More Bangkok -- Curries, Noodles, and Sanitizers

We only had time to visit Ban Chiang one more time during our visit. It was really more of an excuse to indulge in more mango sticky rice. It was nighttime and harder to take pictures this time, so I took a pic of the only other dish worth mentioning -- the chicken curry. Topped with all those leaves and carrots, it was fresh and almost buttery. But we probably powered through it faster than we should to get to that mango dessert.

We visited MBK -- a gigantic indoor market in Bangkok -- about two or three times during our visit. On one such occasion, we went specifically to visit the food court. The Lonely Planet said it was huge and not to be missed, so we found out way up to the sixth floor and over into another room. They were right; it was huge. You had to buy tickets for the food court like you're at the fair or something -- no baht was accepted at the individual food stands. We took a long stroll along the court to get an idea as to what we wanted. It was hard, because this food was clearly targeted for the Bangkokians. Most stands had ducks or chicken or other animals in clear view with stewed heads exposed. I guess its not so different from Chinatown, but it seemed different at a mall. It was one of those weird moments where you almost feel homesick and almost kinda want a Sbarros.

I guess we were both feeling wimpy and settled on some pad thai. Chicken, noodles, scallions, a lime on the side, pretty standard. Before we started eating, Rob asked if I had dipped my chopsticks.

Wait, dipped them?

We watched other mallgoers scoop up their silverware, dip them in a bucket, continue on their way. I didn't even notice this earlier. I walked up to see that the bucket was labeled Sanitizer. It was sort of dirty looking, and a fork settled down along the bottom. To dip or not to dip? Did they not wash the forks and chopsticks at all, or was this sort of an added measure? I held my breath and dipped before rigorously cleaning them again with my napkin. Ahh, Bangkok, it sure is a different place. The food was good but I was having a hard time forgetting about the dipping thing. I'm glad Rob didn't point out until afterwards that there were tons of head-on baby shrimp in there. I don't really like shrimp. Heads-on, especially! I don't know why the picture won't upload properly, but here it is, in all its sideways glory.

The portion was crazy small and one order of pad thai was not cutting it. So I decided to be more adventurous and get some duck pho this time around. I tried not to watch while they cut the meat for me. At least I knew it was fresh.

Later in our trip, we visited this unpronouncable noodle place. Lonely Planet promised it would be an "intensely spicy and satifying" experience. We had a bit of trouble finding it, and when we asked a local if she could point us in the right direction, she warned us "very spicy!!"

The noodles were a little spicy, I guess, but not worth all the warnings. I was tempted to write to Lonely Planet and tell them it was a semi-spicy and mostly-satisfying experience. The dishes, again, were small (maybe that's how the Thai's stay so tiny?), served in shallow metal bowls. We both ordered different chicken dishes, because unfortunately, they were out of pork that night. One was a bit more noodley, the other had a dark broth and a spicier taste. It was probably one of the more authentic restaurants we visited, and we enjoyed that. We were less pampered than at Ban Chiang (mostly tourists) but not uncomfortably out of place like at that Hong Kong hot pot spot (totally Asian).

Asia Adventure Part 2: Bangkok

I was so relieved when Shivaun finally said that she would come to Bangkok with us. Thailand had been on my list of countries to visit for years, but when it came down to it, I was a little nervous about wandering around a place so far removed from our own culture. Then again, it's not an adventure if you don't break out of your comfort zone, so Rob and I explored on our own, visiting temples and Buddhas and markets. The culture shock was less severe than I expected.

I'd heard it before and it is definitely true: the Thais love to eat. More specifically, they love to eat meat. Everywhere you turn, meat is hanging from hooks in street carts, grilled on a barbeque, strung onto sticks. The smell mixes with exhaust from heavily trafficked streets and hangs in the air. I was warned not to try the street food, and while I had every intention of ignoring that advice, the smell -- and sometimes, the sight -- of the raw, unmasked meat was a bit much for me.

Lucky for us, Shivaun's family was visiting Bangkok at the same time as us, and boy do they know how to party. Every night we were spoiled by huge catered dinners, sometimes poolside, sometimes with live Indian music, with tray after tray of amazing Indian food -- rice, stewed meats, vegetables, skewers, etc. We would usually eat way too much to make up for our long days of unfed exploring. We were happy in this rhythm until one night when the GM of the hotel approached us and said that while he was glad to see us every night, we really needed to get out and try some real Thai food. We asked for a recommendation and without thinking he says "Ban Chiang!" At this point his wife jumps up and says yes, you must visit Ban Chiang. Ask the front desk for directions. We're pretty receptive to suggestions (and we can take a hint), so the next day at lunch we headed out, map in hand, to check it out.

Ban Chiang is like a leafy oasis. The restaurant has the feel of an old colonial house, very wooden and charming. They had a beautiful outdoor seating area, but we opted for the air conditioned house.

The menu was huge and we almost didn't know where to start. And then we decided, what better way to gauge a real Thai restaurant than by getting our Sripraphai usuals? So even we ordered the crispy pork with Chinese kale, the roasted duck salad and -- to add a control group to our study -- ginger chicken. I also ordered a Thai iced tea because I got a kick out of just asking for an "iced tea" to get it. You can't do that unless you're in Thailand!

Aside from the chicken, which was a little boring, everything was amazing. The iced tea was very memorable, as it had a good hint of coffee flavor. While the crispy pork didn't have the satisfying crunch that we all know and love at Sripraphai, the meat was much less fatty and a little less salty. The Chinese kale was seriously addicting and I didn't even think I liked the stuff. The duck in the duck salad dish was perfectly tender -- again, NOT fatty -- and came with chopped cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and basil.

We ordered the mango with sticky rice for dessert, not knowing that it would change our lives forever. I'm not being dramatic. The mango was the ripest, sweetest, most perfect fruit either of us ever had the pleasure of tasting. The sticky rice was a great accompanyment, adding a solid texture to the fruit that melted in your mouth. It was devine. We reported immediately back to Shivaun who smiled and said, "Yeah, mangoes are a lot better in Thailand than they are back home." Understatement of 2009.

More to come...