” them lies on me, rather than the other way around: I am feeling ill that day, or am in a bad mood, or whatever.

So it is with trepidation that I admit, I have never been able to bring myself to enjoy a meal at Thai institution Chote Chitr, which is nearly a century old. It’s not for lack of trying, on either my part or theirs. Unlike some other places that seem to coast on their reputations, Chote Chitr is sincere in its intentions (sincerity is a big thing for me): the food is made with care, the service is prompt and welcoming, there are no shortcuts. It is genuine home cooking. And it always shows, like in its well-crafted nam prik platu (shrimp paste chili dip with fried Thai mackerel and all the fixings) or well-thought-out specials (on our recent visit, a smashingly good tamarind-laced sour gaeng with mushrooms and deep-fried salted smelts).

Thom kong pla salid

But sometimes, and no offense to the lovely, lovely Tim Krachochouli and formidable Lucky and Nam Waan (her two dogs) — the food is too sweet. Even the nam prik, which I enjoyed, is too sweet. I know they don’t resort to using granulated sugar (the horror). I know everything is made from scratch. And I have as much respect for R.W. Apple as anyone. But it’s just too damn sweet. I can’t go to town on the food, because I know I’ll feel nauseated halfway through. That’s just the way it is. It’s my problem.

And yes, I know extreme sweetness is a necessary feature of the somehow-this-became-what-they-are-known-for mee krob (yeah yeah, flavored with a rare citrus fruit blah blah blah, I have tons of respect for Bob too). It’s my belief mee krob should be balanced by a spicy curry because each cancels the other out — it doesn’t work any other way. To eat it without thinking about this is sort of an example of what I mean when I say Thai food — as a whole — is getting too sweet in this city. It’s becoming an (admittedly superior) version of the sweetened Thai you find abroad. I blame the gradually Westernized palate in Bangkok (although mine is as Westernized as they come and … oh, never mind. Meatloaf, anyone?)

Chote Chitr's famous mee krob

I want to point out that it’s not that I don’t like Chote Chitr, because I do. It’s just that I like some other Thai restaurants better, and I don’t think they get as much attention. My favorites: lunchtime-only old-school joint Sanguansri (59/1 Wireless Rd., 02-252-7637), especially their kanom jeen (fermented rice noodle) dishes, or Sukhumvit standby Ruea Thong (351/2 Thonglor 17, 02-185-2610), which serves an awesome gaeng kua with marble-sized “exploding” mushrooms and a great nam prik made of ground peppercorns — a reminder of the pre-chili days before the Portuguese when the main spice in Thailand was pepper, or prik Thai. Also promising: the only week-old Soul Food Mahanakorn (56/10 Thonglor, 085-904-2691), which is built on a great idea (street food with air-conditioning and superb cocktails) but more on that some other time. I am zonked out on Dayquil (obviously) and can only ramble incoherently for so long.

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Filed under Asia, Bangkok, curries, fish, food, noodles, restaurant, seafood, Thailand

by | 09/21/2010 · 3:38 pm

Glutton-related matters: Fat

Scones: a dietary no-no

In the United States, over one-third of Americans fall into the “obese” category, according to U.S.-based nonprofit the Obesity Society. That’s news that is guaranteed to surprise no one.

So it shouldn’t be much of a shock that Thailand is going the way of its American ally — a 2009 government study showed the average size of the Thai man had grown 7 cm in height and 12 kg in weight over the past 25 years, while the height of women has increased 5 cm and weight by 5.5 kg. Women’s waistlines have grown 3.7 cm, resulting in a more “tubular” shape, noted study researchers. No correspondingly insulting adjective for the shape of men, alas.

No reason was really given for this jump in size, but we can probably guess the culprit: loud-mouthed political blowhards trying to drown out all voices of dissent … Oh wait, that’s not it! Excuse me ::shuffles notes::

Ahem. I mean our daily diets, of course! And when you eat like I eat — like a shark that is on its 15-minute coffee break after a two-week-long fast — it’s a good idea to take a step back and, uh, weigh the wisdom of our daily food choices. And when I say “our”, I mean “my”. I am tired of people getting up for me on the Skytrain (I am not pregnant, people) and sick of wearing my maternity clothes. I enlist the help of my long-suffering trainer, Champ.

Ever read those “food journals” in women’s magazines and get bored/annoyed/alarmed at the ridiculously small amounts these fashion stylists/PR women/models eat? (“Saturday: 2 pieces of sushi. Cup of green tea. Teaspoon of tiramisu.”) Here’s a food journal that will make you feel much better about yourself. Even better, it’s for real!

Friday:

9:00 — Slice of toast with cheese

12:30 — at Xuan Mai: 1/2 portion beef pho, avocado and mango salad, many pieces of deep-fried spring roll, 2 pieces of fresh spring roll

8:00 — after getting freaked out by “Food Inc.”: grass-fed beef tenderloin, green bean salad with cherry tomatoes, stir-fried bok choy in oyster sauce, stir-fried kale in Maggi, glass of red wine (or three)

(Champ, my trainer, already looks alarmed: “Can’t you eat earlier?” he says. “What about my friends?” I say. “Do you want to lose weight or have friends?” he asks.)

Saturday:

9:00 — 1.5 slices of cold grass-fed beef, 2 Tbs green bean salad

12:30 — at Khun Churn: vegetarian khao soy, 1/2 serving of brown rice, sweet tofu-potato curry, mushroom “nam thok”, 1/2 plate fried green beans

7:00 — at Xinn Tien Di: Peking duck, suckling pig, morning glory with shrimp paste, barbecued pork ribs, 2 Tbs jellyfish, fried fish, 2 pieces fried pork, 2 pieces fried soft-shell crab, 1 piece date-stuffed pancake, minced duck with lettuce

(“Oh my God,” says Champ. “Was that all for one person?” “It’s a Chinese meal, they have courses,” I explain. “Your dinner is more food than I see in a day,” he says. “I eat two hard-boiled eggs and a glass of milk at night. That’s all.”)

Sunday:

9:00 — 1 Quaker oats 100-calorie bar

11:30 — Romaine lettuce with salami, ham, cheese, anchovies, oil and vinegar dressing

3:00 — Tom yum mushroom

7:30 — at Maduzi hotel: Organic herb salad, lamb, steak

(“That’s a lot of food,” says Champ. “Could you try to limit yourself to one main course?” “I was hungry,” I say. “Just go straight to sleep,” he says. Uh, thanks, mister magician of the obvious!)

Final verdict: I’m not eating enough for breakfast. I need more protein and carbs first thing so I don’t freak out when I see real food at lunchtime and stuff my face, Champ says. Bacon and hard-boiled eggs are a good idea (Champ is big on hard-boiled eggs).

Limiting myself to one or two dishes out is also a good idea, since the portion sizes of the 4-5 dishes I usually order at one sitting total up to half a day’s worth of food. I could maybe manage to restrain myself if I add two mini-meals a day, one in the mid-morning and one mid-afternoon, he says. At dinnertime (no later than 7:30pm), one dish is enough, without any carbs. And lay off the fried foods!

Alcohol is a bad idea. If I must have a glass of wine or two, or three, then I must be prepared to make some sort of sacrifice elsewhere (food-wise). Or I could spend a few more minutes on the treadmill or elliptical trainer (no way in hell). There must be some sort of trade-off (I’ll have to cut off an arm).

I complain all the time about how I have no friends, but now is the time to actually not have any friends, apparently. A social life is a hindrance to sticking to my diet. Or, as Champ says, “Tell your friends you’ll see them in three months.” Is this for real? Will they even recognize me? How seriously should I be taking this diet?

Then again, the maternity wear in Thailand is getting pretty cute. Maybe I could hold on for a few more months.

(Photos by @SpecialKRB)

Trainer-approved grub: Anothai's green papaya salad

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Filed under Asia, Bangkok, food, restaurant, Thailand, weight loss