a bite of brownie

Yesterday was the day that we used my Master card for the first time at Siam. The ambiance that the Thai restaurant offered was a refreshing mix of modern civilization and authentic Thailand, truly something that you wouldn't expect in today's restaurants. We picked a seat by the back entrance that offers a tranquil view of a green garden while we ate on one of the soft cushioned booths.

Anyway,we had scrumptious fried tofu paired with sweet mango sauce and sour-spicy seafood Tom Yang Goong for starters. For the main course, we had a hearty helping of crab fried rice and a serving of beef simmered in mild green curry. But wait, who wouldn't order another signature Thailand dish, the Pad Thai, in a Thai Restaurant? Not us, that's for sure. So we had a large plate of that too.

The meal started with with arrival of jasmine tea for both myself and my mother and a fruity glass watermelon juice for my sister. Next, The Tom Yum Goong, Fried tofu and the Pad Thai arrived. The Tom Yum Goong came with semi trapezoidal bowls and typical Thai soup spoons that looked like porridge spoons for babies :P. Nonetheless, it was delicious. It had just the right amount of coconut milk, tamarind soup base, special fish sauce and spice from the ginger. The kaffir leaves did a great job too. The tofu was good, it had a nice crunchy exterior but with a soft gooey interior. Pairing it with the sweet mango chutney is a great idea. The Pad Thai when it came, caught me in surprise. It had sprouts, crushed nuts, tofu, and shrimps in it. Sprouts I can understand. But nuts? As I sampled it, it had a typical pancit palabok taste for me. And it wasn't in the least spicy. Disappointment. The fragrant jasmine fried rice with hints of crab meat in it was okay. It wasn't that exceptional, but it was in the least flavorful. Finally, the beef curry came. The meat was just right and soft, and the spice from the curry was addictively delicious.

In the end, Siam Thai Restaurant is definitely worth giving a second try.

I'll give it a 3.5/5.

Verdict:
A: 3.5/5.0
N: 4.0/5.0 [Tom Yum was great, Pad Thai was so so, but it has free WIFI! and that makes me happy =)]

Siam Thai Cuisine
Terraces Ayala Center Cebu

This is my favorite fried chicken joint so I was really disappointed when they closed in Greenbelt in favor of Jollibee. I was happy for a while when I saw one on Yonge street near Eaton Centre in Toronto. We used to go there every weekend when we were exploring downtown. Unfortunately, the only Popeye's in Vancouver is a hardware store, so I had to settle with either Church's or KFC.

Imagine my excitement when I saw this fast food chain when I was on a connecting flight in Hong Kong. It's even beside my favorite ice cream place: Ben&Jerry's. Talk about double whammie calories.

I ordered the two-piece chicken combo with biscuit, fries and drinks. I finished the fries but was only able to finish one chicken and a pinch of the biscuit. Airplane food was too filling. I think I gained five pounds on that 13-hour flight. I didn't have any more room for ice cream. Boo!

I hope there's still a Popeye's at Greenhills, where I'll be staying for two nights so I can enjoy it before I leave for my roadtrip.

Verdict
N: 4.0/5.0

Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits
Hong Kong International Airport

For quick and cheap Chinese eats, T&T Supermarket offers a wide selection of hot and cold dishes for people on the go. I was craving for dim sum so I went ahead and ordered the shrimp dumplings and the pork siomai. The dumpling wrapper was too thick, I never eat those stuff so I removed them and went ahead to eat what's inside. I don't think it tasted anything like shrimp but then again if it's less than a dollar per piece, I guess I got what I paid for. The pork siomai tasted the same, the only difference was the color and the shape.

Not satisfied with the dim sum, I also ordered the roasted duck and bbq pork combo. After watching Food Inc. the night before, I guess I'm not that appreciative of meat anymore. I think I'm gonna go ahead and change my entire diet to seafood and veggies. That documentary made me sick.

Verdict:
N: 1.0/5.0

T&T Supermarket - Metrotown
4800 Kingsway Burnaby, BC