Tamarind-Garlic Baked Mussels
Songkhla, Thailand – A walk around town, a seafood dinner. No terrorism here, but no tourists either.
Steamed Crabs with Chili Lime Sauce
Fish at Songkhla Market
Songkhla Temple at Dusk
Khanom Jiin Nam Prik Wan
Hat Sichon, Thailand – Early in the morning, I tried to find the Sichon market, but it looked like it was closed on Sundays or I had a miscommunication with my motorbike driver. In any event, I started looking for breakfast on my 3 km walk back to Hat Sichon. I [...]
Khao Niao Sung Ka Ya
Hat Sichon, Thailand – A fishing village with beaches sounded charming so that’s where I headed first for a quick trip to Thailand’s southern gulf coast. When I arrived in Hat Sichon in the morning I grabbed breakfast at a coffee shop – purple sticky rice topped with shredded coconut and [...]
Mian Kam Pla Two (Limestone Tartlet and Miang Tuna Tartare)
Bangkok, Thailand – Since 2006, the Glaz Bar at the Plaza Athenee Bangkok has been holding “Thai Wine Thai Tapas,” a tasting series that pairs Siam Winery wines with inspired bites from some of the country’s chefs. Last Wednesday, my friend Chef Ian Chalermkittichai had [...]
Hanoi, Vietnam – While in Hanoi, I had the chance to try two of the city’s snazzier restaurants – Bobby Chin’s eponymously named hotspot, a showcase of international flavors, and French-Vietnamese La Vertical helmed by Didier Corlou, formerly of the Sofitel Metropole. Although both restaurants displayed refined settings and nods to global food [...]
Sugarcane Juice
Hue, Vietnam – People often complain about the pollution in Bangkok and New York. I’ve never noticed. Yet for some reason in Hue, I felt as though my lungs were filled with dust. This must be how those complainers feel in my beloved cities. After a day of walking and biking in the hot [...]
Bun Bo Hue
Hue, Vietnam – After a few horizontal days, it was time to be vertical. I set out on a bicycle for the imperial city (the citadel), a complex of palaces, gardens and temples in various states of ruin and restoration surrounded by a moat. I found it was one of the most charming [...]
Bahn Khoai
Hue, Vietnam – After a recuperative day at the beach, I felt ready to dive into local cuisine. I took a bike ride across the river in search of bahn khoi, the rice crepes that I’m told cannot be found outside of Hue. Between the Thuang Tien and Phu Xuan bridges are a bunch [...]
Thuan An
Hue, Vietnam – The day I left Hanoi for Hue, I fell ill, not violently ill just sapped of strength, and spent the next two days sleeping in my hotel room. It was pretty depressing. Here I was in Hue, the former capital of the country renowned for imperial Vietnamese cuisine inspired by food-obsessed [...]
Pork Ribs with Fried Lemongrass
Hanoi, Vietnam – As the day’s light starts to fade, Hang Buom starts to fill up with street stalls – plastic tables, plastic stools, noodles and stir fries, bahn mi and tea. On the corner of Hang Giay, one restaurant really packs it in. Bit Tet Hai Ty encompasses two side [...]
