Kanabnam, on Chao Phrya River, Bangkok

Think this is the best Thai restaurant I have ever been to. Getting there isn't difficult. Just take the orange color boat from Sathorn Pier and get off at the Krung Thon Bridge stop and the restaurant is after the bridge next to it. Thanks to Thailand Club who brought me and my sisters' families there. All the food are so nice there and my no. 1 recommendation for local Thai food! Also taking the boat is another good ride and to avoid paying those B500 longtail boat for touring. You just need to pay B17 (HK$4). Then take a taxi back to the hotel or your next destination, as the boat service stops at 7pm.
1. The restaurant. 2. me and my sisters' families.

3. view to Krung Thon Bridge. 4. crokle (not sure the exact spelling).

5.Yum Shrimp salad - excellent lemon grass crunchy and sweet/sour taste with the shrimp. 6. stir fried bitter gourd leaves - very good stir frying. High heat quick stir frying!

7. oyster omelette - the best I have ever tried! Crispy outside and juicy inside! 8. a must for this river prawn - see at the bottom of this section for how to make it.

9. fried fish in Kiang Leiung soup. Very nice match and soup! 10. though it's not a free range chicken, it's marinated quite well and also grilling in a nice way to keep the juice of the meat.

11. stir fried morning glory. 12. seabass grilled in rock salt.

13. Pad Thai - very nice one! Like I told before, there are a few things I often want to have in order to tell how good the restaurant is. So I have a Pad Thai ordered. They use some very nice dried shrimp and it's a very nice quick stir frying. It's just some little details that makes the dish a whole lot different! Most of the so-called famous Pad Thai are either like a factory-made food or something with heavy gravy, but this one is not. It's made to your oder and the ingredients are nicely picked. 14. my favourite somtam - also very nice!

15. even the Tom Kha Kai is nice! 16. see how this cheerful madam grill the chicken with charcoal.

17. see how the prawn got cooked. 18. the chef poured some oil in it and made it a 2 floor flame like a mini-volcano. I already adjusted this photo to 100% reduced exposure but the flame was too explosive. Even if you are 10 feet away, you may get a bit sun burned. Advise putting on some SPF 30 sun tan lotion. :)

19. Then it's done and served on the table. Interesting the chef put some parsley in it and made it so aromatic! Bravo for the show and 2 thumbs up for whole concept of cooking!

Tien Lung (天龍) Restaurant, China Town, Bangkok

I guess I have brought most of my friends and families' members to various Chinese restaurants in Yaowarat (China Town). This one should be the latest one. The second best is 義福巷 on the soi next to White Orchid Hotel. However, since the lady I know left, the quality got dropped. Then I went back to their parents' shop Tien Lung (the other one is Mei Lung) opposite to it at then beginning of Yaowarat Road.

1. crab meat fried rice B120 - a must for me every time I order. 2. bitter gourd leaves - also a must. This leaves taste really sweet.

3. shark's fin B300 - I don't recommend ordering the higher price one. As they use some common oyster sauce and ingredients, it's kind of waste to cook some precious shark's fin. To me, the best way to cook precious shark's fin is to double boil it with high grade chicken soup.
5. baked snail - B120. Not my usual order as baking snail is a bit too chewy. 6. stir fried noodle - another must!

7. Sizzling oyster omelette - note this is the original style (the way I cook is an adaptation as I wanna use less oil) - egg and the yam transparent chewy custard-like should be separate. 8. If you are still hungry, why not for a toast from one of the street stall in Yaowarat!

Khao Mun Kai (Chicken rice), China Town, Bangkok

At the end of Yaowarat Road (耀華力路), close to the well established Chinese restaurant Wo Sheng Fung, and opposite to the 3 dried pork shops, there is a street stall selling Khao Mun Kai (Chicken rice). When I first there in 1997, I immediately noticed the best way of cooking technique - charcoal boiling! Last night, I brought my sisters there and still found this amazing street stall using the same old way. However, the madam who used to work in the stall is no longer there. I really miss the cool smile of her when my friends and I kept ordering 1 more and 1 more chicken rice. Then there is her son carrying on her mother's job. Seems like something had been bothering this man when he was working in the stall. There might be another story behind which I am definitely unable to find it out. No matter what it is, my salute to this lady! She brought back our childhood of the best way of cooking! Her chicken rice just sold at B30 (was B20) - HK$7.

1. The stall - nice chicken! 2. Charcoal boiled soup - the lady put the chicken skeleton into it and made the soup so nice!

3. See how busy it is. 4. this guy sold sugar roast chestnut as long as the chicken rice stall is next to him.

Bowling in Bangkok

We went to Major Bowling at Central Rachada Rama III for a 1.5 hour game with 3 rounds. We paid B1,330 (HK$300) for 21 games plus 2 pitchers of soft drinks. So each one paid HK$43. This is the regular thing we often try in Bangkok.

1/2. Jason and Mandy rolling a 7lb ball and they did do quite well.

3. Patrick to bowl. 4. The sisters - Nikki and Daphne

5. Gary to bowl. 6. After 5pm, the venue will turn into a neon background.

Lord Jim's at Christmas 2008

My 2 younger sisters' families and I went to Lord Jim's today for a lunch buffet. Their services is outstanding.
1. Oriental Bangkok lobby with Christmas decoration. 2. Interesting combination but a wise one. Parma ham isn't always with honey dew or rock melon. Oriental often has the best mango in their kitchen. Why not pick some (even though at this non-season) and the taste is a blast of sweet fresh and aroma salty!

3/4. Next time you can try the crab roe dressing for your sashimi or sushi instead of wasabi. Besides, you can try to put some salt and wasabi instead of soy sauce. Personally I don't like soy sauce much as it sometimes take away the original flavour of the food.

5/6. Jason at the window seat with a view to Chao Phrya River. Good that Lord Jim's got us a window seat though I booked it just 2 days ago thru' email.

7/8. I took 3 breads and they are really good.


9. I took 3 plates of food after sashimi and sushi. 10. Jason and Mandy took a hot chocolate. I had a sip of it and got surprised that they used some very fine chocolate bar instead of chocolate powder.

11. Mandy and her father Gary, Jason, and Mandy's Mother Nikki. 12. Mandy and Jason.

13. My plate of various dessert! 14. How can I forget my favourite Oriental Chocolate ice cream!
15. Lord Jim's.