Pho Hoa, The Curve - 21 Sept 2009

Today is a public holiday in view of the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and as expected the malls were bustling with people and car parks were full. Well, I was craving for a bowl of steaming noodle soup and Pho Hoa just came to mind naturally.

It is situated on the Ground floor between The Curve and Ikano Power Station. It is opposite the courtyard away from Sakae Sushi and Kim Gary.

I have had the vermicelli with spring rolls and grilled beef cutlets and the rice with grilled lemon grass chicken but today, I was craving for something soupy.

For those who are new to Pho Hoa, pho is vietnamese for rice noodle soup. Here, at Pho Hoa, you get to choose what you like in it. To be more specific, you can choose between being safe or being adventurous. Safe means having only beef brisket and beef balls. Adventurous means adding tendon, flank, tripe... basically innards which will make some squeal.

Well, I am the adventurous type and will always opt for the "all-in" version. I think most people choose otherwise for 2 reasons i.e. the thought of eating innards and secondly, the strong beefy tasting broth, which most people also attribute to the innards. I can't help you with the first reason but for the second one, I can assure you that, you need not worry.

Pho Hoa adds french onions and chopped coriander in their broth and such that it not only enhances the flavor but also rids of the beefy after taste. Furthermore, if you add on the other condiments i.e. sweet basil, bean sprouts, freshly squeezed lime juice and cut chilly, that would definitely do the trick.

Other than being able to choose your choice of meat or innards, you can of course choose which size you want. You can also custom make the pho exactly to your own specification e.g. if you didn't like coriander in it or you didn't like bean sprout etc, you can specify. This is all stated on the menu... not kidding.

As customer orientated as the menu, the staff were attentive and service was brisk. I was very impressed, when I requested for a glass of ice water, the waiter asked us whether we wanted another glass since there were two of us brunching (and my friend already had a glass of ice water). No big deal it may seem to most but for me these are the tiny service detail that makes me tick ; )

Pho Hoa Noodle Soup

G34, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara

Petaling Jaya 40870

Tel No. : 03-7725 9880

Apartment, The Curve 13 Sep 2009

Sunday brunch... wanted something healthy, so went for the passion fruit, garden greens with vinaigrette dressing. It was interesting that the chef mingled some spring onion with the usual salad greens. I didn't think that it enhanced the flavor in anyway but I really like the passion fruit addition. It is a bit overpowering but at the same time refreshing. Bringing along the bitterness that you normally derive from the red endive or lollo rosso. If you don't know what I am talking about, look this up:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Greensld.html

I ordered the pasta as my main.... It was sort of like a stir fry spaghetti with lean chicken slices and tomatoes. It was disappointing... too bland, too dry. I think it could use a bit of gravy or at least a bit more oil. Maybe if they substitute the olive oil with peanut oil, then perhaps it will be more fragrant. Maybe it is me, I like my char kuey teow too much.

The baked fish was recommended in the menu and it was such a delight. The fish was slightly coated with cheese and oven baked. So, the fish is still juicy and moist. The cheese adds to the flavor and besides the cheese, the chef also mashed and added some cherry tomatoes which further enhances the flavor. Very nice... rather simple dish but extremely delicious. I think this can be easily replicated at home for parties or gatherings.

Restoran Pun Chun, Bidor

Great place to stop for breakfast when you travel up north to Ipoh, Penang or Cameron Highlands.... exit Bidor and after the toll, turn right at the junction. Heads towards town which is about 2KM away.

Town is two row of shops and you will find Pun Chun on your right. Parking is available behind the Caltex station.

Must try.... the herbal duck drumstick noodle, the dim sum especially the "wu kok" (yam puff) and the selection of dim sum... You can also buy chicken biscuit, "pong peah" and local produce there.

You will also find stalls selling petai, guava and other seasonal fruits outside the shop. ; P

Yik Kee, Fresh Water Prawn Noodle

Very nice fresh water prawn noodle from Yik Kee (Jalan Besar, Karak). RM30!!! The prawns are so fresh... Local from Triang, a small town near Temerloh.

Krabi and Phi Phi Delights (31 July - 2 Aug, 2009)

Just want to share some food shots from my Krabi trip. Nothing extraordinary for those who have been to any Thailand cities or towns. I mean, You can find about the same in any part of Thailand but nevertheless, it is such a delight for me to savour this goodies in Krabi... from the sidewalk food stall to the tourist class restaurant to the al fresco thai dining eateries. Well, enjoy... these are what I discovered in my short holiday in Krabi and Phi Phi Island...

Krabi Day 1

Street food... as greasy as they come. This is the Thai version of roti canai (for my fellow Malaysians) or prata (for my Singaporean friends). Sorry, more like roti telur (bread with egg) with dollops of butter inside. Served with a drizzle of condensed milk and sprinkle of sugar... rolled into a cigar with a piece of yesterday's newspaper. Yes, isn't that interesting... peel the paper and munch like you are having a crepe or popiah.... Hmmm go figure.

Next stop, was to try the oyster omelet. Actually, mussels rather than oysters and the omelet is more like a crusty pancake instead of an omelet or even different from our local "ho jian" which is more starchy in texture. It is nice especially with the thai chilly sauce. The taste reminds me of our local "cucur udang".

Then I decided to be a bit more adventurous and ordered the barbeque chicken... grilled over an open charcoal fire. More like smoked... For those hygiene conscious folks, you will probably pass or reconsider but I must say, the chicken was really well marinated and the "smoke" does add to the flavor and I guess that's what gives it the ummphh...

Well, of course I must try the pad thai (Thai fried kuey teow).... street version. The ones I had in the restaurant normally is served with pounded peanuts but this version, had "tau kuah" or fried bean curd slices and of course, lots of bean sprout. The noodle was a bit sticky but the taste was great... squeeze the slice of lime and drizzle the juice all over... add your favorite condiments, pickled chilly, chilly flakes, little bit of sugar and fish sauce. Yummy...

Krabi Day 1 Dinner

Dinner at Wangsai Seafood Restaurant... highly recommended by the bartender at the hotel pool and it was only 5 minutes walk from the hotel. Very popular with the locals. Ordered a stir fry Thai vege, looks like a cross between spinach and morning glory. Simply delicious with prawns and egg. The beef green curry was very tasty. Generous slices of bamboo shoots, fresh thai coriander and cut red chilly to spice up the curry.

The fresh water prawn was a bit of a let down. Ordered one barbequed with salt and another buttered with garlic. The prawns were slightly over grilled and came out a bit tough. I was reminiscing the fresh water prawns I had in Bangkok, at Bahn Klang Nam, this wonderful traditional Thai restaurant by the Mekong river... Hmmmm....

Day 2 Phi Phi Island

I had a very touristy lunch... so was not really worth posting the photos here but discovered this very quaint looking pastry shop along the streets of Phi Phi Island. Thought this is worth sharing.

Day 2 Dinner

This is probably the highlight of my trip in terms of meals... Please check out this stall Potjawon's Restaurant, specializing in traditional Issan dishes i.e. dishes from the northeast region of Thailand bordering Laos. It is along Aonang Beach. From the hotel (Red Ginger) walk towards the night market or the main shopping stretch and you will find a few stalls on your left. About 10 minutes walk. You won't miss it... quite prominent because this is the only centralized food stalls I found.

Potjawon's steamed siakap is so good... the fish was really fresh. Steamed thai style with chinese coriander, lemon, garlic and chilly... it was best steamed fish I have had for a long time. Not too expensive... can't remember exactly but I think it was around 250 baht.

The "Suup Nua" or beef broth cooked with tomatoes, coriander, lime, lemon grass, onion and chilly was superb too. Very appetizing, very spicy.... and for only 100 baht.

The Scarlet (18-19 July, 2009; Singapore)

Located behind the famous Maxwell Food Centre. Somewhere amongst the beautifully conserved colonial shop lots. The Scarlet is situated at the corner, all the way up Erskine Road.

The entrance to the hotel lobby is situated on the second shop lot. The corner lot is where the hotel restaurant is. The decor at the lobby was mysteriously gothic? I don't know why I feel that way... maybe because it was very dimly lit. Heavily carpeted. Dark furnishing but nevertheless, the front desk personnel greeted with so much warmth. I bet they could melt and iceberg. I was most impressed with the service.

Another impressive discovery was how big Scarlet actually is. I thought it was a small boutique hotel and occupies probably 3 shop lots and possibly housing 20 rooms. But I was so wrong. As I was led to my room, I went through a good 50m walk through a maze of rooms and apparently Scarlet occupies the shops all the way down to 7-Eleven. That must be a good 10 lots at least. If I remember correctly, they have 60 rooms?

The room however was a bit of a let down. Really small. I mean it was so small that the sink has to be out side the bathroom. Maybe, because I had a normal deluxe room. For SGD150, it was alright. What more can you ask for but I am sure they have bigger ones.

I am not really complaining by the way. The room was comfortable. Bed was nice. Sadly, my window view was on of the roof top because I was on the second floor.

Anyway, two thumbs up for their service. I enjoyed my stay and would definitely return.

Red Scarlet

33 Erskine Road

Singapore 069333

Tel: +65-6511 3333

Fax: +65-6511 3303

http://www.thescarlethotel.com/

Red Ginger Chic Resort in Krabi

Welcome to my new series on boutique hotels around the region. These are some pictures taken at the Red Ginger Chic Resort in Krabi. I stayed in the "Clubhouse" room, which is really a loft. Spacious.

I really like the day bed in place of the conventional sofa settee. Really nice for afternoon naps or even card games with friends.

Nice view of the pool. Service is great. Not a big resort, so you can be assured of peace and tranquility.

5-10 minutes walk to the night market and also to the seafood restaurants.

For more details on pricing and booking, please look up the website.

http://www.redgingerkrabi.com/