BMA : Siphoning could save the rest of Bangkok from flooding
Deputy Bangkok Governor Theerachon Manomaipaiboon, who is part of the water drainage committee, said to save the remaining parts of Bangkok, siphoning would be urgently needed as an addition to the flood barriers to drain the water.
According to Mr. Theerachon, tubes can be placed above or underneath the barriers to drain the floodwater. The idea has been discussed in the FROC meeting with supports expected from the Ministry of Industry and the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority. However, the Deputy Governor claimed he has not received any materials from both agencies so far.
Mr. Theerachon explained that water siphoning by tubes could help drain the water from Khlong Hok Wa in Sai Mai district to the east of Bangkok before releasing it into the sea. He added that these tubes should be installed within the next few days before every district of Bangkok came under water.
Within a few days areas of Chatuchak, Ramindra, Khan Na Yao, Bang Kapi and Huai Khwang could be flooded when the water level in the river rises above the barriers if the tubes are not built. He added that 20 districts of Bangkok would be saved from flooding if the tubes could be installed in 7 days.
BANGKOK, 29 October 2011 (NNT)-Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT
News Date : 29 October 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Production of Thai traditional medicine stepped up to help flood victims
Production of Thai traditional medicine stepped up to help flood victims
The Department for Development of Thai Traditional And Alternative Medicine, together with hospitals across Thailand, is trying to increase the production of traditional medicines for flood victims while over 1,000 masseuses will be sent to the evacuee’s centers to help relieve their stress.
Director of the Department M.D. Supan Sritahmma, said medicines for coughing, diarrhea, gastritis, muscle pains, skin diseases and digestion are needed for people who have been affected by the floods.
The medicines are being distributed to flood victims across the country. Meanwhile, in an effort to reduce the stress level of flood victims, the Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine will recruit around 1,000 volunteers who are experienced in the Thai massage therapy and those who have been trained in acupuncture to treat flood evacuees. There have so far been 2,709 people who have used the service from the volunteers.
BANGKOK, 29 October 2011 (NNT)-Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT
News Date : 29 October 2011
The Department for Development of Thai Traditional And Alternative Medicine, together with hospitals across Thailand, is trying to increase the production of traditional medicines for flood victims while over 1,000 masseuses will be sent to the evacuee’s centers to help relieve their stress.
Director of the Department M.D. Supan Sritahmma, said medicines for coughing, diarrhea, gastritis, muscle pains, skin diseases and digestion are needed for people who have been affected by the floods.
The medicines are being distributed to flood victims across the country. Meanwhile, in an effort to reduce the stress level of flood victims, the Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine will recruit around 1,000 volunteers who are experienced in the Thai massage therapy and those who have been trained in acupuncture to treat flood evacuees. There have so far been 2,709 people who have used the service from the volunteers.
BANGKOK, 29 October 2011 (NNT)-Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT
News Date : 29 October 2011
PM backs up relocation of FROC if necessary
PM backs up relocation of FROC if necessary
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra insisted the Flood Reliefs Operations Center (FROC) would not be relocated now although a new location had been prepared in case of emergency.
Ms. Yingluck also added that there would be no need to cut open any roads to drain floodwater. The Prime Minister said FROC Director Pol. Gen. Pracha Promnok would consider 3 other locations for the FROC operations should the Don Mueang Airport was no longer suitable.
The Prime Minister added FROC Spokesperson Pol. Gen. Pongsapat Pongcharoen had been instructed to convince 200 remaining flood evacuees to relocate to other shelters while assuring that the FROC would not pressure them by cutting electricity and water supply.
BANGKOK, 28 October 2011 (NNT)-Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT
News Date : 28 October 2011
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra insisted the Flood Reliefs Operations Center (FROC) would not be relocated now although a new location had been prepared in case of emergency.
Ms. Yingluck also added that there would be no need to cut open any roads to drain floodwater. The Prime Minister said FROC Director Pol. Gen. Pracha Promnok would consider 3 other locations for the FROC operations should the Don Mueang Airport was no longer suitable.
The Prime Minister added FROC Spokesperson Pol. Gen. Pongsapat Pongcharoen had been instructed to convince 200 remaining flood evacuees to relocate to other shelters while assuring that the FROC would not pressure them by cutting electricity and water supply.
BANGKOK, 28 October 2011 (NNT)-Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT
News Date : 28 October 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Suvarnabhumi airport to hold a press conference regarding preparations against floods
Suvarnabhumi airport to hold a press conference regarding preparations against floods
Suvarnabhumi Airport is prepared to give a press conference later this afternoon concerning its preparations for the approaching flood and confidence to maintain normal aviation service.
Airports of Thailand (AoT) Spokesperson Ms. Wilaiwan Nadwilai said the General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport will be speaking to the press about the airport’s flood prevention plan, during which normal flight schedules will be confirmed. The press conference will take place at the airport office, Room AOB1, 5th floor, at 16.00 hrs today.
The atmosphere inside the airport remains normal. The airport has already raised a dyke of 4 meters high to protect its compound from the expected flood waters.
BANGKOK, 27 October 2011 (NNT) - Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT
News Date : 27 October 2011
Sunday, April 8, 2007
FASHION / IDEAS
Create your own style
Fashion trends change quickly and hunting for the most stylish items of the season for your wardrobe is sometimes a tiring job. Setting a trend of your own might be a good idea these days since it allows you to learn how to mix and match an assortment of different styles.
Whether you're looking for inspiration for a perfect look for that special occasion or you've already got a certain concept in mind, a viti to The Mall, The Emporium and Paragon might give you more ideas since these department stores are currently running the "About Fashion" campaign, which offers a wide range of fashion items in various designs from more than 100 leading brands. The campaign introduces 4 fashion styles - The New Romantic, It's 80s, Disco Night and Get Sporty - you might find that one of them, if not all, hit the mark.
THE NEW ROMANTIC
- Dimensional laces, flowery prints and pastel colours symbolise an adoration of femininity. Portraying her sweet side are those soft and light slipdresses, flowery embroidered scarves, classy hats, precious stone earrings and other accessories with floral motifs.
IT'S 80szInspired by Andy Warhol's 1980s artwork, this style plays with flashy colours such as electric blue, oasis green, neon yellow, dark blue and shocking pink. Polka dots are also rampant on colourful surfaces such as bags and shoes.
DISCO NIGHT
- Metallic colours and glittering designs are not only for actresses in sci-fi movies, they also make a huge impression in the real world. A golden halter top will illuminate your curvy figure in the office and with a nice pair of long earrings and a gleaming clutch, you're ready for the fun party after work.
GET SPORTY
- Let's get tanned in style with colourful tank tops and super-short pants. For a nice stroll on the beach, a sexy bikini with classy sunglasses, plus a few pieces of flowery bangles will get you all the attention. RT
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Create your own style
Fashion trends change quickly and hunting for the most stylish items of the season for your wardrobe is sometimes a tiring job. Setting a trend of your own might be a good idea these days since it allows you to learn how to mix and match an assortment of different styles.
Whether you're looking for inspiration for a perfect look for that special occasion or you've already got a certain concept in mind, a viti to The Mall, The Emporium and Paragon might give you more ideas since these department stores are currently running the "About Fashion" campaign, which offers a wide range of fashion items in various designs from more than 100 leading brands. The campaign introduces 4 fashion styles - The New Romantic, It's 80s, Disco Night and Get Sporty - you might find that one of them, if not all, hit the mark.
THE NEW ROMANTIC
- Dimensional laces, flowery prints and pastel colours symbolise an adoration of femininity. Portraying her sweet side are those soft and light slipdresses, flowery embroidered scarves, classy hats, precious stone earrings and other accessories with floral motifs.
IT'S 80szInspired by Andy Warhol's 1980s artwork, this style plays with flashy colours such as electric blue, oasis green, neon yellow, dark blue and shocking pink. Polka dots are also rampant on colourful surfaces such as bags and shoes.
DISCO NIGHT
- Metallic colours and glittering designs are not only for actresses in sci-fi movies, they also make a huge impression in the real world. A golden halter top will illuminate your curvy figure in the office and with a nice pair of long earrings and a gleaming clutch, you're ready for the fun party after work.
GET SPORTY
- Let's get tanned in style with colourful tank tops and super-short pants. For a nice stroll on the beach, a sexy bikini with classy sunglasses, plus a few pieces of flowery bangles will get you all the attention. RT
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
THIS IS LIFE
Temptation island
Leading lights from international men's magazine 'Maxim' talk about babes, boys and DNA
VANNIYA SRIANGURA
On the evening of March 30, the warm and welcoming Ko Samui, which has long been regarded as Thailand's own Fantasy Island, turned into something more like Temptation Island, with sexy models in hot pants and bikinis lining up at the island's Q-Bar to welcome 60 fun-loving delegates from all over the world.
It was all part of the three-day-long "Maxim Global Conference 2007", the magazine group's first-ever international meeting in Thailand. The beachside get-together was attended by publishing executives as well as editors from as many as 30 nations in which the magazine is published.
Originating in the UK in 1995, Maxim sells over 4 million copies globally every month. It styles itself as a men's lifestyle magazine featuring guides to girls, sports, fashion, gadgets and automobiles. Versions of the magazine are sold in 45 countries, including China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Romania and Serbia. The Thai version was launched three years ago and is now one of its successful editions.
real.time managed to catch up with Kerin O'Connor, the executive director of Dennis Publishing UK, publisher of Maxim; Simon Clays, Maxim international manager; Derek Harbinson, editor-in-chief of Maxim UK and Jimmy Jellinek, editor-in-chief of Maxim USA.
"Maxim" has held annual conferences in top international cities like Las Vegas and Rome. Why Samui this year?
KERIN: We've been launching magazines in Asia for about five years and it's very important for us to have an Asian conference. Thailand is one of our most successful editions and is also one of our best friends, so the choice was easy. The country is beautiful, the people are friendly and the warm and sincere Thai hospitality is well known all over the world.
We were considering several islands. We could have gone to Krabi or Phuket but we thought Samui was more fun, more of a party town.
You have just come out from the conference room in beachwear, is this normal for your annual meetings?
DEREK: Maxim's conference is not a conference that anyone else would imagine: It's a get together of friends. Even when we're separated by thousands of miles, the editors email each other all the time. We always swap ideas, show each other photographs, and this is a chance for us to get together. It's a bit of work and a bit of a party as well.
KERIN: The most important thing about the conference is that the editors spend time with each other, not really what I say on the stage. It's all about changing ideas and knowledge. It's the culture of the company.
What did you learn from the conference?
BFJIMMY: What we have learned is how important the international community is to the entire magazine market. Especially nowadays when the world is so much more inter-connected than it was 10 years ago or even five years ago, it makes that much more difference when all 32 editions work together to reach a common goal and act together in one unit.
Someone was talking about the DNA of "Maxim". Can you define that? And what is the most distinctive DNA of the magazine?
KERIN: The DNA structure is the heart of our magazine. It is how all the editions share commonality.
One element of that is social ammunition - the little bullets that a man needs to live his life well. To be a young man these days can be quite difficult because they've got more pressure than the older generation did. Men are expected to be good at business, good with clothes, good in bed, good about how they smell, how they look and how they behave at parties. So they need things like Maxim to help guide them through the minefield of what it means to be a young guy.
DEREK: It's not just entertainment you can take out of the magazine. It's also some useful facts that you can learn and pass on to your friends. And you can feel like you are the best guy in the bar because you know stuff that your friends don't. And that's very important for a man, to feel that he knows more than his friends, whether it's something to do with clothes, with girls, or with phones. Reading our magazine should probably make you slightly better than your friends.
How about sex? Is it a part of the magazine's DNA also?
SIMON: No. It's one of the biggest misunderstandings of all. Maxim is not about sex. It's sexy but not pornographic. Part of my role is to police that, to make sure that the cover doesn't go that way.
So you don't consider "Playboy" your competitor then?
KERIN: Absolutely not. Playboy is a completely a different magazine. It's been around for 50 years and it is published according to the rules of 1958. It has nothing in common with us. We have a completely different market.
Do you have women readers?
KERIN: The average percentage of women readership in every country that we have launched our magazine is 20 percent. In the US, there are 40 million readers, three million of them are women. They like the jokes, they like the humour and they also want to understand a little bit about what men are thinking. Our magazine is very girlfriend friendly, and that's another part of our DNA.
So, are men in different countries really any different? For example, do they prefer different parts of a woman's body?
DEREK: I suppose they do. Different cultures have different ideas of female beauty. The Latin Americans, for example, prefer bigger bottoms while the British prefer bigger boobs and Germans prefer blondes.
KERIN: When we launched our magazine in Korea, we put blonde Western girls in bikinis on front covers and the sales were terrible. After six issues we said okay, we'll put Korean actresses with dresses in front covers and the sales skyrocketed.
Men in different countries are always different in details. It depends on local needs. But eventually all guys want the same thing out of life. They want to be successful, they want to be well liked by their friends, they want to look good.
Any last words?
JIMMY: I think men in general love beautiful women regardless of what they look like. And the thing about our magazine is that we're not just celebrating the beauty of women, we are celebrating women.
It's not a magazine that is used to objectify women. We are here to celebrate women, their minds, their bodies, their sense of humour, what they stand for, what they offer us as men and how they help us grow as people. It's important to remember that the reason why there are pictures of beautiful woman in our magazine is to remind us that women really rule the world, and they rule us men as well.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Temptation island
Leading lights from international men's magazine 'Maxim' talk about babes, boys and DNA
VANNIYA SRIANGURA
On the evening of March 30, the warm and welcoming Ko Samui, which has long been regarded as Thailand's own Fantasy Island, turned into something more like Temptation Island, with sexy models in hot pants and bikinis lining up at the island's Q-Bar to welcome 60 fun-loving delegates from all over the world.
It was all part of the three-day-long "Maxim Global Conference 2007", the magazine group's first-ever international meeting in Thailand. The beachside get-together was attended by publishing executives as well as editors from as many as 30 nations in which the magazine is published.
Originating in the UK in 1995, Maxim sells over 4 million copies globally every month. It styles itself as a men's lifestyle magazine featuring guides to girls, sports, fashion, gadgets and automobiles. Versions of the magazine are sold in 45 countries, including China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Romania and Serbia. The Thai version was launched three years ago and is now one of its successful editions.
real.time managed to catch up with Kerin O'Connor, the executive director of Dennis Publishing UK, publisher of Maxim; Simon Clays, Maxim international manager; Derek Harbinson, editor-in-chief of Maxim UK and Jimmy Jellinek, editor-in-chief of Maxim USA.
"Maxim" has held annual conferences in top international cities like Las Vegas and Rome. Why Samui this year?
KERIN: We've been launching magazines in Asia for about five years and it's very important for us to have an Asian conference. Thailand is one of our most successful editions and is also one of our best friends, so the choice was easy. The country is beautiful, the people are friendly and the warm and sincere Thai hospitality is well known all over the world.
We were considering several islands. We could have gone to Krabi or Phuket but we thought Samui was more fun, more of a party town.
You have just come out from the conference room in beachwear, is this normal for your annual meetings?
DEREK: Maxim's conference is not a conference that anyone else would imagine: It's a get together of friends. Even when we're separated by thousands of miles, the editors email each other all the time. We always swap ideas, show each other photographs, and this is a chance for us to get together. It's a bit of work and a bit of a party as well.
KERIN: The most important thing about the conference is that the editors spend time with each other, not really what I say on the stage. It's all about changing ideas and knowledge. It's the culture of the company.
What did you learn from the conference?
BFJIMMY: What we have learned is how important the international community is to the entire magazine market. Especially nowadays when the world is so much more inter-connected than it was 10 years ago or even five years ago, it makes that much more difference when all 32 editions work together to reach a common goal and act together in one unit.
Someone was talking about the DNA of "Maxim". Can you define that? And what is the most distinctive DNA of the magazine?
KERIN: The DNA structure is the heart of our magazine. It is how all the editions share commonality.
One element of that is social ammunition - the little bullets that a man needs to live his life well. To be a young man these days can be quite difficult because they've got more pressure than the older generation did. Men are expected to be good at business, good with clothes, good in bed, good about how they smell, how they look and how they behave at parties. So they need things like Maxim to help guide them through the minefield of what it means to be a young guy.
DEREK: It's not just entertainment you can take out of the magazine. It's also some useful facts that you can learn and pass on to your friends. And you can feel like you are the best guy in the bar because you know stuff that your friends don't. And that's very important for a man, to feel that he knows more than his friends, whether it's something to do with clothes, with girls, or with phones. Reading our magazine should probably make you slightly better than your friends.
How about sex? Is it a part of the magazine's DNA also?
SIMON: No. It's one of the biggest misunderstandings of all. Maxim is not about sex. It's sexy but not pornographic. Part of my role is to police that, to make sure that the cover doesn't go that way.
So you don't consider "Playboy" your competitor then?
KERIN: Absolutely not. Playboy is a completely a different magazine. It's been around for 50 years and it is published according to the rules of 1958. It has nothing in common with us. We have a completely different market.
Do you have women readers?
KERIN: The average percentage of women readership in every country that we have launched our magazine is 20 percent. In the US, there are 40 million readers, three million of them are women. They like the jokes, they like the humour and they also want to understand a little bit about what men are thinking. Our magazine is very girlfriend friendly, and that's another part of our DNA.
So, are men in different countries really any different? For example, do they prefer different parts of a woman's body?
DEREK: I suppose they do. Different cultures have different ideas of female beauty. The Latin Americans, for example, prefer bigger bottoms while the British prefer bigger boobs and Germans prefer blondes.
KERIN: When we launched our magazine in Korea, we put blonde Western girls in bikinis on front covers and the sales were terrible. After six issues we said okay, we'll put Korean actresses with dresses in front covers and the sales skyrocketed.
Men in different countries are always different in details. It depends on local needs. But eventually all guys want the same thing out of life. They want to be successful, they want to be well liked by their friends, they want to look good.
Any last words?
JIMMY: I think men in general love beautiful women regardless of what they look like. And the thing about our magazine is that we're not just celebrating the beauty of women, we are celebrating women.
It's not a magazine that is used to objectify women. We are here to celebrate women, their minds, their bodies, their sense of humour, what they stand for, what they offer us as men and how they help us grow as people. It's important to remember that the reason why there are pictures of beautiful woman in our magazine is to remind us that women really rule the world, and they rule us men as well.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Destination Portugal
Thai food and Portuguese wine make amicable partners - especially if you take the historical view
BERNIE COOPER
When the Portuguese arrived in Ayutthaya almost 500 years ago, it was the first blush of dawn for the East meets West cuisine. The Portuguese brought with them chilli peppers from their African possessions. Thai cooks made them a star component in their own national dishes, which went on to conquer the world.
Suppliers of firearms, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to Ayutthaya. They were permitted to open a trading station or feitoria, given settlement rights and allowed to have their own church. In the 17th century there were said to be some 2,000 Portuguese living in Ayutthaya.
Among them were soldiers who served successive kings in the defence of the city. After Ayutthaya was sacked in 1767 there were Portuguese soldiers in the army of King Taksin, and the Portuguese community was given land rights and a church in the new capital.
Portuguese wines, with the exception of port, have arrived here only recently, and largely with the help of Fin, a company that has been introducing many new tastes to Bangkok's wine world.
The Portuguese have been making wine for centuries, and some years ago Mateus Rose with its pretty, round flask, became a worldwide favourite. But it seems that the wine revolution that began in the New World and sparked so many new ventures into wine and improvements in quality was a late arrival. Port, the rich, aristocratic dessert wine, was always king; but now the "dry wine revolution" has secured its own place on the map, and Fin presented the wines of two companies both operating in the steep hillsides of the Port region of Douro in the north of Portugal.
The introduction was made at its first Wine Explorer event at the Shangri-La Hotel's riverside Salathip Thai restaurant, which they called "Destination Portugal." It celebrated the Portuguese wines with Thai food in a Thai setting, but the evening began, appropriately enough, further upstream with aperitifs at the Portuguese embassy.
It is surely the most beautiful embassy in Bangkok. The building was not completed until 1875, but it has the well-balanced proportions of a mid-19th century grand house with the classical elegance of the early years of the 19th century. European in character, it has Chinese and Thai influences, too, and, seen from the river, it unfailingly excites admiration from river cruises.
Welcomed by the Ambassador and Madame Faria y Maya, the 20 guests tasted Portuguese snacks like peixinhos da horta (fish from the garden), green beans fried in batter shaped like little fish while gentle fado music shimmered in the air, before taking ship for the far shores of the Shangri-La.
As they took their seats at Salathip, the first wine served was from a cooperative in Douro, Lavadores de Feitoria founded in 1999 by 15 of the top growers (or lavadores) in the region.
They make blended wines from the best quality local grapes such as tinta roriz and touriga francesa with some international varieties, and also single quinta (estate) wines. Their obvious commitment to excellence is underscored by the desire to see Portuguese wines taking their rightful place in the world.
Their 2004 Tres Bagos (three grapes) white wine was an aromatic blend of viosinho, malvasia and sauvignon blanc, very fresh, slightly acidic with a little touch of oaky vanilla. Clean tasting with citrus and herbal flavours it was refreshing and perfectly at home with a selection of Thai appetisers.
Pomelo salad with its pronounced, sweet-sour flavour would be a tougher test for a white wine, but 2005 Tres Bagos sauvignon blanc had the answer: the aroma and taste of pomelo were clearly present on the nose and on the palate. It was brisk and assertive but also fatter and more unctuous than one from the Loire or New Zealand. With the pomelo in a half-shell was a juicy tiger prawn, together making up a juicy parcel of flavours.
As the next dish, tom kha gai, was being served, the delicate ching-ching of finger cymbals announced the steeple-crowned dancers whose willowy performance accompanied every course. With the soothing chicken and coconut soup came a red wine, 2004 Quinta do Crasto, whose family estate stands high on a promontory overlooking the River Douro along which boats have carried wine down to the docks at Oporto for centuries.
The wine is a blend predominantly of touriga francesa and tinto roriz and between dry and fruity in character. It has a good depth of fruit, and firm tannic structure and a good, dry finish. Tom kha gai is a comforting dish and this wine made a comfortable match with it.
An earlier vintage of red Tres Bagos, the 2001, raised the stakes with its intense berry fruit flavour with hints of tar and liquorice. This kind of intensity was just the thing for chicken piri-piri. I don't think anyone is going to claim that the Portuguese introduced grilled chicken to Thailand, but piri-piri is the African name of a small, hot chilli that they make into a piquant sauce. Barbecued chicken and chilli sauce: very Thai and also very Portuguese.
Beef tenderloin with massaman curry and jasmine rice with saffron and raisins has no Portuguese connections, but 2001 Tinto reserva from Quinta do Crasto has a very strong local identity. At Quinta do Crasto, they continue traditions of proven worth even though they are committed to modern winemaking technology. This is why they still tread the grapes for certain wines, tipping them into wide, stone tanks called lagares. Encouraged by dance music, teams of workers crush the grapes with their feet.
The 2001 Tinto Reserva grapes from 65-year-old vines were trodden in this way, and as a reserva, the wine was matured in French and American oak barriques for 18 months. It is a lovely balance of rich, intense plum and raspberry flavours with spicy notes, smooth tannins and a satisfying finish.
And so to port, a 1999 Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Port served with the golden-yellow desserts based on egg yolks, originating in Portugal but now so much a part of the Thai tradition: foi thong, thong yip, thong yod, khanom morgaeng and luk choop.
Late Bottled Vintage Ports, or LBVs, are among the most refined members of the port family. Most are blends from different years to preserve their character and freshness, but ports from outstanding harvests may have the right, conferred by the Port Wine Institute, to declare the vintage and the date of bottling on its label. LBVs are usually bottled after four or five years ageing in cask.
The Quinta do Crasto 1999 was rich and smooth, not in any way heavy, but well rounded and silky on the palate. Gorgeous flavours of plum, red fruit, figgy dried fruit and chocolate lingered on the palate with a long-lasting finish.
The idea of celebrating the fifth centenary of the relationship between Thailand and Portugal is an appealing one. It actually began in 1511 - but there's no need to wait.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Thai food and Portuguese wine make amicable partners - especially if you take the historical view
BERNIE COOPER
When the Portuguese arrived in Ayutthaya almost 500 years ago, it was the first blush of dawn for the East meets West cuisine. The Portuguese brought with them chilli peppers from their African possessions. Thai cooks made them a star component in their own national dishes, which went on to conquer the world.
Suppliers of firearms, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to Ayutthaya. They were permitted to open a trading station or feitoria, given settlement rights and allowed to have their own church. In the 17th century there were said to be some 2,000 Portuguese living in Ayutthaya.
Among them were soldiers who served successive kings in the defence of the city. After Ayutthaya was sacked in 1767 there were Portuguese soldiers in the army of King Taksin, and the Portuguese community was given land rights and a church in the new capital.
Portuguese wines, with the exception of port, have arrived here only recently, and largely with the help of Fin, a company that has been introducing many new tastes to Bangkok's wine world.
The Portuguese have been making wine for centuries, and some years ago Mateus Rose with its pretty, round flask, became a worldwide favourite. But it seems that the wine revolution that began in the New World and sparked so many new ventures into wine and improvements in quality was a late arrival. Port, the rich, aristocratic dessert wine, was always king; but now the "dry wine revolution" has secured its own place on the map, and Fin presented the wines of two companies both operating in the steep hillsides of the Port region of Douro in the north of Portugal.
The introduction was made at its first Wine Explorer event at the Shangri-La Hotel's riverside Salathip Thai restaurant, which they called "Destination Portugal." It celebrated the Portuguese wines with Thai food in a Thai setting, but the evening began, appropriately enough, further upstream with aperitifs at the Portuguese embassy.
It is surely the most beautiful embassy in Bangkok. The building was not completed until 1875, but it has the well-balanced proportions of a mid-19th century grand house with the classical elegance of the early years of the 19th century. European in character, it has Chinese and Thai influences, too, and, seen from the river, it unfailingly excites admiration from river cruises.
Welcomed by the Ambassador and Madame Faria y Maya, the 20 guests tasted Portuguese snacks like peixinhos da horta (fish from the garden), green beans fried in batter shaped like little fish while gentle fado music shimmered in the air, before taking ship for the far shores of the Shangri-La.
As they took their seats at Salathip, the first wine served was from a cooperative in Douro, Lavadores de Feitoria founded in 1999 by 15 of the top growers (or lavadores) in the region.
They make blended wines from the best quality local grapes such as tinta roriz and touriga francesa with some international varieties, and also single quinta (estate) wines. Their obvious commitment to excellence is underscored by the desire to see Portuguese wines taking their rightful place in the world.
Their 2004 Tres Bagos (three grapes) white wine was an aromatic blend of viosinho, malvasia and sauvignon blanc, very fresh, slightly acidic with a little touch of oaky vanilla. Clean tasting with citrus and herbal flavours it was refreshing and perfectly at home with a selection of Thai appetisers.
Pomelo salad with its pronounced, sweet-sour flavour would be a tougher test for a white wine, but 2005 Tres Bagos sauvignon blanc had the answer: the aroma and taste of pomelo were clearly present on the nose and on the palate. It was brisk and assertive but also fatter and more unctuous than one from the Loire or New Zealand. With the pomelo in a half-shell was a juicy tiger prawn, together making up a juicy parcel of flavours.
As the next dish, tom kha gai, was being served, the delicate ching-ching of finger cymbals announced the steeple-crowned dancers whose willowy performance accompanied every course. With the soothing chicken and coconut soup came a red wine, 2004 Quinta do Crasto, whose family estate stands high on a promontory overlooking the River Douro along which boats have carried wine down to the docks at Oporto for centuries.
The wine is a blend predominantly of touriga francesa and tinto roriz and between dry and fruity in character. It has a good depth of fruit, and firm tannic structure and a good, dry finish. Tom kha gai is a comforting dish and this wine made a comfortable match with it.
An earlier vintage of red Tres Bagos, the 2001, raised the stakes with its intense berry fruit flavour with hints of tar and liquorice. This kind of intensity was just the thing for chicken piri-piri. I don't think anyone is going to claim that the Portuguese introduced grilled chicken to Thailand, but piri-piri is the African name of a small, hot chilli that they make into a piquant sauce. Barbecued chicken and chilli sauce: very Thai and also very Portuguese.
Beef tenderloin with massaman curry and jasmine rice with saffron and raisins has no Portuguese connections, but 2001 Tinto reserva from Quinta do Crasto has a very strong local identity. At Quinta do Crasto, they continue traditions of proven worth even though they are committed to modern winemaking technology. This is why they still tread the grapes for certain wines, tipping them into wide, stone tanks called lagares. Encouraged by dance music, teams of workers crush the grapes with their feet.
The 2001 Tinto Reserva grapes from 65-year-old vines were trodden in this way, and as a reserva, the wine was matured in French and American oak barriques for 18 months. It is a lovely balance of rich, intense plum and raspberry flavours with spicy notes, smooth tannins and a satisfying finish.
And so to port, a 1999 Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Port served with the golden-yellow desserts based on egg yolks, originating in Portugal but now so much a part of the Thai tradition: foi thong, thong yip, thong yod, khanom morgaeng and luk choop.
Late Bottled Vintage Ports, or LBVs, are among the most refined members of the port family. Most are blends from different years to preserve their character and freshness, but ports from outstanding harvests may have the right, conferred by the Port Wine Institute, to declare the vintage and the date of bottling on its label. LBVs are usually bottled after four or five years ageing in cask.
The Quinta do Crasto 1999 was rich and smooth, not in any way heavy, but well rounded and silky on the palate. Gorgeous flavours of plum, red fruit, figgy dried fruit and chocolate lingered on the palate with a long-lasting finish.
The idea of celebrating the fifth centenary of the relationship between Thailand and Portugal is an appealing one. It actually began in 1511 - but there's no need to wait.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
WHY WINE
Quality from Thailand
CHATEAU D'O
Let's suppose you are trying to do something nice, something that won't damage the environment but will eventually benefit the country and improve its image. You'd think, perhaps, that the authorities might say, "Bravo! How can we help?" But perhaps they won't. They might slap you with a big tax bill, and then make it difficult for you to advertise your product.
This is exactly what's happening to Thai wineries. And it's happening at a time when wine made in Thailand is beginning to make inroads into foreign markets and local restaurants. And at a time when medical opinion accepts that the moderate consumption of wine can be good for your health.
Protecting people from themselves and trying to keep them in good health is admirable, and campaigns against drunk driving, and drunken behaviour generally, should be supported. But wine is not the beverage to blame: how many people, Thai or foreign, get drunk and behave dangerously through drinking wine?
A few days ago I received the February issue of an American magazine available on subscription, International Living. It informs its readers about attractive investments in real estate and indicates nice places around the world in which to live and/or enjoy retirement. Between articles on Latin America, Italy and the Philippines, I found a short article with the title, "Thai wines and spicy food". It noted that our local wine industry produces a million bottles a year and employs some 1,200 men and women.
The article mentioned Chateau de Loei and Siam Winery's "Columbad." That, of course, should have read, "Colombard", but while you get the feeling that the author didn't know enough about this pleasant white wine, at least he or she was taking Thai wine seriously.
I recently tasted some whites from two of the best wineries in the kingdom: Granmonte and PB. So far, I have been more impressed by the reds than by the whites. The main problem, to me at least, was that they lacked acidity while having too much of that toasty flavour that is characteristic of so many warm climate white wines.
However, Granmonte's 2004 Kirimaya Chenin Blanc is a good wine, with some tropical flavours, and a big step towards a Thai white that can be enjoyed on its own. I still prefer more acidity and less toasted nut flavour, but I would be ready to try it again.
The wine is named for a golf course and spa, and like all Granmonte wines, it is bottled at the nearby Khao Yai winery. I paid 699 baht for this bottle.
PB Khao Yai's 2004 Chenin Blanc cost me 399 baht and is quite different in character. More simple maybe but with a nice balance of fruit including hints of citrus, and acidity, plus a little je ne sais quoi which I won't attempt to define, but which must come from the beautiful Khao Yai Valley itself.
It should go well with seafood and even oysters, as it is quite dry. I found both wines at Tops on Sukhumvit Soi 55, where there is an impressive selection of Thai wines.
I plan to continue my research into Thai wine and drink more - although in moderation, of course!
At the recent Bangkok Celebration of Wine I mentioned in my previous column, I made it my duty as well as a pleasure to taste the only Thai wines present, reds from the Chateau des Brumes. This is the third very good winery in the Khao Yai area, probably the best region for wine in the country.
Its 2003 Wang Nam Keow Red Reserve is one of the few bargains available to the poor amateur: I paid 499 baht at Foodland for the few bottles I still have left. This is a wine I enjoy serving to unsuspecting visitors from abroad without telling them where it comes from. They have all been pleasantly surprised.
The best of the Chateau des Brumes wines I have tasted is Prestige, and for me, it's one of the finest Thai wines, period. With this well balanced blend of 85% local shiraz and 15% cabernet sauvignon (the latter coming from France), winemaker Jacques Bacou has succeeded in crafting a wine that can rival many European quality reds.
I bought a bottle at the fair for 1,000 baht, thanks to the knowledgeable lady presiding over the Chateau des Brumes booth. The retail price today will probably be more like 1,250 baht. This is another bottle I shall keep to serve to an unsuspecting overseas visitor - from France maybe. I already know that he or she will be pleasantly surprised, and impressed by the produce of our local wineries.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Quality from Thailand
CHATEAU D'O
Let's suppose you are trying to do something nice, something that won't damage the environment but will eventually benefit the country and improve its image. You'd think, perhaps, that the authorities might say, "Bravo! How can we help?" But perhaps they won't. They might slap you with a big tax bill, and then make it difficult for you to advertise your product.
This is exactly what's happening to Thai wineries. And it's happening at a time when wine made in Thailand is beginning to make inroads into foreign markets and local restaurants. And at a time when medical opinion accepts that the moderate consumption of wine can be good for your health.
Protecting people from themselves and trying to keep them in good health is admirable, and campaigns against drunk driving, and drunken behaviour generally, should be supported. But wine is not the beverage to blame: how many people, Thai or foreign, get drunk and behave dangerously through drinking wine?
A few days ago I received the February issue of an American magazine available on subscription, International Living. It informs its readers about attractive investments in real estate and indicates nice places around the world in which to live and/or enjoy retirement. Between articles on Latin America, Italy and the Philippines, I found a short article with the title, "Thai wines and spicy food". It noted that our local wine industry produces a million bottles a year and employs some 1,200 men and women.
The article mentioned Chateau de Loei and Siam Winery's "Columbad." That, of course, should have read, "Colombard", but while you get the feeling that the author didn't know enough about this pleasant white wine, at least he or she was taking Thai wine seriously.
I recently tasted some whites from two of the best wineries in the kingdom: Granmonte and PB. So far, I have been more impressed by the reds than by the whites. The main problem, to me at least, was that they lacked acidity while having too much of that toasty flavour that is characteristic of so many warm climate white wines.
However, Granmonte's 2004 Kirimaya Chenin Blanc is a good wine, with some tropical flavours, and a big step towards a Thai white that can be enjoyed on its own. I still prefer more acidity and less toasted nut flavour, but I would be ready to try it again.
The wine is named for a golf course and spa, and like all Granmonte wines, it is bottled at the nearby Khao Yai winery. I paid 699 baht for this bottle.
PB Khao Yai's 2004 Chenin Blanc cost me 399 baht and is quite different in character. More simple maybe but with a nice balance of fruit including hints of citrus, and acidity, plus a little je ne sais quoi which I won't attempt to define, but which must come from the beautiful Khao Yai Valley itself.
It should go well with seafood and even oysters, as it is quite dry. I found both wines at Tops on Sukhumvit Soi 55, where there is an impressive selection of Thai wines.
I plan to continue my research into Thai wine and drink more - although in moderation, of course!
At the recent Bangkok Celebration of Wine I mentioned in my previous column, I made it my duty as well as a pleasure to taste the only Thai wines present, reds from the Chateau des Brumes. This is the third very good winery in the Khao Yai area, probably the best region for wine in the country.
Its 2003 Wang Nam Keow Red Reserve is one of the few bargains available to the poor amateur: I paid 499 baht at Foodland for the few bottles I still have left. This is a wine I enjoy serving to unsuspecting visitors from abroad without telling them where it comes from. They have all been pleasantly surprised.
The best of the Chateau des Brumes wines I have tasted is Prestige, and for me, it's one of the finest Thai wines, period. With this well balanced blend of 85% local shiraz and 15% cabernet sauvignon (the latter coming from France), winemaker Jacques Bacou has succeeded in crafting a wine that can rival many European quality reds.
I bought a bottle at the fair for 1,000 baht, thanks to the knowledgeable lady presiding over the Chateau des Brumes booth. The retail price today will probably be more like 1,250 baht. This is another bottle I shall keep to serve to an unsuspecting overseas visitor - from France maybe. I already know that he or she will be pleasantly surprised, and impressed by the produce of our local wineries.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
STREET TREATS
Mango mania
VANNIYA SRIANGURA
Putting all concern about cholesterol intake aside, I'm pretty sure that we all love khao niew mamuang or sweet sticky rice with ripened mango, whether it be summer, winter or rainy season.
Because it is so irresistibly delicious, sweet sticky rice with ripened mango and coconut cream topping is a favourite of locals and foreigners alike. It is even one of the country's most successful exports.
Good khao niew mamuang should, of course, present two parts: delicious khao niew moon (sweet sticky rice) and of course proper mamuang (mango). The rice, cooked with coconut milk, salt and sugar, is supposed to be soft but not mushy and well retains its slim and sleek figure.
There are two types of mango to be eaten with khao niew moon. If it's naam dok mai, it should be completely sweet without a hint of tartness, and if it's ok rong, should be very aromatic and offer pungently sweet and sour taste as well as firm texture. Most khao niew mamuang connoisseurs usually prefer ok rong over naam dok mai.
While getting perfect mango may be a matter of good scanning sense and/or luck, coming up with perfect sticky rice is another story as it requires great culinary skill. Very often I have experienced hard, oily or waaaay too sweet sticky rice. Sometimes the rice didn't seem to absorb the subtle flavour of the coconut milk and sometimes it was almost like khao niew moo ping but with creamy top- ping.
Kor Panich
- We can't forget Kor Panich when mentioning sweet sticky rice. The 80-year-old brand has become a household name among khao niew mamuang buffs. Here, the sweet sticky rice is prepared following an age-old, palace-style recipe. Price is 110 baht per kilogramme. Other than the well-selected mangoes, there are also other toppings available, including pla hang (sweet and crispy dried fish) and sungkhaya (coconut custard).
The shop is located on Tanao Road, opposite Prang Puthorn. It opens 7:30am-7:30pm. Tel 02-221-3554.
Boon Sup Bang Rak
- This seven-decade-old sweet shop near Bang Rak market is well known for various kinds of authentic Thai delicacies which include khao tom pud (sticky rice with banana filling), khanom chan (multi-layered soft sweet), khao niew moon to be enjoyed with mango, pla hang and also sungkhaya.
The price for the sticky rice is 100 baht per kilogramme. To guarantee the availability of khao niew moon, be there before 3pm. The shop is located on Charoen Krung Road. It opens daily from 7am-5pm. Tel 02-234-4086.
Khao Niew Moon Khun Gig
- Khao Niew Moon Khun Gig is another good reason why this column should exist: to spread knowledge of new (as well as more secretive) gastronomic discoveries.
The first time I tried Khun Gig's sweet sticky rice I thought right there and then that I should let others sample it and get their comments. My friends said that it was super delicious, a colleague said it was one of the best and, most importantly, my grandma approved.
Prices are 80-90 baht per kilogramme. The sweet sticky rice comes in four variations: classic white, green pandan, black sticky rice and the yellow turmeric version. Pla hang and sungkhaya toppings are also on offer.
Khun Gig's stall is located at Piboonwit market on Soi Ekachai 36, Chom Thong district. It opens daily from 7am-8pm. Tel 084-654-8587.
Pa Jua Hua Hin
- Like most local foodies, whenever I go to Hua Hin, I always stop by Pa Jua for at least one serving of khao niew mamuang. More often than not, the orders are for friends and family who are waiting in Bangkok with watering mouths.
Is it that good? For most people, yes. People even specifically drive to Hua Hin for Pa Jua's sweet sticky rice. For me, however, it's enjoyable though not particularly thrilling.
A box of ready-to-eat sticky rice and mango, enough for one, is priced at 50 baht. The sticky rice alone is 140 baht per kilogramme. Pa Jua's shop is situated opposite the Hilton Hua Hin Hotel on Nares Damri Road. It opens everyday from 9:30am-5pm. Tel 032-511-704.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Mango mania
VANNIYA SRIANGURA
Putting all concern about cholesterol intake aside, I'm pretty sure that we all love khao niew mamuang or sweet sticky rice with ripened mango, whether it be summer, winter or rainy season.
Because it is so irresistibly delicious, sweet sticky rice with ripened mango and coconut cream topping is a favourite of locals and foreigners alike. It is even one of the country's most successful exports.
Good khao niew mamuang should, of course, present two parts: delicious khao niew moon (sweet sticky rice) and of course proper mamuang (mango). The rice, cooked with coconut milk, salt and sugar, is supposed to be soft but not mushy and well retains its slim and sleek figure.
There are two types of mango to be eaten with khao niew moon. If it's naam dok mai, it should be completely sweet without a hint of tartness, and if it's ok rong, should be very aromatic and offer pungently sweet and sour taste as well as firm texture. Most khao niew mamuang connoisseurs usually prefer ok rong over naam dok mai.
While getting perfect mango may be a matter of good scanning sense and/or luck, coming up with perfect sticky rice is another story as it requires great culinary skill. Very often I have experienced hard, oily or waaaay too sweet sticky rice. Sometimes the rice didn't seem to absorb the subtle flavour of the coconut milk and sometimes it was almost like khao niew moo ping but with creamy top- ping.
Kor Panich
- We can't forget Kor Panich when mentioning sweet sticky rice. The 80-year-old brand has become a household name among khao niew mamuang buffs. Here, the sweet sticky rice is prepared following an age-old, palace-style recipe. Price is 110 baht per kilogramme. Other than the well-selected mangoes, there are also other toppings available, including pla hang (sweet and crispy dried fish) and sungkhaya (coconut custard).
The shop is located on Tanao Road, opposite Prang Puthorn. It opens 7:30am-7:30pm. Tel 02-221-3554.
Boon Sup Bang Rak
- This seven-decade-old sweet shop near Bang Rak market is well known for various kinds of authentic Thai delicacies which include khao tom pud (sticky rice with banana filling), khanom chan (multi-layered soft sweet), khao niew moon to be enjoyed with mango, pla hang and also sungkhaya.
The price for the sticky rice is 100 baht per kilogramme. To guarantee the availability of khao niew moon, be there before 3pm. The shop is located on Charoen Krung Road. It opens daily from 7am-5pm. Tel 02-234-4086.
Khao Niew Moon Khun Gig
- Khao Niew Moon Khun Gig is another good reason why this column should exist: to spread knowledge of new (as well as more secretive) gastronomic discoveries.
The first time I tried Khun Gig's sweet sticky rice I thought right there and then that I should let others sample it and get their comments. My friends said that it was super delicious, a colleague said it was one of the best and, most importantly, my grandma approved.
Prices are 80-90 baht per kilogramme. The sweet sticky rice comes in four variations: classic white, green pandan, black sticky rice and the yellow turmeric version. Pla hang and sungkhaya toppings are also on offer.
Khun Gig's stall is located at Piboonwit market on Soi Ekachai 36, Chom Thong district. It opens daily from 7am-8pm. Tel 084-654-8587.
Pa Jua Hua Hin
- Like most local foodies, whenever I go to Hua Hin, I always stop by Pa Jua for at least one serving of khao niew mamuang. More often than not, the orders are for friends and family who are waiting in Bangkok with watering mouths.
Is it that good? For most people, yes. People even specifically drive to Hua Hin for Pa Jua's sweet sticky rice. For me, however, it's enjoyable though not particularly thrilling.
A box of ready-to-eat sticky rice and mango, enough for one, is priced at 50 baht. The sticky rice alone is 140 baht per kilogramme. Pa Jua's shop is situated opposite the Hilton Hua Hin Hotel on Nares Damri Road. It opens everyday from 9:30am-5pm. Tel 032-511-704.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
EATING OUT
Tasty Taiwanese tucker
A wide selection of good food for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike
Reviewed by VANNIYA SRIANGURA
Demi, 21/15 Sukhumvit Soi 49, Tel 02-662-6485, Open daily 11am-10pm
Taiwanese food is often associated with uninspiring vegetable-based cuisine. In reality, only half of that is true; at least at Demi, a great little restaurant I checked out a few weeks ago.
Because so many people in Taiwan are devoted vegetarians, it should come as no surprise that much of the food you'll find in the country is meatless, light and healthy. But that doesn't change the fact that authentic Taiwanese cuisine is as gastronomically enticing as any other cuisine in the world.
"Simple yet tasty" probably best describes the distinctive national fare. The preparation requires great culinary skill and is sometimes time-consuming, but there's no elaborate presentation and only a minimum of ingredients are used. And compared to most mainstream Chinese food served in Thailand, Taiwanese is generally much less oily.
Demi restaurant - named after the Taiwanese chef/owner, for whom Bangkok has been home for the past nine years - is one of a few Taiwanese eateries in town. Though the 150-seater eatery has only been open at its current location for less than a year, Demi herself is far from being a new kid on the block. In 2000 she helped open Bangkok's very first Taiwanese fine-dining restaurant, Water 1999, before launching her own eponymous eatery on Thong Lo three years later.
The latest Demi outlet occupies the corner unit of a modern-looking commercial townhouse in the middle of Soi 49. The setting is casual and simple with only six tables in the ground floor dining room, and four big tables up on the first and second floors.
At Demi, choosing what to order can be pretty difficult. Not because of the intricacy of the cuisine, or from trying to understand the menu (which comes complete with pictures of almost every dish) but for the wide variety of mouthwatering items on offer. Those who expect to find a limited selection of bland-tasting, health-orientated dishes will be stunned to discover about 100 selections of meat dishes, with the same number of items catering to those with a meat-free diet regimen as well.
Diners should, however, be aware that asking the restaurant staff for suggestions may not prove particularly helpful, as they'll tell you that everything on the menu is popular. And, to be honest, they're right.
It's a good idea to begin your healthy Taiwanese feast with deep-fried beancurd (60 baht). The dish looks quite ordinary, with plump tofu accompanied by light and brown sauce, but the taste is fantastically good.
Another interesting starter is the pan-fried leek, pork and shrimp dumplings (90 baht). Served upside-down with two types of sauce on the side, the dumplings are a real crowd pleaser.
Described by the menu as spiced pork, number one on my don't miss list has to be khao nah moo phalo (70 baht). Literally meaning rice with palo pork topping, the dish presents three layers of pork with sweet and salty brown gravy. The meat with the fat intact was slick and soft, while the pleasant gravy was almost as good as that found at my favourite kha moo place on Silom Road.
Fancying some seafood, we ordered stir-fried hoy talab, or clams with chilli sauce (150 baht). The shellfish was fresh and the sauce pungent, with just a hint of spiciness.
The restaurant also offers lunch sets (120-150 baht), with your choice of entree (16 selections of rice and noodle dishes), two side dishes, a drink and a dessert. I had the beef noodle soup, which came with cold, soft beancurd topped with preserved egg and pickled cabbage, iced tea and pearl balls in chilled syrup.
The dish was enjoyable, with slices of tender braised beef and tendon in a rather mellow noodle soup, and the side dishes were truly enjoyable.
Demi has recently launched a rice box delivery service, with a dozen selections on offer at 70 baht. We tried rice with a combination of toppings - two pieces of pork chop, a few slices of red barbecue pork and Chinese sausage - and were pleased with what we had. The pork chop, marinated and coated with parmesan cheese before being deep-fried, offered a tender and salty centre and a crunchy crust. The homemade BBQ pork was thick and juicy and probably one of the best I've ever had in Bangkok, while the imported sausage was sweet and meaty.
From the vegetarian menu, I only sampled one dish: stir-fried wheat noodles with mushrooms (100 baht), which was exceptional. Though it looked mushy and boring, the dish turned out to be a real culinary showcase. A generous portion of noodles came bathed in thick sauce, which included chopped basil leaves, giving the dish its appetising, aromatic distinction. The restaurant is located 200 metres down Sukhumvit Soi 49 and has limited parking.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
Tasty Taiwanese tucker
A wide selection of good food for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike
Reviewed by VANNIYA SRIANGURA
Demi, 21/15 Sukhumvit Soi 49, Tel 02-662-6485, Open daily 11am-10pm
Taiwanese food is often associated with uninspiring vegetable-based cuisine. In reality, only half of that is true; at least at Demi, a great little restaurant I checked out a few weeks ago.
Because so many people in Taiwan are devoted vegetarians, it should come as no surprise that much of the food you'll find in the country is meatless, light and healthy. But that doesn't change the fact that authentic Taiwanese cuisine is as gastronomically enticing as any other cuisine in the world.
"Simple yet tasty" probably best describes the distinctive national fare. The preparation requires great culinary skill and is sometimes time-consuming, but there's no elaborate presentation and only a minimum of ingredients are used. And compared to most mainstream Chinese food served in Thailand, Taiwanese is generally much less oily.
Demi restaurant - named after the Taiwanese chef/owner, for whom Bangkok has been home for the past nine years - is one of a few Taiwanese eateries in town. Though the 150-seater eatery has only been open at its current location for less than a year, Demi herself is far from being a new kid on the block. In 2000 she helped open Bangkok's very first Taiwanese fine-dining restaurant, Water 1999, before launching her own eponymous eatery on Thong Lo three years later.
The latest Demi outlet occupies the corner unit of a modern-looking commercial townhouse in the middle of Soi 49. The setting is casual and simple with only six tables in the ground floor dining room, and four big tables up on the first and second floors.
At Demi, choosing what to order can be pretty difficult. Not because of the intricacy of the cuisine, or from trying to understand the menu (which comes complete with pictures of almost every dish) but for the wide variety of mouthwatering items on offer. Those who expect to find a limited selection of bland-tasting, health-orientated dishes will be stunned to discover about 100 selections of meat dishes, with the same number of items catering to those with a meat-free diet regimen as well.
Diners should, however, be aware that asking the restaurant staff for suggestions may not prove particularly helpful, as they'll tell you that everything on the menu is popular. And, to be honest, they're right.
It's a good idea to begin your healthy Taiwanese feast with deep-fried beancurd (60 baht). The dish looks quite ordinary, with plump tofu accompanied by light and brown sauce, but the taste is fantastically good.
Another interesting starter is the pan-fried leek, pork and shrimp dumplings (90 baht). Served upside-down with two types of sauce on the side, the dumplings are a real crowd pleaser.
Described by the menu as spiced pork, number one on my don't miss list has to be khao nah moo phalo (70 baht). Literally meaning rice with palo pork topping, the dish presents three layers of pork with sweet and salty brown gravy. The meat with the fat intact was slick and soft, while the pleasant gravy was almost as good as that found at my favourite kha moo place on Silom Road.
Fancying some seafood, we ordered stir-fried hoy talab, or clams with chilli sauce (150 baht). The shellfish was fresh and the sauce pungent, with just a hint of spiciness.
The restaurant also offers lunch sets (120-150 baht), with your choice of entree (16 selections of rice and noodle dishes), two side dishes, a drink and a dessert. I had the beef noodle soup, which came with cold, soft beancurd topped with preserved egg and pickled cabbage, iced tea and pearl balls in chilled syrup.
The dish was enjoyable, with slices of tender braised beef and tendon in a rather mellow noodle soup, and the side dishes were truly enjoyable.
Demi has recently launched a rice box delivery service, with a dozen selections on offer at 70 baht. We tried rice with a combination of toppings - two pieces of pork chop, a few slices of red barbecue pork and Chinese sausage - and were pleased with what we had. The pork chop, marinated and coated with parmesan cheese before being deep-fried, offered a tender and salty centre and a crunchy crust. The homemade BBQ pork was thick and juicy and probably one of the best I've ever had in Bangkok, while the imported sausage was sweet and meaty.
From the vegetarian menu, I only sampled one dish: stir-fried wheat noodles with mushrooms (100 baht), which was exceptional. Though it looked mushy and boring, the dish turned out to be a real culinary showcase. A generous portion of noodles came bathed in thick sauce, which included chopped basil leaves, giving the dish its appetising, aromatic distinction. The restaurant is located 200 metres down Sukhumvit Soi 49 and has limited parking.
Bangkok Post
Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007
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