It's the Sauce...

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov


…that makes the dish. In Sauce Restaurant in San Francisco, it’s Executive Chef Ben Paula who creates diverse “social plates” meant for sharing, and an impressive array of entrees ranging from the house special fried chicken to various fish and vegetable preparations.
You can call it American/Californian comfort food, but burger’s cute little cousins, a.k.a. daily sliders on homemade rolls; revved-up fries made of Portobello mushrooms; gentrified mac-n-cheese with ham hock and six noble cheeses, and a far cry from onion rings – delicate crispy shallots – are all very San-Franciscan in essence. Where else do you put on the menu all those heartland staples alongside vegetarian, vegan, and Asian-inspired plates?
Our dinner at Sauce started with a perennial crowd pleaser – tomato bisque soup served with white truffle grilled cheese toast sticks. You probably guessed by now that your classic tom soup with grilled cheese ‘wich it is not. The velvety texture of Chef Ben’s smooth and creamy bisque can be rivaled only by the saturation of its flaming red-orange color (International Orange, just like the Golden Gate?). But wait, its smooth texture comes not from heavy cream, but from Arborio rice base, onion, garlic, and white wine, so it’s not only delish, but healthy and not fattening (unless you never stop eating it).

We had to stop at some point, not to miss those sliders of the day – this time with yummy parmesan chicken. Then came incredibly light and juicy Portobello fries, and then baked mac & cheese with lots of imbedded cheddar, and under a crispy crumb-enhanced blanket of gruyere, containing a sauce made with parmesan, asiago, mozzarella, and provolone.
Our main course, Sauce’s Fried Chicken, arrived in a form of ribless breast with a coveted wing segment, lightly breaded and flash-fried, natural juices intact. It was accompanied by whipped potato, blanched green beans and crimini mushrooms, and adorned with Japanese sweet potato chips standing upright. The pan gravy was light and refined, reaffirming the Chef’s tendency to bring everything simple, tried and true to the new heights of culinary creativity.
And then it was time for dessert. Cinnamon-sugar mini doughnuts with fresh blueberries and vanilla-bourbon sauce – mmm. Or that creative take on peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which the Chef calls “my baby” – a peanut butter sponge cake with the house made strawberry jelly and whipped cream [addictive] filling. It’s like watching the next step of evolution unfolding right in front of your eyes.
Our dinner was accompanied by some great libations from the Sauce’s well-stacked full bar, smartly separated from the intimate dining room and beautifully designed with a stunning 18-foot slab of reclaimed redwood from Berkeley. St. Supery Virtu sav blanc 2006 from Napa made a perfect match with our soup course, while well-executed pisco sour and mint julep cocktails complimented more substantial appetizers. A glass of golden late-harvest Riesling and an absolutely hands down amazing espresso martini made our dessert consumption not only exceedingly sinful and overindulgent, but memorable, too. Well, one can always get on a tread mill, or at least start planning for it.
San-Franciscan as he is in his execution of all those imaginative dishes, Ben Paula, who co-owns Sauce with Trip, Nathan and Matt Hosley, was born and raised in Massachusetts, and used to work all over the country, from four-diamond five-star resorts to various banquet facilities where time was in essence and daily operations involved huge quantities of quality food prepped and delivered in an efficient manner. He learned secrets of the trade and various techniques, including ice carving, before moving to San Francisco.

In 2004 Paula, his BFF from college Nate Hosley, and Hosley’s two brothers opened Sauce, and a year ago added a tiny 9-room hotel, called Sleep on the upper floors above the restaurant, creating a guest house of sorts, where any select group of people can eat, drink, sleep, and be merry.
Located in the vicinity of the SF performing arts district, Sauce/Sleep recently housed a group of nine concert pianists who enjoyed a personalized service and a special menu here throughout their stay.
There is a private party room in Sauce, called Supper Club, decorated with plush burgundy curtains and suitable for a sit-down party of 40 or a cocktail reception of up to 70. The main dining room sits 45, and there are 10 stools at the bar.
The only restaurant in Hayes Valley opened until 2 in the morning, Sauce guarantees working kitchen until 1 am, and feeds pre-show and post-show crowds as well as late diners and various strangers in the night.
Very reasonable prices assure the owners’ desire to encourage their guests come here “three times a week rather than once in three months.” Regulars come to Sauce for their special faves, so each summer, when the Chef introduces a new seasonal menu, he takes care not to take out those dishes that people love and repeatedly ask for.
Sauce Restaurant is located at 131 Gough Street, San Francisco. Open nightly for dinner from 5 pm to 2 am. Reservations through OpenTable at (415) 252-1423; http://www.saucesf.com/.

Ask Emma

Question: What would you say to a person who constantly asks uncomfortable questions and makes stupid comments? There is a person in our office who never shuts up about other people’s affairs. Out of more than a dozen people who work here, everybody has been subjected to his lame jokes at one time or another. I am getting sick and tired of the guy, and everybody feels he is out of line, but people don’t dare say it to his face. I don’t want to be the bad guy and take all the blame upon myself by attacking him straight on, but I want to take care of myself. What should I do? Answer: If the jokes and comments you refer to are discriminatory, insulting or otherwise politically incorrect, file a formal complaint with your HR department and with your boss. If they are just stupid and uncomfortable, avoid any personal contact with the guy, and ignore it, ignore it, ignore it. If it’s any consolation, there are very few offices in this world that wouldn’t be abrasive and damaging to a normal human psyche, one way or another. Those people, who are lucky to work for a good boss, maintain office friendships, and/or productive collaboration with co-workers are few and far between. If you possess at least one of these work world treasures, rejoice, and never mind the jerk. If your office life is unbearable for other reasons, then run. Toxic work environments rarely change for the better.

Sta Bene, Molto Bene at Pasta Bene!

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov
One good Italian restaurant, placed between Buffalo Exchange and non-descript storefronts, hardly makes Little Italy, but Italy none the less. Pasta Bene, open less than two months ago on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, serves house-made pizza and pasta made from scratch the way Italian mammas do – simply, unpretentiously, and with lots of amore.
Don’t be fooled by the modest counter service, you get the freshest and the most flavorful fare here for an amazing price, and all the kind attention from the staff you might need or want.

On the day we dined, our bruschetta came on a crispy toast topped with a mound of deliciously salty pungent diced tomatoes, flavored with basil, garlic and olive oil, and garnished with baby greens. Eggplant Parmigiana (my personal favorite) starred the lightest baked eggplant, softened in the oven, juicy and well-pronounced, not overwhelmed with breading as it happens so often in less thorough kitchens. Take it from someone who orders this dish in every Italian restaurant: Pasta Bene whips up the best Eggplant Parmigiana, adorned with thin fragrant sauce and a tender stretchy layer of cheese to absolute perfection.
Then we indulged in a plate of what looked like tricolore Italiano to me – red tomato and green cucumber slices, whole leaves of basil, and white feta cheese cubes, accompanied by olive oil-balsamic vinegar dressing and Kalamata olives. Homemade flatbread sprinkled with parsley was warm, sweet, chewy, and doughy – we just couldn’t get enough of it, although our main courses were still coming…
I’m rather picky with my pizza. Nothing but thin crust will ever do, and it’s gotta strike a balance between crispy and chewy. I also like to let the dough shine, therefore I don’t go heavy on the toppings. A pretty little Margarita with Roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and that amazing thin sauce came across as very satisfactory, indeed. My dining companion enjoyed his Carciofi e Pollo that our server recommended – homemade linguini, chicken breast, artichoke hearts and capers in another amazing sauce made of olive oil, red pepper, and herbs.
Strangely, all this dough served in generous portions, plus a great bottle of Charles Creek Pasatiempo Merlot 2005 from Sonoma Carneros, suggested by the restaurant owner, didn’t make us feel heavy, but rather happy.
So, happily we devoured a Tiramisu, soaked in cognac, Frangelico, and Bacardi, and topped with red wine/blueberry sauce and a fresh strawberry. In the background, Toto Cutugno was singing a nostalgic 1983 hit, L’italiano… Who would ask for anything more?
The restaurant is owned and operated by Farhad Jalali and Ladan Sanjani, the husband and wife team with great many years of excellent experience in the industry. While Ladan manages the San Francisco restaurant of the same name, 22 years in business now, Farhad is tending to his customers in Berkeley, making sure everybody feels welcome and eats well.
During our short conversation, I got to learn a little about the man behind the food. Born in Iran and educated in Europe, Farhad used to cook for a living in his student years. While studying mechanical engineering (and getting his Master’s and his Ph.D.) in Germany, he liked traveling to Italy, and, well… eating there! Combine an engineering mind and an appreciation for good food, and voila, you got a chef like no other. Farhad does all the shopping and menu planning himself, and also can speak four languages, quote Nietzsche or recommend wine to his guests with equal ease and grace. I’ll quote him on my subject of interest, though. “If you can do dough you can do anything,” Farhad said, referring to the many incarnations of dough served at Pasta Bene – from pizzas shoved into a 750-degree oven the moment the order is placed, to a dozen of kinds of pasta on the menu, to decadent desserts.
Since its acquisition, the restaurant underwent a complete remodeling, and now presents a spacious yet cozy place full of light, with dark wood tables and chairs, exposed beams, dramatic chandeliers, mirrored faux windows on side walls, and vintage posters. It has a great outdoor area in front, and seats about 65.
Draft and bottled beer and red and white wines are offered by the glass and bottle. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Take out is available, but it’s so much nicer to just be here and enjoy your food!
Pasta Bene is located at 2565 Telegraph Avenue, close to the UC Berkeley campus. More info at: http://www.pastabenesf.com/ or call (510) 845-2363. No reservations required or accepted.

Ask Emma

Question: My girlfriend and I had our engagement party last spring, and we planned to get married next summer. Now, her career plans changed after she graduated from a business school. She is about to leave for her new job abroad. She told me that her career goes first, and she is not sure if she’ll be back by the next summer to marry me. She says she still loves me, but she cannot miss on this opportunity to build her future. In all this time since last spring, we never really planned anything for the wedding. I was expecting her to be more proactive, but she seemed very busy with her studies all the time. We dated, met with our friends, and everything seemed normal, besides the fact that our future wedding was never on the table. Now, with her leaving for who knows how long, I doubt she ever really planned to marry me. Why would she accept the ring, then, and what should I do now? Call it quits?Answer: If you are asking me to confirm what you already know, than yes, call it quits, she’s not going to marry you. I assume, you already went through the possibility of moving to her new job place together, and it didn’t work out… It would be hard to keep a long-distance marriage even with a very willing person. Your girlfriend is not interested in marrying you anymore, or she never has been. Maybe, being engaged was all she really wanted for whatever reason. Maybe, she just wants to keep you at hand in case nothing better will come her way in the near future. If you are fine with that, you might want to continue patiently waiting, but if you are not up to seeing if she would discard you when her dream-boy comes along, just let her go.

Where Nine Dragons Drop Their Pearls: Kowloon

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

Properly inspired by the millennia-old tales, and already immersed in the local culture, I easily made up a dragon playing with his “fortune pearl” out of the map of Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island. Of course, first I learned that the Cantonese two-word Kowloon translates as “nine dragons.” According to an ancient legend, a young emperor admired the eight hills of his land and associated them with mighty dragons. As an emperor, he was comparable to/descendant from a dragon, and therefore there were nine dragons in his kingdom.

Kowloon is a small yet beautiful and densely populated territory, facing Hong Kong’s iconic skyline from across Victoria Harbour. Due to constant land reclamation and new construction on the Hong Kong side, the harbor becomes narrower, and the mirrored skyscrapers of international brands move closer to Kowloon’s Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Public Pier, and Avenue of Stars, the newest addition to the southernmost tip of the peninsula.

Dedicated to the movie stars and filmmakers of Asia, and graced with bronze statues, red granite star outlines, and tropical plants, the Avenue that runs along the waterfront, is the best place to watch A Symphony of Lights, the world’s largest permanent light and music show that plays out on the walls and rooftops of more than 40 tallest buildings on both sides of the harbor.

It starts on the roof of Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, moves to the Bank of China Tower and Cheung Kong Center. Then Central Plaza and Two IFC buildings start glowing with changing LED colors, from top to bottom. Then HSBC building, Far East Finance Centre, World Trade Centre, Police Headquarters and all the rest of the identifiable landmarks get their share of laser beams that cut through the thickening darkness. One evening, I was lucky to observe the show from a cozy banquette by the window of my room at InterContinental Hong Kong (http://www.intercontinental.com/) located on the most prestigious piece of land right behind the Avenue of Stars.

The hotel, built in 1980, reflects a strong belief in feng shui tradition. …Every morning, nine dragons descend from the mountains to drink water from Victoria Harbour. It’s considered bad luck to block their way, so the InterContinental that sits right by the sea, has floor-to-ceiling glass walls on both sides to let the dragons (and the sunlight) through. Since dragons usually carry pearls of fortune in their mouths, the hotel reception area is built in a form of a receptacle, allowing the magical beasts to drop their “money” here before they proceed to take a sip from the harbor. This beautiful legend doesn’t specify if the dragons ever stop in the Lobby Lounge for a popular Sunday champagne brunch or a sophisticated afternoon tea. I wouldn’t be surprised if they would.

During my short stay at InterContinental on the way back from Singapore (so happy I decided to extend my Hong Kong stopover!) I had to force myself to leave the exceedingly accommodating premises whenever I ventured outside to explore the city.

Between five designer restaurants; spa with an open-air three-temperature infinity pool, almost overflowing into the harbor; spacious room with a stunning view; and Club InterContinental membership that included daily Moet & Chandon, it would be the easiest thing in the world to toss my maps and guidebooks with planned and circled city sights, and just stay in until it would be time to board my flight home.

Consider lunch at Michelin-starred Yan Toh Heen, which translates as “the place to enjoy the beautiful view.” The never-tiresome harbor view was not the only thing to enjoy in the antiques-decorated restaurant. Place settings and table utensils at Yan Toh Heen are made of hand-carved green jade and cost thousands of HK dollars, so feeling like an empress just by being served here comes naturally. Chef Lau Yiu Fai’s special take on traditional dim sum – Hong Kong’s precious contribution to the world culture, if you ask me – shined in bright-orange carrot dumplings with chives; puff pastry with chicken filling, and spinach dumplings with crabmeat, topped with black truffles. The restaurant’s signature dish, deep-fried pear and scallop, presented an unusual and enticing combination of tastes and textures. Then steamed grouper arrived in a clay pot with lily root, green apple, and chives – yet another winning combination of delicate Cantonese flavors.

Other outstanding dining establishments within the glass walls of InterContinental include upscale Spoon by celebrity chef/restaurateur Alain Ducasse, and casual NOBU, serving revolutionized Japanese cuisine. While myriad of spoons cover the ceiling of the former, 1700 naturally polished river rocks were used in the design of the latter, along with cherry blossoms photo images covered with Murano glass beads; circular cross-cuts of bamboo, imbedded in the dark walls like air bubbles in water; and sea urchin “pencils” forming structured overhead décor intertwined with blue Venetian plaster.

In healthily-seductive I-Spa, I couldn’t get enough of detox tea, made with fresh ginger, lemon, and honey. Swimming in a pond-like round blue pool, I discovered that the music was playing somewhere at the bottom of it. The spa culture extends here to the unique ihealth initiative, featuring preventative-medicine menus, compiled in collaboration with Adventist Hospital’s nutritionist team. A special a la carte ihealth menu served by Harbourside Restaurant on a teak deck under beach umbrellas, addresses the four prevalent health concerns – diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and lack of anti-oxidants in the most delicious and easily-digestible way, so to speak. What I enjoyed the most, though, was the Club membership with all the business-meets-pleasure perks, like free internet, daily fresh fruit, and L’Occitane bath amenities. In the InterContinental Hong Kong it is available to any paying guest, not just to those who occupy high-flyer floors, like in other hotels. The Club lounge overlooked the glass lobby, Avenue of Stars, and Victoria Harbour, and served East-West breakfasts, afternoon tea with dainty hors d’oeuvres, and evening cocktails. Overcome by the siren song of comfort and luxury, I had to make a conscious decision to step outside into the hot and humid air… Looking through my guidebook, I realized that there was not enough time to see everything I would like to see, so I decided to explore at least the nearby area.
I observed the Clock Tower on the waterfront, the only remaining part of the original Kowloon Canton Railway Terminus; the former Marine Police Headquarters building, now called 1881 Heritage, and the former Time Ball Tower. I admired the majestic contemporary trio of Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong Space Museum, and Hong Kong Museum of Art, with uniformed school groups lining up by the entrance. I walked to Kowloon Walled City Park, and wondered through its sculpture garden, aviary, and banyan grove.

Lastly, I visited the famed Jade Market in Yau Ma Tei, and its 400 stalls overflowing with true and false treasures of the Nine Dragons land. From it, I brought home a little dragon statuette. The mythical animal is supposed to ward off evil and bring good fortune. True or false, it is also supposed to remind me that I can always return to Hong Kong/Kowloon not just for a brief stopover, but for my next vacation. More information at: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/ and http://www.festivehongkong2010.com/.

Ask Emma

Question: I had a business lunch with an older man, whom I know through friends, and who really likes me, I think. He paid for a nice lunch, and then he stopped a cab for me and gave me a $20, saying, “All you owe me is the change from this.” I’ve got ten dollars change from the cab. Should I mail him a 10-dollar bill or wait until I see him next time?
Answer: Under no circumstances should you put cash in the mail. Sending a check would be an option, but not without the consent of the second party. What you should do is send a nice Thank You card briefly letting the man know how you enjoyed the lunch and how quickly you reached your destination in the cab. After your signature, put in the P.S., “By the way, I have a ten dollar change from the cab. How would you like me to send it to you?” In this case, he’ll have an opportunity to request the check, to refuse it altogether, or to use it as a reason for another meeting with you. That is if you want to see this man again. Otherwise, just mail the check.

Alive and Well in Bangkok

By Emma Krasov (text and photography)
So you are back, alive and well, that’s already good, said my Doc the other day. I went to see my family physician mostly to address some annoying sunburns I endured while skimming the beaches of the Gulf of Thailand.
Before my long-anticipated trip to The Land of Smiles, I was advised to vaccinate, carry strong antibiotics just in case, and never ever eat street food. Some friends expressed other safety concerns, but couldn’t answer a simple question how safe they felt staying home…
A convinced optimist, inspired by visions of graceful dancers with outstretched fingertips, golden Buddhas, and purple orchids, I went.
Our touring group arrived in Bangkok via Thai Airways, whose motto, Smooth as Silk, inspired both the smooth ride and the smiley attentive service (www.thaiairwaysusa.com). Dressed in brocaded Thai silk, and adorned with purple orchid flowers, stewardesses were tending to the passengers’ every whim, distributing blankets and magazines, pouring cocktails, helping with video, and offering fresh fruit and sandwiches in-between three substantial meals. Comfortable leg room and more elbow space than in any domestic carrier allowed for a non-tiring flight that didn’t even seem that long.
From the airport, we took a relaxing air-conditioned bus ride to Hua Hin. It’s a prestigious resort area not far from Bangkok, graced with a royal palace and a string of luxurious hotels.
Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa (www.hilton.com/worldwideresorts) is located right on the beach in the center of town. It serves over-the-top buffet breakfasts, enforced with fragrant tropical fruit and a rainbow of juices; has all rooms with spectacular views and private balconies, and a terrace bar overlooking the giant free-form pool, framed by swaying palms.


Hyatt Regency Hua Hin (www.huahin.regency.hyatt.com) boasts The Barai spa, (www.thebarai.com) as much an architectural gem as it is a sophisticated treatment center designed to induce serenity and tranquility with the help of four natural elements – Water, Earth, Air, and Fire believed to bring their unique qualities to the methods of physical and spiritual rejuvenation of humans. At The Barai, our group participated in an herbal compress class, offered on premises. A hot compress massage, Luk Prakop, involves a variety of aromatic herbs, spices, and fruit chunks tightly wrapped in white linen, then steamed and pressed against a pulled muscle or an aching joint.
Chiva-Som (www.chivasom.com) is a very special health resort with secluded guest houses inspired by Thai traditional architecture, clustered in the midst of tropical gardens, lakes, and waterfalls. It offers packages for natural healing, yoga, detox, weight management, and physical renewal that include special diet, daily meditation, and a variety of fitness classes.

At V Villas Hua Hin (www.v-villashuahin.com) we stopped for “Western” lunch. Roasted cod fillet with bacon mashed and baby vegetables in horseradish cream sauce never tasted as good in the West. The restaurant was overlooking a pristine strip of sand with beach umbrellas, and an infinity pool, almost overflowing into the sea.
After all the indulgence and relaxation of the retreat, I was looking forward to the historical and architectural wonders of Bangkok.


Mere words cannot begin to describe the exquisite beauty of its temples and palaces. Suffice it to say that on our visit to the Royal Grand Palace I completely filled out a memory card in my camera, driven by some kind of photo frenzy.
Before entering the palace we were asked to dress appropriately, so there I was, covered neck to toe in 95-degree heat, and with a borrowed sarong over my skimpy shorts. This tiny inconvenience surprisingly added a touch of authenticity to the overwhelmingly joyous experience.

There was a magic kingdom of Ramayana, presented in endless wall murals, and the pantheon of Siam’s heavenly creatures incarnated in whimsical sculptures hidden in every nook and cranny of the palace, framing every rooftop, freeze and banister, guarded by the giant statues of fierce demons with bulging eyes and bared fangs.
Then there was the temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew, intricately decorated, and endlessly revered by the devotees from near and far.
In Wat Trimit temple, an awe-inspiring solid gold 5.5-ton 3-meter-high Buddha was towering over the never-stopping stream of worshippers and tourists.
Then the most grandiose, gigantic, absolutely fascinating statue of the Reclining Buddha was, well, reclining in all its enormous glory in Wat Phra Chetuphon, a temple on the site of the first Thai university with the world-famous “Wat Pho” massage school, still in session since the 16th century (www.watpomassage.com).
That evening, Siam Niramit show, dedicated to the history and cultural traditions of the many peoples of Thailand, was a perfect finale to the art-filled day. One of the largest stage productions in the world, with 150 performers, 500 elaborate costumes and wonderful special effects, it was the place to see my favorite Thai dancers and all the visual glamour that always surrounds them (www.siamniramit.com).
In the morning, we embarked on a Chaophraya River cruise with Grand Pearl Cruise (www.grandpearlcruise.com). A relaxing ride along the banks of the River of the Kings, with a buffet lunch and tea service, brought us to the ancient capital of Thailand, the city of Ayutthaya, and to the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace.
Combining striking European and Thai architectural features, the palace contains plenty of historical mementos and memorials of the royal dynasty. One of the memorials is dedicated to Queen Sunandakumariratana, who drowned in the stormy river in 1880 on her way to the palace. When her boat capsized, none of her servants dared violate the law and touch the royalty to pull her out of the water.
Ayutthaya is also known for its many medieval temples, whose picturesque ruins are now overtaken by flowering weeds, chirping birds, and flitting butterflies. We stopped at one of them, Wat Maha That, calm and majestic, with stairs that lead nowhere and stone Buddhas, broken into fragments.
There is a tall banyan tree there, with Buddha’s face carved in its root system.
Looking back, I wonder how so many wonderful things, unforgettable sights and enticing events could’ve taken place in just several days. Excursions to the Bridge over the River Kwai and Hellfire Pass Memorial museum (www.dva.gov.au); to Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall (www.nitasrattanakosin.com); to the Arts of the Kingdom traditional Thai crafts exhibition (www.artsofthekingdom.com , and to the Bang Noi floating market…
A dreamy oil massage session at the Oasis Spa (www.bangkokoasis.com), where a massage room opened into the open-air shower under the lush tropical greenery...
A late-night dinner at Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa (www.Marriott.com/BKKTH) with a live performance of costumed and masked Thai dancers…

Staying at the most elegant yet comfortable Vie Hotel Bangkok (www.viehotelbangkok.com) surely helped in keeping up with the hectic schedule. Stylish and beautifully designed, located in the heart of the dynamic metropolis, Vie offered everything a weary travel could dream about: a great spacious room with a view, a freshly-made full breakfast, soothing spa treatments, and modern bars, open into the wee hours. As is always the case in Thailand, the service everywhere was impeccable, all smiles and purple orchids…
My regular readers are probably wondering by now how come I haven’t mentioned any Thai food yet. I assure you darlings that I’ve tried it all and am ready to report. From upscale restaurants like Supatra River House in Bangkok, to casual Rashnee in Hua Hin, relaxing Venice-Vanich, or simple roadside Koon Pao, there wasn’t one place where the food wouldn’t be simply delicious.
Yet even among the equally satisfying establishments, Krua Apsorn (www.KruaApsorn.com) became my favorite. Praised in gourmet magazines around the world, and visited by the members of royal family and other celebrities, it serves creative delicacies like a wrap-in salad in Chinese broccoli leaves, tree ear mushrooms, soy sauce preserved eggs, crab omelet, banana leaf-wrapped chicken morsels, and grilled seafood/veggie medley in an addictively-spicy thin sauce.
In the street food category (oh yes, I did) the winner was found in Pattaya, a little town by the murky sea, frequented by divers and Viagra-sustained exotica seekers from colder climes. An unassuming open-air café with no name camped in front of 7Eleven served satisfyingly thick spicy soups and silky rice noodles studded with tender cubes of meat, slippery mushrooms, and brightly-colored veggies.
And the fruit shakes on the next corner! Made with thin-skinned juicy oranges, ripe yellow mangoes, bananas, watermelon, and papaya – mmm. All food was good in Thailand, no exceptions.
As for other safety concerns, all kinds of destination disasters we hear about in the news make the tourist flow to the country in question thinner and drier. Yet when a stream of visitors runs aground, some amazing treasures of air, hotel, and tour “value for the money” start to shine through. Don’t be shy, pick them up. I would, in a snap. I kinda miss the beauty of the land, the sophistication of the art, and the extreme politeness and friendliness of the people. And did I mention Thai food? More information at: www.tourismthailand.org.