Throughout November 2009, Shanghai 38, Chinese Restaurant at Sofitel Bangkok Silom, offers an innovative selection of healthy Chinese herb dishes, combining the best of local produce with imported special Chinese herbs. Herbs can help to regulate energy, relieve stress, clear heat and toxins, build body strength and are very effective in the prevention of day-to-day illnesses such as the flu and cold.
Master Chef Jacky Chan has created and prepared a mouth-watering menu that features “Traditional Fat Tiew Chiang”, “Double Boiled Sea Conch with Chinese Herbs”, “Double Boiled Hao Chao Hoo Mushrooms with Duck Meat”, “Double Boiled Lamb with Chinese Gin Seng” and many more. Prices start from Baht 280++.
Complete your healthy Chinese herbal meal with a wide choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic “Seasonal Fruit Cocktails” or one of many splendid Thai wines.
Enjoy a stunning dining experience surrounded by beautiful Chinese Art Deco and the panoramic view of the Chaophraya River from Shanghai 38, Chinese Restaurant on the 38th floor of Solitel Bangkok Silom.
All-You-Can-Eat Dim Sum Lunch
Tuesday – Sunday: only Baht 588++
Weekends: With special item Peking duck at Baht 788++
A la carte and set dinner menu are available.
*Prices subject to service charge and tax.
50% discount for children under 12 years
For reservations of 5 persons or more, a private room can be reserved at no extra cost.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
COLOUR YOUR WORLD WITH RED PORK
We are lucky that the different Chinese ethnic communities who live in Thailand have preserved their cultural heritage so well. They have given us not only a whole spectrum of crafts and artistic styles, but also a wealth of cooking styles that have done much to make Bangkok one of the world's great food cities, and a place that attracts people from all over the world to come for some culinary adventures.
Each of the Chinese language groups has its own cooking specialities. The Cantonese are experts at preparing grilled and roasted dishes like grilled duck and grilled pork and the noodle dishes, like bamee moo daeng ,that are based on them. From the Chinese Hakkas (who are referred to as Jin Khek in Thai), we have the noodle dish called kui tio khek , where rice noodles share the bowl with balls of tofu and pork. Hainanese cooks are famous for their popular chicken-withrice creation, called khao man kai in Thai,as well as phae toon (seasoned, stewed mutton) and the chewy noodles called khanom jeen Hailam . Teochew (Taechew as far as Thais are concerned) kitchens produce excellent simmered and stir-fried dishes.
It isn't definitely known which Chinese ethnic group invented moo daeng (literally "red pork''), but it seems that this reddish roast pork is most likely of Cantonese origin.It is often sold in shops that sell Cantonese grilled and roasted meats like duck and crispy pork.
The moo daeng served in noodle dishes is the same as that used to make khao moo daeng , which is moo daeng with rice and sauce. This is a ubiquitous informal dish in Bangkok, and it consists of red pork, crispy pork, the sweet Chinese sausage called kun chiang and a whole boiled duck egg (but nowadays more likely to be just half an egg)served over hot rice smothered by a generous dash of a special, aromatic sauce. The cook at the restaurant will have all these ingredients ready to serve, so there is no need to heat them up. It is easy to make and to eat.It is also inexpensive, and a single portion will satisfy most people. Its tastiness and convenience have led to such high demand that shops and stalls selling the dish are everywhere.
Most of these eateries prepare the red pork themselves on site. It is easy to whip up - they just take pork, rub a red colouring on it and roast it. The kun chiang is bought from suppliers who make a specialised variety (longer and wider than that intended for household cooking) for the red-pork dish.
The crispy pork is also obtained from an outside party. This item can be bought at most markets, but it is mainly made in the Nakhon Chaisi area of Nakhon Pathom province and in Ratchaburi, where there are many pig farms.
The roasting is usually done after midnight. First, a whole pig is butchered. The head and legs are removed, and the carcass is cut in half lengthwise. The ribs are taken out, and both halves are put inside a big,tall concrete oven. They are lowered in from the top of the oven and suspended inside,traditionally with burning charcoal at the bottom, although nowadays gas is used.
When the meat has been cooked enough to become somewhat dry, it is lifted from the oven and rubbed with salt. The skin is perforated all over with a sharp knife and then the meat is lowered into the oven again and cooked until it is done. When fully cooked, the perforated skin is golden brown and crunchy. The pork halves are then delivered to markets before dawn, where vendors cut them into pieces and sell them to customers by weight.
Since Nakhon Pathom is a major producer of crispy pork, shops that sell khao moo daeng always name themselves after the province. If you buy khao moo daeng in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, you'd probably get it at a shop bearing the sign Khao Moo Daeng Nakhon Pathom (Nakhon Pathom Khao Moo Daeng, in English). But that doesn't mean that that eatery's khao moo daeng recipe originated in Nakhon Pathom,because there is no big Cantonese community in Nakhon Pathom. The sign is just to inform customers that the roast pork used to make that restaurant's dish comes from Nakhon Pathom.
But even though the professionallyprepared pork makes up the most substantive portion of the dish after rice, it is the sauce that gives the dish real character. Indeed,the sauce is the true test of the level of the skill in the kitchen. A red-pork-with-rice restaurant worthy of its reputation would have its own recipe for the sauce, but not many shops can concoct good versions of this vital component.
One place in Bangkok that was very famous in the past for its red-pork-withrice sauce was located near the long-gone Nakhon Sanuk cinema on New Road. When the cinema went, the red pork shop shut down too, but one of its Chinese employees went into business for himself to continue selling the dish. There are now two branches - one at Wang Burapha and the other on Worachak Road. Both still use the name Khao Moo Daeng Rong Nang Nakhon Sanuk ("Nakhon Sanuk Cinema Red Pork with Rice'').
Both of these shops pour the sauce over the red-pork-with-rice dish from bottles.This is different from most other shops selling the dish, where the sauce is kept in a pot and ladled over the pork and rice accordingly.
There is another shop that specialises in this dish. Its name is, not surprisingly, Khao Moo Daeng Nakhon Pathom. It is located on Sam Yan Soi 50, near the site of the old,now-demolished Sam Yan market.
Here the sauce, which is very good, is also stored in bottles, and the crispy pork is made on the premises. The meat is first roasted to drain off the fat, and then it is deep-fried so that the skin is not only crispy but flaky, too.
Khao moo daeng is one of the most ordinary of single-dish meals, but even the most routine of dishes can be extraordinary in the hands of a gifted cook who knows how to interpret it in a special way.
If you are looking for a simple, tasty and satisfying bite to satisfy your hunger, and you are in the area, drop in at one of the shops mentioned above and tuck into a memorable meal.
Each of the Chinese language groups has its own cooking specialities. The Cantonese are experts at preparing grilled and roasted dishes like grilled duck and grilled pork and the noodle dishes, like bamee moo daeng ,that are based on them. From the Chinese Hakkas (who are referred to as Jin Khek in Thai), we have the noodle dish called kui tio khek , where rice noodles share the bowl with balls of tofu and pork. Hainanese cooks are famous for their popular chicken-withrice creation, called khao man kai in Thai,as well as phae toon (seasoned, stewed mutton) and the chewy noodles called khanom jeen Hailam . Teochew (Taechew as far as Thais are concerned) kitchens produce excellent simmered and stir-fried dishes.
It isn't definitely known which Chinese ethnic group invented moo daeng (literally "red pork''), but it seems that this reddish roast pork is most likely of Cantonese origin.It is often sold in shops that sell Cantonese grilled and roasted meats like duck and crispy pork.
The moo daeng served in noodle dishes is the same as that used to make khao moo daeng , which is moo daeng with rice and sauce. This is a ubiquitous informal dish in Bangkok, and it consists of red pork, crispy pork, the sweet Chinese sausage called kun chiang and a whole boiled duck egg (but nowadays more likely to be just half an egg)served over hot rice smothered by a generous dash of a special, aromatic sauce. The cook at the restaurant will have all these ingredients ready to serve, so there is no need to heat them up. It is easy to make and to eat.It is also inexpensive, and a single portion will satisfy most people. Its tastiness and convenience have led to such high demand that shops and stalls selling the dish are everywhere.
Most of these eateries prepare the red pork themselves on site. It is easy to whip up - they just take pork, rub a red colouring on it and roast it. The kun chiang is bought from suppliers who make a specialised variety (longer and wider than that intended for household cooking) for the red-pork dish.
The crispy pork is also obtained from an outside party. This item can be bought at most markets, but it is mainly made in the Nakhon Chaisi area of Nakhon Pathom province and in Ratchaburi, where there are many pig farms.
The roasting is usually done after midnight. First, a whole pig is butchered. The head and legs are removed, and the carcass is cut in half lengthwise. The ribs are taken out, and both halves are put inside a big,tall concrete oven. They are lowered in from the top of the oven and suspended inside,traditionally with burning charcoal at the bottom, although nowadays gas is used.
When the meat has been cooked enough to become somewhat dry, it is lifted from the oven and rubbed with salt. The skin is perforated all over with a sharp knife and then the meat is lowered into the oven again and cooked until it is done. When fully cooked, the perforated skin is golden brown and crunchy. The pork halves are then delivered to markets before dawn, where vendors cut them into pieces and sell them to customers by weight.
Since Nakhon Pathom is a major producer of crispy pork, shops that sell khao moo daeng always name themselves after the province. If you buy khao moo daeng in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, you'd probably get it at a shop bearing the sign Khao Moo Daeng Nakhon Pathom (Nakhon Pathom Khao Moo Daeng, in English). But that doesn't mean that that eatery's khao moo daeng recipe originated in Nakhon Pathom,because there is no big Cantonese community in Nakhon Pathom. The sign is just to inform customers that the roast pork used to make that restaurant's dish comes from Nakhon Pathom.
But even though the professionallyprepared pork makes up the most substantive portion of the dish after rice, it is the sauce that gives the dish real character. Indeed,the sauce is the true test of the level of the skill in the kitchen. A red-pork-with-rice restaurant worthy of its reputation would have its own recipe for the sauce, but not many shops can concoct good versions of this vital component.
One place in Bangkok that was very famous in the past for its red-pork-withrice sauce was located near the long-gone Nakhon Sanuk cinema on New Road. When the cinema went, the red pork shop shut down too, but one of its Chinese employees went into business for himself to continue selling the dish. There are now two branches - one at Wang Burapha and the other on Worachak Road. Both still use the name Khao Moo Daeng Rong Nang Nakhon Sanuk ("Nakhon Sanuk Cinema Red Pork with Rice'').
Both of these shops pour the sauce over the red-pork-with-rice dish from bottles.This is different from most other shops selling the dish, where the sauce is kept in a pot and ladled over the pork and rice accordingly.
There is another shop that specialises in this dish. Its name is, not surprisingly, Khao Moo Daeng Nakhon Pathom. It is located on Sam Yan Soi 50, near the site of the old,now-demolished Sam Yan market.
Here the sauce, which is very good, is also stored in bottles, and the crispy pork is made on the premises. The meat is first roasted to drain off the fat, and then it is deep-fried so that the skin is not only crispy but flaky, too.
Khao moo daeng is one of the most ordinary of single-dish meals, but even the most routine of dishes can be extraordinary in the hands of a gifted cook who knows how to interpret it in a special way.
If you are looking for a simple, tasty and satisfying bite to satisfy your hunger, and you are in the area, drop in at one of the shops mentioned above and tuck into a memorable meal.
TURNING OVER A FRESH LEAF
Assuggested by the name, the new and humble catery Salad House at Bon Marche off Prachaniwet Road is a clean and green place to enjoy a healthy meal.
Owner Arunee Phoorahong brings fresh red oak, green oak, cos and iceberg lettuces from her own toxic-free hydroponics farm in Pathum Thani to the restaurant everyday. After more than 30 years in the marketing business, she decided to go back to nature, started up her own two-rai vegetable farm and makes sure she consumes healthy food.
"Inner beauty is pivotal. An ever increasing number of people suffering from cancer and intestinal diseases. That's because we are what we eat. I started the farm because I wanted to do something better in life after the stress of workign, Now, after years of cating planted of vegetables, I feel healthier and much happier. Good food has lots of potential in slowing down the ageing process," says Arunee.
She also wanted to share her healthy lifestyle with other people so opened Salad House two weeks ago. The restaurant is decorated simply in white and green and has a floor that's covered with artificial grasses.
The healthy vegetables, naturally enought, taste all the more delicious with the right dressings. Instead of looking them up in a recipe book, Arunee turned to her mother, who now lives in Melbourne, Australia. Mum consulted an Australian friend, a hotel chef and a major fan of Thai foods, who's created six salad dressings that can be adjusted to suit the thai palate.
Customers can pick form in-house, caesar, clam, tuna, thousand island and cream. The in-house dressing combines olive oil and maple syrup and has quickly become the eatery's best seller. The vegetables are fress and crisp and are priced from Bt79 to Bt89 accompanied withyour choice of dressing. Salmon salad can also be ordered at Bt49.
"We've made the dressings a bit of sour to attract customers. Because of that, everyone eats more vegetables," syas arunee.
Soup is priced at Bt59 a bowl and there's a choice of corn, spinach, pumpkin, carrot and mushroom. For customers who want something more substantial, there are also ham and cheese sandwiches made with wholewheat bread.
You shouldn't leave the eatery without trying the baked olive rice, which is deliciously soft and aromatic. the selected jasmine rice is baked with olive oil and various spices like pepper, garlic, coriander roots, ginger and galangal for a day.
"After baking, we also sterilise it with the proper equipment. That means you can take it home and keep in the refrigerator for two weeks," says Arunee.
To olive rice is best eaten with roasted pork ribs, prepared to a sexcret recipe from her mother's chef friend. All Arunee will say is that the meat is roasted with various herbs and it's certainly very tendr. There arfe many choices of lunch sets at prices that range from Bt129 to Bt139. A good selection is the in-house salad with roasted pork ribs and a blowl of soup.
For drinks, there are six healthy smoothies, the names of which suggest the benefits they offer. Dry skin? Then sip on a "Skin Cate" which inelds lychee, guava, lemon, honey, ginseng and guarana. For digestive benefits, opt for "digest Plus"-a combination of banana, apple juice, blue-berry and vanilla yoghurt digestive booster. To keep the doctor away, Arunee suggests the "Doc Off", a combination of watermelon, orange juice and strawberry. Coconut jelly beads come in every glass and the dirnks are priced at Bt59.
"The recipes for the smoothies come from my wet nurse who is now a cook in a Thai restaurnant in Hong Kong. Smoothies are popular over there and she's learned to make various drinks. We've reduced the sweentess though to suit Thai tastes."
You can take some fresh vegetables home as Aurnee also sells her hydroponie goodies ready to go. The 100gm vegetable packs cost Bt45 and an eight-ounce bottle of salad dressing is priced at Bt115. the restaurant also a home delivery service, vegetable gift baskets and food catering and is a great place relex after a stressful day in the office.
Owner Arunee Phoorahong brings fresh red oak, green oak, cos and iceberg lettuces from her own toxic-free hydroponics farm in Pathum Thani to the restaurant everyday. After more than 30 years in the marketing business, she decided to go back to nature, started up her own two-rai vegetable farm and makes sure she consumes healthy food.
"Inner beauty is pivotal. An ever increasing number of people suffering from cancer and intestinal diseases. That's because we are what we eat. I started the farm because I wanted to do something better in life after the stress of workign, Now, after years of cating planted of vegetables, I feel healthier and much happier. Good food has lots of potential in slowing down the ageing process," says Arunee.
She also wanted to share her healthy lifestyle with other people so opened Salad House two weeks ago. The restaurant is decorated simply in white and green and has a floor that's covered with artificial grasses.
The healthy vegetables, naturally enought, taste all the more delicious with the right dressings. Instead of looking them up in a recipe book, Arunee turned to her mother, who now lives in Melbourne, Australia. Mum consulted an Australian friend, a hotel chef and a major fan of Thai foods, who's created six salad dressings that can be adjusted to suit the thai palate.
Customers can pick form in-house, caesar, clam, tuna, thousand island and cream. The in-house dressing combines olive oil and maple syrup and has quickly become the eatery's best seller. The vegetables are fress and crisp and are priced from Bt79 to Bt89 accompanied withyour choice of dressing. Salmon salad can also be ordered at Bt49.
"We've made the dressings a bit of sour to attract customers. Because of that, everyone eats more vegetables," syas arunee.
Soup is priced at Bt59 a bowl and there's a choice of corn, spinach, pumpkin, carrot and mushroom. For customers who want something more substantial, there are also ham and cheese sandwiches made with wholewheat bread.
You shouldn't leave the eatery without trying the baked olive rice, which is deliciously soft and aromatic. the selected jasmine rice is baked with olive oil and various spices like pepper, garlic, coriander roots, ginger and galangal for a day.
"After baking, we also sterilise it with the proper equipment. That means you can take it home and keep in the refrigerator for two weeks," says Arunee.
To olive rice is best eaten with roasted pork ribs, prepared to a sexcret recipe from her mother's chef friend. All Arunee will say is that the meat is roasted with various herbs and it's certainly very tendr. There arfe many choices of lunch sets at prices that range from Bt129 to Bt139. A good selection is the in-house salad with roasted pork ribs and a blowl of soup.
For drinks, there are six healthy smoothies, the names of which suggest the benefits they offer. Dry skin? Then sip on a "Skin Cate" which inelds lychee, guava, lemon, honey, ginseng and guarana. For digestive benefits, opt for "digest Plus"-a combination of banana, apple juice, blue-berry and vanilla yoghurt digestive booster. To keep the doctor away, Arunee suggests the "Doc Off", a combination of watermelon, orange juice and strawberry. Coconut jelly beads come in every glass and the dirnks are priced at Bt59.
"The recipes for the smoothies come from my wet nurse who is now a cook in a Thai restaurnant in Hong Kong. Smoothies are popular over there and she's learned to make various drinks. We've reduced the sweentess though to suit Thai tastes."
You can take some fresh vegetables home as Aurnee also sells her hydroponie goodies ready to go. The 100gm vegetable packs cost Bt45 and an eight-ounce bottle of salad dressing is priced at Bt115. the restaurant also a home delivery service, vegetable gift baskets and food catering and is a great place relex after a stressful day in the office.
TIME WE GOT TO WOODSTOCK
Nostalgia's on the menu of this charming shop-cafe in the form of classic dishes and home decor with stories to tell
With Ang Lee's film "Taking Woodstock" currently iin cinemas, this might seem a good time to visit Woodstock the store and cafe, which opened six months ago on the Chao Phraya's Thonburi Shore.
But beyond the retro appeal of the items on sale, the shop in Bang Khunnon district has nothing to do with the American town after which history's first rock festival was named - unless you count the idea of getting back to nature.
The wood in stock at this Woodstock is how the owner, who asked to byidentified only as Kwanvana, wants visitors to regard the world - as a simpler, more natural place.
She has decorated the store with her vintage furniture, boosting th enostalgia quotient with Thai food specialities that are now hard to find elsewhere in Bangkok.
The Sukhothai noodles have freshly roasted peaunts on top. The crispy khao soi noodles have a curry sauce like Mum used to make (at least if you grew up in the North). A bowl of noodlles is Bt30 to Bt40.
Then there are great snacks like deepfried spring rolls and the northern pork sausage moo yor.
The drinks, listed on old sheets of vinyl, include a variety of Thai teas, old-fashioned coffee and expresso and latte. Woodstock isn't easy to find if you don't know the area, and only the No57 bus comes near, but once located, its charm is undeniable, Guests roam around poking in cupboards and studying the individual items on the shelves - old clocks, posters, record players and toys. On weekday the place is peaceful, so take a book or your laptop - there's Internet access.
On Saturdays Woodstock gets busy, with the band Siam Serenade playing timeless favourites from a different era and people bringing their own handmade goods to sell.
Woodstock is open from 9am to 6pm, so there's dinner option as well. The menu includes the fried noodles and shrimp-paste rice called khao kluk kapi and a mixed whole-grain salad.
With Ang Lee's film "Taking Woodstock" currently iin cinemas, this might seem a good time to visit Woodstock the store and cafe, which opened six months ago on the Chao Phraya's Thonburi Shore.
But beyond the retro appeal of the items on sale, the shop in Bang Khunnon district has nothing to do with the American town after which history's first rock festival was named - unless you count the idea of getting back to nature.
The wood in stock at this Woodstock is how the owner, who asked to byidentified only as Kwanvana, wants visitors to regard the world - as a simpler, more natural place.
She has decorated the store with her vintage furniture, boosting th enostalgia quotient with Thai food specialities that are now hard to find elsewhere in Bangkok.
The Sukhothai noodles have freshly roasted peaunts on top. The crispy khao soi noodles have a curry sauce like Mum used to make (at least if you grew up in the North). A bowl of noodlles is Bt30 to Bt40.
Then there are great snacks like deepfried spring rolls and the northern pork sausage moo yor.
The drinks, listed on old sheets of vinyl, include a variety of Thai teas, old-fashioned coffee and expresso and latte. Woodstock isn't easy to find if you don't know the area, and only the No57 bus comes near, but once located, its charm is undeniable, Guests roam around poking in cupboards and studying the individual items on the shelves - old clocks, posters, record players and toys. On weekday the place is peaceful, so take a book or your laptop - there's Internet access.
On Saturdays Woodstock gets busy, with the band Siam Serenade playing timeless favourites from a different era and people bringing their own handmade goods to sell.
Woodstock is open from 9am to 6pm, so there's dinner option as well. The menu includes the fried noodles and shrimp-paste rice called khao kluk kapi and a mixed whole-grain salad.
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