Slight digression away from food:I almost did not arrive in Thailand. The plan was Bangkok last weekend. With the state of emergency and the red shirt protests in Thailand, we had no choice but to cancel the trip. The state of emergency was lifted this week. Happily, we booked our flight with AirAsia online. When i arrived at the AirAsia check-in counter on Friday, I was told that I could not travel. Because my passport was due to expire in 5 months and 27 days. AirAsia would not allow me on the plane. I said I was prepared to take the risk. I did not believe Thai immigration would turn me back after 2 weeks of non-existent tourism. AirAsia claimed that if they allowed me to travel, and i was refused entry, the airline (said their rep) would be fined SGD$1,000, would pay the costs of flying me back to Singapore and the AirAsia rep who checked me in would have their pay docked (for an unknown sum). And the clincher - I had to forfeit my ticket as well. I made the reservation online, and this involved the collection of the expiry date. AirAsia processed the reservation, took my money despite the expiry date violation. I should have read the terms and conditions, they said. I asked whether the supervisor has read their terms and conditions? In the end, the supervisor decided to call the Thai immigration. After some muted discussions on the phone with Thai immigration, the AirAsia rep agreed to let me on the plane. No conditions. No fuss. (Why not make the call in the first place?) When I arrived, the immigration officer in Bangkok did not even look at the expiry date on my passport.
Back to food:
Friday night at Naj restaurant, located on convent rd (off silom rd) was very enjoyable. Thai food catered to western palates is not necessarily a bad thing. The cuisine is more refined and the flavors more distinct. The som tam set of papaya salad was piquant and slightly spicy with deep fried sticky rice, which was a fitting combin
ation. The chicken wrapped in pandan leafs was tender and flavorful. The sweet tamarind sauce was icky sticky and complemented the savoury chicken. If you mix gula melaka with meat, this is what it should taste like! The krispy mee krob is always a delight. I had a coconut freeze for drinks (not coconutty enough) and the amuse bouche was a traditional thai appetizer that i cannot never remember its name. It is pieces of lime, ginger, nuts and bergamot (I think) wrapped in a savoury herb leaf. At Naj, it was presented in a small vodka shot glass perched on a cocktair stick. Nice touch.
For main courses, we ordered - stir fried morning glory (or chinese watercress), deep fried thai blue prawns in a tamarind sauce, steamed sea bass in fish sauce, garlic and lime juice, green curry chicken with aubergines grapes and cherry tomatoes and soft shelled crab fried in crispy oatmeal style.
Overall, the meal hit the spot and it was a perfect celebration from my almost not getting into Bangkok. At 3,800 thai baht as the final bill, this was a meal well worth the exasperation and stress I had to endure several hours ago. Amazing Thailand indeed!
No comments:
Post a Comment