Fabulous Thai Food

A panda walks into a bar, ordered some food and drinks. When it finished, it whipped out a pistol and shot the guy to his right and promptly left. The other person seated next to its left was trembling and asked the bartender why it happened. The bartender replied: "It's a panda. Don't you know that a panda eats shoots and leaves?"

If you didn't get it. Never mind. Read it again next week then maybe you will start laughing. So when I blog on food I am just like a panda - eats, shoots and then leave. Of course, I have to pay for it.

Thai food consumption is like doing gymnastics with your tongue. Since we actually use different parts of our tongues to taste food and wine, having Thai food will give one a full work out. There used to be a good Thai tze char stall at the Sembawang Shopping centre that offers value for money for the delicious fare but I have not been there since they renovated the entire place and may be they may have relocated. Then there is Yingthai Palace at Purvis Street that is very good. I remembered their otah, Olive rice among the typical fare and of course the durian with glutinous rice for dessert...salivating...

This time my sawadee food was at the very familiar Thanying Restaurant. I used to patronised this place frequently when they first set up shop and is definitely one of the best Thai restaurants here. They used to have someone who worked and cooked for the Royal family and the name Thanying has some connotations in relation to the Princess.

One of my fascination with Thai food besides their being delicious is that they have a wonderful array of desserts. At Thanying, you can pay for a dessert buffet after dinner and have a go for all you want but the problem is that after a full meal, you will be torturing yourself to have a dessert buffet. You can limit yourself to just for a few. I will starve myself and then order the dessert buffet the next time and accompany it with pictures to make you drool. If you have a sweet tooth, resistance is futile.

So, what I have was something simple. A salad with pamelo as starter. It is a great pick me up starter. Pamelo is something you may not like when younger but it has a very refreshing taste and will prepare your appetite for what is to come.

After looking through the drink list I decided to have a lemon grass and lime drink. Lemon Grass is a tall tropical grass and the stalks and leaves have a lemon like odour due to the presence of essential oil just like in lemon peels. It is often used as a spice in cooking for its vibrant flavour. It is not restricted to Thai food but also commonly used for Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese  and Indian food but the Thais use it generously.

Lemon grass has medicinal properties and is often used as a stimulant and tonic. Besides promoting digestion, it is said to help in other causes like relief from menstrual troubles and nausea. It is also said to induce perspiration, cools the body, helps with insomnia and reduces fever. It is also a mild insect repellent. Other properties of lemon grass is that they are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It is said to protect your digestive tracts from infection and poisoning. It detoxifies the body, is anti-stress and stimulates blood circulation. It is also helpful against the common cold and flatulence. Everyone should have a lemon grass drink every now and then or whenever but you should not drink too much of it. Something different and entirely lovely.

The deep fried fish here is wonderfully done. Crispy and golden brown but fresh and juicy inside but of course the chili sauce  complements and completes it.

This deep fried dried fish is like Ti Poh used in Bak Chor Mee (minced pork mushroom noodles), or how Teochews used them for other dishes like stir-fried vegetables or porridge.

Nobody does vegetables like the Thais as these baby khai lan can attest. It is distinctly Thai. You can just use it to top up on your rice and it becomes a meal by itself.

In the past, I have only one, yes, only one friend who does not take any chili. I was thinking this fellow doesn't know what is life. I am one who don't eat too well without chili. I would be able to bottoms up with you with chili.

I am fully aware that if you were to dump chili into your food, you won't get the real aroma and fragrance since you would only taste chili. Today, I am finding out that more and more younger people do not consume much chili, some never at all. What happened to our taste buds? Blame it on fast food? Well, this Thai green curry will help you for those who don't like theirs too spicy.

All good things must come to an end. I can't do the dessert buffet so when in Rome, just do what the Romans do. Desserts tells us that the actual meal has ended. A simple Red Ruby was enough. This has got to be the best Red Ruby I have ever tasted. Inside the red and green stuffs were of course crunchy and sweet water chestnut. They threw in fine slices of coconut and jack-fruit to add extra kick and punch. The coconut milk was fresh and I just wondered how they made it with just a tinge of sweetness when often you will find them too sweet for your tooth at many places. 

Notice I used the words kick and punch. It did just that. A perfect way to end a good meal. Wait a minute. Be prepaid to pay somewhat more than other restaurants but the food's quality and taste remain among the very best.

Feels a bit like Royal Dining.

I will be back for more. I love Thai food and yes Thai desserts.