Story & photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM

Food photos are of REAL food with no photoshop and no props

The inspiring Travelling Gourmet dines on Thai food in…

MY friend’s favourite restaurant, or perhaps one of his favourites. He was  the former Thai Ambassador to Singapore, but Khun Nopadol is back in the capital after his well deserved promotion. This is Thai haute cuisine, not street food. A good appetiser is the Khao Dtang Nar Dtang…Minced Chicken & Prawn Dip with Cornflake-crunchy rice crackers. A very classic dish in Thailand but not many locals like this, The Green Curry with Chicken & cute slightly bitter Baby Eggplant balls and chunky eggplant and baby corn paysanne  and lots of basil leaves…is tasty but not too spicy. Well, we have to make allowances for local tastes. That’s business. In Thailand, things are super spicy because that is how the native Thais like it. I liked the texture of the curry, not too viscous but not too runny like a comsomme. Well cooked and seasoned. It brought to mind my exhaustive lessons in Thai Cuisine in the renowned Oriental Hotel Bangkok, School of Thai Cooking on the mysterious Chao Praya River. My instructor always exhorted: NEVER use a blender! All the herbs and spices MUST be pounded in a mortar & pestle! I like the fresh bean sprouts, basil leaves and mint leaves served with the food. So healthy and just the way Thai food should be enjoyed. Almost every dish is garnished with lovely flowers carved out of raw carrot! Por Ped Tawd are cheeky Spring Rolls 7cm long are very yum yum! Inside…minced chicken, bean sprouts and vermicelli.

Kai Yad Sai is another goodie. A thin omelette wraps a “powderful” filling of minced chicken, prawns, peas, carrot & onions. To end, the classic Pad Thai or Thailand’s answer to our Char Koay Teow is de rigeur!

Warm Durian in coconut cream  with sticky rice is manna from Heaven…

ENJOY! {:-)