Gianni's Ristorante, Bangkok

There were some crazy lunch deals going around in Bangkok while we were there .... and there seemed to be a following of Japanese house-wives (who's husbands must be working for mega-corporations in BKK) but we were quick to jump on the band wagon. First stop, Gianni's.

Located over in the shopping district, it was just a short stroll from Chidlom station. On our walk down to Gianni's, we discovered another little Soi just bustling with Thai workers on the lunch break, and a whole array of delicious looking foods (why there's just not enough time!) In particular, I loved this little noodle cart which seen taxi drivers and businessman sitting side by side on minuscule chairs chowing down their bowl of noodles ...



But then another few hundred meters down the road we arrive at Gianni's. There's valet service, and loads of black BMW's and Mercedes, but we just walk on in. The initial greeting was a little cold from the Thai host but she seated us anyway ...



after we receive the menu, Gianni himself comes over and gives us the run down and recommends a nice wine to accompany our lunch. White we ponder, we explore the incredible array of bread on our table. There's a vase full of grisini, as well as a basket with about 6 different kinds of bread. We dip the bread into the olive oil and balsamic on our table and have fun trying all the different types.



We have both gone for the 3 course option, at a mere 370B no reason not to! My first course, Vitello Tonnato con Peperoni. A superb interpretation of an Italian classic, thinly sliced veal (that was cooked, and tasted like a milk roast beef) was blanketed in a super smooth tuna mayonnaise with some sweet roasted peppers on top.



Kim has the Carpaccio di Polipo. Thinly sliced octopus is layered into perfect circles, and then stacked with a crisp vegetable vinaigrette layered between. It looks amazing, so colourful, and tastes just as good!



In the bottom of our little bread basket, we had spotted a little treasure, an unusual looking black bread roll, with a heavy dusting of flour, and both decided to save it for our main course. But while we were so into our entrees, a waiter just whisked the basket away, perhaps thinking we didn't want that one lonely bread roll. I call someone over and explain that we were actually saving it, and then what appears, but a basket full of those little black bread rolls.



Arrosto di Maiale Salsa alla Senape - low temperature roasted pork neck with mashed potatoes and mustard sauce. We both liked the sound of this one, and it comes out in it's simple glory. Beautifully roasted meat, a tangy mustard sauce, and super creamy mash.



Petto d'Anatra al Balsamico - pan roasted breast of duckling with vegetables and balsamic. Another one that grabbed both of our attention, so splitting half way was no problem. The duck was pink and tender, with a nice crisp skin. The vegetables, potato, sauteed spinach, baby carrot and a too-cute little pancetta wrapped bean bundle that all paired well with the duck and the rich balsamico sauce.



Now I love a liqueur trolley, but an olive oil trolley? That's superb! While having a little rest before dessert I notice the liqueur trolley which indeed had an impressive selection ....



but it was the olive oil trolley that took my eye. Perhaps it comes out at dinner time, and you can even select your oil to dip your bread in.



Mm, dessert. Kim takes the olive oil tor ..., er I mean gelato torta ;) It's a layered ice-cream cake with raspberry coulis.

Tiramisu is my choice. I love the simplicity. This one is rich and light all at the same time ...



Coffee's finish an incredible lunch, my cappuccino almost defying gravity with the tower of foam !!



Gianni Ristorante
34/1 Soi Tonson Ploenchit Road
Bangkok 10330
T: +66 2252-1619
F: +66 2 652 2584

Yong lee, Bangkok

So within minutes of dropping our bags at Suk 11 we were off into the sights and smells of Bangkok's jumping streets in search of our first meal. We had never stayed over this side of the city usually preferring to stay near Bunglumpoo and taxi across for the occasional foray.

Now with time to properly explore and none of our usual favourite haunts to distract us we wandered, and it wasn't to long before we had found a place interesting looking enough to drag us in. With rows of BBQ ducks hanging in the window there was definitely more of a Chinese feel to the place and the menu confirmed.



As we read the menu item after item jumped out at us we were so excited to see such an array of dishes that we were undecided even as we were asked for our selection. Then as we started to order our decisions were made for us.

"We'll have the wild boar", "ahh sorry sold out" "ok we'll have the deer" "ahh sold out" and so on till we were left none but the stir fried beef tongue with peppers, we added a plate of the delicious hanging duck along with some rice.

Quickly enough we we given two condiments a sweet soy and chilli and vinegar



followed by the duck nicely roasted, all crispy skin and tender meat.



.. but the real star of the show was the tongue and peppers.



Wow. the meat so tender and flavorsome, braised to perfection, with the flash fried peppers it had us wishing there were more of the interesting dishes on the menu.

Sitting on the street corner enjoying this fine food we relised it's no mystery why we keep coming back to Bangkok



Yong lee
Sukhumvit

Who are you calling duck face?

On the inside track again with our friend Mike taking us to an Issan place away from all the touristy side of Samui. Lured with promises of exotic tidbits we arrive at a place on the ring road up past Chawaeng, we know what we're after but once again we are baffled at the the absence of these items on the English menu. With a quick mime and some broken Thai we're back on track, a few minutes later and the dish of deep fried duck bills and tongues are on the table. With a quick dip into the chilli on the side and it's mouth to mouth for these tasty morsels deep fried enough that most of the bill becomes crunchy they soon disappear. Yum a new dish to the repertoire and some new Thai words for the future, Bet bart tod _ duck face deep fried.




Not wanting to waste we followed up with a spicy larp made from the rest of the duck.

H2O, Restaurant & Bar ... and falling from the sky, Kamala Beach

H2O is typically the sort of place we wouldn't go to while staying in Kamala. The whole road that runs along side the beach is full of restaurants and bars that mostly offer some atrocious dumbed down version of Thai food at exorbitant prices and hideous interpretations of Western food. This is why you'll usually find us at the night market, or eating grilled pork from some little street side stall back in the town, the food is 100 times better and it's so much cheaper! But on our first night in Kamala, doing a walk of the strip just checking things out, a very friendly lady just said hello and offered us some 2 for 1 drink vouchers for H2O Bar & Restaurant.

Again, not usually one to go to a place just because we have some sort of voucher or incentive, I'd still want to know the food was going to be okay, I kind of had an inkling about this one. A few days later I suggest we go and check it out, (funny enough, we didn't bring the vouchers anyway) just order a little something and see how it goes. We were greeted again by the same friendly face who directs us up the stairs. There's a young boy and a very young girl who follow up the stairs behind us.

There is no part of the restaurant actually on street level, just a little flashing H2O sign and the stairs, which is why Lek spends her time down here just talking to the customers, asking them about their day, how long they're here for, and then showing them the menu and eventually (hopefully) leading them up the stairs.



It has a very welcoming feel, there's big white tables a little bar over in the corner, plants growing everywhere and a nice view back down onto the street.



We're pleasantly surprised that the menu is mostly Thai, with just a few burgers / sandwiches at the back. We visited on 2 occasions and both times were rather impressed with the Thai food and the warm service. Lek and her family, including brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews run the show. There's a very family feel about the place, the kids just playing amongst the tables and occasionally helping clear tables and run drinks.



We start with a plate of E-abb! The menu description tells us it's crispy cracker wrapped minced chicken, prawn, ginger and corriander with home-made sweet chilli sauce. I remember these from Kim's Sailor's Thai days, occasionly bringing home the leftovers and us enjoying little Thai Pizza's, and hadn't seen them anywhere else on our travels. 4 little triangles of spring roll pastry that had the chicken, prawn, ginger and corriander mince sandwiched between two layers and fried to a golden crisp. The home-made sweet chilli sauce the perfect dip.



The next choice, falling under the category of 'Villagers Favorites' was a Gai Zabb - crispy fried chicken breast with mint, shallot and Thai herbs. Again, something we hadn't really seen around much. The chicken was coated in some coarse coating (maybe some roast rice?) and fried to a golden crisp. There was a slightly spicy limey dressing that was coating fresh mint leaves, sliced lemongrass, corriander and shallot. Very nice combination, the dressing soaking through into the chicken just nicely and the fresh herbs and lemongrass giving it a nice zing.



The larb nuer was another zingy salad. Chopped beef tossed with loads of fresh herbs and sliced shallot in a spicy dressing. There's fresh beans, a lime wedge and cucumber to the side, which offer a nice cooling spell after a mouthful of this delicious spicy salad.



Another of my favorites from the Sailor's day's, a rich red curry of duck with cherry tomatoes. This was a very fine example, the curry rich and decadent with a little kick of spice. The chunks of roast duck were present throughout, the plump little cherry tomatoes exploding in the mouth and the addition of sweet pineapple a nice texture and flavour burst.



From our first visit, we didn't hang around for dessert. We told Lek we would be back, which we were, and she wanted to shout us dessert. The banana fritters arrived, 2 whole banana's in a crisp coconut batter were sitting with 2 giant mounds of ice-cream, chocolate and cookies and cream and finished with a drizzle of honey. Not really Tai but delicious all the same.



We were just about through when the heaven's opened up, dropping an incredible amount of water from the sky. Everyone scrambled for the few little seats by the bar, which were mostly protected. It usually passes over pretty fast but this seemed to be hanging around. We perched up at the bar and just started talking with Lek.



She made us 2 iced coffee's, sure to keep us awake for at least one movie tonight, as we just hung out until the H2O subsided ........


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飲茶 Yum Cha at Kam Fook, Bondi

It's amazing that we can be spoilt with an array of incredible foods at our fingertips, but it is those simple pleasures that Kim and I miss most. 

Sunday yum cha is one we always reminisce about, wherever in the world we are. Sunday yum cha brings back memories of laughter, fun and eating with friends. (This one time, at Zilver with Jess and Stu, one of the little trolleys caught FIRE! it was insane, firefighters, evacuation and all. Good times!) We've enjoyed dim sum aboard on our travels, but do always look forward to being back in Sydney. Maybe it's a bit of nostalgia, or maybe Sydney does yum cha really well. 



We're over at Westfield Bondi before a big days shopping to stock up on the essentials, so what better to fill our belly's with tea and tasty treats. Up on the top floor of the massive shopping mall is Kamfook.  We arrive early, thankfully, so there's no wait today. We're seated and get straight to it. Our first visitor, a very smiley dumpling lady which we gleefully take from her, prawn, spinach and scallop, sui mai and steamed bbq pork buns. With a lick of chilli and a pot of tea we're off ....



The gai lan lady has kind of set up shop beside our table. We nod for a bunch. Mmm, fresh green vegetables. Then we spot the BBQ lady and give her a nod. Within moments she's by our side. It's duck that's on the cards today, but she apologizes as there's none left on her trolley, but assures us she'll be back. Indeed she was, moments later with a plate of glistening BBQ duck glazed with a touch of sauce and a few roast peanuts. Yum!



We get a little impatient waiting for the fried rice noodle trolley, as we spotted it over the other side of the room when we arrived and it hasn't managed to move to far ... so we put our order in with one of the young guys and he delivers it back to us. A plate of fresh rice noodles, with dried shrimp and spring onion, fried until crispy. Then there's the sauce, oh the sauce. A duo of a peanut paste and hoi sin.



Lastly we share a plate of pork pies. A delicious flaky pastry encasing a bbq pork filling, glazed with egg and topped with a few sesame seeds.



Now with full, content stomachs we're ready for shopping!

Shop 6010, Level 6
Westfield Shopping Centre
1oo Oxford Street
Bondi Junction, Sydney, Australia
Tel: 02-93869889

It just keeps pulling ... Fei, Sapporo.

It’s a gravitational force that just keeps pulling us in.

Fei is the perfect stop. Whether it be for a dessert after a mountain of Yakitori and a midnight pizza fix, a fantastic start to an evening with a few amuse for the bouche or in this case, for a special night out, some nice wine and the chef’s omakase course. What’s great is we keep going back and we’re always having something new.



The evening starts with a terrine. The ever-so-gracious Kumi going out of her way to explain to us what we’re eating and willing to go to any extremes to do so. With a little charades we gather it’s a bird … but then Kumi and her partner both harmoniously let out a little “Cooo ,, Cooo”. Ah-hah, Pigeon! It is a fine demonstration of a pigeon terrine, there are chunks of all the bits encased by a thin slice of bacon. It’s nestled in a romesco-like spicy sauce with some crisp watercress fanned out from one side.



Some crusty baguette arrives to accompany the terrine, and an Italian olive oil is poured at the table into a tiny little ramekin.



The house Prosseco, which is generously poured from a magnum pairs just beautifully with the terrine.

Pink soup. Pink wine. It makes perfect sense! We move onto a beautiful pink velvet beetroot soup. It tasted every bit of sweet red beets, served just warm and seasoned with only salt and pepper and finished with just a splash of cream. A large shard of homemade cracker and a delicious Italian rose have us both seeing pink!



Tatchi, or cod sperm, is the next star of the night. A clump of the stuff is pan-fried with a super crispy coating. It’s super fresh and although being quite creamy, it’s still quite firm. It’s sitting in a pool of gorgonzola sauce which marries together incredibly. A single round of fried potato giving it that little bit of extra crunch.



Okinawa always features as a point of interest on Fei’s menu. We’ve had from the little jewel of the south, banana, golden kiwi, baby vegetables and many more. Tonight is a showcase of Okinawa Spring vegetables. The risotto is made with a handful of the vegetables, the al dente rice clinging to them with a touch of cheese and butter. There’s an array of tempura’d baby vegetables on top a splash of balsamic reduction and a citrus salt.



As the risotto plate was whipped away we enjoyed a little break before the next course. We both patiently sat … and there was an amazing smoke smell that filled the room. It was a mellow wood, perhaps apple or cherry, with such a sweet smoke aroma. We were intrigued as to what was happening in the kitchen. Secretly I was hoping whatever the cause of the delicious smoke aroma filling the room was for us, but not expecting it. Smoking something during service is pretty dedicated, and being it was the only time of the evening we noticed it happening it was also pretty special. As the plate was placed in front of us we both indeed did feel special. Kumi tells us we’re about savor the delights of smoked Wild Hokkaido Duck. It was so beautiful, the coulors bringing us back to winter after our little Okinawa Spring break. And the duck, oh divine! Delectable! Delicious! The smoke was racing around my head and filling every crevice with each bite of the tender pink flesh. I made of point of putting down my cutlery with each bite to truly enjoy each moment. The dishes accentuation’s consisted of smokey pan juices, fresh shitake’s and 2 perfect spears of Treviso. A basket of crusty fruit bread arrives just in time to mop up all the delicious juices.



Kumi then gives us about 4 options for our pasta course. Again with above-and-beyond to explain to us one pasta dish, firstly snapping her hands together like a hungry shellfish, we kind of assumed it was some sort of mollusk. Not content, she returns moments later with a Seafood Handbook. Ah, surf clams! Kim jumps at that one. Plump morsels of the clam meat are tossed through a fresh saffron spaghetti with dried mini tomatoes and herbs.



It was a hard choice, but I settled on the gnocchi. The baby gnocchi silky smooth in my mouth, coated in butter, parmesan and cracked pepper.



We’re now getting pretty full … but when offered a Margarita pizza we’re not going to say no!



After a little break we start with the grappa. A glass of grappa di pinot noir is poured at the table for Kim. I enjoy a beautiful rose liqueur. So elegant!



Another thing we, well, me especially, cannot resist on a visit to Fei, pistachio gelato.



The other choice is always a tough one, as there’s always a new dessert on the menu, but tonight with the Zucotto on the menu, the choice was easy!



Every single time we have the pleasure of popping into Fei, we leave with a feeling of exhilaration and inspiration.

Until next time ...

Soba soba

When M2 offered us the opportunity to try fresh made soba at a famous shop, we jumped at the chance. Just down the road from us.. well down the road, round a bend or two and along a bit more, is Rakuichi Soba. It's out the back of Annupuri just off the main road, apparently it has a bit of a following and you could wait up for up to two hours for a seat. Winter is their slow season so we're hoping we'll be ok. The approach to the restaurant is so picturesque, a narrow wooden foot bridge leading to the building, all dusted with snow it's very fairy tale.



Once in the door we see that a wait will still be in order as all of the stools along the small counter are full. Luckily we wait a brief ten minutes before a space is cleared and we're in.



We are very thankful that M2 speaks Japanese or we would have been limited to hot or cold soba, we would have had no idea of the special duck soba or the .....well actually that's as far as we got, DUCK SOBA??? Two please.



Once you have your order in that's when the magic happens, owner and soba master Tatsuru makes the noodle dough to order for each order. First mixing the dough, then deftly pressing and rolling before finally hand cutting with an impressive noodle knife. You can tell Tatsuru has been doing this for a few years when he has finished the process he has enough noodles for our order exactly. The noodles are then taken out to the back for blanching and plating.







While waiting for the noodles we order plates of vegetable tempura to get us started. Little plates of eggplant, beans, peppers, okra and mushrooms all crispy coated, mmmmm I love tempura.



The noodles arrive shortly after, my cold duck noodles have the soba off to the side of the duck soup, a small plate of tempura yam next to them, Kat had the duck as well, but the hot version so the noodles, soup and tempura are already mixed.



The soup is rich and the duck flavorful, the noodles are, in my very limited knowledge of soba, the best I've ever had, the little tempura yam thingies tasty.



Coming here is not only a great meal but a great experience. I know we want to come back, but which is better, waiting two hours for a seat if we come in summer or waiting all winter to eat here again.......dilemma dilemma.

Soba Restaurant Rakuichi
Buckwheat Annupri
048-1511 431, Niseko, Niseko-cho
TEL : 0136-58-3170
Hours : 11:00～15:00、17:00～（Reservation required)
Holiday : Thur.