Punk Rockin' in Bangkok!

My friend Tina is the hot bassist for the indie punk band here in Bangkok called "Tender Preys." They're a trio composed of a French frontman/lead guitar, a British drummer and a Pinay bassist:) All original stuff here, reminding you of happy 80's old school punk.

Checked out their gig last Saturday at the Immortal Bar on Khao Sarn Road (the famous backpacker district)--and it was great! Happy time for any head-banging rock lover in the emerging/indie/underground Thai rock band scene. The bar was a tiny place with a sitar, a mom and son manning the bar and dishing out beers, a 40-something way funky DJ who was spinning rock/metal hits punctuated by homemade sound effects, and 3 other Thai rock bands.

The Thai bands were interesting--a mix between pop-rock, heavier alt rock, and then there was this bluesy sounding one. Since they sang in Thai it was hard to make out but the songs were about, but good musicianship more than made up for it!

Tina's group is opening for the "Futons" this Valentine's day at RCA's Club 808. It's a kind of anti-Valentine's gig:)

The "Futons" are a pretty cool electro-punk gig with 2 Thai and 2 British members. They have a pretty cool music video here. And it seems like Suede's former drummer has been reincarnated moving continents to Thailand to drum for Futon:)

Pad Thai Numero Uno, other food favorites

My favorite Thai dish hands down: pad thai!

In my adventures, there is a shop that I frequent in Soi Ari that serves the best pad thai. It serves nothing but pad thai--with small shrimp, jumbo prawns, glass noodles, ramen noodles, etc. It's pad thai heaven sprinkled with peanut bits and lime juice all over:)

My favorite escape includes a big order of pad thai, and a cool glass of kwe kiao, chrysanthemum tea:)

But the being more adventurous especially with the mobile thai fare, read, street food, I've ventured to two interesting habits: buying freshly baked bread and khao mun gai from friendly people in the same area.

There is a friendly lady who laughs at my pronunciation of moo yong, which is the bread with pork floss baked into it. (Sort of reminds you of yummy Bread Talk back home.) It's baked right on the street, fresh from a large steel oven just outside the swing doors to a grocery store. And it is perfect--soft buttery bread loaf, warm from the oven, barely risen, with a secret salty-sweet surprise. I've been adventurous and tried the moo yong with chili paste inside (chili paste is yet another Thai discovery!) but my favorite is the regular one.

Then there is a skinny chicken seller who claims his is the 'best chicken in Thailand,' which actually I haven't found the cause to argue about yet. He makes khao mun gai, which is better known in my lifetime as Hainanese chicken rise. This is my ultimate comfort food--the subtle steamed chicken slices and the bold chickenstock-flavored rice. Perfect. My whole family knows how to make this at home, and loves it--willing to suffer the intensive and slow cooking process. But this time, for around 30 pesos a serving, piping hot and steaming, I believe I've found my "suki" for a song.

I believe those two are a close second and third place to pad thai!

Holidays in Thailand

Spending the holidays in Bangkok was a blast--especially with Mei coming in from Hawaii to be with her family! It's been a year since we've met up in person since Singapore but it couldn't have been more perfect to hang around, be silly, play with their four cute dogs and go to church in Thai:)

Come new year, there was a blast from the past--with Bjarke and Juan who I had met in Bangalore coming over by bus from Vietnam via Cambodia. So Mei, her cool sis Gig, Mei's friend from Hawaii-Travis, and Bjarke and Juan, and Mei's Mom and Dad spent new year's together---visiting the Grand Palace, singing karaoke, bowling, having a tower*winkwink*, talking about climate change:)

A brilliant 2008 to everyone!

Like an old Chinese favorite....

My dad and I have a thing for cashew nuts--especially in food. We're the only ones in our foodie family to actually love an order of stir fried chicken with cashew nuts in Chinese restaurants whether at home or on the road.



And lo and behold, one of my favorites has a Thai incarnation--made with fish sauce, oyster sauce and a lot of scallions and sweet onions:) And no, it is not spicy...

At the cafeteria, there is one particular stall which I am definitely a "suki" of already. I order this to go or to eat right there with my friends during lunch break. And at 30 baht, with rice, it's a steal:)

I've been thinking a lot about my food choices lately and what they've meant especially since it's been a month since I've been here. There are definitely interesting things about being in AIT cafeteria--like great Indian food (samosas, lassi, chicken tikka, nan bread, yumyum, you name it!), slow-cooked Chinese-Thai food (it's my first time in a long time to have honest to goodness pork humba with knuckles and egg) and then the Thai-food-you-are-not-sure-is-spicy-but-you're-too-scared-to-try-so-you-ask-your-friend-to-order-it.

Maybe easing in is a good thing. Taking it slow and steady...going with what you know and then movingf outwards little by little.