Archive for the ‘Food and Drink’ Category
Daruma Bento
I always look forward to the snack lady in Japanese trains. They always have interesting food box or bento set. This time I got Daruma bento on the train to Niigata. Daruma figures are popular in Japan. Daruma is known as Damo in China is said to be an Indian monk who traveled to China.
Here is something I tried in Niigata, kuzira sashimi or whale meat sashimi.
Kedongdong Juice
So I was in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown and saw this interesting fruit at a juice stall.
The fruit is called Kendongdong.
Somehow I had missed out on this fruit, this is the first time I noticed it. I ordered the Kendongdong Juice
So there is my juice. Kedongdong seems bitter but the sweetness of the plums balances the drink. It also tastes a bit woody. Nice drink.
MySarawak here tries Kedongdong with chilli
Missing Northern Thailand - Mae Hong Son
Over the weekend, we participated in some serious red curry. Since then been thinking of Northern Thailand. I remembered this one trip up north.
It is always nice to be able to go to a smaller town and spend some peaceful days. There was this one time I went to Mae Hong Son. Mae Hong Son town is in the province of Mae Hong Son (yes, same name) just next to Burma. Most of the people here are Thai Yai(also known as Shan people) similar to the people in the neighboring Shan state in Burma. Various hill tribes ( Karen, Hmong, Lawa, Lahu and Lesu) make their home in the surrounding mountains. Some of them are native of this region, while others moved from Burma to escape the fighting between the Burmese Army and rebel factions. Mae Hong Son used to be place well known for drug lords and opium. Now, the things have quieted down. Tourists use this town as a base to see the hill tribes. The town itself is attractive and friendly and makes you stay longer than you planned for. Some pictures from Mae Hong Son…
The Shan style Wat Jong Klam across the lake
Asoka’s pillars at the start of the climb up the hill to the Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu.
Wat Kam Ko
A lovely wooden wat.
The “Crossroads” is the local watering hole.
A cabbage farm. The hill tribes resettled in the hills grow cabbage and other cash crops. The Thai government is encourages this as an alternative to Opium
A lake about half an hours drive from the city.
A Karen gentleman runs a small guesthouse and a coffee farm. We spoke about old days in Burma. He is been living in Thailand for 15 years and he was happy to meet someone who has been to the old country.
The farms on the way to a Chinese town Mae Aw. The Chinese in this part of Thailand are the remnants of the KMT (Kuomintang) - Chiang Kai Sheik supporters who fled Yunnan province when Mao’s communists took over. They trekked through the highlands across Burma and landed up here in Thailand. The original plan was to stay here for some years, replenish and attack China in two waves - one from here and other from Taiwan. This plan never materialized. The Chinese have stayed back and made this place their home.
The villagers returning from a ceremony. Their faces were black. They said they were attending an ancestor ceremony where they darken their face with black paint.
Passing through the “Oolong tea” farms. The Chinese sell these tea in their village.
This is a Shan delicacy, similar to the Yunnanese spicy noodles.
Another Yunnanese dish. These “springroles” are stuffed with pork and fried.
Another “pork” dish.
The lunch - Bottom left is the interesting tea leaf salad. On the right is the “springroll” cut into slices.
Wikitravel Page on Mae Hong Son
Tags: thailand
Tibetan and African food in Singapore
Spotted this new Tibetan restaurant at East Coast Road (shophouses just before the Telok Kerau road, next to Caltex) in Singapore. I think its the first Tibetan restaurant over here.
Tibetan symbols abound thought the restaurant itself is run by dongbei ren. (north east Chinese)
They even have a (wrong) map of Tibet on the wall. The bottom 10% or so actually belongs to India but Chinese maps always show it as part of Chinese Tibet.
They do have Tibetan tea. I suggest if there is one Tibetan thing you have to try, you must try this.
The menu is not entirely Tibetan, they have food from couple of other places in China too. This dish is spicy mutton, I doubt this is an original Tibetan dish.
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There are a few higher end African restaurants in Singapore but this one in little India area must be the first “hawker centre” style African eating place. I did not get a chance to try the food but it seemed like a West African joint. Hoping to try out one of these days. The restaurant is on the Sam Leong Road, off Kitchner Road.
Ticket Restaurants in Japan
One of the interesting things in Japan are these ticket restaurants.
You order your food at at ticket vending machine outside the restaurant. The machine will issue a coupon or ticket with your order printed on it. Give this ticket to the person inside and you will be served in a short while. The restaurant does not need a cashier and there are less chances of them getting a wrong order from you.
Here I am ordering curry rice at Shinagawa station. I am using my train card to pay but one can use cash also.
You may not be able to see the video if you are using a feed reader. Click here to view the video Ticket Restaurant in Japan.
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