Thai Trang Style Breakfast @ Phong Ocha Dim Sum Branch 1 in South Thailand ร้านพงษ์โอชา 1

One of the things I realised from this trip to southern Thailand was this place has great dim sum! Dim sum, of course, is a Guangdong / Hong Kong thing but the Thais have taken the ball and ran with it. 

I mean dim sum here is so creative, innovative, and delicious yet preserves the core tradition of yum cha in its own unique way. Thai style dim sum is a must when you come to south Thailand. 

Md. Zain Cendol @ GIANT Hypermarket Southern City Taman Suria

Md. Zain Cendol | Giant Hypermarket Southern City, Jalan Suria 18, Taman Suria, Johor Bahru ☏ +6017 728 6885 🕘 11am - 9pm

During our dawn till dusk JB food trails, we always have this happy problem of where to chill and let our tummies take a breather between lunch and dinner. We usually go to a mall to walk off some calories, or a cafe to cool our heels. 

Today's trail we popped by at Md. Zain Cendol @GIANT Hypermarket Southern City in Taman Suria. 

Pocha! Korean Street Dining @ JEM • Enjoy Seoul's Hawker Culture in Singapore

Lunch today at Pocha! 

The idea is very simple but hard to resist - bring the street food from Korea's night markets into the comfort of air conditioned shopping malls in Singapore. 

Brilliant. 

Khanom Krok Sweet Dessert Thailand

After our sumptuous lunch on our raft boat house, it was time for dessert and we made khanom krok or coconut pancake. (Also spelt "kanom" without the "h" ). 

Kiat Fang Famous Pork Bun, Roast & Stew Rice • Must Try in Songkhla Old Town พ พฤร้าน เกียดฟั่ง พ พฤ

✍29 Sep 2024. Heard a lot about Songkhla city but visiting it for the first time. It left a deep impression, I love it. I mean cities everywhere are developing very fast with cafes, highways, hotels, condos, popping up but here in Songkhla city, I can still see traces of the old city that reminded me of my childhood in Singapore. 

Spanish Wine Tasting @ CornerStone Wines • An #EatSpainDrinkSpain 2024 Event

Enjoyed and learned about Spanish wines at the Spanish wines night at CornerStone Wines under the auspices of EatSpainDrinkSpainSG 2024 festivities. Since I first joined the EatSpainDrinkSpainSG activities, I looked forward to them every year. 

Raft Boat Sightseeing & Lunch at Ban Nam Rap Mangrove Forest in Trang Province South Thailand บ้านน้ำราบ จ.ตรัง

Touring mangrove forests is one of my favourite travel experiences as I always marvel at the teeming floral and marine life of these forests at tropical river mouths. 

Mikawa Yakitori Japanese Bar Hidden Gem in Siglap

Mikawa Yakitori Bar | 81 Upper East Coast Rd, Singapore 455220 📞 6444 8484 ⏰ 11:45 am - 2:30 pm | 6pm -10:30 pm

Mikawa Yakitori Bar in Siglap has been around since 2015, quietly thriving relying only on traditional word of mouth. It has a low social media profile, a hidden gem in the World Wide Web but has a loyal real world following in Siglap and the east coast. 

You Char Kway near Pelangi Plaza @ Jalan Maju Jaya 現做現賣油条

现做现卖油条 | 39, Jalan Maju, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru (food stall inside Xong Ling Seafood coffee shop) ⏰ 7am - 11am

Whenever I am around Jalan Maju, JB's "newspaper street", I will pop by the corner kopitiam at the far end (opposite Rong Shu Xia Kway Teow Kia).

Thale Noi Lotus Flower Lake Natural Wonder of Phatthalung South Thailand

Talay Noi (also known as Thale Noi) in Phatthalung province in southern Thailand is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. 

World Paella Day in Conjunction with ESDS 2024 @ Next Door Spanish Cafe in Siglap Singapore 🇪🇸

Next Door Spanish Cafe |  699 East Coast Rd, S459061 ☎ 8168 4009 ⏰ 5pm - 11pm (opens at 12 noon on Fri, Sat & Sun)

20th September is the annual World Paella Day and we are celebrating this global event in conjunction with the month long Eat Spain Drink Spain 2024 festivities from 15 Sep to 15 Oct in Singapore. Today, we celebrated paella at Next Door Spanish Cafe in Siglap, Singapore. 

Seaside Breakfast Food Trucks @ Chalathat Beach, Songkhla, Thailand

Food Truck Breakfast | Chalathat, Bo Yang, Mueang Songkhla District, Songkhla 90000, Thailand

I am so glad our Thai hosts brought us to this group of food trucks at the carpark at the intersection of Chalathat Road and Thaleluang Road at Chalathat Beach near Songkhla Lake. 

Jae Kee Pak Mor Khanom @ Trang City Municipality Market Thailand • Eat Like a Local ร้าน "เจ๊กี่" ขนมปากหม้อ

Jae Kee Pak Mor Khanom ร้าน "เจ๊กี่" ขนมปากหม้อ | Trang City Municipality Market 📞 +66 66 107 2351 ⏰  6am - 1pm

Khun Pook took us to the Trang City Municipality Market and led us through a maze of little market stalls to a pak mor stall.

Hanare by Takayama Kamameshi Pot Rice • Affordable Luxury @ Ngee Ann City Singapore

Hanare by Takayama | #03-07, Takashimaya Shopping Centre Ngee Ann City 📞 8298 9369 ⏰ 11:30am - 10pm

We met for lunch at Hanare by Takayama at Ngee Ann City. 

Cook Chai Dim Sum 2 by Cook Joss in Hatyai • กุ๊กชัยติ่มซำ2-By Cook Joss

The surprise food find for me from my recent south Thailand trip was.... dim sum 🤔 Thais love their dim sum and they are good at it.

Truth be told, dim sum is not top of my mind when I am in Singapore - good dim sum is expensive, average dim sum are factory made 😅

Rediscover South Thailand Itinerary • Hatyai Trang Phatthalung Songkhla

We spent a most fascinating five days touring the southern Thailand region, visiting the cities of Hatyai and Songkhla, as well as Phatthalung and Trang provinces. 

Hatyai was the first city in Thailand I ever visited over forty years ago while Trang and Phatthalung were totally new to me. (Come to think of it, Hatyai was the first "international" trip I went on after getting my "international passport".)

ToMo Cafe @ Joo Chiat • A Cool Place to Chill with Tasty Food & Nice Coffee

Buddy showed me a comfortable little place in Joo Chiat to chill with tasty, interesting dishes and nice drinks. 

I came without expectations and left as a friend of ToMo. So good, I want to be back soon! 

ESDS 2024 Eat Spain Drink Spain Singapore • Make Memorable Spanish Gastronomy Experiences in Singapore

Mark your calendars!

The Singapore edition of the month long Eat Spain, Drink Spain (ESDS) 2024 festivities is taking place from 15 Sep to 15 Oct 💃

Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat @ Lee Kwang Kee Teochew Cuisine 212 Toa Payoh 鱼头炉 • 李广记潮州菜馆

I love soups, so I love steamboats but I don't enjoy those with too much ingredients as these make me busy cooking and so is not very relaxing 😂

Hence, I prefer fish head steamboat 鱼头炉, especially the relatively uncomplicated types like Lee Kwang Kee 李广记 at HDB block 212 Toa Payoh lorong 8.

Banana Pie Dona Manis Cake Shop @ Katong Shopping Centre Basement

Singapore. In my review last week of Auntie Peng's banana pie, I mentioned that I will review Dona Manis' banana pie soon. So, here I am.

History of San Zi & Forgotten Cold Food Day 馓子 淮安茶馓 寒食节

During my trips to Jiangsu province over the last ten years, I noticed that a sort of fried noodle is popular both at street side and also at top restaurants. I later found out that it is called sanzi 馓子.

History & Where Did Khao Soi of Chiang Mai Really Come From? Links with Khao Swe & Khausa ข้าวซอย

Khao soi, a form of curry noodle, is an icon of Chiang Mai which is rarely found outside of northern Thailand.

La Table D'Emma French Restaurant @ Club Street Mercure ICON Hotel • Lovingly Prepared Alsatian & Classic French that Tastes like Home

Met buddies for lunch at La Table D'Emma at the spanking new Mercure ICON Hotel at Club Street. 

Auntie Peng Banana Pie @ Katong Shopping Centre

After our chicken rice lunch at Katong's famous boneless chicken with free achar and soup, Lynn brought a banana pie from Aunty Peng for dessert.

By the way, before I go any further, let's settle the chicken rice first 🤭 Nothing seemed to have changed at Katong boneless chicken rice since I last ate here a decade ago - tastes just as good, same free achar and soup, have glass chicken feet 玻璃鸡脚, and as popular as ever 👍

618 Hokkien Mee in Yishun ⭐ North Star of HKM

Read a lot of good reviews about 618 Hokkien Mee recently and I just had to give it a try myself 😁

Kemaman Stuffed Crab at Tong Juan Restaurant in Chukai, Trengganu, Malaysia 東源酿蟹餐室 甘马挽酿蟹

Kemaman stuffed crab 甘马挽酿蟹 has always been on my must try list for decades. I just had the chance to try it in Chukai town in Trengganu, finally.

Aunt Noi Santitham Crispy Pork • Sisters Spicy Fried Pork Rice in Chiang Mai • Life is Good with Moo Krob

Buddy Marcus knows Chiang Mai well, and with him we deep dived into little known eating places here 🙏 I did come with a list of eating suggestions but he said "those are for tourists" 😂

Namu Bulgogi Smoke Grill Korean Fun Dining @ Tampines 1 Singapore

Went to try a new concept oak wood smoke-grill Korean themed restaurant known as Namu Bulgogi in Tampines 1 (at Tampines MRT station).

Koreans traditionally use oak wood to smoke-grill their food outdoors and Namu Bulgogi is a pioneer in bringing the tradition indoors, inside a restaurant. 

Famous Dan Chicken Rice in Chiang Mai Thailand

There are a few chicken rice places in Chiang Mai - not a lot but not hard to find either. Marcus brought us to one of the local favourites. 

Rasik Local Kitchen by Chef Waii in Chiang Maï • Artisanal Northern Thai, Tradition with a Modern Twist

Dinner at Rasik Local Kitchen. Buddy Marcus booked our table a month ahead and had to pay a deposit to secure it.

101 Tea Plantation Mae Salong Chiang Rai Thailand • Oriental Beauty Tea of the Golden Triangle 金三角 美斯乐 東方美人茶

We visited 101 Tea Plantation at Doi Mae Salong (ดอยแม่สลอง Santi Khiri 美斯乐) which is about two hours drive from Chiang Rai city.