CM Blue House in Chiengmai

No, this is not a restaurant per se, though it did boast of a cafe serving western cuisine which complement its main operation as a guesthouse aka economical lodging preferred by backpackers or almost shoe-string budget travellers. It's only THB300 (approx. RM30.00) per room for 2 with attached bathroom! Add THB50 (approx. RM5) and you'll get a fridge and TV. A real good deal, right? Most importantly, it was VERY CLEAN.

Rooms were very basic with a choice of either a king-size double bed or 2 twin beds, a vanity desk and chair and a stand alone wardrobe. Pillows, blankets and bath towels were provided. Chiengmai's temperature is usually cool so we booked rooms with only a wall fan. During our stay there in July, the weather was quite hot with occasional light showers in the afternoons. But somehow, we had no problem sleeping! Must be the long walks and generous food intake (aka overeats?).

Rooms upstairs, cafe and office on ground floor. I omit to take pictures of the rooms but took quite a number around the courtyard/cafe. Haha, that's Phitoy with his face blocked out. First time cam-whoring for public consumption, so shy-lor.

How I found this place? I took a risk with the recommendation in the Travelfish site. Actually, even the place I stayed in Bangkok drew positive comments in it too. To get in touch with the owners, Tim or Tony, write to altr2003@yahoo.com.

Its calling card:-


Honey Star, enough info?

In-Between Meals in Thailand

Everywhere we turn, we'll be tempted by carts selling BBQ skewers of meat, instestines and squids. How to resist? So sinful when they are piping hot and drenched in sweet-hot-chilli sauces. So, indulge we did most shamelessly but then, due to the unforgiving weather, we managed to control our urges until nightfall when it's cooler and more stalls sprout up with more selections to offer. Yes, a major contributor to my subsequent sore throat but at only THB15 (approx. RM1.50, if I remember correctly) per skewer, it was way worth it, right? :P

Tropical fruits there were sweet and cheap! See those big portions? Only THB10 (approx. RM1.00)! How to go wrong! Why are the similar local fruits here so expensive? *scratch head*

If you visit Chatukchak Weekend Market, I strongly recommend you look out for this Get In Coffee Shop. The iced coffees were *Whoopee!* G-RRR-e-a-T at only THB25 to THB30 (approx. RM2.50 to RM3.00) in Coffee Bean/Starbucks' papercup sizes! A definite winner!

Guess that concludes my series of Thailand eats for now. Hope you've enjoyed the virtual journey.

Oya, there'll be an absence of posting for the next 3 weeks as I'll be off to somewhere quite adventurous and not too back-breaking (I sincerely hope). Interest piqued? Come back then & find out!

Dinners in Thailand

I did so many variety of trials and errors that I cannot recall how I succeeded in posting the following photos. Tuktoyaktuk, thank you for your suggestion in my previous post but it didn't work for me. I just kept trying to copy & paste all the Html (that's what they are called, right?) from my previous posts, then change the relevant data and finally (*phew!*) it paid off, somehow. But there has to be an easier way!

Enough whining, for now. Here are more pictures of my main meals in Bangkok and Chiengmai. A short post as I'm only good at eating, NOT describing and remembering the dishes actual names. Tummy sees, Tummy points, Tummy eats.

First 2 pictures were from MBK food court (at Mabounkuong shopping complex, err I have a feeling I have this spelled wrongly. Please advise). The one with the crab claw on top was the appetizer - green papaya salad. The line was long and it seemed like a good idea to add the salted raw crab which it's a delicacy. The salad was sourish appetising but as for the crab, don't think I'll take that again - I have not acquired that taste.

In the background was an order of roast pork knuckle which again is featured in the photograph on the right. The meat was tender and falling off the bones which did not make good photography material. But world best for tummies.

The reddish soup was tomyum but I prefer the clear soup variety like in the following picture which appearance is highly deceptive of its burning capacity. The brownish content of the bowl next to it is Mild Thai Curry Beef which tasted like rendang without chilli paste. The last photo is my discovery winner - Rice noodles with well braised chicken limbs + coagulated blood in herbal soup! Found this at a sidewalk makeshift stall along the road to our guesthouse and cost only THB45 (approx. RM4.50)!! Needless to say, am missing it terribly.

I'll round up my Thailand posts by a short one on snacks next. Do come back & salivate together.

Lunches in Thailand

Actually I wanted to post all my main meals, ie lunches + dinners, at 1 one go. Afterall, most dishes are about the same - Tomyum, Fried Rice, Pork/Beef ball noodles etc. Unfortunately blogger seems to disagree. It just would not allow me to post more than these 4 photographs!! O.o"

So, dear readers please bear with me ok? Here's the 4 photographs 'duly approved' by blogger:-

Everything's d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s. We had these from stalls parked on roadside, cafes, food courts and restaurants. Prices ranges from THB40 (for 1 bowl of beefballs noodle + 1 bowl of porkballs noodle at a makeshift stall) to THB235 (for 1 Phad Thai which is braised flat rice noodles + 1 Spicy Fried Rice at the SUK 11 Restaurant).

I'll post the other pictures soonest possible ... when I find a way to get around this pesky blogger bug. So, is it just me or have you had the same problem before? Please please advise.

Porky Pork Pork

Started swearing off piggy stuff or vowing to maintain a healthier diet from now onwards? =P I had this pic blown-up & pasted on my wardrobe door. Unfortunately, it did nothing for me except be more conscious of how much I sleep. ZZzzZzZzz..

For the curious, picture was taken from Chiengmai during our day trip trek to the White Karin tribe's village. Mother pig's snores alerted us to its den under one of the houses on stilts. Pigs are reared and kept loosely around the village compound similar to how we reared goats and poultry in our kampung (villages in Bahasa Malaysia). Unfortunately, those fat black piglets running in circles were too fast for my camera. If not, sure all of you will say very cute-loh!

Okay, okay this a just a short break while I sort out my lunches in Thailand pictures. Too many so need to trim a bit.

BTW, does this qualify for a food post? :)

Breakfasts in Thailand

Trip to Bangkok and Chiangmai was semi-backpackers' style. We stayed in guesthouses (kind of like small 'star-less' hotels) with sparsely furnished rooms which cost only a fraction of the prices charged by hotels.

At the guesthouse in Bangkok, Suk 11, breakfast was provided. Sadly, I procrastinated in taking pictures of the simple but ample breakfast spread (mini buffet style) - a few types of bakery products such as croissants & muffins, fruits and hot drinks. Result, I forgot. :(

On the 3rd and last morning there, we walked out of the guesthouse for breakfast to discover this:-

A Big American Breakfast Set which came with a bowl of cornflakes swimming in fresh milk, a tall glass of apple juice, toasts + butter/jam, an egg (Phitoy chose mata kerbau style ie sunny side up), bacon strips, black peppered stirfried potatoes, a bowl of mushroom soup (one of the best I've ever had!) + biscouti and a cup of coffee. We shared as the portions were generous. RM19, I think.

We had only 2 mornings in Chiengmai to enjoy breakfast. We took American Breakfast sets there too. Kind of addicted, I guess. We had the same serving on both mornings! Yes, it was that good and a further plus point, it's served at the guesthouse we stayed at, CM Blue House. No need to walk and hunt around so early in the morning! :pPicture tells all. Porky goodness - burger-like patties and ham; scrambled eggs, toast with butter + jams and potatoes stirfried with bell peppers. Bottom left plate was an additional order of french toast with bacon. The small sauce jug held their special sauce made from coconut juice to spread on the toast but was left aside after a finger-dip test. It's sourish and tasted real odd. With a glass of banana milkshake and a cup of coffee, the bill came to RM18.00.

Note: Lodging and food prices is cheaper in Chiengmai than Bangkok.

Pictures of lunches to tempt you next!

Airports lunches

Shortly after the WC season, I went on a holiday with free flight tickets! Long live Air Asia!

It was my 1st visit to the Low Cost Carrier Terminal ("LCCT"). Luckily we took cab or else we would most probably miss the crucial turn off point and end up in Johore instead. Budget airport for budget airline need not mean budget for ink/stickers/space on the signboards, right? Tsk tsk tsk.

Arrived early and needed to kill 1 1/2 hours before flight. So, Phitoy and I went to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and had this:-

After much munching, chit-chatting, people watching and magazines thumbing, we boarded the plane.

After about 3 hours later, we landed in ...Bangkok, Thailand! One of my favourite city. Because of the food and shopping, of course.

Phitoy got hungry again. What to do, budget airline does not serve free peanuts-wor. Saw this self-service outlet, (Aiya, cannot recall the name. Just remember that it had quite a catchy sound to it. Will update once my brain cells work again.) doing brisk business so we tried. Procedure: Order and pay at the counter. A numbered plaque is given which they'll collect when your food is served. Phitoy had Wantan Noodle with Roast Duck set which came with meat dumplings in soup while mine was the Assorted Dimsum Plate which had a Charsiew Pau, a brown pau with some kind of sweet filling, 2 Siewmai and 2 cute-but-I-do-not-know-what small white dumplings. The Roast Pork (Siew Yok) was an additional order. Food verdict: Nice presentation but tastewise, both of us can't finish and the portions were not big. That should tell you! :p Do you know that the Thai Roast Pork ("Siew Yok in Cantonese") are actually deep fried in oil?

That was quite a disappointing 1st meal in Thailand but the good news is that WAS THE ONLY meal that disappointed!! :) Yes much much more to come. Food that are sooo sinfully good that any sore-throat thereafter is well worth it!