Channel 0146 Restaurant Business | Delivery

Happy Chinese New Year with “Yee Sang” at Loong Foong

2010-02-07T01:25:00.000-08:00

Usher and welcome the Year of the Tiger to good fortune and prosperity with family, friends and colleagues with our auspicious array of festive offerings Loong Foong Chinese Restaurant of Swissotel Le Concorde Bangkok invites you to celebrating Chinese New Year to welcome the year of Tiger with “Yee Sang” an authentic traditional Cantonese dish, is a fish salad that is eating and serving during the Chinese New Year, and raw fish such as Tuna, Sea bass and Salmon are sliced very thinly, and lime or mixed fresh vegetables such as shredded carrot, pickled papaya, shredded radish and ginger

Cantonese believes that the higher the salad is tossed the better. The “Yee Sang” would bring prosperity, wealthy and healthy through the year. Price is starting from Baht 388++ for 2 persons. And more special menus to celebrate the Chinese New Year such as Golden Shark’s Fin Pumpkin Soup, Steamed Boston Lobster with Black Bean Sauce, Braised Abalone and Black Mushroom in Oyster Sauce and Steamed Snow Fish with Plum Sauce during February 13 – 28, 2010, that we prepare the various delighting of 100 a la carte and Dim Sum menus ready for serving to you. Price is at Baht 499++ per person.

On February 14, enjoy with “All You Can Eat Buffet A La Carte” for both lunch and dinner, will serve with Steamed Snow Fish with Rose Wine at Baht 599++ per person.

Dine from 13 to 28 February 2010 and stand to win instant Hong Bao Lucky Dip prizes from Weekend Stay in Executive Suite, Deluxe Room, Free Peking Duck, Soft Drinks, Wine, Beer, Buffet Lunch and Dinner Vouchers and more.

Be My Valentine at V9 Wine Bar and Restaurant, Sofitel Bangkok Silom

2010-02-05T21:45:00.001-08:00

On 14th February 2010, V9 Wine Bar and Restaurant invites you and your Valentine to savor a romantic candle-lit Valentine’s dinner in a truly lovely setting. Valentine’s couples can enjoy the panoramic view of Bangkok’s skyline and ChaoPhraya River from 37th Floor of Sofitel Bangkok Silom, where “Life is Magnifique!”. Relax to the cool sounds selected by V9 DJs, ranging from Jazz, Lounge, Latin, to funky sounds and house or sit at the long bar with one of our famous cocktails.

Set dinner costs THB 3,000 net per couple (food only) or THB 5,800 net per couple (food with wine).

Complete your romantic Valentine’s dinner with one of our very special Wine Flights or experience a wide range of wines by the glass from the new Sofitel ‘Voyage du Vin’ list.

Don’t forget to drop by into our extensive Wine Cellar with 150 imported wines from countries all over the world, where our sommelier will help you select the perfect bottle to compliment your dinner or to take home. As usual, wines by the bottles are always available at retail prices.

Special: Surprise your Valentine with an overnight stay in a Luxury Club Sofitel room including a romantic room-service breakfast for only THB 4,253++ (Must be booked together with Valentine’s dinner at V9 and valid for the night of 13th or 14th February 2010 only).

A NEW YEAR FOR THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

2010-02-05T21:25:00.000-08:00

The unique cultures of Thailand and China are melded together in our diverse population, and every first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar the country is proud to celebrate Chinese New Year with family, friends and associates, old and new. At the Millennium Hilton Bangkok, our signature Chinese restaurant Yuan is cooking a storm of tastes from the mystic Orient to mark this auspicious event from 13-15 February 2010.

As you enter Yuan restaurant, your spirits will be roused by the distinct sounds of the Guzheng, a breathtaking Chinese instrument. On 14 February, a troupe of dancers will perform the traditional Lion Dance, prowling through the lobby and the restaurants, offering a visual spectacular of dazzling color and gravity defying leaps.

We’ll be celebrating throughout the hotel, but it is at Yuan that the heart of China will beat most fiercely. Our chef has created a range of menus for you to savor the best of Chinese cuisine. Set menus (from THB 14,000++ to THB 52,000++ for 10 persons ) and a la carte will be available both for lunch and dinner. Alternatively our ever-popular a la carte Dim Sum which is always on offer. For a special culinary experience, Yuan will offer ‘Yu Sheng’ salad with Sea Fish and Lobster, a flavor of China that should never be missed. A special dish served at New Year, it literally translates as ‘Toss of luck’, and a play on the Chinese words gives a second meaning of ‘abundance of wealth and long life’.

Other culinary highlights include Deep-Fried Stuffed Abalone and Asparagus Prawns or even tender Lamb flavored with Black Pepper. Every guest can try their luck with a fortune cookie with complimentary Ang Pao, as well as accommodation at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok itself, are to be won by our luckiest guests.

Raise a glass to the New Year with our unlimited beverage package for THB 999++ per person, with a range of Chinese liquors, wines and special mixes on offer. And of course, this Chinese New Year would not be complete without a sip of the finest tea, served to you by our in-house tea-master. Adept at preparing blends of exotic teas and then pouring them from a gleaming golden teapot with a meter-long spout for a show of the utmost elegance and skill – Worajit is a man who makes a trip to Yuan as unforgettable as the New Year itself.
About Millennium Hilton Bangkok
Location

The Millennium Hilton Bangkok offers a fresh perspective on life. Spectacularly located on the Chao Phraya River, with sweeping views of Bangkok, this stunning new contemporary hotel is conveniently accessible by road, skytrain or river and is just 45 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport. This 32-storey landmark features a broad river frontage, private wharf, cutting-edge spa concept, and chic interiors by BARstudio and tonychi lighting. Attractions like the Grand Palace, the Reclining Buddha and Temple of Dawn are just a short boat ride away.

Business Referral Circle (BRC) on February 4th, 2010. The Best Networking Luncheon in Town!

2010-01-30T02:12:00.001-08:00

BNOW is hosting a Business Referral Circle (BRC) on Thursday February 4th, 2010 from 11.00am to 01:00pm at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand, www.fccthai.com, Maneeya Building, BTS Chidlom. The BRC is different because it is a proactive way to network with other businesses. Instead of the usual one to one networking style in a social setting or speed-networking, the format is one to group. BRC is appropriate for business owners, sales and marketing professionals. The meeting is 2 hours and conducted during lunch time and includes a meal.

The meeting is open to females, males, BNOW member, and non-members. The fee is 500 baht for BNOW members and 700 baht for non-members including lunch (3 choices). Early bird offer, book and prepay for your seat and get a 10% discount on event fee. Non-member special, book and prepay for two seats pay membership price. E-mail us now to find out how to take advantage of the offer, bnow@bnow.org
About BNOW:

BNOW (Bangkok Network of Women) provides a supportive network to women living and working in Bangkok. We have a weekly e-newsletter which takes contribution from the members. Members also enjoy privileges and benefits from selected businesses. The group has 2 events per month, for upcoming schedule visit http://www.bnow.org/next_event.html. The get together is to have women meet and interact, enabling them to put faces to names and to make new friends and business connections in Bangkok. For more information about our group, please visit www.bnow.org.

1+1 BUFFET LUNCH AT ISO INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT, SWISS HOTEL NAI LERT PARK

2010-01-29T21:19:00.001-08:00

Swiss Hotel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok has a surprise for 2010 with a buffet for lovers, the 1+1 buffet lunch, at ISO restaurant. Pay for one and one dines FREE, from January onwards.

The Buffet Lunch features an exhaustive International spread to feast on. Over 100 food temptations ranging from Japanese Sashimi Tuna, Salmon, White meat fish and Sushi Western Swiss Adrio with Onion Sauce, Chicken a la King, Asparagus Lemongrass Soup and Thai entrees Crispy Papaya Salad, Spicy Shrimp & Thai Herbs as well as a variety of salads, desserts Strawberry Mille Feuille, Bread Butter Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, Opera Cake Raspberry and a whole lot more. The food items will be rotated everyday. A fantastic value is available where one pays and one dines free for a price of only THB 450++.

The 1+1 Buffet Lunch at ISO is worth a try. Open: Monday to Saturday. Hours: 11.30 a.m. – 2.30 p.m. For reservations please call ISO Restaurant, Swissôtel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok at 02-253-0123.

Swiss Hotel Hotels & Resorts is a distinctive group of deluxe hotels for today’s discerning business and leisure travellers, combining the renowned Swiss touch with a fresh, contemporary and modern design. Each Swissôtel hotel offers personalized service with charm and efficiency. Located in main gateway destinations and city centres, the hotels have convenient access to business and shopping districts, and local attractions. Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts worldwide have won prestigious awards and accolades.

Swiss Hotel Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with 94 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.

Burgundy Grand Crus Wine Dinner at Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien

2010-01-24T02:14:00.000-08:00

Wine dinners at The Reflexions are renowned for serving creative modern French Cuisine and introducing guests to exceptional labels. Enjoy an evening of culinary style and sophistication six-course menu created by Chef Thibault Chiumenti to compliment fine Burgundy Grand Crus labels exclusively.

This exceptional evening will include a selection of premium labels from “Grand Cru” appellation only, including:
- Domaine de Montille Corton Charlemagne 2006 (Burghound 92-95 points)
- Domaine de Montille Corton Pougets 2006 (Burghound 89-91 points)
- Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot 2007 (Burghound 91-94 points)
- Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin 2006 (Burghoung 93 points).

Highlights of the exclusive menu will be Pan seared Norway halibut, Iberico pork belly with foie gras crouton, Challans duck breast stuffed with foie gras and other specialties.

Stay Healthy with Chinese Herbs at Shanghai 38, Chinese Restaurant, Sofitel Bangkok Silom

2009-11-20T22:31:00.000-08:00

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.

COLOUR YOUR WORLD WITH RED PORK

2009-11-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

       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.

TURNING OVER A FRESH LEAF

2009-11-08T05:27:00.000-08:00

       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.

TIME WE GOT TO WOODSTOCK

2009-11-08T05:26:00.000-08:00

       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.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE BATTLE OVER JUNK FOOD

2009-10-30T23:25:00.001-07:00

       To what extent should a govt interfere in the eating habits of people, even unhealthy ones? The pop beverage and junk food war is simmering in the US as America is caught in the debate on freedom to consume versus responsible eating. Schools are cutting back on campus access to fatty, salty snacks and soft drinks, according to a report released by the US Federal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention early this month. And more measures are being introduced.
       USA Today quoted the report on October 6 as saying the states of Mississippi and Tennessee have made the greatest strides. "In Mississippi, the percentage of secondary schools that didn't sell soda or sugary fruit drinks rose from 22 per cent in 2006 to 75 per cent in 2008; in Tennessee, it rose from 27 per cent to 74 per cent".
       In New York, billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg is forcing chain restaurants to post calorie counts. "[Bloomberg's] food issue has become New York City's. Although he has described his battle against unhealthy foods as common-sense public policy that will shed pounds (and save lives), many of his targets overlap with his own cravings," the New York Times said last month, followed by Bloomberg's admission that he likes Big Macs, "like everybody else".
       At the national level, President Barack Obama is still toying with the idea of taxing calorie-rich soft drink giants to partly fund his healthcare reform.
       The junk food/drink industries are fighting back, however. Coca-Cola ran an advertisement in the New York Times insisting that it's cooperating with schools worried about obesity and will even make the calorie level marking more noticeable for consumers.
       A fast food advocate calling itself the Centre for Consumer Freedom also ran a full-page ad in The Times earlier this month, claiming that the government views Americans as being "too stupid … to make good personal decisions about foods and beverages".
       It attacks Bloomberg for using tax dollars to launch an advertising campaign "to demonise soda".
       In a classic debate between right and responsibility, the ad asks: "Food cops and politicians are attacking food and soda choices they don't like. Have they gone too far? It's your food. It's your drink. It's your freedom".
       Increasingly, the junk food/drink industry is feeling as if it's being treated more like a pariah - like the tobacco industry with more and more restrictions being thrown up.
       America is unique in the sense that one-third of its population is obese and roughly half is overweight.
       While people ought to be able to decide, the American public should bear in mind not just the weighty power of the state but also that of the fast food giants. Having the government unilaterally decide everything cannot be politically healthy in the long run. At the same time, unrestricted, harmful for-profit activities should be reigned in.
       Youths deserve special attention and protection, however. And how events unfold in the United States may set a precedent for many other parts of the world as the export of American junk food culture has pervaded nations near and far - even those once remote.

Magnificent seven

2009-10-30T23:24:00.001-07:00

       In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
       Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
       Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
       Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
       Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
       The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
       The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
       Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
       The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
       The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.

Catering boosts restaurant's revenue

2009-10-20T21:59:00.001-07:00

       Shanghai Food, the operator of Chinese restaurant Shanghai Xiao Long Pao, will focus more on expanding its catering and buffet services and setting up food kiosks next year.
       The company has returned to aggressive expansion after suspending investment for two years due to the political situation and the economic slowdown.
       Patiwat Reonchaidee, chief operating officer, said the company was concentrating on new services to expand its customer base and drive restaurant sales after experiencing a 10-per-cent drop in the first six months of this year due to the economic uncertainty.
       He said spending per bill remained steady at Bt400 to Bt500, but the number of customers had dropped.
       The company has offered new services to offset the sales drop by adding a buffet service from Friday to Sunday at the restaurant.
       Shanghai Food also started its catering services in May and the buffets in the third quarter. Patiwat said both services had received good feedback from clients and would help the company maintain sales revenue of Bt170 million this year, the same figure as last year.
       Patiwat said the bright outlook for the catering and buffet services was leading the aggressive plan for next year, in which the company plans to add restaurants at shopping and community malls.
       Most of the new outlets will have space for a buffet service.
       Patiwat said the company was relaying on the restaurant client base to use the catering service. "Our catering customer base are corporate, seminar and activity organisers," he said.
       The company will create quick-service food kiosks style at the malls.
       Patiwat said the malls showed how the lifestyles of diners had changed. "As more people prefer dining at community malls, we are considering setting up new restaurants there. And we are considering setting up restaurants at shopping malls in the provinces, such as in Udon Thani and Khon Kaen."
       The company plans to increase the marketing budget for next year to 10 per cent of total sales revenue from the current 8 per cent, in line with the aggressive expansion. Patiwat said the company expected 15-per-cent sales growth for next year.

A "French chef" whose appeal doesn't translate well in France

2009-10-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

       Julia Child may have been the US's best-known "French chef", but here in Paris, few know her fabled cookbooks, let alone her name.
       Posters for the movie Julie & Julia were plastered across the city before its release here on Wednesday. But the movie was being anticipated more for Meryl Streep's performance as Child than for any particular interest in Child, the principal author of Mastering the Art of French Cooking , who died in 2004.Child's book - beloved by US cooks for almost 50 years and now a bestseller because of the film - has never been translated into French, said Anne Perrier, a manager at Galignani, an English-language bookshop here."It's the vision of a revisited France, adapted to the American taste, at a time when tastes were lifeless," she said.
       In an interview in the French daily newspaper Le Figaro last week, Streep said:"What surprises me is that the French don't know her at all. While for Americans, she was one of the best ambassadors of France ... since Lafayette!"
       French food experts are divided about Child and her cooking. Some say she caricatured French cuisine in her book and cooking show, making it seem too heavy and formal. Others believe she demystified it and see her as a role model in France, where cooking shows are rare and cuisine is not necessarily viewed as something anyone can interpret.
       "Julia Child's cuisine is academic and bourgeois," said Julie Andrieu, a television personality and cookery book author."It shows that in America, the cliche of beef, baguette and canard farci remains."
       For Jean-Claude Ribaut, the food critic at Le Monde , Child was more like "a mediator who promoted the French lifestyle in the United States, but had no influence on restaurateurs".
       But some chefs say they hope that the film will rehabilitate French cooking in the US. Gilles Epie, a chef who met Child in Los Angeles at a birthday party for her in the early 1990s, thinks French cooking has been tarnished as stodgy.
       "Americans have really slammed French cuisine," Epie said."They think we only eat boeuf bourguignon and rabbit stew, which is wrong."
       Before taking over the Citrus Etoile,in the 8th Arrondissement, Epie ran the Los Angeles restaurant L'Orangerie for more than three years. He remembered with distaste the strictness of US health rules about food.
       "My fish shop in Santa Monica smelled like a pharmacy" instead of like fresh fish, he said."And when I asked for a three-month-old baby lamb, like you can find here, they thought I was crazy and nearly called the police."
       But some French chefs say they believe that Child, through the film, could have an impact on contemporary French cooking, or at least make boeuf bourguignon,a traditional dish currently absent from most French menus, fashionable again.
       "She explains her recipes like a housewife, but she knows how to do it and she does it genuinely," said Guy Savoy, owner of the restaurant that bears his name in Paris. He met Child in 1981 in Massachusetts and remembered her as "a real character, gentle and affable".
       Andrieu, the cookbook author, said that despite Child's cliched recipes, her style could be defined as a "combination of scientific and empirical virtues" that helped explain why US authors wrote better cookbooks than the French.
       "The French think that they are natural-born cooks; they prepare a dish off the top of their heads, without testing it," she said."In France, we rush over explanations."
       After watching Julie & Julia , Andrieu said, she felt compelled to go home and make boeuf bourguignon according to Child's recipe."I cut the flour in half,and it turned out to be the best I had ever made," she said.
       Epie even thinks that Child's story should encourage the French to discuss their cuisine in a more democratic way.
       He is one of the few respected chefs in Paris to offer US food on his menu,including his signature dish: a crab cake a la francaise, prepared with shellfish oil instead of mayonnaise.
       "I want to do Julia Child, but Julia Child with real fish, real lobster, with eels to shuck and rabbit to bone," he said."That's my dream."

"Tastes Of Italy, Amo L'Italia"

2009-10-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

Central Food Retial Company Limited lead by its President, Mr Alistair Taylor, recently launched the Italian Food Festival "Taste Of Italy, Amo L "Italia" in conjuction with The Italian Trade Commission. The event was presided over by HRH Princess Saomsawalli and He Mr Michaelangelo Pipan, The Italian Ambasador and Dr Vicenzo Cali, Italian Trade Commissioner.
The Event at Centralworld, featured a bountiful of Italian products from 5 major cities; rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Capri. There was also cooking demonstrations by well known chefs and an array of gastronomic programmes.

Sleek Burger King revamp aims at an upscale feel

2009-10-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

       Burger King plans to swap its generic fast-food feel and bland tiles and tabletops for a vibe that's more sit-down than driven-through.
       The company will announce a massive effort to overhaul its 12,000 locations worldwide. The sleek interior will include roating red flame chandeliers, brilliant TV-screen menus and industrial-inspired corrugated metal and brick walls.
       "I'd call it more contemporary, edgy, futuristic," chairman and CEO John Chidsey told The Associated Press. "it feels to much more like an upscale restaurant."
       But that comes with an upscale price: the new look is expected to cost franchisees between US$300,000 (Bt10 million) to #600,000 per restaurant.
       The company said the new design, called "20/20" at the Miami-based chain, is already in place at about 60 locations around the world.
       So far, remodelled restaurants have seen sales climb about 12 to 15 per cent, while restaurants that are torn down and completely rebuilt a the same location have seen sales climb by as much as 30 per cent, Chidsey sid.
       Observers say the hip, urban and masculine elements in the redesign may be a hit with Burger King's most loyal customers - young men who fre-quent the chain known for its signature Whoppers and "steak burgers". But some experts are scaptical about whether sales will grow as much as the company claims and how eager franchise owners will be to part with that kind of cash, particularly in a sour economy.
       Chidsey said most franchise owners, who typically own bothy their restaurant's building and the land, won't have trouble obtaining financing.
       The transformation might help Burger King - the No 2 burger food chain the United States - stand our from larger rival McDonald's and other competitors as they clamour for a share of the growing burger market that's worth $100 billion in the US.

A love-hate relationship with food

2009-10-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

       When Frank Bruni stepped on the scene as the chief restaurant critic for The New York Times more than five years ago,many industry insiders and observers thought the choice was odd.
       Bruni had no previous experience reviewing restaurants. He hadn't sweated long hours behind a hot range in a well-regarded kitchen learning his craft. He knew how to shape sentences but what did he know about simmering sauces?
       But even odder was Bruni's lovehate relationship with food - something he now acknowledges in his new memoir,Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater .The revelation isn't exactly shocking but it is unusual. Bruni, the man who had volunteered to eat out six nights a week, had obsessed about his weight for most of his life. He had battled bulimia briefly, toyed with laxatives and torpedoed many a diet - all the trimmings for his third book.
       "I remember thinking if I look up after a couple of years and I am right,and I have figured out a better way to manage my relationship with food,it's probably a pretty interesting narrative how I got to this point," Bruni says about the moment he decided to take the job.
       If waist size is an indicator of success then Bruni, with his close-cropped hair and athletic build, has been wildly successful curbing his prodigious appetite. After ballooning to around 275 pounds and sporting 42-inch pants while covering a presidential campaign in 2000, Bruni can now take a moment to brag.
       He wears size 34 jeans and doesn't look round anymore - despite eating his way through approximately 700 restaurants in New York alone during his stint as critic that came officially to an end last month.
       "I like eating, and I prefer eating in great volume to eating in minor volume," Bruni,44, said in an interview at a wine bar on Manhattan's Upper West Side near his home."No question.Having been through everything I describe in the book, I am fully aware and I struggle to remain conscious of the consequences."
       The consequences have plagued Bruni throughout his life but they came to a head when he decided in April 2004 to leave his post as Rome correspondent and tackle restaurant reviewing in New York, perhaps the most important dining city in the world and one filled with know-it-all foodies.
       For Bruni, danger loomed. A sea of calories awaited him. He took the plunge - one that has local restaurateurs now scratching their heads since learning Bruni's anguish over food.
       "It's like an alcoholic becoming a winemaker," says John Fraser, whose New York restaurant Dovetail faired exceptionally well under Bruni's withering gaze, earning three stars.
       Bruni knew the task ahead of him was great. He adjusted and learned on the job. He "ate more widely and in a much more inquisitive and thoughtful manner." He developed a "frame of reference" that was "extremely broad and unusual."
       He not only wrote about places in New York but he also ventured across America and Europe, alerting readers to gems such as Alinea in Chicago.Bruni could at times be snarky in his reviews but he was mostly right when he decided to bring out the knives,according to chefs.
       Sometimes, restaurants caught him;sometimes they did not. A well-worn picture floating around of a heftier Bruni aided his cause to slip into restaurants unnoticed.
       "We had the fat picture. You would never guess that's the same person,"Fraser said about Bruni's most current photograph posted on the food blog Eater.com and the one found inside the cover of his book.
       His style of writing attracted many followers. Not everybody loved him but they definitely talked about him.As Bruni evolved, people noticed, chatting about him at cocktail parties, said Jennifer Baum, an influential restaurant publicist who has never met Bruni but had about a dozen of her restaurants reviewed by him.
       "It stepped beyond the walls of the industry," Baum said, referring to his reviews. Baum, like other food publicists, kept a wary eye on Bruni,who once slapped around one of her celebrity chef clients, Bobby Flay, taking a star away from Mesa Grill in Manhattan. Baum wouldn't comment about her client's reaction to Bruni's takedown, but she said he was fair and honest.
       "There are some restaurants that opened where people didn't pay attention and those restaurants should be shouted out," she said."He went into the venerable restaurants and made sure they were paying attention."
       And the weight? Not only did Bruni beat back the calories through rigorous exercise and moderation, he also beat back the doubters in a city filled with them. Bruni, according to some of the toughest critics in town, prevailed.
       "When he started out, Frank famously knew almost nothing about restaurant criticism, and it showed,"GQmagazine food critic Alan Richman said."He was saved by his writing which is exuberant and charming, by his indefatigable work ethic and by his instinctive ability to write brilliant criticisms of restaurants that he either hated or loved. I'm not sure if any restaurant critic has been better at praise."
       Richman, who once eviscerated one of the most famous chefs alive, JeanGeorges Vongerichten, in a scathing article for his magazine, said it's too bad Bruni is giving up his reign as most feared critic in New York.
       "What I regret about him leaving now is that he finally has that skill,something that comes with scrutinising thousands of plates of food," Richman said."He's at his peak."
       Bruni isn't sorry. He can finally exhale after crafting about 270 reviews - visiting some spots more than once - for the newspaper that could turn a restaurant into a massive hit or major flop. He decided to end his run as critic because his "energy would fade or was fading."
       Bruni says his old gig wasn't just about eating. It was also about coordinating the meals - all the time. He always dictated the schedule, calling himself a "bully."

A feast for THE SENSES

2009-10-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

       Inspired by the flavours of Alsace, Champagne, the Mediterranean and Tokyo,
       seven chefs conspire to create an excitingly sensual food festival
       Gastronomes, epicures and food connoisseurs will have a golden opportunity to enjoy the splendours of the Gallic cuisine once again when "All Senses A Gastronomic Odyssey" raises its curtain at the Dusit Thani Bangkok next week.
       The six-day culinary festival, from Tuesday, October 6 to Sunday, October 11, will feature a series of lunches and dinners as well as afternoon high tea,cooking classes and workshop by seven highly-respected chefs. They are led by the internationally-renowned twin chefs Jacques and Laurent Pourcel of the twoMichelin-starred Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier,and award-winning Japanese-French chef Kotaro Hasegawa of the twins' Sens & Saveurs, Japan.
       The three guest chefs will join Dusit International's corporate executive chef Erwin Eberharter, executive sous chef Philippe Keller, D'Sens's chef de cuisine Julien Lavigne and executive pastry chef Slawek Golaszewski, to whip up more than 100 culinary creations. Especially at dinner, dishes will be paired with fine French wine presented by top French sommelier Yannis Kherachi, who will fly in as a special guest.
       With the hotel's D'Sens French restaurant as the festival's main venue, the celebration will open at noon on Tuesday,October 6 with the "Sense of Champagne Region" lunch (1,500 baht), a four-course meal presented by the brothers Pourcel and the restaurant's chef de cuisine Julian Lavigne. Cream soup of frog's legs,roasted angler fish with champagne sauce and pan-fried guinea fowl will be among the items on the menu.
       That evening, there will be a six-course wine-pairing dinner (2,900 baht) that also represents the Champagne region.Among the selections are crunchy pastry of rabbit with foie gras, grilled seabream fillet with paimpol beans fricassee and grilled beef tenderloin.
       On Wednesday, October 7 the festival continues with the "Sense of Tokyo"four-course lunch (1,500 baht) by chef Kotaro and a seven-course dinner (3,000 baht) for which the Japanese chef will be joined by the Pourcel twins. Highlight dishes will include Hokkaido scallop carpaccio, lobster sliced with caramelised onions and pan-fried duck fillet.
       Thursday, October 8 will be the day for the "Sense of Mediterranee" lunch (1,500 baht), which will be presented by Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, as is the six-course tasting dinner (2,800 baht or 3,700 baht with cheese and wine). Representing the cuisine of southern France,home of the brothers Pourcel, are green pea cappuccino, seared lobster medallion
       with light onion and potato foam, roasted rack of lamb and crunchy meringue with peach sherbet.
       The Pourcel twins will be joined by the hotel's executive sous chef Philippe Keller, for "Sense of Alsace", a six-course tasting menu dinner (2,900 baht) on Friday, October 9. The menu includes terrine of eel and crayfish, steamed pike in open ravioli, seared foie gras with turnip sauerkraut and roasted saddle of rabbit with seasonal mushrooms.
       On Saturday, October 10 the festival introduces a "Sense of Autumn" at its four-course lunch (1,600 baht) by chefs Jacques and Laurent. Terrine of porcini mushroom with parmesan croquette and butternut squash soup with duck foie gras are some of the glorious autumnal offerings.
       Saturday evening is the time for "A Gala for All Senses"(6,000 baht), an eight-course wine-pairing dinner in which all the participating chefs have taken a hand. Among the dishes you'll find on the menu are eel terrine and duck liver combination, seared Maine lobster with crispy zucchini flower and duo of veal with vegetable lasagna.
       The festival will be wrapped up in fine still with the "Ultimate Champagne Brunch"(1,800 baht) on Sunday, October 11- a superb three-course meal with cheese and dessert buffet and a free flow of champagne.
       "All Senses - A Gastronomic Odyssey",October 6-11, Dusit Thani Bangkok, Rama IV Road. For more information or to reserve a table, please call the hotel at 02-200-9000.

CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE

2009-10-02T21:10:00.001-07:00

Grab your Citi credit card and enjoy Samui to the max. The Citi Choose Your Passion campaign (Citi Phone Banking on 1588,www.citibank.co.th/chooseyourpassion,www.dining.citibank.th)spoils cardholders with dining and accommodation deals at the island's hotspots.Popular eateries and hotels like Krao Chaobaan,Olivio Italian Cuisine Restaurant, Red Snapper Bar & Grill, Dining on the Rock, Bakubung,The Page @ The Library, Samui Seafood Restaurant, The Pier, Melati Beach Resort and Spa and Le Bayburi The Sea Samui offer irresistible discounts and benefits.

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO EATING BIRYANI

2009-10-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

       One thing I've discovered about Bangkok over my relatively short lifespan is that it's a really busy place.I wake up and barely have time to write something insulting on my Facebook page to annoy my friend's over-sensitive girlfriend before having to dress and begin my daily commute to the office. With this in mind,a scenario from the inaptly named The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (there are five books) comes to mind.
       A man is said to have hitchhiked across the universe in just a few days. His trip is described as being so fast that he would have missed a few things along the way.Since distance and time are both relative to the person who experiences them, it is not that difficult to relate the hitchhiker's trip to our lives.
       Due to the distances and traffic jams involved, it's not so easy for busy people to discover new restaurants in this city. Thankfully, you have guys like me to venture out to the unpublicised areas of town to save you time.
       The day started as usual; a quick Facebook check,followed by the insertion of an ironic or stupid status update. I tried to squeeze in some Defence of the Ancients on the computer but there was no time for a 50-minute game so off I went to CooCurry for a heavy lunch that would definitely be impinging on my colleagues' airspace when the morning digestion kicked in.
       CooCurry is in a small, unnamed street just off Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Road. The name is a pun on the word "cookery" and the restaurant has an Arabian Nights theme. The walls have those windows you see in Disney's Aladdin , hollowed out and with various Arab-themed memorabilia placed in them, as well as a pair of African tribal warrior figurines. Guess they were going for the "United Colours of Benetton" look.
       The theme of the food is Middle Eastern, with several Western entrees for friends who can't handle aroma. The highlight is definitely the Biryani (chicken B140, mutton B170), a dish that takes the chef five hours to prepare.
       He only makes two pots at a time, about twice a day, with roughly 24 servings in total. With workers from nearby offices pre-ordering the dish it runs out faster than condoms on an Annabel Chong movie set.
       The Biryani tastes just the way it should, fragrant and rich in every bite. You also get a whole chicken thigh,complete with drumstick and accompanied by a chicken broth to make a complete meal.
       With only one chef here the menu is kept small and manageable. Added to the Biryani the only other main courses are Yellow Thai chicken curry (B140) and an authentic Mutton curry (B170), which is served with a very hard baguette or an Indian roti (go for roti, you'll be happier).
       There is also a monthly Western menu with ThaiFrench beef steaks and Australian lamb chops (B350).Homemade sweets of the day include Tiramisu (B85),Oreo cakes and Chocolate fudge cake. With every purchase of over B800 diners receive a complimentary Chocolate fudge cake until October 15. And yes, I totally sent that fudge packing down my mouth because it was so good.
       CooCurry is the kind of place you go to enjoy a flavourful Biryani and some Mutton curry. It's a little oasis of flavour with an easy-going atmosphere. Tucked away in an otherwise bland location with nothing but offices for company, you may feel you're eating in a restaurant at the end of the universe. However, make sure you reserve some Biryani over the phone or else some local office worker will help himself to the last serving.

Celebrating Rosh Hashana, circa 1919

2009-09-22T19:41:00.002-07:00

       Sholom aleichem!" said Shiva Shapiro in a heavy Yiddish accent to her visitors.As she deftly stuffed cabbage leaves with rice and stewed tomatoes, and displayed other dishes she has made on her 1900 Beauty Hub coal stove, Shapiro drew her guests into her life.
       "This is 1919," she said."Last year was the end of the influenza epidemic and the end of the war to end all wars. We're a Jewish family and we're keeping kosher in our home. I don't read English, only Yiddish and Hebrew. My daughter Mollie learned about bananas at school. I think that bananas are mushy, but I take her to buy a hand of bananas for 25 cents."
       Shapiro is actually Barbara Ann Paster, one of the actors here at the Strawbery Banke restoration, a living museum in which over 350 years of Portsmouth homes,stores, churches and history have been preserved. It is in Puddle Dock, which was a decrepit neighbourhood destined to be razed under urban renewal until a campaign in the 1950s and '60s led by the town librarian saved 42 houses on 10 acres to create the museum.
       The area was first settled in 1695 by the English,who found a profusion of strawberries there. By the turn of the 20th century Italians, Irish, English, FrenchCanadians and East European Jews had come here to find work. Although most immigrants at that time settled in large cities, some settled directly in smaller towns like Portsmouth. By 1919, 152 Russian Jews made up about a quarter of the immigrant population of Puddle Dock and 18 of them were Shapiro relatives,according to the museum.
       As Shapiro, the wife of a pawnbroker with a 9-yearold daughter, Paster cooks dishes that follow the rhythm of the seasons, and the Jewish calendar.
       She may make strawberry jam for her strudel in June, or pickle cucumbers with dill from her garden,or put up Reliance peaches with brandy in August.
       For Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, she excitedly pinched rolled-out strips of pasta dough into bowtie noodles to use with leftover kasha stuffing from her roast chicken, and made traditional honey and poppy seed cakes.
       Paster,61, has been portraying Shapiro since the Shapiro house opened in 1997."My entire life was made for this job," Paster said with a laugh."I married an Orthodox man. I'm Jewish from Russia, so I know the rules of kashrut and family purity. I am also a storyteller."
       The real Mrs Shapiro immigrated from Anapol,Ukraine, in 1904 with other family members to meet her future husband, Abraham, also from Anapol, in Portsmouth, where he went to work in a shoe factory and later became the president of Portsmouth's synagogue, Temple of Israel.
       At Strawbery Banke, visitors encounter Shiva Shapiro as a 34-year-old woman whose time is spent in her kosher kitchen with its coal stove and icebox."I get 50 pounds [23kg] of ice for 25 cents [8 baht] every other day and I can keep kosher meat for up to three days,"she said."There is hardly a time when I would need to keep it so long as there are two kosher butchers with delivery: Jacob Segal in a horse and buggy and Harry Liberson, who came here from an advertisement looking for a butcher in The Jewish Messenger out of New York and has stayed for 65 years."
       Holidays were at the centre of the Shapiro family's life, and the museum staff took great pains to ensure the historical accuracy of the foods prepared and the items the family had available.
       "To authenticate the Shapiro house," said Michelle Moon, director of education for the museum,"the curatorial staff interviewed 30 people from the neighbourhood and took pollen and seed analyses to determine what grew and was eaten in their home."
       Shapiro's grandson, Burt Wolf,75, recalls picking seed pods for poppy seed cake or filling for his grandmother's holiday strudel.
       In 1919 it was still too early for standard East European ingredients like kasha, poppy seeds and kale to be in mainstream cookbooks like "Fanny Farmer", which Mollie translated for her mother. Even Florence Greenbaum's International Jewish Cookbook (1918)had only one recipe for mohn (poppy seed) roly polys and none for kale or kasha.
       But immigrants brought seeds of their traditional foods, like yellow Ukrainian carrots, kale and parsnips.Shapiro bought harder-to-save seeds like beets in Jackson's hardware store.
       "Mr Wolf and many older immigrants told us that they ate yellow Ukrainian tomatoes, which we know Mrs Shapiro was growing in her garden," said John Forti, curator of culinary historic landscape for the museum. The red tomatoes were canned.
       Forti found a Reliance peach tree growing out of the compost pile in the Shapiro's garden. Seed catalogues from that time included climbing Russian cucumbers and Zubrinski yellow potatoes, which are planted there now.
       Stoneware crock shards found in the yard were a clue for the staff."Mrs Shapiro was putting up the food in the old style as well as using canning jars," he said."We found kale seeds in the walls of another immigrant's house."
       Jewish truck farmers in the neighbouring town of Greenland grew buckwheat for kasha, an East European staple, used at that time in America only for buckwheat pancakes.
       Recipes were handed down orally, at least in the East European immigrant communities, and they also travelled between neighbours."Whenever Camilla Pento comes to the house she points to the mandelbrot and says 'biscotti'," Shapiro said."She came to my house one day to show me how to make her biscotti. Nothing wrong with her recipe but in order for my family to eat it, we need to make it here so it's kosher. I made my mandelbrot and poppy seed cake and she her biscotti and pizzelles with a brand new pizzelle iron."
       The Sabbath and holidays were the center of Shapiro's world and they also meant a lot of work for the Shapiro matriarch. Visiting just before Rosh Hashana, the first in the Jewish High Holy Days, I spoke with Elaine Kraskar, Shapiro's great-niece,82, who was a prominent Democratic state legislator for 16 years. Kraskar remembers going with her grandparents to farms to get chickens for holidays and the Sabbath.
       "We would put them in a burlap sack and bring them to be ritually slaughtered by Mr Liberson," she said."My grandmother would singe the feathers, pluck and clean out the chickens. Everything was used. The intestines were cleaned and stuffed. We roasted chicken stuffed with kasha. Rosh Hashana was a special time,a time for families to be together."
       Although Kraskar gave the museum her grandfather's safe, a Victrola with Yiddish records, and a nightie her grandmother made for her, she couldn't give up her rolling pin or scrub board.
       "I put the scrub board up on the wall in my laundry room," she said,"to remind me how hard life was for her and how much easier it is today."NYT NEWS SERVICE
       CRISPY KALE Time:
       Adapted from the Strawbery Banke Museum 20 minutes / Serves 6 to 8 as a finger food, snack or side dish Ingredients: Preparation:
       1bunch of kale,(about 450g), cored, leaves rinsed and thoroughly dried 3 to 4 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced Kosher salt, to taste 1. Preheat oven 260กC. Meanwhile, flatten kale leaves and use the point of a knife to remove tough center ribs. Stack leaves and roll them together, then slice crosswise into chiffonade strips 1in. to 1in. wide.2. Place kale in a medium bowl. Toss with olive oil, garlic and salt, making sure leaves are well coated with oil. Spread evenly across a large baking sheet.3. Bake, tossing once or twice, until leaves are crispy but not burned, about 5 minutes.Serve as is as a finger food or snack, or top with poached eggs as a breakfast or lunch dish.
       KASHA-STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN Adapted from Elaine Kraskar Time:2 hours / Serves 6 to 8Ingredients: Preparation: 4 Tbsp chicken fat or vegetable oil, plus additional for greasing pan 3onions,1 diced and 2 coarsely chopped 1large egg 1cup dry kasha 2cups chicken broth or water 12cup diced celery 1cup sliced mushrooms, optional 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage 1roasting chicken,1.8kg to 2kg 3cloves garlic, minced 450g whole, unpeeled,small potatoes 3tart apples, quartered and cored 4carrots, peeled and cut into 3- to 4in.chunks 4parsnips, peeled and cut into 3- to 4in.chunks 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 190กC. Grease a roasting pan and set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of chicken fat or oil,and saute diced onion until golden. Remove from heat and set aside.2. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg lightly and stir in kasha. Mix well to coat all grains.Place a dry heavy skillet over high heat.When it is hot, add egg-coated kasha and stir with a wooden spoon to flatten it and break up any lumps. Continue to stir until egg has dried and kernels are browned and mostly separated. Add broth or water, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.Add cooked onions, celery, mushrooms (if using), parsley and sage. Simmer, covered,stirring occasionally, until kasha is tender,about 15 minutes.3. Rub exterior of chicken with 1 tablespoon of remaining chicken fat or oil and garlic.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff both cavities of chicken with kasha mixture.(Excess kasha may be baked in an ovenproof dish, during last 30 minutes of roasting time.)4. In bottom of roasting pan, combine potatoes,apples, carrots, parsnips and chopped onions.Add remaining 1 tablespoon chicken fat or oil, and rosemary, and toss well to coat.Gently place chicken on top of vegetables and bake until golden and cooked through,about 11
       2hours. To serve, carve chicken as desired and serve each portion with some of vegetables and apples.
       POPPY SEED CAKE Adapted from Strawbery Banke Museum
       Time:90 minutes / Serves 12 Ingredients: Preparation:
       1cup poppy seeds 1cup milk or soy milk 1cup (225g) unsalted butter or pareve margarine, plus more for greasing pan 2cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting pan 2cups sugar 3large eggs, separated 2 Tsp vanilla extract 12tsp salt 21
       2tsp baking powder Confectioners sugar, for dusting 1. In a small saucepan, combine the poppy seeds and milk. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to rest until cool, about 20 minutes.2. Preheat oven to 176กC and prepare a large loaf or tube pan by greasing it with margarine and lightly flouring the inside of the pan.3. In bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and poppy seed-milk mixture, and beat until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well; remove bowl from mixer and set aside.4. Place a clean bowl in mixer, with a whisk attachment, and whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into batter. Scrape into pan, and bake until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack. When cool, dust cake with confectioners sugar.

Pub fire blamed on firework

2009-09-22T19:41:00.001-07:00

       A police investigation has concluded the Santika pub fire was sparked by a firework that ignited a flammable ceiling.
       A firework was lit as part of stage effects shortly after the turn of the 2009 new year.
       The fire spread so quickly that within about two minutes the crowded pub was completely in flames, Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy chief Likit Klinauan yesterday said after a high-level police meeting to conclude the cause of the inferno.
       Pol Maj Gen Likit cited the explana-tion of an expert from the Royal Thai Army Chemical Department on how a firework works before a final conclusion was made.
       Witnesses at the pub said they saw Sarawut Ariya, lead singer of the band Burn, holding a firework on the stage before the fire erupted.
       "We will meet the team investigating the disaster again before forwarding our findings to the court by the end of the month," Pol Maj Gen Likit said.
       The tragedy left 66 people dead and scores of other revellers injured.

SANTIKA INFERNO PROBE READY FOR PROSECUTOR

2009-09-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

       The Metropolitan Police are ready to submit to the public prosecutor details of the Santika Pub's New Year Eve inferno, in which 66 people died and over 200 were injured.
       The prosecution is expected to take action against a number of accused, including the pub's major shareholder Wisuk Setsawat and Burn band's lead singer Saravuth Ariya.
       After the investigating team met for the final time yesterday, Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj General Likhit Klinouan said investigators' had now completed their findings on the suspects and their alleged offences.
       Among the people initially charged were Wisuk, Suriya Ritrabeu managing director of White and Brothers Co which ran the club, and the singer Saravuth. He said Suriya, who remains on the run, was a nominee of Wisuk.
       Likhit said that fireworks and special effects experts joined the meeting to examine the security camera footage on the night before the tragic incident. "The visual details the investigators had were in line with the camera footage on the day obtained from Justice Ministry's Forensic Science Institute chief Porntip Rojanasunan.
       "The investigators also considered whether Saravuth started the fire as accused, studying evidence backing their claims to ensure justice for the suspects and those who died in the fire," he said.
       Likhit said the case investigation and evidence gathering was nearly 100 per cent complete and police had strong evidence that could be explained transparently so they could take legal action against the accused.

OISHI MD TAN MAKES A SPLASH IN REAL ESTATE

2009-09-22T19:38:00.002-07:00

       Tan Passakornnatee, Oishi Group managing director, plans several major investments in property and hospitality projects in the coming year.
       A condominium projects on Sukhumvit Road worth Bt2.5 billion will be his first investment next year, following an investment of Bt450 million to develop a luxury hotel, Villa Maroc, in Pranburi district of Prachuab Khiri Khan province three years ago. Villa Maroc will have its grand opening on Jan 1.
       Tan said he began investing his own money in property three years ago, spending between Bt2 billion and Bt3 billion to collect undeveloped land in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Lopburi land Pranburi district.
       He said that after collecting more land, he plans to developed residences and hospitality projects from next year until 2012.
       The first project will be a condominium block worth Bt2.5 billion. Tan is in negotiations with strategic partners to develop this project.
       He has also joined with Siam Future Development to develop unused land in Chang Mai as a community mall. Investment will begin next year. Among other plans are the development of land in Lopburi province as a weekend market.
       Meanwhile, land owned by Tan on Ploenchit Road, which currently houses a Caltex petrol station, will be developed into a hotel when the petrol station's lease expires in three or four years.
       Tan also has 12 rai of land on Soi Thong Lor. Currently it is being used as a soccer field but Tan thinks it has potential for development.
       "When we decided to invest in the property business, we saw a business opportunity that was different from the kind that lures others investors, who are often drawn to in stocks or gold, or deposit their money in the bank," he said. While the returns on bank deposits are currently lower than inflation, he said, investment in land makems sense in the long term.
       "We aren't concerned solely about high return on investment. Our priorities are that our investments," he said.
       When he started to develop Villa Maroc in Pranburi, Tan spent Bt450 million on just 15 rooms. That is not a recipe for a high return on investment. But he believed in taking the long-term view that the more important goal was creating an attractive tourist destination in Pranburi district. "When tourists visit Pranburi, they have to visit Villa Maroc," was the goal.
       For his condominium project on Sukhumvit, Than is nekgotiating with a strategic partner.
       His future projects will also find require strategic partners, due to Tan's philosophyj that when it comes to business, he does not know everything.
       Tan built the Oishi Group, which manages Japanese restaurants and produces and distributes green tea under the Oishi brand, then sold a stake to beverage tycoon Charoen Siriwattanabhakdi. He still holds a stake in Oishi and remains its managing director.

Green Days are coming again

2009-09-22T19:38:00.001-07:00

       To encourage the public to be aware of the target of 20 percent emissions reduction by 2020, the EU is organising activities during EU Green Days at different venues around Bangkok from October 1 to 10.
       The activities include exhibitions,concerts, workshops and talks. Artists such as Tata Young, Tattoo Colour,Richman Toy and Yarinda Bunnag will perform in "What on Earth!" concerts, held at Club Culture on October 2 and Zen CentralWorld on October 3.Children's workshops on how to tackle climate change will be held at TK Park on October 3.
       A talk on "Towards Copenhagen:View on the Global Climate Negotiations' will be held on October 6 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and "Climate Change and Disasters: How to reduce risk?" will be held on October 7 at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand."Green Business and Effects in Supply Chains" for business entrepreneurs will be held on October 8 at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.
       Climate change exhibitions will be held at CentralWorld throughout the event.
       Most of the activities are free of charge,but some talks are by invitation only.Visit www.eugreendays.com.

WHERE TO FIND FABULOUS FOOD

2009-09-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

       Thailand's Eastern coast is dotted with vacation spots that everyone knows - for example, Pattaya, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Koh Chang in Trat province. When you decide to head to one of them for some time at the beach, the usual practice is to stick to the main roads and waste no time so you can get there in a hurry.
       SHELL GAME: A vendor sells fresh crabs at Nong Mon market, clockwise from above, local ‘seekoon’ fish, ‘khao tom pla’, and fresh shrimp pickled in ‘nam pla’, or fish sauce.
       But if it is food rather than beach time you are interested in, there is no need to go so far, and you can take your time.
       A leisurely drive to Chon Buri followed by some exploring along the smaller back roads and inside Ang Sila will turn up plenty of interesting delicacies.
       Today, I would like to focus just on fresh and dried foods and other edibles that are available not far from Bang Saen. Let's start with the route leading into Bang Saen.
       Before you arrive at Chon Buri city, you will come to a major intersection with traffic lights, the Bang Sai three-way intersection. Take a right turn there onto the road that leads to Bang Saen, a narrow and windy one. After driving for about one kilometre, you will come to a marketplace, with ample parking space available, on the left. It is an old market, but renovation is now underway, although goods are still being sold on the sidewalks in front of and along the perimeter of it.
       The first interesting sight you will encounter there is a stand selling jaeng lawn, a local speciality sold in seaside provinces (it can also be found not only in Chon Buri but also in towns on the western coast like Hua Hin and Cha-am). It is made of finely chopped fish meat, mixed with fresh curry paste and ground coconut, and seasoned to make it salty and slightly sweet with a chilli bite. Shredded kaffir lime leaf is scattered on the mixture, which is then shaped into pieces that are put on skewers for grilling. Vendors cook them on a grill in the early morning and keep selling them until they run out around noon. This snack is not all that easy to find, so when you do find it, buy.
       Nearby is a stand that sells semi-dried rays. The type sold there are called pla krabane nok, ("bird ray"), and are rather small, about 30.5-cm in diameter. The reason behind its name is that it likes to leap above the surface of the seawater and glide along for short distances. The meat of the "wings" (the pectoral fins) of the fish is tender although rather dark in colour, and people who live near the sea like it very much. They cut it into pieces, then dry it in the sun for a day. It is delicious when fried and eaten with rice, and it is inexpensive. Half a kilogramme costs only 100 baht and is enough for several days' consumption.
       On the soi next to the market, fresh and dried fish as well as fresh shrimp and prawns are sold. One particularly interesting item is fresh shrimp pickled in nam pla (fish sauce). The old woman who sells it is an expert at pickling shrimp this way, and makes them specially for sale. In the old days, Thais liked to eat them with steaming-hot khao tom, or rice soup.
       About 300 metres away from the market, across from the nearby pier, is a small store where a grandmotherly-looking woman sells nam pla from Rayong. The brand name is Erawan, and the product comes from a small factory that still makes the condiment the old-fashioned way, a process that takes eight months. It smells delicious, and costs only 30 baht a bottle.
       This is only the briefest sampling of what is available in the area of this Chon Buri market.
       A market that is best to visit in the late afternoon or evening is Nong Mon market, on the main road to Pattaya. The fresh produce area is deep inside the market, far from the road. Late in the day, in front of the fresh market area, meaty crabs of the type called poo ma (horse crab) are sold. They are kept in big basins, the water in which is oxygenated by means of pumps working continuously to keep the crabs alive.
       These ubiquitous crabs are available in many sizes and price ranges, with the cheapest ones going for 280 baht a kilogramme. Customers can eat them right away, because there is a steaming service that cooks the crabs on the premises and serves them with a spicy dipping sauce. They are certainly fresh, but sometimes the meat isn't too firm, because after being kept for even a day it becomes a little soft, unlike meat from crabs fresh from the sea.
       Around the sides of Nong Mon market are interesting stalls selling different kinds of fish just brought in from the sea by fishermen. Buyers can never be sure that the kind of fish they want is there, because not all types are caught every day, but they will probably not be disappointed if they are looking for pla seekoon, a mackerel species similar to the popular pla thoo, but bigger. Its tasty, firm meat is perfect for frying and topping with nam pla or chilli sauce.
       On their lucky days, buyers may find pla chome ngahm and/or pla nuan jan, both of which are scaleless types of fish with succulent meat that makes good kaeng som or kaeng pa, or which can be fried and served with chilli sauce poured over it. When people are fortunate enough to find these fish, they don't haggle over the price but buy a plastic box and some ice from a vendor, pack the fish inside, and rush it home.
       Around the sidelines of the market are vendors selling sweets and special local dishes. The khao tom with fried shellfish is definitely worth a try.
       Early in the morning, beginning at about half past seven, in a different part of Nong Mon market's wet market section is an area where dried seafood is sold along with breakfast foods that include curry and rice, kui tio pla (noodles with fish), khao tom, coffee and sweet snacks and desserts.
       The prepared foods, which include curries and stir-fries, are really good, as can be seen from the large numbers of people who come to buy them and the lengths of time they are willing to wait to be served (there are tables and chairs set out for diners). Right nearby is a vendor whose pork noodles are tasty enough to be a true must, and in the middle of the market is a shop that sells khao tom pla (literally, fish in rice soup) made in the style typical of eateries in seaside areas. The rice grains are still firm rather than soft and mushy, and customers can choose between fresh fish, shrimp or squid.
       Mae Nit has been selling her hor moke (fish meat steamed in a spicy, curried coconut sauce together with herbs and takes the form of a custard packed in a smallish banana-leaf cup) in this market for more than 30 years. Seaside-style hor moke tends to be sweeter and softer than the versions sold in Bangkok and other places in the Central Region.
       Coffee, brewed the old-fashioned way with a long cloth bag, is available for those who want to start the day off with a glass or two. These two markets are only two among the many that inhabit Chon Buri, each with its own, individual selection of good stuff to eat that includes local dishes not found elsewhere.
       If you decide to do some exploring, you won't have to drive far, and a choice culinary adventure is guaranteed.

GOBBLING DOWN SAMUI

2009-09-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

       Beyond sand and surf and new hotels across the lowlands and atop the hills, Koh Samui is also a good place for a tummy-challenging tour of the culinary world.
       Thanks to Citibank, I had a chance to try the food journey throughout the island, from local dishes and fusion to Mediterranean, Italian, creatively designed refreshments and sweet treats.
       Throughout the three-day trek through seven eateries, you require the ability to sample at least eight dishes per venue.
       Is it totally fun? Yes-with the help of digestive pills.
       Ideally, you'll able to spend time at each place, enjoying a lazy pace and the stunning sea views and welldesigned sea views and well designed decor while savourig good food.
       It's recommended to start with the local dishes at Krua Chao Baan on Bang Naam Jued Beach. In business for nearly 20 years, the seaside, openair restaurant is presented simply with atap-thatched shelters, but the delicious food is second to none and the prices are reasonable.
       The menu is extensive. Among the mouth-watering dishes are kaeng som pla kapong(sour soup with white snapper) , the Krua Chao Baan puffy omelette stuffed with minced shrimp, crab, squied and mushroom and wai phad sapparod(stir-fried octopus with pineapple).
       But those prove to be just warmups for the rest of the tour. For more seafood and Thai cuisine in a fine-dining experience with Thai classical music, there's Samui Seafood at the Muang Samui Spa Resort.
       Done up in Thai-style decor with wood predominant, its Thai dishes are prepared under the supervision of Amintra Sukarawan, the founder of the Royal Thai Culinary Centre.
       She's inherited the exquisite royal Thai cuisine and food carvings from her grandmother, ML Puang Tinakorn.
       Its thod mun koong (deep-fried shrimp patties) are formed in ring shape and skewered with lemongrass, to go well with mango and sesame dip.
       The most stunning dish, however, is gai satay(chicked satay with peanut sauce), where the sticks of checkens are served in a small, elephant-shaped terracotta stove filled with charcoal. If you want to take the terracotta elephant home, it's Bt1,200.
       After the heavy meals, take a break with afternoon tea and eleverly designed canapes at the design hotel Library on Chaweng Beach.
       At the cube-shaped inn with its spacious green lawn is the minimalist restaurant The Page, where you can sit in the air-conditioned area, in the open air or on a terrace overlooking the sea and an unusual swimming pool of red mosaic.
       I can recommed the smoked salmon with cantaloupe, tuna ricotta cheese, prawn cake ball, toasted bread with N'duja and the fruit skewer.
       Six Senses Hideaway Samui has been praised for its breathtaking views of the gulf and outlying islands. It's best to try refreshments while enjoying the sunset at Dining on the Rocks, located at the tip of the headland with a 270-degree view.
       Among the creations are hamachi sushi, lamb somtam, smoked salmon with pickled cucumber and hot lime ice cream.
       If you yearn for Italian cuisine in a romantic seaside setting, Olivio at the Baan Haad Ngam Resort is where most people go.
       Italian chef Luigi Fadda warmly welcomed us with a mixed starter of antipasto. Among the signature dishes are fettuccine seafood, salmon steak, baked snowfish with rosemary and garlic asd ink risotto with prawn and seafood.
       You should save room for dessert, because his tiramisu in a cup of coffee is terrific.
       Another option for a fantastic dinner is the Pier, right at the pier at Fisherman's Village. The two-storey, loft-style eatery was designed by noted architect Duangrit Bunnag and serves both Thai and European dished with nice presentations.
       After running the Mangrove restaurant next to Samui airport for seven years, French chef Yannick Tirbois and his wife Ilse Dumont joined with the Thai businessman who owns the Karmakamet Aromatic Hotel. They took over the Pier, adding more European dishes in the menu.
       The mixed seafood starter is a must, with laab gai(spicy chicked salad) , pad thai(stir-fried Thai noodles), deep fried herbed pork ribs and crispy softshell crab with curry powder.
       When night falls, up your beat at the Red Snapper Bar & Grill at the Chaweng Regent Beach Resort, which boasts live Latin music.
       The menu here focuses on Mediterranean cuisine, and of course, red snapper in an herbed crust is the signature dish.
       For starters, opt for grilled chichked on bamboo marinated in Moroccan spices or tuna carpaccio with balsamic and olive oil dressing. The roast duck breast with red wine sauce is also terrific.
       BE VERY, VERY HUNGRY
       Krua Chao Baan at Hua Thanon near Wat Sila-ngu is open daily from 10am to 10pm. Call(077)418 589 or (089) 009 5560.
       Samui Seafood Restaurant at the Muang Samui Spa Resort is open daily from 11am to midnight. Call(077)429 700 or visit www.MuangSamui.com.
       The Page at the Library Hotel is open daily from 6:30am to 11pm. Call(077) 422 767-8 or visit www.TheLibrary.name.
       Dining on the Rocks at the Six Senses Hideaway Samui is open daily from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Call(077) 245 678 or visit www.SixSenses.com.
       Olivio at the Baan Haad Ngam Resort is open daily from 11am to 10.30pm. Call(077) 231 500-8 visit www.BaanHaadNgam.com.
       The Pier at Fisherman's Village is open daily from 11am to midnight. Call(077) 430 680.
       The Red Snapper Bar&Grill at the Chaweng Regent Beach Resort is is open daily from 5pm to 1am. Call(077) 422 008 or visit www.ChawengRegent.com

MALAYSIA MINISTER PROTECTS LOCAL DISHES

2009-09-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

       Malaysia will lay claim to its signature dishes like laksa and chicken rice which are being "hijacked" by other countries, the tourism minis6ter said according to a recent report.
       Those on the list include the fragrant coconut milk rich 'nasi lemak', spicy soup noodle 'laksa' and pork ribs herbal soup 'bak kut teh', Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said according to the Star newspaper.
       "We caanot continue to let other countries hijack our food. Chili crab is Malaysian. We have to lay claim to our food," she was quoted as saying.
       "In the next three months, we will identify certain key dishes [to declare as Malaysian]. We have identified laksa...all types of laksa, nasi lemak and bak kut teh," she added. Ng said her ministry would announce a strategy on how to brand the dishes as Malaysian.
       "That is Part Two. We cannot reveal it yet, but we will let you know soon," she said.
       Ng did not name which countries were hijacking the dishes, which are popular around the world and particularly in neighbouring Singapore and Indonesia.
       Her comments came amid a diplomatic row with Indonesia, where protecters have accused Malaysia of stealing its cultural heritage.
       The dispute erupted in Indonesia in August after erroneous reports emerged that Malaysia had screened that Malaysia had screened tourism advertisements featuring the traditional "pendet" dance of Indonesia's Hindu-majority Bali island.
       The ad was actually a promotion for a Discovery Channel programme, but despite an apology from the network, protesters vowing to "crush Malaysia" have burned national flags and thrown rotten eggs at the embassy in Jakarta.

       The comments cameamid a diplomatic row with Indonesia where protesters have accused Malaysia of stealing its cultural heritage.

FOND PHUKET FAREWELL FOR FLAMBOYANT FOODIE FLOYD

2009-09-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

       Original celebrity chef left behind many memories for staff, friends and patrons alike after falling in love with the Land of Smiles By Phil Teese
       Celebrity chef Keith Floyd, who died of a heart attack in the UK last week, was planning to live in Thailand so he could teach under-privileged teenagers how to cook.Floyd,65, who opened his Floyd's Brasserie at the Burasari Hotel on Phuket's Patong beachfront in 2007, loved Thailand, and it seems Thailand loved him. More than 70 friends and fans gathered at his restaurant on Thursday night to tell tales about him, and relive old memories of the larrikin who won hearts wherever he went.
       Most of the stories were about his outrageous outbursts, but there was also a serious side to the chef who started out as an army cook and ended up hosting 18 top-rating TV cooking programmes which were broadcast in more than 40 countries.
       A spokesman for the Burasari said Floyd spent three or four months a year on Phuket and was planning to move there permanently.
       "He wanted to be more actively involved in running the restaurant, and he wanted to do something to help underprivileged Thai teenagers," she said."He wanted to get involved in social responsibility activities to develop training and education schemes, and to teach young Thai people the cooking skills which could lead to future careers as professional chefs."
       Conor O'Leary, the Burasari's former residential manager, said Floyd was quirky, and always unpredictable.
       "Everywhere he went, he would buy a new mobile telephone and a new SIM card, but he would keep it switched off because he didn't want anyone calling him. If you wanted to talk to him on the phone, you would have to send someone to find him and tell him to turn on his phone. One impressed, and that was night he was in his hotel the end of the interroom when the room view."phone rang. He picked MrO'Leary said it up, abused the caller whenever Floyd was in for bothering him, and Phuket, he would sit at hung up.the entrance to the res"That happened taurant and personally three times, until finally welcome every single the receptionist rang guest as they arrived.and told him the caller "But he would never he kept hanging up on sign autographs or pose was his good friend,for pictures on their way Mick Jagger, wanting to in," he said.invite him to a party."MISSED: Keith Floyd doing "He always told them Mr O'Leary said one what he loved best.he would happily pose TVcrew came off for a photograph on second best after filming an interview their way out, but only if they enjoyed with him in the Phuket restaurant.their meal. It was his little way of getting "He cooked up a lobster, then threw feedback from his customers.it straight at the camera, leaving it "But he was very generous and he dripping in thermidor sauce.was always giving away bottles of "The cameraman was definitely not expensive champagne, for any excuse he could think up. If someone told him it was their first time in Thailand,that was good enough reason for a free bottle of champagne.
       "He wanted absolutely everyone who came into his restaurant to go away happy."
       Lily Udomkunnatum, the Burasari group's managing director, said life with Floyd always included copious servings of both tears and laughter.
       "One night when things were quiet,he ushered the whole seven tables of guests into the bar, and wrapped them in toilet paper. I was stunned, but in no time, everyone was up dancing and having a great time, and it was the most magical time," she said.
       "Floyd was always honest, sincere,and a true lover of life."
       Ms Lily said one night after a performance in Singapore, the cab driver taking her and Floyd back to their hotel recognised the celebrity chef, and started excitedly asking him questions.
       "The driver even pretended to lose his way so he could spend more time talking to Keith," she said.
       Phuket publican Howard DigbyJohns described Floyd as "shambolic,lusty and passionate about everything he did"."He had a beautiful Bentley car which was his pride and joy, and when he lost his licence for drink driving - he was seven times over the legal limit - he kept that car polished and shiny so people wouldn't know he had been disqualified from driving."
       Mr Digby-Johns said Floyd had been married four times, and each marriage had ended in divorce.
       "His life was a wonderful roller coaster ride. He met disaster and triumph frequently, and treated them both equally. He managed to hit all the extremes, and he did it with gusto."

Smokers can hit the cafes again

2009-09-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Croatian government moved to loosen a controversial public smoking ban enforced only four months ago, after cafe owners complained it was crippling business.
According to a new proposal, due in parliament later this month,smoking in cafes will be allowed in special spaces that must be larger than 10 square metres but must not cover more than 20 per cent of the overall premises.

Beginning a new chapter in life

2009-09-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

       It was already half past one in the afternoon, but Chanpen Tongtim was still busy attending her lunch customers in a cafe in Silom. She served the hungry diners not only sandwiches and cups of coffee but also her sincere smile.
       "I really couldn't believe my ears when I first learned Chanpen was once found guilty of murder," said Delifrance's assistant operation manager, Dome Siriwannalert, who three years ago offered Chanpen a job at the eatery.
       Chanpen was, in fact, sentenced to death. It all began, she recalled, with a big argument with one of her friends, a human trafficker who lied to her about needing Chanpen's help to find a few girls to work as housekeepers. After Chanpen found out the truth, she attempted to ask her friend to release those poor girls. The quarrel led to a fight that unfortunately ended in homicide.
       The culprit's penalty was reduced from death to life imprisonment and several years later, she was granted a royal pardon, leaving her only 14 years in jail.
       At the age of 43, Chanpen was given her freedom back. But instead of feeling delighted, she conceded that at that time she had absolutely no idea where and how she could possibly start a new life.
       "When I first learned I was allowed to leave prison, I was thinking 'Why are they releasing me now?' I was 43 then,and I wondered what I could do and how I could find a job," said Chanpen,who is now 46.
       But with assistance from Dome and the Christian Prison Ministry Foundation,the lady was offered a job at Delifrance only a few days after being released.Since then, her responsibilities have grown to include looking after the cafe's customers, taking orders and preparing sandwiches and coffee as well as other dishes available on the menu.
       The assistant operation manager first started hiring former prisoners to work at Delifrance in 2005. Back then, he said,the organisation underwent a considerable structural change and a number of staff were suddenly needed.
       "I only had two days to find six or seven staff to work with us. Fortunately,I had a chance to discuss this issue with Ajarn Sunthorn [Sunthorn Sunthorntarawong, director of the Christian Prison Ministry Foundation]. The Christian Prison Ministry Foundation has been working with ex-prisoners for so many years and it turned out that Ajarn Sunthorn was happy to help me. He said he had always wanted to provide former prisoners opportunities to return and live new lives in society," Dome explained.
       Eight people were sent to Delifrance by the Christian Prison Ministry Foundation in the first week. Some of them were assigned to the kitchen to prepare pastries, steaks and salads, while others became responsible for attending to diners at the cafe's front counter.
       Prior to this, however, Dome invited staff members from the foundation to talk to all restaurant managers in order to make sure the former inmates had changed and that they were not going to become repeat offenders. To make sure, all of them underwent behavioural and emotional rehabilitation programmes before being unshackled.
       And to Dome, it is indeed a win-win situation."We, as a restaurant operator,are happy that we have staff working for us.And the staff are also happy to have a job and earn a living."
       According to Dome,most of the former convicts who work with Delifrance were put in jail due to their involvement with drugs. Nonetheless,once they are hired as the restaurant's temporary staff, they are entitled to receive 25 baht per hour and are required to work for no less than eight hours per day. In the case of full-time employees, they receive around 6,000 to 7,000 baht per month plus social security benefits.
       While former prisoners elsewhere often encounter challenges upon release from prison, especially in terms of their reintegration into society, those who work at Delifrance on the other hand rarely become victims of discrimination,disdain or social prejudice. It seems as if no one is concerned about their past.
       "Everyone here is treated equally,"Dome commented."We develop trust among each other and we do not care what each person has been through as long as they can work for us and do not cause any trouble."
       "Some of my colleagues once asked me what charge I was found guilty of. I thought there was no need to lie so I told them the truth. They said they could not believe I was capable of killing somebody. And when they learned I had spent 14 years in jail, they said I had been in prison for so long that I must be like a kid who knows nothing about the world outside. That explains why everybody has always been willing to teach me everything I need to know," said Chanpen.
       Although former inmates aren't treated with prejudice by their coworkers, it is inevitable that they sometimes feel inferior to others in terms of their personal, educational or social backgrounds. Some of them, Dome observed, are very worried that other people would find out that they had once been labelled as criminals.
       "The only thing I can tell them is to not worry about things in the past.Passengers on the bus, people in the department store or customers in the restaurant will never know they were once prison inmates. So what they need to do is to be happy, smile to customers and enjoy their work."
       Since 2005, almost 20 ex-prisoners have been recruited by Delifrance. However, at present only two of them remain.
       The rest left after being offered better career opportunities.One now works for a leading supermarket chain as a cashier officer.Another now heads the fresh vegetables section of a supermarket while some are with various department stores. Many of them decided to pursue nonformal education.
       As a project initiator,Dome is pleased to see these former prisoners grab the opportunity to start a new chapter in their lives. One of the things he has learned from helping these former criminals is not to judge people by their past, and their intention to change should in fact be used as an indicator to determine whether or not they deserve to be given a second chance.
       "Just let bygones be bygones. Of course, everyone has done something wrong in the past. Ex-prisoners are also human beings, so I do not see any reason why they should not be given equal rights.Let's focus on today, not yesterday,"Dome said.
       Though it has now been three years since Chanpen first started working with Delifrance, she can now still remember very well the day she was asked to fill out a job application form. From being a lady who lacked self-confidence, who did not even know which bus that she could catch to work and who returned home and cried after the first day at work, Chanpen is now one of the most respected senior staff at the restaurant.Her English communication skills have significantly improved to the level that she can take orders from foreign customers. In April last year, she was even awarded "Employee of the Month".
       "If you ask me how I feel about what I did in the past, I would say I deeply regret it. It was something I never wanted to happen. But now, I have started my life anew. I have changed. To me, this is a wonderful new beginning."

GFA to double outlet total in five years

2009-09-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

       Global Franchise Architects (GFA), the Swiss owner of Coffee World and other food and beverage chains, is set to double its business size to 200 outlets by 2013.
       About half the additional outlets will belong to Coffee World, with the rest under its six diversified brands: The Cream & Fudge Factory, Pizza Corner,New York 5th Avenue Deli, The Donut Baker, Juisomania and Conizza. Each outlet will require an investment of 2-6 million baht, depending on store size.Each will create six to 10 new jobs.
       "We currently have the capability to open at least 10 outlets per month, which would double our size in one year. We are confident of moving faster than in the past because our people, product variety, factories and IT solutions are all ready. However, our biggest challenge is to find good locations," said Fred Mouawad, the company's chairman and CEO.
       Coffee World is the only chain to have its own coffee roasting factory in Thailand.
       Mr Mouawad wants to speed its expansion from next year because he is optimistic the economy will improve slightly and inquiries from potential franchisees have increased. The downturn has not hit the food business too hard because people still have to eat, he said.
       To attract investors, the company has cut the franchisee fee for food and beverage brands by 20% until the year-end.
       GFA operates 105 outlets nationwide.About 75% are company-owned and the rest franchised. In the near future, the ratio will slide to 60:40.
       Sales are not expected to grow this year, for the first time in 12 years in Thailand, because of the tourism slump.
       Mr Mouawad aims to counter this with more local promotion and lowerpriced products.
       GFA plans to introduce its new coffee outlet format serving a full range of bakery items at CentralWorld in the coming months. The company will spend 6 million baht for this new outlet.
       GFA operates 210 stores under nine food and beverage brands in 10 countries.Thailand is its biggest market with 105 outlets, followed by India with 75. The rest are in Vietnam, Indonesia, Dubai,Bangladesh and Oman.

DESTINATION PANCAKE

2009-09-13T22:43:00.000-07:00

       While studying in the US, actor Chartayodom "chai" Hiranyubthiti was a regular customer at IHOP, as the International House of Pancakes is known for short, and became something of an expert on its classic combos and variety of desserts. Meanwhile, Wisarut Sriratanaprapas, a Thai student in Melbourne, used to join the long queue in front of the Pancake Parlour, a place of pilgrimage for Australia's pancake fans.
       Chai, Wisarut and three of their pals share such a passion for pancakes that when they decided to start a business, their choice of venture as logically a cafe with the pancake as the star.
       Now they're aiming to make the Pancake Cafe in new mall Nawamin ci6ty Avenue Bangkok's favourite destination for crepes. Decorated in pastel shades of pink, gold and brown with comfy sofas upholstered in floral patterns, the parlour offers hotcakes doled up as both savoury fare and sweet treats.
       "There is no cafe specialising in pancakes in Bangkok, so we want to test the waters. Many people think it's comfort dessert that's easily made at home. In fact, the pancake mix you find in the supermarkets ostly comprises artificial ingredients. Here, at our cafe, we use ony fresh ingredients and we make the batter everyday," says Wisarut, a graduate in marketing and commerce from Melbourne's Deakin University.
       None of five partners are trained in cooking or pastry-making but have learned by doing, reading books and surfing the Net.
       'Initially, we wanted to buy a franchise of the Pancake Parlour but right now, this Melbourne family-owned business is not interested in expanding intofurther franchises. So we decided to do it on our own. We've come up with a pancake that is thick, fluffier and less sweet and has a pleasant odour of milk and butter," adds Wisarut.
       It took about six months for these pancake lovers to come up with a batter that goes well with th selected syrups and vanilla ice cream. At Bt120 to Bt220 a dish, prices a bit steep but the ingredients are , as Wisarut says, of the highest quality.
       "We use only the highest quality products to get the perfect combination. We never substitute our core products with lower-cost ingredients to save money. That would destroy our products. Food presentation is also a core concern."
       As the restaurant, which has been open just one month and has yet to build a large clientele, the menu it not extensive. Three savoury dishes are offered at Bt220 a pop. Opt or the allday breakfast and you will get two butter-milk pancakes, grilled Vienna sausages and ham, fried egg and grilled potatoes. Other options are grilled veal sausages and pancakes served with gravy and vegetable salad, and pancakes topped with hot ham cheese.
       If a sweet threat is more to your liking, order an "Angel and Demon", two chocolate lava pancakes served with fresh strawberry, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream for Bt180. Girls might fall in love with "Sweet Dream", butter-milk pancakes topped with fresh strawberries and served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream for Bt160.
       For a more classic taste, order "Good Days", buttermilk pancakes served with vanilla ice cream, maple sysrup and whipped with pieces of bananas and whipped cream and homemade butterscoth for Bt160.
       You can also customise your own dish wiht side orders. To get one more buttermilk pancake, just add Bt35 or pay the extra for Bt30 to upgrade from the buttermilk to chocolate pancake. One more scoop of vanilla ice cream costs Bt40 and an additional serving of chocolate chips is Bt35. Extra whipped cream and whipped butter cost Bt10 and Bt15 respectively.
       For drinks, you can choose from Lavazza coffees,
       Dilmah teas and smoothies such as peach and strawberry yoghurt. Fro those with a thirst, Wisarut proudly presents "Mrs Smith", fresh juice made with granny smith green apple topped with a salty Chinese plum. The taste is pleasing and not too sweet.
       While the granny smith appel originated in Australia from a chance seedling propagated by Maria Ann Smith hence the name of the apple Wisarut says he's named his drink after the Hollywood movie "Mr & Mrs Smith".
       "The fresh apple juice and the salty plum are a perfect blend. There's no sugar so you body can be as fit and firm as Angelina Joie's," he says with a smile.

       >> AT A GLANCE
       - The Pancake Cafe is in Nawamin City Avenue mall on KasetNawamin Road and is open daily from 11am to 9.30pm on weekdays and from 10.30am to 10pm on weekends.
       - Call (082) 796 4556.

Patra sets sights on Beijing, Vienna

2009-09-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

       Restaurant operator S&P Syndicate will open its first Patra restaurants in Beijing and Vienna by the fourth quarter of this year.

       The company is also studying the possible launch of a new overseas restaurant brand to capture the casual dinning segment, said Pravesvudhi Raiva, the company's president.
       He said that the opening of Patra restaurants in Beijing and Vienna would require investment of Bt15 million and Bt50 million respectively.
       S&P Global, the overseas investment arm of S&P Syndicate, will hold a 90-per-cent stake in the local joint venture set to open Patra restaurant in Beijing while the other 10 per cent would be held by Taiwanese investor Charles Hsueh. For Vienna in Austria, the investment will be directly allocated by S&P Global's two major subsidiaries based in the UK and Switzerland, S&P Restaurant UK and Thai Development.
       "There are currently about 30 Thai restaurants in Beijing. Anyway, they are not good representatives of Thai restaurants in the market," he said.
       Pravesvudhi said that there was no premium Thai restaurant in Beijing at this moment. The company thinks that Beijing will be a good starting point for the company in expanding its Patra restaurants into China in the near future.
       "We have studied such business opportunities in China for two years. We have seen a great potential to represent premium Thai restaurants in the market," he said.
       Pravesvudhi said that Vienna is also a potential bright market for Thai restaurants.
       "People in Vienna have high purchasing power. There are very few Thai restaurants in the market. Most of the Asian restaurants available in Vienna are Korean and Chinese," he said.
       He added that the company's policy was to open at least one Patra restaurant in many major cities abroad.
       "In addition to China, we are studying opportunities to open a Patra restaurant in India in the near future," said Pravesvudhi.
       S&P Global currently operates four Patra restaurants in England, one in Geneva and one in Switzerland.
       Vitoon Sila-on, senior vice present for domestic operations, said that the company would focus on the expansion of S&P restaurants domestically.
       "We have already opened 18 new S&P restaurants domestically in the first half of this year, and between 25 and 30 new outlets will be opened by the second half, bringing the total number of restaurants to between 340 and 350 y by the end of this year," he said.
       He added that the company would focus on opening small bakery shops with total space of about 30 square metres serving baked goods and quick-meal products. About five big restaurant outlets occupying a total space of more than 200 square metres and having between 70 and 80 seats will be opened this year.
       "Our policy is to keep expanding S&P restaurants domestically to utilise the production capacities of our food and bakery factories and lower their costs," said Vitoon.
       He said that including new restaurant outlets, the company achieved 10 per cent growth in the first half of this year, which is lower than the 14-per-cent growth targeted earlier in the year. However, same-store growth was less than 5 per cent in the first half of the year.
       "We want to open about 40 new S&P restaurants domestically in all potential locations such as gas stations, hospitals and in front of universities. We will focus more on expanding our restaurants into the provinces," said Vitoon.
       S&P Syndicate expects to achieve Bt4 billion in total sales this year, including its overseas business.

Surprising delights

2009-09-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

       If you like the idea of gourmet cooking that's imaginative and excitingly tasty,there's a promotion in Bangkok next week you won't want to miss.
       Brian McKenna,Irish-born wunderkind who began his cooking career at the age of 14, will next week take charge of the kitchen at the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel's Terra Roku restaurant from September 17-19- a three-day festival that we can safely say will be unique in Bangkok.
       Brian McKenna has worked in many of the UK's Michelin-starred restaurants including the one-star Le Poussin in the New Forest, Southern England, and the celebrated Gavroche three-star restaurant in Mayfair.
       More recently, he has been creating a culinary stir at Beijing's fashionable Blu Lobster, receiving accolades from local foodies and commentators who've been calling him Beijing's most famous/most original chef.
       There were, it must be said, one or two voices of dissent, because originality is not such a great virtue in everyone's book. A few diners who expected more traditional offerings and were unprepared for Brian's cooking style made their views known in the comment columns of the local gourmet magazines.
       This may well be because of the way he has taken to the developments in molecular gastronomy, which, in recent years has inspired chefs around the world.It's not simply the latest cooking fad and you don't have to be young and trendy to get it; it arose from the understanding that, as well as an art, cooking is a science.
       Cooking causes molecular changes in food. Different cooking methods and combinations of ingredients can improve flavours and transform textures, often unexpectedly. For example, by spraying neat gin onto to a cube of tonic water jelly and lemon sorbet, Brian makes an excellent gin and tonic you can eat.
       Many of the developments developed by molecular gastronomy like foams,emulsions, frozen air and lowtemperature slow-cooking have now been endorsed by mainstream chefs.
       The most famous names associated with molecular gastronomy are those of Ferran Adria, whose El Bulli restaurant in Catalonia is regularly voted "world's best restaurant"; while Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant on the River Thames is often the runner-up.
       Ferran Adria has said that he likes food that will surprise and delight his customers, and Brian McKenna's menu at the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit is sure to do that. His choice of interpretations is by no means extreme, and anyone who enjoys Thai food will be familiar with the pleasures of bringing many different taste sensations together in one dish.
       The dinner menu starts with watermelon gazpacho, foie gras with caramelised rice, and oyster with passion fruit, to be followed by seasonal leaves and vegetables in a salad of 42 ingredients (count them!) with hazelnut mayonnaise,chardonnay jelly and egg slow-cooked at 55 degrees.
       The main courses are a Thai-spiced crab risotto with avocado ice cream,tempura of claw and lemongrass bubbles.The fish course is sauteed black cod with cauliflower puree, Moroccan spiced sugar and granny smith apple; and the meat course is beef, slow-cooked at 60 degrees, with spinach parmesan and egg ravioli, fondant potato and red wine sauce.
       Desserts begin with seasonal Thai fruit with champagne jelly, passion fruit curd and watermelon foam, followed by pineapple and mango ravioli with Sichuan pepper ice cream, garden flowers and Thai coconut soup.
       The meal ends with coffee and sweets:a peanut butter "hamburger", wasabi and black sesame truffle, chocolate tart,and strawberry with celery.
       Chef Brian McKenna presents his exclusive eight-course tasting menu at the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel's Terra Roku restaurant from September 17 to 19. The price is 2,500 baht per person. Advance booking is highly recommended. For more information and reservations, please call 02-204-4165 or email fb@grandmillenniumskv.com.

Foie gras or caviar ice cream?

2009-09-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

       French chef Philippe Faur believes his delicacies are more than just desserts. He dares to make savoury ice cream.
       His caviar, foie gras and Roquefort flavours accompany dishes at his restaurant and inspire menus at a range of highly-regarded establishments elsewhere in France.
       "I began making savoury ice creams in 2002, just to see how it would go, and I told myself it was the way to go," said Faur,39, the son and grandson of icecream makers.
       Faur's menu offers all kinds of colours and combinations, a hotchpotch to surprise the taste buds and flood the palate with a harmony of flavours - beef with Roquefort ice cream, duck breast ravioli with foie gras ice cream, young pigeon and foie gras with truffle ice cream and sea bream with caviar sorbet.
       On meat or fish, the frozen cream melts like a sauce. At Temptations, his restaurant at Saint-Girons in the Ariege region in southwest France, most diners sample it straight from a spoon dipped into the plate.
       He now offers a menu with hundreds of flavours: champagne, mustard, ginger,lavender, liquorice, avocado and saffron as well as the classic vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.
       For his foie gras, he turned to a producer from the Perigord region, Rougie,which supplies the great chefs, and for the caviar he went to the renowned Petrossian company.
       In Lyon in 2007, his foie gras ice cream won him a top international award for innovation.
       "It's innovative. It can be shocking,but 95 percent of customers love it,"said chef Jean-Marc Granger, who hails from a Michelin-starred restaurant, a man who has the waistline for the job and a gourmet's grin.
       "We came to try the foie gras ice cream and we'll be back," said Armand Anglade, celebrating his 35th wedding anniversary with his wife."You can recognise the taste absolutely, the flavour of foie gras, it goes well with meat."
       Faur lays claim to a manufacturing process he says is unique in France, and Europe. To create a high quality delicacy,he says he is rigorous in his choice of fruit and other ingredients and uses only unpasteurised full cream milk from a nearby farm.
       Each day in the afternoon, Cecile Soucasse-Bareille delivers only milk taken fresh from the cows that morning.
       The success of Faur's ice creams has also been good business for this dairy farm which is guaranteed to sell half its output, a godsend for an industry in crisis.
       "Ninety-nine percent of ice creams aren't made from milk, but from milk powder and water. Here we go for quality,in the traditional fashion. The big companies make edible products for the least cost.
       "Us, we take two days to make an ice cream; them, two hours," said Faur.
       "For now, we don't want to get too big. We want a measured growth, to keep our soul and our quality," said Faur, who employs 14 people at his workshop, in addition to the restaurant staff.
       His latest creation is wasabi ice cream from the Japanese condiment, and in the meantime he is working on anchovy.
       "We tried porcini mushrooms and bethmale [a local cheese] but it wasn't satisfactory," said Faur, a big man with a round face who honed his craft in Paris, at the Lenotre and Bellouet schools.
       For next year, rather than an original new flavour, Faur said he is planning "a worldwide innovation"- a sorbet containing 95 percent fruit.

SUKI DINERS TO BE SERVED BY ROBOTS

2009-09-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

       Diners at MK Restaurants - Thailand's biggest chain of suki restaurants - will soon be served by "robotic service agents" instead of human waiters and waitresses.
       Deploying robots to serve the food is MK's latest move to impress its customers with a big IT project. It plans to launch a trial with a first batch of 10 robots within six to 10 months.
       Managing director Rit Thirakomen said MK would spend Bt10 million on developing the first 10 robotic service agents, or Bt1 million each. They would pilot a new food-serving feature, the objectives of which were to increase customer satisfaction at MK Restaurants and encourage local development of commercial robots.
       "We will trial one 'fleet' of 10 robots which will rotate throughout more than 300 branches. To deploy the robots to serve food, we will need to redesign and renovate the floor plan of each branch to allow the robots to walk smoothly. All the robots will be locally researched and developed as we want to support the local robot industry," Rit said.
       The company is also planning to invest in two other IT projects that are aimed at increasing customer satisfaction and improving its productivity. They are a member card project and an inventory system, both based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.
       Rit said the company planned to enhance the good relationship between MK Restaurants and its customers by issuing RFID-based member cards. In this way, existing customers will immediately be recognised in any branch and details revealed such as their favourite dishes.
       The new RFID-equipped member cards will replace about 1 million existing member cards.
       "With the smarter member cards, we will be able to treat our regular customers with the same standard of service as soon as they come in, even at different branches. Currently, we only know they are cardholding customers when billing, because we ask for a member card for giving discounts. With the RFID cards, our members will get special treats wherever they visit," he said.
       However, because the new cards will involve more private information, such as customers' tastes and favourite dishes, the company will be more concerned about privacy issues and it may launch the service on the basis of permission granted. In any case, the card project will follow the arrival of the robots.
       "The estimated cost of implementing the RFID member cards is about Bt30 million to Bt40 million. If we wanted to do it straight away, it would cost Bt50 million to Bt60 million - so we're waiting for the price to come down to meet our budget," Rit said.
       Last but not least is a plan to implement RFID technology to increase the efficiency of the company's inventory.
       Rit said an RFID system would replace an existing manual system that used stickers for cycling materials - mostly fresh products - in the company's inventory.
       Since food quality and safety is a big challenge for any food business, the efficiency of inventory turnaround in a company like MK is very important, Rit said. There are about 500 items, or stock-keeping units, in the company's inventory, with a time range of between three and four days. In the case of fresh vegetables, they must be in stock for no more than one day.
       "We plan to improve our inventory system with new technology. It will possibly be RFID, but we also have our eyes on a barcode system. We are in a research and development process and we expect to be ready to implement it in the near future," Rit said.
       MK Restaurants has been investing in IT every year for almost a decade. Its minimum annual investment budget is Bt20 million to Bt30 million for maintenance of its IT systems, including all back-office functions such as accounting, reporting, human resources, analyses, logistics and daily operations. Investment in the new IT projects, from robots to RFID technology, is extra.
       Earlier, the restaurants made a highlight of a personal digital assistant (PDA)-based ordering system, which allowed the improvement of service times in food ordering. This created a lot of customer satisfaction, Rit said.
       Each regularly-sized restaurant with a serving staff of about 40 people was given about 10 PDA units, access points and a server that together cost about Bt250,000 per restaurant. The system was able to save about 3 to 6 per cent in operating costs over a six-month period. Over a year, the electronic-ordering system was able to break even.
       The restaurant chain also invested in global-positioning systems installed in all of its 110 trucks to improve its logistics management. In this way the company has saved By2 million in fuel costs per year.

Burger joints add wine to the menu

2009-09-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

       Fast-food customers are hearing something new as they order burgers, pizza and all things fried:Would you like wine with that?
       No one's selling cases of McMerlot just yet, but a number of so-called "quickserve" restaurants are adding beer and wine to the menu, partly to boost sales but also with an eye to amping up the ambiance.
       "We simply wanted to create a different kind of dining experience," says Jeff Harvey, CEO and president of Burgerville,a 39-unit chain in the Northwest which recently added wine and beer to one of its restaurants in Vancouver, Washington.
       The trend comes at a time when "quick serve" or "quick casual" restaurants a restaurant that has counter service but aspires to offer something more than typical takeout - are looking to attract cash-strapped diners searching for cheaper options, but not willing to give up the amenities of full-service restaurants.
       "If you're more of an upscale fast food restaurant and you're trying to trade upon that image as more of a premium product, wine really fits in with that image," says David Henkes, vice president of the Chicago-based market research firm Technomic.
       Among the quick serve restaurants selling alcohol is Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill, which sells beer and margaritas.
       Meanwhile, Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. announced in July that it will change the name of one of its existing stores in Seattle - to 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea - and begin serving wine and beer as well as coffee and tea.
       For Burgerville, wine and beer was a logical next step in their programme of using local ingredients to create monthly dishes based on seasonal ingredients.
       There was some resistance from customers who didn't want the 48-yearold chain to change. But "for the most part everybody's been very favourable toward this. The guests have been surprised, but very pleased with the idea,"Harvey says.
       Sales are up at the Vancouver restaurant selling beer and wine, but says Harvey,"That wasn't our motivation.My measure of success is really more the dialogue that's happening at the tables."
       At the three-location Shake Shack in New York City (part of the Danny Meyer empire that also includes Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern), owners decided to sell beer and wine when the first restaurant opened at Madison Square Park five years ago.
       "Shake Shack is about coming together, hanging out in the modern version of that old roadside burger stand,"says managing partner Randy Garutti."We felt that beer and wine was a crucial part of who we are. It was just a part of keeping people at the Shack to hang out, not one of those fast-food joints that has uncomfortable chairs so you leave."
       The Shack even has its own beer,Shack Meister Ale, created by Brooklyn Brewery, as well as wines including Shack Chard and Shack Shiraz.
       And if you want something a bit more upscale with that burger, you can have a half bottle of Bordeaux-style Opus One for $99(3,300 baht), not a bad price since a full bottle of the '05 retails for up to $200(6,800 baht).
       Like Burgerville, Shake Shack's plans to serve beer and wine drew concerns it would create problems, particularly since the restaurant is in a park.
       "Of course, the opposite is true,"Garutti says."People hung out longer and made the park the safest it's been."
       Serving beer and wine isn't a step to take lightly. Restaurants need to obtain a license, which can be a complex and expensive process, and the servers must be 21 or older and trained to serve alcohol.
       At Burgerville, for instance, officials are considering offering alcohol at other locations, though they already know there are some where it won't work,partly due to the layout of the restaurants.Their system involves keeping wine and beer sales separate from food.
       A pioneer in the burgers-n-Burgundy movement is Taylor's Automatic Refresher, a three-location chain in Northern California.
       The quick-serve restaurant, founded by winemaker Joel Gott and his brother,Duncan, 10 years ago, is known as a place where you can get a hearty burger,onion rings and a half bottle of such Napa Valley aristocrats as Shafer Vineyards.
       "It's just a mellow place to go," says operations manager Staci Raymond.
       On a recent afternoon, Sean Brown,CEO of the Internet advertising site BuzzHub, was enjoying a glass of red at the Taylor's in San Francisco's restored Ferry Building while discussing business with a friend. He liked the combination.
       "It's a comfortable way of enjoying an adult beverage with an adult conversation," he says.

NAKED CHEF COOKS UP RESTAURANTS FOR ASIA

2009-08-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

       Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is planning to launch 30 Italian family-style restaurants in Asia, with the first one set to open its doors to his gastronomic followers in Hong Kong early next year.
       The move marks the first step in taking his chain Jamie's Italian - which now has five eateries in England - outside his homeland, to a region which takes price in its rich diversity of international cuisine and where the economy is picking up faster than anywhere the economy is picking up faster than anywhere else in the world.
       "Why Asia? Of all the markets, it has by far the fastest-growing economy," said Edward Pinshow, president of Tranic Franchising, which has joined with Jamie's Italian International for the Asia expansion.
       "The Chinese have become extremely fond of Italian food. In Japan, Jamie's become a household name," he said on Tuesday.
       Pinshow added that the first stage of the expansion was to open six restaurants in Hong Kong and Singapore, for which he is now raising about US$200 million (Bt6.8 billion).
       They plan to roll out another 24 eateries in other parts of the region over the next five years, with China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea among the most likely candidates for location.
       Pinshow said they are now working hard to get their first restaurant - a 460-square-metre, 180-seat venue in Hong Kong - ready for opening in the second quarter of next year.
       He said the menu would offer a full-course meal with antipasti, main dish, dessert, plus a glass of Italian wine, for an avarage of 300 Hong Kong dollars (about Bt1,300) per head.
       "At Jamie's restaurants, you will often find a blue-collar worker, a student, and the chairman of a blue-chip company side by side having a meal," he said, while stressing that everything they served would be "natural and organic".
       Hong Kong will also be established as the development hub, providing all regional support in licensing, real estate, training and logistics for the project.
       Meanwhile, Pinshow said Oliver also had his eyes set on Europe for his chain's international expansion.
       Oliver, 34, shot to fame in 1999 with his cooking series "The Naked Chef". He has since featured in numerous television series, and sold millions of copies of his cookbooks worldwide.
       His 2005 television documentary "Jamie's School Dinners" sparked a national debate on nutritional issues in Britain, and is credited with changing many people's eating habits.

TOO HOT TO HANDLE!

2009-08-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

       There is a noticeable distinction between what is known as "Tex-Mex" food and authentic Mexican cuisine.First popularised in border states like Texas and other Southwestern parts of the United States, Tex-Mex utilises local ingredients, including using more cheese and sour cream than traditional Mexican food, and in some cases, imported spices such as cumin.
       Tex-Mex also has its own unique dishes, such as the chimichanga; an otherwise relatively healthy burrito, deepfried to augment the texture before topping it with a layer of cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa.
       Authentic Mexican cuisine is quite similar to Thai food;it's light, tangy and spicy thanks to the use of ingredients that can be easily found in both countries, such as fresh herbs, lime juice, chillies, peppers and other fruits.
       After nine years of living in Thailand, tired of eating an American variation of the food from his homeland, Mexican Jorge Bernal took the logical step of preparing his own dinner a few steps further and opened the original Tacos & Salsa in Sukhumvit Soi 18.
       The first T&S was a hole-in-the-wall establishment with only four tables, but as business began to pick up, Jorge decided to rent a five-storey shophouse on Sukhumvit Road, in between Emporium and Soi 22.
       Currently, only the ground floor is open while the other levels are being renovated to become another dining area, a lounge, and very possibly an area for salsa dance classes.
       Parking here is surprisingly abundant.The Washington Square car park is connected to the back entrance of T&S, so you don't have to worry about having to park all the way at Emporium then walking a laborious 300-metres in the heat.
       The pink building that houses T&S is possibly one of the hardest things to miss as a pedestrian walking along Sukhumvit.It's five stories of pinkness, way more pink than five Elton Johns.
       The inside is thankfully not pink, but a mixture of psychedelic orange and blue that pretty much spells out "party time" like a teenaged Sean Penn. The entire ambience is matched by appropriately dressed staff, clad in black mariachi-like costumes against the backdrop of a Mexican soundtrack.
       The food here is back-to-basics goodness. Just about
       every dish contains some form of tortilla,a flour or corn flat bread which is a staple of the Mexican diet, much like the way we eat rice with everything here.For example, instead of our khao tom (rice porridge),the Tortilla soup (B80) at T&S is a spicy chicken broth with shreds of chicken breast and whole pieces of crispy tortilla chips soaking it all in.
       A traditional Mexican favourite is the Alambre (B220); two individual soft wheat tortillas filled with fried peppers, onions, cheese,stewed beef and several other ingredients. It's a light sandwich that pairs beautifully with the complimentary salsa.
       Speaking of salsa, T&S does not take its spice levels mildly.Oh no, the salsa here is like the death metal of spice.
       T&S serves three different complimentary salsas to be used as condiments and as dips for tortilla chips. One is a fresh tomato salsa made with tomatoes, onions, salt,chillies and lime juice, which is relatively mild, unless you bite into one of the chillies.
       Then there is a red chilli sauce, made with pureed red tomatoes and red chilies, which is quite hot.
       However, if you're the kind of person that likes a good whipping in the bedroom (i.e. a masochist) then go green with the sweat-inducing, fiery green salsa, made with green tomatoes, lime juice and copious amounts of chillies... but don't have too much of this; chillies are a natural laxative and we all know what that leads to.
       T&S is an awesome place for breakfast and for afternoons when your hangover just won't go away. The Breakfast
       burrito (B130), a serving of eggs scrambled in onions,
       tomatoes, bell peppers and cheese, served
       with two rashers of bacon
       and two flour tortillas, is the kind of meal fit to fuel one eighth of Michael Phelps.
       If you're recovering from a disastrous night out, go for Chila quiles (B90) a plate of tortilla chips smothered in a mild sauce made from green chilies, tomato and garlic, for the ultimate hangover remedy.
       With crazy colours, servers in cultural uniforms, spicy, exciting cuisine and some marvellous cures for "Friday gone wrong"syndrome, there isn't much more to ask for from T&S. Well,except for maybe a cool, wet towel for all the chilli-induced sweat... but then again there's always those refreshing Mexican beverages we're not allowed to write about.

ATTACK ON THE SENSES!

2009-08-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

       The concept of "sensual" eating may conjure up thoughts of aphrodisiacs. But who needs fancy-schmancy ingredients, when all your gastronomic desires can be satisfied in one place? We've got four vouchers to dine at the Sensual Restaurant, valued at B500 each.
       Giveaway prizes courtesy of the Sensual Restaurant (Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Soi 15,02-676-1653. Open daily 10:30am-2pm,5:30pm-12:30am). While aphrodisiacs don't dominate the menu here, you can be sure that you'll be fulfilled in other ways.The Sensual Restaurant has a lush, yet cosy ambience given that it's been converted from a 1960s Thai house. There's a wine garden, and the Cakeaholic bakery, featuring decadent homemade delights. At dinner the Thai and international cuisine is complemented perfectly by easy-listening acoustic music.
       CONGRATULATIONS
       Well-done to Siriporn Prueksavanakij, Porntip Wangkaisit,Kamolphan Jaengsawangwong, Mao Yamamoto, Frederique Timson, and Sally Shilling who won funky SuperZaaap! t-shirts.
       For each prize category,e-mail your answer to guru@bangkokpost.co.th with your name and full contact details. Deadline Aug 31. Winners will be randomly drawn and notified by e-mail. Winners must pick up their prize at the Display Department, The Post Building, by Sep 11.

World-class culinary showcase

2009-08-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

       Bangkok will play host to an extensive international culinary event when Asia's 1st Culinary Cup 2009 comes to Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon, from September 2-5. It will coincide with the Food & Hotel Thailand 2009,one of the kingdom's biggest hospitality trade exhibitions featuring food and drink, hotels, catering, bakery, restaurants and kitchen equipment, retail supplies and services.
       Asia's 1st Culinary Cup will be the first international culinary art contest and convention, and a platform where professionals from all over the world can showcase their talents. The event is organised by the Thai-Swiss Culinary Consultants in association with the Thai Chef's Association, the Thai Hotels Association and the Thai Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), with experts from World Association of Chef's Societies (WACS) as consultants.
       "More than 200 award-winning chefs from around the world have confirmed their attendance," said Jamnong Nirangsan, president of the Thai Chefs Association."The competition will follow the rules of similar projects in Germany,Singapore and France, and the judges will be well-known culinary experts, most of whom are WACS approved international judges.
       "Taking part in the competition will be teams from national and regional culinary associations as well as individual professionals from around the world.So far,12 countries have already registered - Australia, Austria, China, UAE,Holland, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan and Thailand."
       The four-day Culinary Cup will see competitions in various fields including fruit and vegetable-carving, ice-carving,Thai cooking, Asian cooking, Western cooking, US turkey-cooking, modern sandwich-making, breakfast-cooking,cake-dressing, meat and poultry-cooking,Italian pasta dishes, petits fours/pralines/tea pastries, dessert-making, East meets West cooking, a Gourmet Team Challenge and the Hans Bueschkens Junior Chefs Challenge
       "Apart from the culinary competitions,the event will become a platform for the Asian industry for presenting a range of related activities, business opportunities,and the chance to explore what Bangkok has to offer in terms of hospitality and culinary arts," said Jamnong.
       "The flourishing infrastructure that Bangkok can provide in terms of its hotels,great restaurants and food facilities will add significantly to the experience of what will probably be the best culinary event ever held in Asia," he said.
       Food & Hotel Thailand 2009 is expected to bring together more than 25,000 hoteliers, chefs, hypermarket executives,restaurant owners and managers, caterers, housekeeping managers and other related professionals. It will also coincide with Hostec Asia, the only international trade event for Asia's food and hospitality professionals; the Asean Hotel Congress;the Thai Restaurant Conference; the Thai Retailers Summit and the Food & Beverage Association of Thailand's International Wine Challenge.
       Food & Hotel Thailand 2009 and Asia's 1st Culinary Cup 2009 and other related shows will all be held at Royal Paragon Hall on the fifth floor of Siam Paragon from September 2-5, daily from 10:30am-6:30pm. For more information, please visit www.foodhotelthailand.com or www.asiaculinarycup09.com.

The Pizza eyes bigger slice

2009-08-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

       The Pizza Company is confident of pizza's potential, despite rising competition from other foods, and forecasts 400 pizza outlets in Thailand in two or three years.
       Currently, there are about 290 pizza outlets nationwide, of which 204 belong to The Pizza Company. The company expects to be responsible for half of the more than 100 outlets forecast to open in the next few years.
       Pizza has plenty of opportunity to attract Thai consumers, despite Thailand being a rice-consuming country, said Andy Holman, general manager of Minor Food Group, the operator of The Pizza Company chain. Japan, which also has rice as a staple food, has more than 1,000 pizza restaurants, he said.
       Yet many other food sectors are growing faster than pizza, although more pizza outlets open every year. With this in mind, the Pizza Company has recently added pasta to its menu.
       "Our pasta business grew 50% in the first seven months of this year, compared with an earlier target of 8%. We know that rice is an important part of the Thai diet so we have launched rice-based menus as a third strategic product to drive our future growth," he said.
       Yesterday, the company launched eight baked-rice Italian risotto dishes,which have been adjusted to suit Thai palates and sell at 79 baht.
       Italian baked-rice dishes have been launched in China and Middle East, and had a very positive response, he said.
       The company expects the dishes to repeat their success in Thailand and targets sales of 150 million baht by the year-end. The firm will spend 50 million baht to promote its rice dishes this year.
       The Pizza Company will also add six branches by the year-end and focus on its delivery service outside Bangkok.
       The company expects its sales to grow by 8% over 2009, the rate of increase already seen in the first seven months of the year. The Pizza Company expects the pizza business in Thailand to be worth five billion baht in 2009, with the company holding a 70% market share.

VN, INDIA FRANCHISES SIGNED

2009-08-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

       The Pizze Company, the leader in the local pizza-restaurant market, has expanded its business to Vietnam and India, in line with plans announcd earlier this year.
       General manager Andrew Holman yesterday said the company had signed agreements with local investors in Vietnam and India to establish The Pizza Company restaurants as franchise operations.
       "We expect to have the first pizza restaurant in vietnam by the end of this year. In India, we're not sure that we will have the first branch operating this year, because the world economic slowdown has affected investment there," he said.
       Paul Kenny, CEO of the Minor Food Group, operator of the Pizza Company, earlier this year said the Company, earlier this year said the company planned to enter India and Vietnam to seek business opportunities in the two big markets.
       The company expects the revenue contribution from its foreign operations to reach 40 per cent over the next five years. At present, it stands at 20 per cent.
       Holman said The Pizza Company expected India to become one of its biggest foreign markets, like China, where the company now has 18 outlets.
       Revenue growth of the Pizza Company restarurants in China is now better than in Thailand, were first half sales grew 8 per cent year on year.
       At present, The Pizza Company has 40 restaurants in China, the Middle East and Cambodia. In Thailand, The Pizza Company has 204 branches and expects the number to increase to 208 this year.
       The company believes Thailand has the capacity for at least another 50 branches over the next three years, Holman said.
       Meanwhile, The Pizza Comapny has launch a new food menu: Italian baked rice, with eight different dishes. Its flagship dishes are pizza and pasta, and Italian baked rice will be its third food segment. It expects baked-rice dishes to attract a sales volume similar to pasta, which now contributes 15 per cent of sales.
       The Pizza Company has a 70-per-cent share of the Bt5-billion Italian fast-food-restaurant market. Seventy-five per cent of its revenue comes from pizza.
       Holman said that since the company had focused more on pasta menus earlier this year, sales of this kind of food had grown 50 per cent year on year. It expects the same kind of growth from its baked-rice dishes, because Thais are familiar with rice.
       "Apart from pizza, I would like to see consumers order baked rice and pasta as additional items," he said.
       Although its pasta revenue grew 50 per cent in the first half, The Pizza Company's overall revenue in that period grew only 8 per cent. The company has adjusted its pizza prices in a bid to make them more affordable.
       Holman expects the new baked-rice menu to help the comapny generate second-half revenue of Bt150 million to Bt200 million, allowing it to maintain revenue growth of 5-10 per cent.

       The company expects the revenue contribution from its foreign operations to reach 40 per cent over the next five years. It now stands at 20 per cent.

Publican offers 30,000 baht

2009-08-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

       The owner of the Santika pub - which erupted into a deadly inferno in the first few seconds of this year - has told a court he could offer just 30,000 baht in compensation to relatives of the dead and to surviving victims.
       The blaze killed 66 people and injured hundreds. The offer was part of a second round of court settlement talks between pub owner and operator Suriya Ritrabue and the victims at Phra Khanong Provincial Court yesterday.
       A lawyer representing Mr Suriya told complainants the pub owner had no more money to pay compensation.
       Families affected by the Santika fire have filed seven civil suits against Mr Suriya demanding compensation totalling 105.7 million baht.
       But the initial court settlement process was required before civil suits could begin.
       The lawyer said the pub owner could not afford to pay more than his offer but a victim who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the management and business partners of the pub should share responsibility to compensate fire victims.
       Chairat Saeng-arun, who is an adviser to the Foundation for Consumers that has supported the Santika fire victims'fight for compensation, said the pub owner would be given one last chance to make an acceptable offer in the next court settlement negotiation set for Nov 25.
       If the talks fail again, victims and relatives of the dead would launch legal proceedings against the 33 Santika pub management members and business partners who should be held responsible for the consequences of the fire, Mr Chairat said.
       More than eight months after the inferno, no victims have received compensation. Forty more complaints have been lodged against the pub operator.

Jamie's Italian coming to Asia

2009-08-25T23:40:00.000-07:00

       Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is planning to launch 30 Italian family-style restaurants in Asia, with the first one set to open its doors to his gastronomic followers in Hong Kong early next year.
       The move marks the first step in taking his chain Jamie's Italian - which now has five eateries in England - outside his hometown, to a region which takes pride in its rich diversity of international cuisine and where the economy is picking up faster than anywhere else in the world.
       "Why Asia? Of all the markets, it has by far the fastest-growing economy,"said Edward Pinshow, president of Tranic Franchising, which formed a venture with Jamie's Italian International for the Asia expansion.
       "The Chinese have become extremely fond of Italian food. In Japan, Jamie's become a household name," he said in Hong Kong yesterday.
       Pinshow told AFP that the first stage of the expansion was to open six restaurants in Hong Kong and Singapore,for which he is now raising about US$200 million.
       They plan to roll out another 24 eateries in other parts of the region over the next five years, with China, Japan,Taiwan and Korea among the most likely candidates for location.
       Pinshow said they were now working hard to get their first restaurant - a 5,000-square-foot,180-seat venue in Hong Kong - ready for opening in the second quarter of next year.
       He said the menu would offer a fullcourse meal with antipasti, main dish,dessert, plus a glass of Italian wine, for an average of HK$300(US$38.5) per head.
       "At Jamie's restaurants, you will often find a blue-collar worker, a student, and the chairman of a blue-chip company side by side having a meal," he said,while stressing that everything they served would be "natural and organic."
       Hong Kong will also be established as the development hub, providing all regional support in licensing, real estate,training and logistics for the project.
       Meanwhile, Pinshow said Oliver also had his eyes set on Europe for his chain's international expansion.
       Oliver,34, shot to fame in 1999 with his cooking series The Naked Chef . He has since featured in numerous television series, and sold millions of copies of his cookbooks worldwide.
       His 2005 television documentary Jamie's School Dinners sparked a national debate on nutritional issues in Britain,and is credited with persuading some people to change their eating habits.

THAI FOOD A TOURISM DRAWCARD

2009-08-24T22:50:00.001-07:00

       Allied organisations in the tourism industry will stage two major events next month aimed at boosting domestic toruism and promoting Thai products in global markets.
       The events, both concerning Thai cisine, will be called "Amazing Taste of Thailand" and "Thailand Brand".
       The first, to be held in Bangkok from september 24-28, will be staged by the Toruism Authority of Thailand (TAT),the Department of Export Promotion, the Thai Hotels Association, the Association of Domestic Travel and the Thai Restaurants Association.
       Juthaporn Rerngronasa, deputy governor for marketing communications at the TAT, said Thai cuisine was one of the authority's foremost priorities linked with trave and tourism.
       The Commerce Ministry plans to increase the number of Thai restaurants abroad form 13,000 now to 15,000 next year as part of the second phase of Thailand's Kitchen of the World" project, she said.
       Many of the restaurants, ranging from elegant upmarket outlets to fast-food takeaways, are set up by This living abroad, Thai wives of expats and former students, as well as foreign entrepreneurs who simply fall in lovewith Thai food.
       In 2007, vistors to Thailand spent an average of Bt4,120 per person per day, of which Bt731, or 17.74 per cent, was spent on food and beverages.
       The second event will be held simultaneously in Bangkok and other leading tourist destination. It will be targeted at chefs and owners of Thai restaurants abroad who will meet local restaurant owners, chefs and companies invloved in the production and distribution of Thai agricultural products.
       "About 500 participants will join this campaign, including woners, managers, chefs of Thai restaurants abroad, famous chefs from man parts of the world and food critics and writers," Juthaporn said. "The two events will provide opportunites for operators to expand their businesses, both in Thailand and abroad."

Chokdee to raise funds from MAI for expansion

2009-08-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

       Chokdee Dimsum Restaurant plans to grow domestically and venture abroad in the next three years with funds to be raised from the stock market.
       Managing director Dheeraphop Siraprapathum said last week that the company was working with a financial adviser to prepare for listing on the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI).
       According to the listing plan, it has already separated its business into three companies.
       Chokdee International Food operates the central kitchen and distributes frozen dim sum to all branches nationwide.
       Chokdee Dimsum Restaurant operates the dim sum restaurants.
       And Chokdee International Franchise oversees its franchised restaurants.
       Listing on the MAI would be the springboard for expansion, Dheeraphop said.
       Domestically, Chokdee Restaurant would like to enter department stores and shopping centres, while it would like to penetrate overseas markets such as China.
       "To have a restaurant in one shopping mall, we need at least Bt4 million. Meanwhile, if we would like to have a Chokdee Dimsum Restaurant overseas, we have to set up a central kitchen. Therefore, the investment will increase to Bt20 million per branch, which is too much for us. We need to mobilise funds from the bourse," he said.
       The enterprise would grow rapidly after listing on the MAI, he said.
       Since its establishment in 2000, it has multiplied to 18 branches, of which nine operate around the clock.
       "We are the first dim sum restaurant in Thailand that sets reasonable prices, which everyone can afford and is open for 24 hours. This is our strength. We can utilise every resource such as employees for the most effective results to gain more money. And night-time is a good period for making money," he said.
       The company plans to increase its coverage by six branches this year, of which three have already been created by franchising both in Bangkok and upcountry.

Green group targets McDonald's

2009-08-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

       A Hong Kong green group has called for a levy on disposable cups and cutlery after revealing McDonald's had given away around 400 million such items during lunchtimes alone in the last three years.
       Green Senses is demanding the government introduce a levy of 6 US cents on every item given to customers in a bid to force the fastfood chain to cut down on the number it uses. The environmental group based its estimate on a survey, which had tracked 50 of the McDonald's Hong Kong outlets since 2006.
       It claimed the 210 outlets in Hong Kong had used more than 11 million cups, paper boxes and pieces of plastic cutlery within a two-hour period in one month. This amounted to 400 million pieces over the three years of the survey, equating to almost 60 items for every man, woman and child in the city of 7 million.
       A McDonald's spokeswoman denied it had been unwilling, telling local media that the chain had "continously come up with viable green campaigns" and had adopted a 3R policy of reduce, reuse and recycle. She said waste volume had fallen by 80 per cent since it had replaced styrofoam boxes with paper ones. The chain now also recycles used oil.

DONE'TIL DELECTABLE

2009-08-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

       The glass-wrapped Vie Wine & Grill on the 11th floor of the Vie Hotel offers international cuisine, sweet temptations and wine, and a spectacular night cityscape.
       While the hotel's exterior is modern, with glass from top to toe, the retaurant is decorated in dark, earthy tones of brown and orange, with woven copper mesh curtains clsed for privacy.
       The dark couches are given traditional accents with silk cushions upholstered in orange, green and copper, while the ceiling lamps created from hundreds of silkworm cocoons give warm lighting. There is a private function room at one end and a well stocked wine cellar at the other.
       The cuisine has been created by executive chef Supat Chinsangtip, and the highlight is a technique called sous-vide-French for "under vacuum", in which dishes are cooked under pressure at a controlled temperature below 100 degrees for a long time, sometimes up to 24 hours.
       Unlike using a slow cooker, sousvide requires airtight plastic bags placed in hot water well belwo boiling point, usually around 60 to 62 degrees.
       An "(s)" mark beside the dish on the menu indicateds it's cooked with this technique.
       "Sous-vide was first used to cook foie gras to redce the shrinkage and retain flavour," says Supat. "But it was later developed for other dishes - from fish and tough cuts of meats to vegetable cookery. The advantage of cooking this way is that ingredients lose very little of their natural juices and nutrients."
       A good starter is zucchini and basil soup with parmesan cheese for Bt150, and it's well follow with a Caesar made with cos lettuce and a slow cooked egg salad for Bt260.
       For a main dish, Supat presents a rib-eye steak for Australian Rangers Valley beef for Bt1,235. Theat's 240 gra,s. amd ot cp,es wotj a cjpoce pf saices" Cafe de {aros. red wome. Bermaose. jprseradosj pr cream.
       The sous-vide chicken breast with Cafe de Paris sauce servd with asparagus and french fries for Bt450 is supremely tneder thanks to the long cooking time.
       Or you can try grilled tuna with asparagus and potatoes in a romesco sauce for Bt360, or the sous-vide salmon fillet with Moroccan eggplant salad with capsicum dressing for Bt330.
       Sweet treats of home-made ice cream and various traditional French desserts like creme brulee served with strawberry ice cream will complete a perfect meal.
       The restaurant also has "Wine Flight" promotion for Bt450 - three glasses of red or white wine and three tapas, such as risotto balls, grilled beef with romesco sauce and deep-fried crabmeat with minced pork.
       The white wines on offer are Chardonnay Pupilla, Chardonnay Db Selection and Sauvignon Blanc la Chapelle, while the red wine lists include Cabernet Sauvignon Pupilla, Shiraz Db selection de Bortoli and Merlot la Chapelle.

       >> LIFE IS GOOD
       - The Vie Wine & Grill is open diaily from 6 to 10pm.
       - It's on Phya Thai Road and is easily reached from the Skytrain's Rajthevee station.
       - Call (02) 309 3939 or visit www.VieHotelBangkok.com.

WORK CAN WAIT...YOU TRIED THE LOBSTER?

2009-08-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

       For India's hungry hordes of office workers, the old-fashioned work canteen is past its sell-by date. In the brave new world of IT and business outsourcing companies, sophisticated cafeterias now rule.
       Salary slaves are set free at lunchtime with live kitchens, multi-cuisine offerings, brightly themed colour schemes with furniture and fixturs to match, vending machines, music system, TVs and the all-machines, music system, TVs and the all-important Internet connectivity.
       "The availability of cafeterias and the upgrade fo services is like moving from Web 1.0 to 2.0," says Romit Dasgupta, director of Globsyn Business School. He adds that like many upgrades on the Net, it's also community driven.
       Over at Google's India headquarters the story is the same. Here, the philosophy is "no employee pays for food" and the food served is often raved about, reviewed and compared to reputed restaurants.
       According to Dasgupta, "These are basic innovations for providing psycholgical comfort to the talent pool. In a scenario where software experts anre spending long hours at their computers, it is a bbout providing them with the playround that allows themto come back and write those priceless codes."
       And a superior cafe cn play a role in attracting that talent to a company in the first place. Though an IT professional's criteria for a preferred company to work for will include good projects, pay structure, interpersonal relationships and career opportunities, infrastructure facilities like cafeteries definitely appear on the list.
       According to IBM's Rajeev Mathur, regional manager of site operations for South Asia, cafeterias "act as a retention policy and enable the organisation to keep employee moral and motivation igh".
       The glass-domed cafeteria on IT giant Wipro's sprawling Kolkata complex is designed to satisfy everythingk from short snacking breaks to serious gastronomic urges. Brands like Baskin Robbins, Barista, Expresso and Java Green offer 24-hour service.
       And with the vast choice comes subsidised prices. A peek into the IBM cafeteria at lunchtime reveals software workaholics catching up on a spread consisting of South Indian thalis, snacks of samosas and bhajis, soups, grilled sandwiches, pasta, pizza and noodles.
       If the deliciously cold air-conditioning is not enough, you can beat the sweltering summer heat or the sultry monsoon by heading for the ice-cream parlour or the juice bars.
       The counters at the cafeteria attract queues for feshly prepared food, with employees helping themselves to across-the-counter breakfast, lunch, evening snacks, dinner. Alternatively, they can order the regular berad and breakfast or items prepared at the onsite kitchen such as pizzas, dosas and meals of Indian, Chinese or fusion food, vegtarian or non vegetarian.
       But, as Dasgupta notes, the choice and comfort has a higher objective than satis fying the appetities of workers: "In the case of IT giants like IBM and Wipro where there is a disconnect between various rungs, add-ons like cafeterias are the intermediaries that help keep the show ticking."

PATTAYA BARS WANT TO OPEN LATER

2009-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

       Nightspot operators yesterday lodged a petition with Pattaya mayor Itthipol Khunpluem seeking longer operating hours to help ease economic hardship.
       Led by former MP Charnyut Hengtrakul, the operators claimed strict enforcement of operating hours was making it harder for them to make ends meet.The industry had already been hit by the economic downturn.
       The petition was accepted by deputy mayor Ronnakij Ekasingh who promised to forward it to Bang Lamung district and to the Chon Buri governor.
       Mr Charnyut, an adviser to night entertainment business operators, said yesterday that extending operating hours was a short-term measure.
       He said the law governing opening hours should be amended to allow longer operating hours for nightspots in the entertainment zone.
       He also said authorities lacked understanding about the tourism industry,especially tourist towns such as Pattaya,Phuket and Chiang Mai.
       It was a shame that efforts to loosen up operating hours which started under the Thaksin administration stalled following the 2006 coup.
       "This is a critical problem. If no action is taken, we could end up in serious trouble. Those in related businesses will also suffer," he said.
       Mr Ronnakij said Pattaya city administration would call a meeting with business operators to discuss the problem.
       Under the law, nightspots in entertainment zones have to shut at 2am while those outside the zone must close at 1am. Night entertainment venues used to close at 4am.
       Meanwhile, immigration police yesterday arrested an Australian man and a Thai woman on charges of human trafficking and prostitution in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district.
       The authorities also detained 21 women including two 17-year-olds from the two-storey Coyote A-Go-Go club in the raid.
       Trevor James Holley,52, denied any involvement while his alleged accomplice Watcharee Batpho,44, admitted the prostitution charge. The suspects were handed over to Muang Pattaya police for further questioning.

AMPOL EXPANDS EXPORT FOCUS

2009-08-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

       Popularity of Thai restaurants abroad leads food processing company to stretch its overseas goals, writes Walailak Keeratipipatpong

       The rising number of restaurants serving Thai food abroad reflects the popularity of Thai cuisine,which has also fed large exports of ingredients and food from Thailand in recent years.
       About 15,000 Thai food restaurants operate around the world and their number shows steady growth, according to a report from the Commerce Ministry.
       The appeal of Thai food is expected to help export revenue from ready-toeat and ready-to-cook products to pass 330 billion baht this year, out of an estimated 722 billion baht in food exports.
       The sector's export growth has lured many Thai food companies, including Ampol Food Processing Co, to map out expansion plans for more countries.
       "We have set an ambitious goal to distribute products to 65 countries by next year, up from 20 at present," says managing director Kriengsak Theppadungporn.
       The company's key product lines Chaokoh coconut milk, V-Fit beverages and the new Roi Thai ready-to-cook curries - all are in UHT packages that have established themselves strongly in Asian markets.
       New markets in the pipeline include Europe and the United States, where the company has sought permission from the Food and Drug Administration to sell its ready-to-cook lines.
       Roi Thai will be a leading brand for new markets, to which more varieties of curry and soup base will be added including ready-to-cook tom yum ,tom kha (tom yum-like mild-coconut milk soup with galangal), rice noodles in fish curry sauce - on top of ready-to-cook red, green and yellow curry soup, peanut curry soup and massaman curry soup.
       "A lot of our consumers have a fondness for the hot and spicy taste of Thai curries, but we tend to customise the tastes for a mass market's acceptance,"he said.
       Traditional shops and grocery stores will be the company's key focus rather than newer trade channels, said Mr Kriengsak.
       Ampol's strategy is to reposition itself as a maker of ready-to-cook food, rather than a ready-to-eat processor or a supplier of food ingredients. The expansion
       could also raise income from exports to equal that from domestic sales in the near future.
       Ampol Food reported 1.4 billion baht in sales in 2008, of which 30%was derived from exports.Kriengsak: Plan to To support the ship to 65 countries new business positioning, the company plans to set up a new company,Ampol Food and Beverage Co, and to invest about 300-400 million baht in building a manufacturing plant to process ready-to-cook products, said marketing manager Kritsada Sopa.
       The plant, on an 80-rai plot in Ratchaburi, will be Ampol's most modern food and beverage production facility.
       "The compound will be a venue for us to showcase coconut and coconutbased food industries. We will try to establish a demonstration plantation for all coconut varieties in the area," said Mr Kritsada.
       The new plant will support research and innovation from the company's new 180-million-baht research and development centre in Nakhon Pathom,which is designed to host research into new food and beverage products by several food institutes and universities.
       The centre will help add more cereal and health drinks to the brown rice milk and corn milk produced at the firm's current facilities.
       One product in the production pipeline is an energy drink similar to current market leaders such as Gatorade.
       Ampol Food and its parent company, Theppadungporn, are market leaders in Thailand's coconut milk industry. The Chaokoh brand controls about 70% shares of local business while the remaining shares go to the Aroy-Dee and Tip brands.
       To help explore export markets,the company has teamed up with government agencies on roadshows and exhibitions abroad, said Mr Kritsada. The events allow the company to make market surveys, and look at consumer habits and product preferences in each market it visits, he said.
       "For example, we learned that even though there are more than 3,000 Thais living largely in Johannesburg and Cape Town, our real customers for the products there are not Thais but foreigners," he said.
       "In Laos, Roi Thai red curry soup is the best seller while Japanese consumers prefer green curry."
       Ampol Food has yet to set up representative offices overseas. Mr Kriengsak said he would rather strengthen the foreign market team to increase export activities.

FLOWER POWER!

2009-08-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

       Despite its French-sounding name, Le Lys serves authentic, homemade Thai food

       Wow I'm going to a French restaurant!I thought, as I received the news that I would be checking out a place called Le Lys.Images of fleur de lys (lilies:the national flower of France)flashed across my mind. I pictured a grand dining room and a suave waiter in a tuxedo with a pencil moustache,complimenting all my choices with the words,"Oui !Tres bien monsieur !" his eyes closed and his face tilted 45 degrees in the air.
       That wasn't the case unfortunately but that's not to say that Le Lys was a disappointment.
       Patty, a Thai, met her husband Philippe during her years working as a travel agent in Saint Tropez,France. After a while they married and became Mr and Mrs Delmas.
       After many years of running a Thai restaurant in the land of lilies they moved to Thailand and opened the original Le Lys in 1998. They have since moved location twice, most recently opening for business in Nang Linchee Soi 6.
       The current Le Lys is in a renovated home, with the restaurant divided into two sections; an outdoor section on the ground floor covered by a roof, and an air-conditioned dining section on the mezzanine floor.
       The ground floor features a heavily stocked garden, full of plants, flowers and trees. It gives the whole place a,"Am I really still in concrete city Bangkok?" kind of feel.
       Old metallic fans hang from the pillars of the ground floor, while random antiques and rustic furniture give the place a homely, colonial furbish. There is also a large projector here, accompanied by an even larger bar that's used for watching football and rugby matches on TV."My husband loves rugby and French soap operas," Patty explains.
       The beautiful and elegant part of this restaurant is definitely contained in the mezzanine floor. Dimly lit, dark wooden floors, antique furniture, a large mirror and very high ceilings allows one to bask in a feeling of intimate opulence.
       Another French touch is a petanque court outside, with Le Lys almost performing the secondary role of a clubhouse for players of the sport. For those not in the pentanque scene, this is a game popular in France, which involves the accurate throwing of three metallic balls as close as possible to small wooden ones placed on the court.
       There is also a sculpture of a lady with exceptionally large - but perfect - buttocks on the wall of the court for anyone who manages to lose a game 13-0(lowest point of epic fail possible) to publicly humiliate him/herself by kissing her big ceramic buns.
       The concept of the food here is what Patty describes as "homemade Thai food". However, I can assure you that I rarely ever get to see homemade Thai food done so well unless I am invited to some hi-so friend's house, who employs cordon bleu chefs. Which is never.
       Though the food here - simple, done well, without any pretentious aesthetic elements and priced fairly - is essentially Thai, some dishes take inspiration from French cooking.
       "When I came back to Thailand I noticed how expensive escargot snails were and you know, I love those things so I had to come up with my own variation of them," our sassy friend Patty recalls.
       "So I replaced the snails with baby clams and added lots of curry powder." This item is simply labelled as Baby clams (B120) on the menu, and boy is it a tasty Thai twist, filled with crunchy, aromatic garlic that somehow doesn't turn you into vampire mace.
       "People worried about the authenticity of the Thai food in a restaurant that has a French name but they were wrong. We don't compromise the Thai roots of our dishes," Patty says.
       To demonstrate that outlook, the Panang duck breast (B180) features succulent chunks of seared duck breast in a rich panang curry, with crispy basil leaves on the side. It makes a great dinner entree to share between friends.
       I also tried Stuffed squid (B180), two relatively large marine cephalopods stuffed - actually, packed to the brim would be more appropriate - with a combination of vermicelli, minced pork and spices, served with a tangy sauce.
       Single rice dishes are also a feature of the menu and are subject to a discount during lunch hours.Assorted shrimp paste fried rice costs B120 at lunch and B150 at dinner. Patty believes that dinner is a time for sharing entrees with your friends and not a time for single dishes.
       What really makes this place shine is not just the food but the whole family feel of the entire experience. Patty and Philippe will automatically make you right at home and if you are into rugby you'll make a new friend.
       The only downside was the lack of a Frenchman in a tuxedo with crazy man-whiskers. However, my slight disappointment vanished when I saw a photograph of Philippe taken many years back of him sporting possibly one of the most epic moustaches to grace the 20th century.
       Thai 148/11 Nang Linchi Soi 6 Open daily 11:30am-10:30pm 02-287-1898-9

When Bo met Dylan

2009-08-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

       Mutual love of Thai food leads to a very special partnership
       "The taste and aroma was so good. Thai food requires so many different types of seasonings. The end result is a wonderful blend with great taste. Other foreign cuisines are not like this.
       When I found out that a Thai woman was joining our kitchen staff, my impression was that this woman had to be good since she was a native Thai. Her knowledge about Thai food must be impressive to say the least.I was intimidated even before she arrived. But when I actually met her, she wasn't at all scary.
       Two people in love with each other need not necessarily have to share the same tastes.But if they do happen to share the same tastes in a particular direction then the result is a harmonious blend. This leads to a bond that enables a relationship to grow into something beautiful, or what is commonly known as love.
       This applies to the owners of a Thai restaurant called Bo.lan. The name is derived from a Thai chef called Duangporn "Bo"Songvisava and her Australian partner Dylan Jones.
       Both are connoisseurs of Thai food who are enchanted by the art of Thai cooking.They trained in the art of Thai cuisine separately until fate saw to it that they met one another at the Nahm Thai restaurant of famous Michelin-starred chef David Thompson at London's Halkin Hotel. Of course,Dylan was a chef at that swanky place.
       Learning about Thai food ... And each other
       "When I found out that a Thai woman was joining our kitchen staff, my impression was that this woman had to be good since she was a native Thai. Her knowledge about Thai food must be impressive to say the least. I was intimidated even before she arrived. But when I actually met her, she wasn't at all scary," said Dylan as he recalled his first meeting with Bo.
       Bo said that initially she was a really slow worker despite the fact that she read Thai gastronomy for her Master's degree at the University of Adelaide, Australia, and even had a previous stint as an assistant to chef Amanda Gale at The Met Bangkok.
       But working in a family-style environment at the Nahm restaurant was a totally different experience when compared to other places because of the highly detailed nature of creating dishes.
       "Most kitchens usually prepare ingredients for their dishes. For example, staff would peel prawns or prepare the meats for each dish by meticulously weighing and slicing them into the proper sizes ahead of time,"said Bo.
       "But at Nahm each chef is much more than that. Each dish they prepare will be personally done from the beginning till the end. They'd peel their own prawns, make their own curry paste and seasoning. As for vegetables, it can only be varieties that are indigenous to the area.
       "Even though I am a Thai, I never heard of most of the vegetable varieties which other Thai restaurants would never use. I had to start learning from square one again.
       "I realised that Dylan was much more knowledgeable about Thai food than I was.He knew more than most Thais. He taught
       me a lot.
       "Even the tasks such as lifting heavy pots,he would help out throughout my two years at Nahm. He was kind to me."
       In love with BBQ fermented pork,Tom Yum spare ribs and a Thai woman
       Dylan has been in love with Thai cuisine for as long as he can remember. He worked in Thai restaurants in Australia before travelling to London. Before that he came to Thailand as a tourist.
       It was nothing short of heaven, he said, as he treated his palate to endless dishes, both home-cooked and at restaurants around Thailand.
       He made it a point not to visit touristy establishments because he wanted the real Thai taste.
       "The first Thai dish that I fell in love with was naem yang or barbecued fermented pork.I was so surprised by how tasty it was," said Dylan.
       "The taste and aroma was so good. Thai food requires so many different types of seasonings. The end result is a wonderful blend with great taste. Other foreign cuisines are not like this."
       Dylan then spoke about the love of his life and what captivated him to pursue this Thai woman. He recalled Bo's first stint at Nahm and described her as a painfully slow worker,but within six months she developed her skills gradually and became the fastest worker in the kitchen, plus she was diligent and determined to learn.
       "Her learning technique was extremely proficient. She was very serious and whatever you taught her was memorised rapidly. Once work was done and the guys treated themselves to a beer or two, she'd prepare a real sour and spicy tom yum kradook orn (pork spare ribs) soup and serve it to go along with the beer," Dylan said.
       Chasing dreams back home
       After Dylan and Bo had accumulated seven years' experience between them at Nahm restaurant they decided that it was time to move on to Thailand and open their own restaurant. Bo.lan was to become their new abode in Bangkok.
       Bo.lan is based on a slow food philosophy and was inspired by David Thompson because of his attention to natural and seasonal ingredients.
       "Both of us are chefs by profession which is why there will always be quarrels in the kitchen. Though we trained at the same es-tablishment we have different styles which is why we don't agree on some issues and get angry with each other - but only for a short while," said Bo.
       "But in general, Dylan is the boss in the kitchen so there's no confusion in the chain of command. I help out when it comes to changing new menus and help teach the new staff as Dylan's proficiency in Thai isn't that good yet.
       "But once he's in the zone, he ushers me out of the kitchen because he doesn't want me to interfere too much.
       "It's fine by me as long as he makes my breakfast of boiled rice with pork spare ribs,I let him have his way most of the time.
       "I have to admit he knows more than me when it comes to Thai food but in the area of tasting I have the upper hand. I have a Thai tongue, so to speak, so I can tell him whether the taste is right or not. This is one advantage that he cannot argue about."
       Bo.lan restaurant primarily serves dinner after Bo and Dylan are done with their morning shopping chores at the market.
       "Finding the right ingredients is very important. Take Klong Toey market for instance.We need to know the exact time to arrive in order to get just the right vegetables we want,"said Bo.
       "If we come at night or close to dawn then we'll get vegetables from the North. If we come in the afternoon we get vegetables from Isan.
       "Some types of vegetables need to be sourced directly from the local farmers. Some which are hard to find have to be bought at Ta Chang market. Even the Or Tor Kor market is a great place for its variety."
       Dylan and Bo design the menu together.When it's fruit season, there will be a combination of main dishes and sweets which use fruits as ingredients.
       For example there's a delicious soup made from rambutans, or a special kaengsom dish made from longans.
       Then there are vegetables such as pak tiew, yodmakok, baichaplu, or yodkratue,adapted for their signature dishes in spicy salads and chilli dips.
       Unfortunately, many traditional Thai dishes are not recorded in a systematic manner but are usually passed on from generation to generation.
       Meanwhile, seasoning and other ingredients are flexible in terms of portions or amount due to the fact that many varieties of vegetables are seasonal and mature at different times of the year."This is the charm of Thai food,"Dylan said."Thai recipes may not be able to stipulate exact and precise portions of ingredients.
       "Sugar processed from different regions have a different sweet factor. Nam pla might not have the same saltiness due to the different fermentation processes. Limes taste different in the various seasons. If you don't have limes then there's always a substitute.
       "This is what makes Thai food so special.This is why I believe that there is no cuisine like Thai food.
       "And I also believe that Thai cooking schools should not teach the art of Thai food based on similar recipes or methods like other styles of cooking because Thai food is much richer in variety and has its own unique personality."
       Bo is immensely proud and happy of any praise that might come from diners as Thai cuisine conveys the culture and society of Thai people.
       "Some customers tell me that the dishes we prepare remind them of what they ate when they were children. It was what their grandmothers made for them.
       "In other cases customers exchange recipes and share their kitchen secrets with us. This enriches our knowledge. Take somsa or example, a customer told us that in the old days somsa was eaten after kao chae in the summer season.
       "Different dishes eaten in different climates tend to have a profound affect on one's health it seems."
       The passion for Thai food in both Bo and Dylan led to their eventual meeting which grew into love.
       Both hope that conveying the value of Thai food through their signature dishes at Bo.lan, all made with love and meticulous attention to detail, will eventually make people understand and learn more about Thai culture and society.