Tuesday June 18th to Friday June 28th, 2019 - On Food and Shopping in Bangkok

Tasting Thai food in the USA gives one an idea of the delightful ways that lime, chili, ginger, galangal, kaffir lime, holy basil, coconut, tamarind.........etc, etc, can be combined. However, the ingredients available in Thailand have a freshness and zing that take it to another plane. I have not tasted another cuisine that is as distinct and does such a good job of - well, spiking the taste buds with the potential for a whole body experience that challenges and delights. I have spent many meals here crying with joy into my napkin, and snorting away into all the tissues I can find while my sinuses relish the opportunity to make sure everything works well!

Green Papaya Salad

The variety of available venues for experiencing these delights varies from street carts, supermarket food courts, shopping malls, hole in the wall Mom and Pop places to Michelin rated venues. There is even  Michelin rated street food here! https://www.eater.com/2018/1/9/16865246/michelin-star-bangkok-raan-jay-fai-street-food-vendor 

Nadine enjoys a mango lassie with her meal at TOPS Supermarket Food Court, Asok

The choices are plentiful and range in price to fit all pockets. When Chuck and Sarah first moved to Bangkok in 2010, $5 was an expensive meal. Prices have increased so that one can expect to pay closer to $10 for a basic Thai meal if it's not a street cart. If one chooses to eat non-Thai cuisine, the choices are also endless, as is the price range.

Most of the damage is already done - we forgot the 'before' photo!

When eating Thai food, we generally ordered a selection of dishes, which we then shared. Nadine and I were very fortunate to have the knowledge and experience offered by both Sarah and Chuck in choosing our venues and we shared many fine Thai meals together. Having a number of inexpensive Thai meals under my belt, I was encouraged to put those saved pennies to work and 'step up to the plate' (so to speak) to experience a high end treat at the only Michelin rated restaurant I've ever indulged in. 

Pomelo salad with raw scallop and frozen melon balls (mashed chili, garlic, fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice)

Because Sarah's birthday was approaching, we used it as an excuse to try this Thai inspired taste and sensory treat - the lunch time tasting menu at Srua Bua Restaurant at the Siam Kempinski Hotel. Not only was the setting superb, the dynamics of the meal were unforgettable.

Once the lychee and lobster salad with frozen red curry was served, liquid CO2 was poured into the bowl to keep it cold!

It was such fun watching the dishes appear before us in their flavorful and visual beauty.

24 hour cooked beef rib, fried kale, green pea cream, soy pickled daikin radish circles and Sichuan pepper

Although there were many courses, the portions were small, so one didn't end up 'stuffed'.

Mango sticky rice with cotton candy cloud. They poured a liquid over the 'cloud' so it melted into the dish.

I don't mean to 'crow' or bore you with these details of the meal. I want to encourage you to give something similar a try if you're in a place where you can get such value for your money. In the west, the price would probably cause me to choke on the food. Here in Bangkok, it was expensive by local standards, but the location rendered it within my financial reach to enjoy.

Dine in the Dark at Grande Sheraton, Sukhumvit at Asok

The other more high end outing that Sarah and I took advantage of, was Dining in the Dark. You'll be relieved that I can't give you a blow by blow photographic description, because this foodie experience occurs in the pitch black!  It is a dining concept that has been around for a while, starting in Paris in 1997. It purports to enhance the other sensory processes by eliminating sight, provides an experience that brings greater awareness of the challenges of blindness and provides work for blind people. It was worthwhile, although the food was certainly not the caliber of our Michelin experience.  With the simplicity of just the two of us eating, it provided a great venue for lovely conversation. The lack of visual distractions helped me be more attentive and the lack of facial cues gave me a greater feeling of emotional safety. Our blind waiter was very attentive, led us to and from our table and was precise in letting us know when he would be bringing dishes. At the end, they show pictures of what one ate, but I would have loved to see the room. I'm sure it's a great way to save on the price of the decor!

Ethiopian injera

Other international cuisines are also abundant here in Bangkok. One of my favorites is Ethiopian food, so it is usually high on my list of requests. To eat this dish, one doesn't need silverware - it is sort of like a pizza. The sourdough flatbread made from tef flour has a spongy consistency which makes it easy to tear. Unlike pizza, one can choose which little pile of goodies you want to sample as you break off the bread off at the edges and scoop up some of one's favorite topping. It really is delicious.

The other deliciousness that you can always rely on while in Bangkok is abundant, fresh and amazing fruits.

L-R- Back: Lychee, papaya, mango, Middle: Mangosteen, longan, dragonfruit, Front: Papaya, apple

There are marvelous fruit carts on the streets where one can choose a piece of fruit to be peeled, cut up and put in little cellophane bags with a wooden skewer for eating. We had such a  lovely collection of fruits in Sarah's kitchen that I didn't use the fruit carts much this time.

Sarah's pre-birthday 'alternative treats' - mostly bean or strawberry filled mochi, but also green tea cake and a sweet potato cakes. We stuck a candle in and sang Happy Birthday.

The last foodie experience is by way of confession and apology. Normally, we celebrate birthdays with a good-old Aussie pavlova. Inspired by other culinary possibilities, I decided to get away from the sugar and fat to  try some Asian treats - mostly Japanese mochi-based items. I am embarrassed to say, this is what  poor Sarah was offered to celebrate her birthday with before our departure. My final conclusion - never again! Bring on the sugar and fat!

One of my favorite shopping centers - MBK

So, having done all this eating, how to burn off the calories! In Bangkok, there's always shopping! Like the food, there are an endless variety of venues, from street hawkers to markets to regular malls and high end designers. The proliferation of shopping malls continues to grow. Sadly, finding those bargains becomes harder as the more western stores come into play. Even my old favorite, MBK, has stepped up it's game with these mushroom shaped things on it's walkway.

Escalators at MBK

It seems to me they've even modernized the interior. I recall having a hard time finding the escalators in the past, but now they are all together! I also think they look fabulous!

Peanuts display at Siam Center

If you want a one-stop-shopping trip, Siam is the BTS station to choose. There is a wonderful elevated walkway that gets one out of the traffic and offers a great variety of malls within an easy walk of one another. 

Elevated walkway near Siam BTS  (weird setting on my camera - sorry)

Store display in Siam Center (same weird setting on camera)

Photo taken by Sarah

You can see from the grim expression on my face, Nadine and I were doing our best to get out there and shop, but with Mongolia ahead, we mostly reserved that suitcase space for whatever exotic goodies that more remote place might provide. We did manage to find space for some silk from both the fabric market and my favorite Shinawatra Thai Silk, near Asoke BTS.

 If you plan to shop in Bangkok, bring a large, empty suitcase and lots of money! The opportunities abound.

With sadness, we said goodbye to Sarah and Chuck and I look forward to my next visit with them.

Next stop - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.