My best tempura experience to date

At a reputable luxury hotel, it is almost guaranteed that the food will be enjoyable.  The setting, the service, and the quality of food are all top notch.  The Ritz Carlton Kyoto's dining selection is no different.

Below the lobby, the hotel's Japanese restaurant, Mizuki, features 4 kinds of Japanese specialty cuisines: kaiseki, sushi, teppan, and tempura.  You can sit at eat specialized station or in the main dining area to eat a little of everything.

When in Japan and there's a beautiful tempura bar, you must go there.  At these bars, each piece is fried at your eating pace.  I thought my tempura experience in Tokyo was amazing, and this just brought up the bar.  Mizuki's tempura has been my best experience to date.

The seafood and vegetables were all local and seasonal.  The chef, who is a humble genius at the fryer and with his tempura artistry, watches as you dine and eat.  He paces your next bites, fries them according to your pace, and explains how each bite will be best enhanced with sauce, lemon, or salt.  The batter was perfection and paper thin while perfectly fried inside.  So amazing.

Steps down to the Japanese restaurant

Tempura bar

Overnight at the new Ritz Carlton Kyoto

Food is the main feature in every city I travel.  Equally important is the hotel.  It's where I spend a third to half of my time so it's crucial that the hotel is clean, well maintained, and centrally located to the better parts of the city.  If it's a reputable brand name hotel, that adds points.  And massive points go to brand new hotels all with the above criteria.

One of my favorite things to do online is to research new hotels, more specifically new luxury hotels in cities I'll potentially visit in the next couple of years.  If it's a new city to visit, it's all the more important that the hotel is new, or opened within the last two years, to guarantee clean comfort.

The Ritz Carlton Kyoto is the newest in the city.  It was actually supposed to open after the Four Seasons, but the Ritz Carlton stayed mostly on track while the Four Seasons is still delayed.  So on February 2014, the hotel opened along the Kanagawa River.

For one night (thanks to a lot of accumulated Marriott Rewards points), my family and I enjoyed the Zen luxury in one of Japan's most beautiful getaways.  Any time of the year is great to visit Kyoto.  Early fall was perfect as the trees were still lush green and the temperature was perfect for walking.

The hotel's Japanese architecture influence is evident all around in the simplicity, and the establishment's pampering is evident in all the detailed luxury in the rooms and around the hotel grounds, including the friendly service of all the staff.  This overnight break was the perfect pause between the busier cities of Osaka and Tokyo.

Unfortunately, I completely didn't take any room shots - just photos of the rooms details like the coffee and tea sets.  I got to lost in being impressed with the luxurious details, like Christofle silverware, two kinds of tea and coffee stations, and the beautiful Zen surroundings.

Ritz Carlton Kyoto

And even more of Hong Kong

As I've been reminiscing about my Hong Kong trip, I found myself missing the city again.  So... I just came back from a short weekend getaway.  Yes, I know, I really can't get enough of Hong Kong.

This time around, it was a relaxed leisurely trip to enjoy the city, the eating, and the shopping (even though I didn't actually buy anything - which still feels so weird).  For part of the leisurely feel of the trip, we enjoyed getting up to room service.  Mandarin Oriental's the Statue Square view provides such a breathtaking way to start each day watching the weekend and weekday crowds bustle around Central.

Staying at the Mandarin allows us to readily eat at the hotel's restaurants.  In our past trips, we've dined at Man Wah and Pierre.  This time around it, we felt like taking things more casual.  Cafe Causette is a perfect place for a quality, yet relaxed meal at any time of the day.  Local publications recently awarded this establishment with the "Best Hotel Burger".  After dining at the restaurant for lunch and dinner, with a classic burger for each meal, I can conclude it is a satisfying burger.  They do, however, need to work on the consistency.  At lunch, the simplicity and minimalism made a clean burger with the intense quality of beef shine.  At dinner, the lettuce and mayonnaise were slathered on too much and made for a messier burger experience.

Hong Kong has been all over the international news these past weeks and months.  It was fascinating to see how protestors are still affecting the city.  The partial closure of Connaught Road is surprising to see in person.  It's such a significant road and protestors are successfully redirecting major traffic.

In other current event news, we also witnessed the ceremony of Remembrance Day, also known as Poppy Day.  While no longer an official city holiday since 1997, it was nice to see how the history of British culture is still alive in the island.

Room service with a view

A classic burger, paired with red wine

Discovering Seoul

Flying a lot encourages you to fly even more.  Thank you, frequent flyer miles programs.  My airline alliance miles were just about to expire.  So to make the most of them, I treated my mom on a trip to a new food destination.

Seoul!  A city which I've heard likened to Tokyo with a reputation of vibrant local food.  This was going to be a mother-daughter adventure in a new country and city where we had no knowledge of the language.

Seoul reminded us of the parts of the US, in that the roads were spacious, tree-lined, and clean.  In the Gangnam area, where the shopping district has been likened to Ginza and Beverly Hills (though I'd argue otherwise because of the quality, and flashiness of the stores), we came across a fun food hall in the Galleria department store.  Gourmet 494 is definitely a food destination in Seoul.  It is considered to be a luxury food hall filled with eating stations of varying cuisines from Korean, Italian, American, etc.  There are also quality sweets, breads, fruits, vegetables, and grocery goods.  Of all our food stops, this was definitely the winner.

We also went to the Hyundai department store in Gangnam and the main Lotte department store.  While they also had food halls, there weren't as impressive because they were smaller than those in Tokyo and Osaka, and they didn't have products that were extraordinary.  Perhaps I was really expecting them to have the scale and originality of products like in Japan, but it didn't quite measure up.

Aside from the department stores, we also strolled down Apgujeong Rodeo Street.  This is the area that has been compared to Beverly Hills.  So again because of that expectation, I was let down.  The shops were not as fashion forward or as boutique as I had expected.  It is a nice little street, though, for a quiet walk, and there's also a great bakery in the main corner (the city is filled with coffee shops and bakeries).  In terms of the shopping vibrancy on the luxury level, I felt like Seoul has the big brands, but they aren't as vibrantly present compared to Tokyo or Hong Kong.

In researching for the trip, I booked a room in the Lotte Hotel above the main Lotte department store.  According to TripAdvisor it's #1.  Despite that ranking, we weren't too happy with the hotel.  Yes, the location is good, but the department store is dated and mid-level.  It's like Macy's in NYC.  A famous destination, but when you shop there you feel the age of the store so it's not as fun as the shopping on Park, Madison, and Fifth avenues.  Additionally, with the unpredictable rainy weather, it was hard to walk around outside and during the day it was painfully hot to walk under the sun for so long.  The hotel itself is decent, and we stayed on the ladies' floor which is probably cleaner than the rest.  But the room and bathroom still felt old, dark, and dated for our standards.  Sometimes, renovations aren't enough.  I'd rather stay at brand new hotels.

So after one night, we woke up early the next morning to compare our backup hotels: Conrad and JW Marriott in the Dongdaemun area.  For our preferences, JW was not our place.  It's the newest hotel, but the area is purely for wholesale shopping, particularly textiles.  Not our thing.  Thankfully, the Conrad was exactly what we were looking for.

The Conrad Seoul is located about the IFC building in the city's financial district.  Our room was incredibly spacious as were were tucked in a corner room with huge floor-to-ceiling windows.  Staying in the IFC building allowed us the conveniences of later night dining, a younger crowd, a quality grocery, and indoor access to the subway.  Seoul's subway system is so impressive, clean, and spacious.  The crowds are educated to be orderly, quiet, and properly dressed.  And, every station has well set up entries and exits; it's so convenient for where you want to go.  Their subway system is a mixture of Japan's complexity with Hong Kong's of foreign-friendly signs.  Not as easy as Hong Kong, but not as overwhelming as Japan.

Aside from department stores and food halls, we also covered some cultural sights and museums.  In my next posts, I'll cover the food and museums.  For now, here's a little glimpse of our stay.

Gangnam streets

Galleria Department Store

Gourmet 464 in Galleria

Vacation time in Thailand at the Indigo Pearl Phuket

It's time for another beach getaway!  This time I was in the mood for South East Asia, staying away from crowds, and a guarantee of excellent food.  Destination: Thailand!

There are countless beach resorts all around the country.  After days and weeks of research, my best friend and I finally decided on Phuket.  It has an international airport and our desired resort is just mere minutes away.  Convenient, private, and luxurious - that is what makes for a relaxing vacation.

Indigo Pearl Phuket  is a private resort along the Nai Yang beach in Phuket.  While it is just 5-10 minutes away from the airport, you are tucked away from pollution, crowds, and commercialism.  The resort is set in an industrial chic theme amidst the lush greenery of nature.  The architecture and decoration pays tribute to Phuket's history of tin mining and rubber plantation.

All rooms in the resort are suites.  The base room, the Premium Pearl Bed Suite which we stayed in, is so spacious - especially if you enjoy bathroom space.  The room is modern and warm which feels great coming back to the room after a day under the sun.  And it's even better waking up to the lush views of the resort's greenery.

In the mornings you are treated to the daily breakfast buffet.  It consists of the usual Western selections of eggs, bacon, etc., Chinese dim sum, fruits, breads and pastries, cold cuts, and so on.  There is also a station for freshly made pancakes, waffles, and donuts.  The best part of the morning buffet was the Thai dishes that changed every day.  Curries, braised pork, chicken wings, and freshly made noodles.  That was the most memorable part of every morning.

We stayed in Phuket for 4 nights, so we made the most of the resort by checking out each of the pools and bars.  There are 3 pools around the property.  A main pool for all ages, a quieter and smaller pool for a retreat, and the best pool - with a pool bar and happy hour.  It was hilarious how every afternoon at 4pm sharp, all the habitants of the pool lounges jumped in the water for an afternoon beverage.  Also, you are treated to ice cold waters, fruit sticks, and cold towels to cool down throughout the day.  It soo nice to be pampered.

In the next posts, I'll be sharing photos and stories from the beach and the beach food, as well as our most excellent eating at the resort's gorgeous Thai restaurant.

Premium Pearl Bed Suite

Balcony 1 of 2

Intercontinental Hotel Osaka

Last time in Osaka, we stayed at the St. Regis Hotel, with convenient walking access to Shinsaibashi all the way down to Dotonbori.  It's a great location if you want to be in that vicinity.

This time around, we wanted to be based around Osaka Station to enjoy the department stores, restaurants, and train access.  The new Intercontinental Osaka is located inside the new Grand Front Osaka mall.  I love hotels that have indoor access to malls.  You get to enjoy the conveniences of nearby restaurants and take out foods which you can bring back to your room.  Plus, if the weather is too cold or rainy or snowy, you can spend time in the mall and enjoy a warm meal without suffering outside.

The view from the room

The bedroom

New History in the Palace Hotel Tokyo

Japan was so fun last year, we had to do it again this year!  This time we based our one week stay completely in Tokyo.

Last time, we stayed at the Peninsula Hotel in Ginza.  It's an impeccable hotel with a great location if you want to be in the Ginza vicinity.  For this trip, we wanted to focus on the newly constructed and renovated Tokyo station.

Opened just last May 2012, the Palace Hotel Tokyo has a half century history in its location next to the Imperial Palace gardens.  With its moat-side setting, the hotel sits in the "heart of Japan" located conveniently in Marunouchi.

The hotel is contemporary and luxuriously cozy.  If the city wasn't so amazing with endless eats, it would be hard to leave the spacious rooms with picturesque views every day.  From dawn to dusk to dark, the views of the greenery and the surrounding city skyline gives you peace in the midst of Tokyo's constant crowds and bustle.

There is so much to do in Tokyo that even one week didn't seem like enough.  Oh well, that's great incentive for another Tokyo trip in the near future!

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Tokyo Hotel

Eating way too well on a beach vacation

Amun Ini Resort & Spa has it all. And by “has it all” I mean they have that pristine private beach, five star resort service, AND five star quality food!

The main focus of all my travels, and for this blog, is my food focused adventures.

Usually on beach vacations, I worry that I shouldn’t eat too much. I may love food, but I gotta take pictures in my bikini! Let me tell you, it’s an on-going battle every day and every trip to eat well while staying healthy and in shape (Check out my Healthy at Home recipes to see how I balance eating well and eating healthy).

After one meal of a mere soup and salad (a delicious soup and salad, no less), I indulged on the menus’ carbs, fatty proteins, and sweets. And, wow, was it worth it and memorable. I’m still salivating over the tempura sweetbreads, beef cheeks, uni risotto, and coconut griddle cakes!

If you can't see the slideshow here, check out my Flickr album: Bohol Food

A truly relaxing beach vacation at Amun Ini Resort & Spa in Bohol

There are so many advantages in living in Southeast Asia. One is definitely the plethora of beach vacation options. There are countless islands filled with resorts to take you away from the bustle and chaos of city life.

I have yet to explore the countries outside of my own because the Philippines is filled with beautiful, pristine destinations. From Manila, these getaways are a mere hour’s flight.

Originally my best friend and I had our minds set on Palawan. But, since it was peak season, flights were difficult to book and we had to make last minute plans if we wanted to proceed with our desire for a beach resort vacation. After hours of research, we found ourselves back in Bohol.

Two years ago, we took a day trip around Bohol from Cebu. We did the usual tourist highlights: the Chocolate Hills, pictures with tarsiers.. you know, all that’s on the Bohol postcards.

This time around, we found a resort away from the usual tourist destinations. Most Bohol resorts are located on Panglao Island, just off of Bohol. When my best friend and I travel, we look for places that peoples don’t usually go to. We want to really relax and we want that quiet time that not all beach resorts offer.

An hour and a half drive eastward from the Tagbilaran airport in Bohol is Anda. The quiet side for a few of Bohol’s beach resort. Perfect.

Amun Ini is a family run resort that mixes a rare combination of five star quality with a quaint, intimate, you’re-part-of-our-family feel. From the moment you enter, you are greeted as a welcomed guest. When you leave, you are saying goodbye to family and friends.

The whole resort is meticulously landscaped and decorated with local, Philippine material that makes you really feel like you are on a quality resort in the Philippines. The rooms are spacious and clean and give a vibe that you are at home, on the beach.

In our research for this resort, we chose it for two reasons. First, it has it’s own private beach. That’s exactly what we were looking for! The beach is pristine, blue, and serene. Plus, guests are give complimentary access to kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkeling.

And second, as with all our trips, the food! We read reviews that guests were more than satisfied with the food at the resort. We were beyond satisfied. It surpassed any expectations that we had. We were not expecting five star presentation and execution at a quiet, little resort like this. But more on the food in my next post..

For now, here are pictures of the beach resort.

If you can't see the slideshow here, check out my Flickr album: Bohol Resort

St. Regis Hotel in Osaka

Like all of my trips with my parents, one of the highlights of a destination is the hotel.  Clean, comfortable, and almost always conveniently located.  The St. Regis Hotel in Osaka was just that.  It opened in 2010, so it still had a relatively new feel.  The location is ideal, too, as it's situated right where the local shopping arcade starts.  So it's a leisurely walk into the heart of downtown Osaka.

The hotel has its luxury perks, like a butler per floor who is one telephone call away.  And, a pillow menu with 11 kinds of pillows to choose.  However, compared to other 5-star hotels, I was surprised there was no turn-down service.  It's a nice convenience to come back to a room with fresh towels and a fluffed-up bed at the end of the day.  I noticed details like that made a difference between this hotel and other 5-star hotels, especially around Asia.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed my 2 nights here in Osaka, and I definitely see myself going back in the future - both to this city and to this hotel.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: St Regis Osaka

Restful Nights at the Peninsula Tokyo

When my family reminisces about our past trips, we always talk about the food and the hotel - the convenient location, the service, and the clean luxury.  I love it when hotels make you feel like you're home with extra pampered service.

After days of research and scrolling through numerous Trip Advisor pictures, we chose a reputable hotel near Ginza, Peninsula Tokyo.  We've stayed at Peninsula Bangkok and Peninsula Shanghai in the past and are repeat customers because of their top notch service - their top notch Asian service and attention to detail.  Peninsula Tokyo is no exception.

If you frequent the newer Peninsula hotels around Asia, you'll notice that the floor plans are all replicated, with the local wood finishes as their unique factor.  While I love traveling and discovering new sights and tastes, it's also really nice to rest with a little bit of familiarity.

If you can't see the slideshow, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Tokyo

Revisiting Shang Palace

There was a time in my family's eating life when Chinese food was a weekly staple.  It was our usual Sunday family/friends gathering.

Then there was a time when I took a loong break from Chinese food.  All those weekly meals made me need that separation from the routine.

These days, I really only have Chinese food when I'm in Hong Kong, China, or Taipei - it's where it's best.

But, occasionally, you just can't fight the craving.  So one Sunday night, my family went to Shang Palace.  Since we were four people, we were given a selection of set menus (the a la carte menu is also always available).  One in particular stood out because of the variety of dishes, even a Hainanese chicken course thanks to the new Singaporean chef.

From the night's meal, I was really impressed with the new chef.  He has brightened up the dishes with some delicious classics and tasty additions.  The Hainanese plate was a standout - the best I've had in Manila so far.

(Unfortunately, I went back a couple weeks later, but the poor service made us want to stand up and leave.  The manager appeased us and promised to make up for it next time.  It's unfortunate that the new chef is bringing back deliciousness, but the service does not match.)

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slideshow here, check out my Flickr album: Shang Palace

Afternoon Tea, Revisited

I'm alway going to have a soft spot for afternoon teas.  It's a nostalgic time for me as they used to be special girls' day outings for my mom and I when I was in grade school.  Hair cuts, afternoon tea, and shopping in Union Square.

These days when I find myself in a hotel lounge for an afternoon snack, I will almost always order the afternoon tea set - for old times sake, and because afternoon tea is so much fun with the variety of savory and sweet.

So I found myself back at the Lobby Lounge in Makati Shangri-la giving their Afternoon Tea Set another shot.  The menu always appeals to me and brightens up my stomach.  But when the set arrives and I'm eating the tea sandwiches and sweets, I was again disappointed.  It totally lacks freshness and tastes like it was made yesterday.

Now I'm craving for some quality afternoon tea - perhaps I'll look venture around Makati.  And I'll definitely explore the afternoon tea action when I'm next in Hong Kong.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slide show here, check out my Flickr album: Afternoon Tea - Makati Shangri-la

Low Floor or High Floor at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong

At the time the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong opened in March of 2011, the hotel was the tallest and the highest in the world. The lobby starts at the 102nd floor. The rooms make their way up through to the spa and bar on the 118th floor.

And with all that, you are asked if you want a low floor or high floor at the time of booking. 103 stories up must be the highest low floor request.

If you're looking to enjoy the view, do not stay here during winter. Every day we opened our curtains and it was like looking out the airplane window. At night, we caught brief seconds of light below as the clouds blew by.

Aside from the disappointing view, my only other critique is that the hotel needs to provide better Airport Express service. A highlight in traveling to Hong Kong is the convenience of their public transportation. The Airport Express is the best way to get to IFC or ICC hotels.

Everything else was as expected from a brand new Ritz. Clean, comfortable, great service, and a perk - a suite upgrade!

If you can't see the slide show, check out my Flickr album: Ritz Carlton HK

High Quality, Local Eats in Hangzhou

24 hours in one city. Every meal counts. Every bite counts.

Lunch was already pretty good, so I was hoping dinner would be similar. I was wrong.

Dinner at Jin Sha, also at the Four Seasons, was so much better. It was the highlight of the trip.

We ordered all the local specialties, like the Beggar's Chicken which was brought to our table with a mallet. My brother had the opportunity to hammer it open. Fun!

Even the vegetables, which were so simple, were so packed with flavor while still making the taste of the vegetable the star. And the highlight of the night was the pork buns! The pyramid layered presentation was beautiful and so creative. Pork buns in Asia are to a higher level of ridiculously deliciousness.

Place your cursor above "Notes" as some of the pictures have captions.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Jin Sha

WLB - West Lake Bistro at the Four Seasons Hangzhou

After the train ride into Hangzhou, we were ready for a late lunch. The hotel bistro seemed like the perfect place.

WLB, West Lake Bistro, is one of the restaurants at the Four Seasons Hotel where we enjoyed our overnight stay. The bistro has a variety of International and Local menu selections.

The main reason, aside from convenience, that we chose the restaurant is that the menu offers Dong Po. Dong Po and Zhang Yimou's show are the only 2 reasons why I wanted to take my family to Hangzhou.

Dong Po is pork belly braised with soy sauce, sugar, and Chinese wine. It's named after its creator, Dong Po, who improved on the traditional recipe while exiled in Hangzhou.

We learned about this from a National Geographic special and tried the recipe at home. So melt-in-your-mouth good! Then we had it in Taipei and Hong Kong, ridiculously good!

So the Dong Po in its originating city has to be amazing, right? Well, this definitely did not disappoint.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: WLB

Four Seasons Hotel in Hangzhou

A family trip to anywhere. The requirement? A nice hotel.

In researching accommodation in Hangzhou, I was really excited to see a brand new Four Seasons in Hangzhou, which opened in October of 2010. Perfect!

The property is located along the Westlake. It combines traditional Chinese architecture on the outside and a modern minimalist Chinese look on the inside. For a getaway location, I was hoping for a more thematic setting and atmosphere. The interior felt a bit impersonal, as though we were in a business hotel.

Nonetheless the stay was clean and comfortable. The best part of the hotel was the restaurants, which will be featured later this week.


Here are pictures in and around the property:

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Four Seasons Hangzhou

Hotel Eats in the Peninsula Shanghai

The first time I visited Shanghai last year, my parents and I stayed at the brand new Peninsula Shanghai. It was still on it's soft opening and it had already impressed up. Peninsula Hotels really stand up to their reputation of great service and a memorable stay.

So for my second trip back to Shanghai, we happily came back. After long days of touring and eating through Shanghai, it's such a great feeling to come back to a comfortable, clean hotel.

Last time, we dined in the Lobby Lounge for breakfast and at Sir Elly's for a special dinner. All the meals were excellent and memorable.

This time around we had breakfasts and also a late night meal in the Lobby Lounge. The food is satisfying and filling, and the portions are generous! After a long day of flying and driving, settling into the hotel with a comforting meal is the best way to end the day.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Shanghai Lobby Lounge

Aside from the Lobby Lounge, we also tried out the Chinese restaurant, Yi Long Court. I was a bit disappointed that they served only Cantonese cuisine and not Shanghainese cuisine. When I'm in Shanghai, I want to have all the local specialities.

That disappoint lead to greater disappointments. The food was decent and the service was poor, especially for a Peninsula establishment. What happened?? They were all young guys who were not trained for high end Chinese dining. You'd expect the Chinese restaurant in Peninsula Shanghai to be really impressive and memorable.. sadly, that was not the case at all. You're definitely better off leaving the hotel for a Chinese dinner. If the service improved, I think the food would have tasted better. This was definitely one of those cases where a negative affected the whole experience.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Shanghai Chinese

Lobby Eats in The Peninsula Manila

When you're craving for multiple cuisines, sometimes a hotel lobby cafe can serve up just what you're looking for. Craving: Burger & Halo Halo. Place to go: The Peninsula Hotel, Lobby.

The burger is hefty, and with the works it's filling. The halo halo is huge and great to share. It's one of the best halo halos in town.

(Pardon the quality of the photos. I didn't have my camera on me, so this is all from my camera phone.)
Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Lobby

Four Seasons Chiang Mai: Chef's Table. A Dining Experience to Remember.

Chef's Table. Eating dinner while the chef prepares your meal right in front you.

That's pretty much a guaranteed memorable dinner. The perfect way to celebrate a birthday.

The Four Seasons Chiang Mai's Chef Table was one of the most memorable meals and dining experiences I've ever had in the world. First of all, the setting is on the mountainous Chiang Mai. The Four Seasons property highlights the natural beauty and greenery.

Then, the cooking school setting makes your jaw drop with how amazing the school is set up with huge exhaust systems, cooking stations, and wooden structures.

There's also the chefs who make you feel so special and welcomed.

Finally, the Thai food is so delicious that weeks (and I'm sure months and years later) I'm still remembering the flavors playing on my tongue and warming my stomach. Great Thai food does that to you. What a night.

10 courses, an open bar, and an exclusive private dinner. All for 2500 baht (~$80USD). I've spent hundreds of US Dollars on meals in the US for great meals from highly reputable celebrity chefs. This night blows them all away.


Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Four Seasons Chefs Table