The Bazaar Turkish Restaurant

I don't get to see old friends living in Bangkok so often. When they came to the island for a relaxing getaway, I was more than ecstatic. Having friends around means one thing -  a lively chat over dinner. We hit The Bazaar Turkish Restaurant at The Wharf Koh Samui on our first evening together. Our decision to dine there did not disappoint.

Post Birthday Celebration

It was my birthday. I went to Bangkok to be with  friends and family as I did not want to celebrate it on the island alone. I invited everyone  for a meal  but not all of them could come. A  few days past my birthday, a friend who missed the gathering, rang me up and asked if  me, my sister and cousin could join him for lunch. It was his treat to celebrate my birthday. My sister was still down with the flu so only me and my cousin were able to meet him.

On my cousin's recommendations, we went to this place called On The Table - a Japanese Cafe serving both Italian and Japanese food at their The Mall Bangkapi outlet. It hasn't been that long when she and my sister discovered the cafe. They have visited it a few times already. She loves the food.  Now, she couldn't wait for us to try it out.

China White Thai-Chinese Restaurant On My Birthday

It's the time of the year again when I celebrate another year added to my life. It's a time when I get to break free from work and reward myself for working hard. My birthday is a national holiday in Thailand. I took the opportunity to fly back home to Bangkok and gather my family and friends who all had a day off of work  for a celebration.

I made a last minute decision to do it at the restaurant instead of hosting  a party at home. It would be less hassle for me. Besides, I really needed a good rest.  I chose a restaurant called China White at Central World. They serve hawker-style Thai-Chinese fusion dishes. I've been there numerous times. They have good food and the price is inexpensive. The service can be really bad during busy hours so I suggested we go there way  before lunch time.

Satisfying a Korean food craving

I have had this craving for Korean food for a while. The Korean place by the lake in Chaweng is my go-to place whenever I feel like having Korean food. It is quite a long way from Central Festival where I usually go for grocery shopping. The distance keeps me from satisfying my desire but last week, I was finally able to give in. I even  braved the heavy rain for the food I so wanted.

Grand Diamond Suites Hotel's Amazing Breakfast

While vacationing in Bangkok, a friend and I took the chance to try breakfast at Ploy Restaurant at Grand Diamond Suites Hotel along Petchaburi Road.The menu offers a wide array of Asian, Halal and international choices.

The Ultimate Food Court

I consider The Platinum Mall's food court to be the best of its kind. Whenever my sister and I are in Pratunam area where the mall is located, we make sure we don't miss it.  The food court has great choices for vegetarian and omnivores alike. The dishes are of good quality and tasty and the price is reasonable, resulting to a huge influx of local and tourist diners. It's one of the busiest food halls in Bangkok.

Visiting Mr. Jones' Orphanage

Since doing a pastry course, I have been on a lookout for good dessert places. It gives me a chance to discover new flavors and get ideas on new combinations. It also provides a way for me to learn dessert plating techniques for free.

When I was in Bangkok recently, I visited different cafes to give their desserts a try. One dessert place which got me curious was Mr Jones Orphanage.  I have seen it  packed with people. I wondered if it was the cakes or their cool design that attract customers the most. After visiting a local attraction at a mall nearby,  my sister, a friend and I have thought of giving it a try. So we went.

Shibuya Honey Toast at After You Dessert Cafe

After You Dessert Cafe which I have come to know while doing my pastry course has opened a new branch at a mall close to home. Back in the days, my girlfriends  from the culinary school and I would make a trip to After You at Siam Paragon located in downtown Bangkok to get some treats. It's a bustling cafe. Their signature desserts are so popular that people wait in long queue just to get a taste of what they offer.

Seoul Grill

I am missing out on a lot of fun and exciting things living so far away from  my family and friends. My long absence give me all the advantages of getting invited for a meal too often whenever I visit. 

Only a few days since I arrived in Bangkok, I got the invite to have dinner with an old friend of the family. Having known the guy for so long, I had the idea of what we might be feasting on. I made sure to have an early lunch and skip afternoon tea to make space for a huge meal. 

While my sister was at work, I did some chores and ran some errands to keep me busy. The trips made me a bit tired. I was beginning to feel hungry.   Just before the evening started,  I received a text message from my sister asking me to meet her and others at Seoul Grill, a Korean barbecue and sushi buffet place located on The Mall Bangkapi's third floor. 

Bonding Time at Pancake Cafe

I barely see my sister since I moved to the island. My visit to Bangkok is limited to 2-3 times a year. On those rare occasions most of our bonding time consists of chats while cooking and before we retire for the night, shopping and dining. She and I enjoy hunting for good food the most. We are always on the look-out for new places and try their menu.

On Sunday, we went to the computer center which is in the heart of the city to get her computer fixed. It would take a while. We checked out the latest fashion trends in the nearest shopping complex to pass the time. We did so much walking. We went from one shop to another.  Lunch time came and we were famished. As we walked through the corridors, we spotted the cafe that mainly serves pancakes. We always pass by it but never really checked it out. The menu certainly looked enticing. We decided to get a small meal so we could make room for dessert. MOS Burger was just a few steps away. They also serve food in small portions. It's the ideal place we thought. We grabbed a  bite at MOS, did more window shopping and headed to the Pancake Cafe afterwards..

La Monita Taqueria at Ploenchit

La Monita Taqueria on Ploenchit Road is my family's newfound favorite. The place not only has a laid back atmosphere but also provides authentic Mexican dining experience. The service is fast and efficient. The food are bold and flavorful. 

My sister and cousin are now regular diners at the Mexican restaurant.  Although it's a long way away from home, they love it so much that they frequent the place as often as they can. On my recent visit to Bangkok, they made sure I get the best possible experience not just once but twice!

Pizza Margheritta At The Kitchn

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Margheritta is my all time favorite pizza. There was a time during the busy season when all I could think of was pizza.  I longed for the time when I could take Friday off as it's the only day I could visit Central Festival. Since the mall's opening in March last year, it has become my favorite hang out place on the island. Not that I go shopping every time I take a trip there but the mall has many dining options. One of my favorites is The Kitchn, located  on the ground floor of Central Festival.  The restaurant is now my go-to place for pasta and pizza.

My Preference In Eating Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is great with rice but for authentic Indian food experience, I prefer eating it with naan bread. The plain one is what I think is a better pair.

On my visit to Noori India at Central Festival recently, I decided to have both rice and naan to go with the dish. That's a lot of carbohydrates in one meal. With the amount of work I did that week I could really use some extra calories. Besides,  I hadn't had proper breakfast that day.

Coffee Club On Chinese New Year

My post-Chinese New Year dinner was nothing short of extravagant in comparison with the dishes I partook during the Chinese festivities.  I am not Chinese. The holiday became an important time for me when I lived in China. I learned to adapt the practice of celebrating with a dinner feast.  I have long since left China but I still keep the practice. So on my time off, I took the chance to celebrate the occasion. It's not something traditional. I still haven't found the place where I could get a proper Chinese meal. Oh well, who cares? All that mattered to me was to join in the celebration.

While walking around my favorite hang out place, I spotted  Coffee Club and decided  to see what other creations it offers.I have only been there once before with my friend Saki. It was one of the places she loved to hang out, eat and drink coffee while she was here.  I  had light snack and iced lemon tea that day I went with Saki. That was about the extent of my dining experience at Coffee Club. This time, I went back to indulge myself in other creation.

New Year's Eve Dinner

New Year's eve  was so much fun than the previous year. My sister and some friends came down to join me in welcoming the New Year. We ditched the traditional midnight feast (media noche) we Filipinos do to accommodate my wish. I had a really long day at work. I only had bits and pieces to eat so I could finish and set up  all desserts for the resort's NY eve gala dinner before I go home. I was famished.

The girls had just got back from the beach. They had late lunch but I needed to eat immediately. Deciding a place to go took us a long time. It's New Year's eve. I wanted to treat myself to something different that night. If only my favorite hang out place was closer. Well, it only takes 15 minute drive to get there but I had no energy left. A friend suggested we could go back to the same Thai restaurant they were at. It's only a few hop away from where I live. Well, I couldn't afford to travel anymore but I was really up for some adventures. We finally agreed to spend the evening at the Thai restaurant where they had lunch earlier.

An Afternoon Well Spent

Brownie Cheesecake

My friend and I had a busy late afternoon a couple days before she left for Japan. We had meal together one more time. We went shopping, got our massage  and hit up the cafe she'd been telling me about. We were there for different reasons. For her, she needed to satisfy her sweet tooth. Oh yes, she's addicted to anything sweet.  For me, I was more interested to see the design of the cakes than to taste it. I am new in the baking business so a trip to a bakeshop would  help me come up with fresh  ideas on cake decoration.

Light Meal At Coffee Club

I convinced my friend  to get her last Thai massage before flying home. We went to the center to look for a good but cheap place to get a massage. But first we had  to find food before all  the pampering as she hadn't eaten anything. She suggested The Coffee Club. I had just had lunch but I joined her anyway. Had I not gone, I would not have discovered that CC serves quesadilla.

I browsed the menu but nothing seemed interesting. I didnt want to eat a lot because I was saving room for dessert later.It took me a while before I decided to get pasta in cream sauce. I wasn't hungry at all. I just wanted to have something to munch while I wait for her. The waitress took our orders and left.  She hadn't gone long when I spotted the picture of quesadilla on a table menu. I had a quick change of mind, called the waitress again and asked her to change my order to quesadilla. It got me excited.

Farewell Dinner at DARA Samui

I'd been going out a lot lately. A friend was returning to her country for good. It would be long before we meet again so I took the last chances I could have to spend time with her. A few days before she left, I decided to use the Dara Samui gift voucher I got at our staff party in November. It's for Thai set menu good for 2 people.  It would be a perfect going-away dinner for someone who loves Thai food. I called the resort to make a reservation. The resort has two restaurants, one along the main road, the other on the beach. I requested for a table on the latter as we wanted to enjoy the night in peace and quiet.

Dinner would be served 7ish I was told. We were both excited that we arrived half an hour early. We were not the first customers to arrive. We saw a couple having drinks when we got there. I presented my dinner voucher to the man in-charge and we were led to our table. It was a few hop away from the beach. We could feel the  breeze and watch the sun set in the horizon. It was a perfect setting.

Amici On My Birthday

What better way to spend my birthday than having Italian food at the restaurant I have been meaning to try? I got a surprise birthday treat from a friend. She and I went to celebrate at the newest Italian restaurant called Amici located behind Bei Otto German restaurant,  just across from Central Festival Mall in Chaweng. She has been there once before and she highly recommended  the food. Since it's my birthday,  I think it's time I try it for myself.

Korean Nami Restaurant

The first time I had Korean dish  was back in college. No, I did not go to Korea for my degree. I had classmates who came all the way from Korea to do their studies in the university I attended. It was them who introduced me to their cuisine. Kamsahamnida guys!

That first encounter with an unfamiliar dish was a unique but odd experience. I'd felt  a burst of different flavors  which I could not analyze. Honestly, it was not a love at first bite. I wanted to appreciate the new flavors I came to know.  I thought if I could  have a little portion every time I go to potlucks with my Korean friends, my taste buds would learn to adjust in no time. So they did . As I grow older  I found myself fascinated with Korean cuisine.  And that was how my love affair with Korean food started.