Asia Archives - Page 10 of 13

Northeast – a Bustling Bangkok Haunt Serving Up a Killer Crab Curry

July 28, 2023May 14, 2024Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

Located across the street from the south center of Lumpini Park (and a 3-minute walk from the Silom MRT), where monitor lizards roam freely and cats sleep in the middle of the road with zero cares in the world, sits ‘Northeast’, a no-nonsense, bustling, Thai restaurant serving up familiar (and unfamiliar) ‘Northern-style’ dishes including – a killer soft-shell crab curry.

As I’ve mentioned in several other posts, Bangkok makes a more than formidable bid as the gastronomic capital of Asia (at least in my books), and ‘Northeast’ is the staccato on the end note of this culinary symphony.

Let’s take a look at what makes this popular haunt for locals and tourists alike a must-go when you are in Bangkok and the feast that single-handedly forced me into bed by 8 PM.

Gyudon Life: Why I’m a Yoshinoya Ride or Die For Life

July 9, 2023November 26, 2024Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

I really can’t express just how happy Yoshinoya in Japan makes me but I’ll try.

Maybe it is because I have fond memories of patronizing this fast food gyudon (beef and rice bowl) chain my first Chinese New Year in Beijing when it was the only thing open (that and KFC). Maybe it is because it is there for me while working odd hours with clients in the U.S., leaving me a rather rushed eating window between 11 PM and 12 AM some nights. Maybe it is because they just make a high-quality, bang-for-your-buck, hearty meal that is delivered with enthusiastic service and care.

I am a Yoshinoya ride or die. For life. My last three months living in Osaka, Japan have solidified this ten times over. I have eaten at Yoshinoya, at minimum, bi-weekly (sometimes tri-weekly) for the last three months. I know it well and it will always have a special place in my heart and belly.

If you are a Sukiya or Matsuya (competing gyudon chains in Japan), consider this an open invitation for hand-to-hand combat.

If you are unfamiliar with exactly what Yoshinoya is or what you can expect when walking through the doors here or are curious exactly what makes this fast food chain one of my most frequented (possibly most frequented) spots in all of Japan – read on!

A Mouth-Watering Beef Katsu Sando in Osaka You Needed Yesterday

July 4, 2023July 16, 2024Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

If you read my previous post on ‘Custard Nakamura’, a popular Japanese bakery in the heart of Bangkok, then you already know my feelings towards Japanese sandwiches – I may love them more than some members of my immediate family. So you can guess that after landing in Osaka for a three-month stint, one of the first things I did was research local sandwich shops in my area (not “hot local singles in my area”).

Cue ‘Kitashinchi Sand’, a late-night specialty sandwich shop located just a five-minute walk to the south from Osaka Station. What could possibly go wrong when you combine high-quality beef and bread? Absolutely nothing. Say “Hello” to your new best friend – the beef katsu sando. Oh, and I was such a glutton that I also knocked back several Menchi sandos (ground meat cutlet sandwiches) for good measure.

Delay no more! Let’s dig in.

The Deep-Fried Beef Cutlet Dilemma: Is Gyukatsu Motomura Worth the Line?

June 25, 2023July 16, 2024Asia, Food, Japan BigBody Leave a Comment

Having posted up in Osaka, Japan for the last two months (with one more to go), a popular restaurant my friends raved about and kept recommending was ‘Gyukatsu Motomura’ – a deep-fried beef cutlet (similar to Tonkatsu) haunt where patrons cook their rare beef over a hot stone and slather it in soy sauce or wasabi. All in the name of the perfect bite.

After unsuccessfully being turned away the night before for showing up too late (this was on me – not them), I decided to circle back the next night to their Umeda branch, located in ‘Lucua Dining’ on the 10th floor of the North Gate Building of Osaka Station City. This time I arrived at 8 PM, dressed in my finest Yakult Swallows baseball jersey, to see if the hype was worth it.

Review: Solitaire Hotel on Sukhumvit 11, Bangkok – a Luxurious Urban Retreat to Unwind in Style

June 3, 2023January 6, 2025Asia, Thailand, Travel BigBody Leave a Comment

During my self-imposed Hong Kong moratorium I decided to spend one month-plus in Bangkok, Thailand. And, the stay would not have been complete if I didn’t stay at one of my favorite hotels in all of Asia – the Solitaire Bangkok Hotel on Sukhumvit 11. This 4-star hotel, located a stone’s throw away from the nightlife and action of one of Bangkok’s most notorious nightlife districts, is always my go-to stay in Bangkok.

I spent the entire month posted up in this gem of a hotel, working, battling strep throat, and recovering after extensive ‘eating days’ in one of the best cities for food in the world. Here’s an honest review of what I loved and liked (there isn’t much I really took issue with).

The Chicken or the Egg? A Hidden Crispy Fried Noodle Gem in Bangkok

May 21, 2023May 21, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

Tucked away in a quiet back street of the Pom Prap Sattru Phai district of Bangkok (the district with the highest population density and home to the ‘Golden Mount’), Kuay Tiew Kua Kai Keng Jae Ngim – now that’s a mouthful – is a no-fuss, fried noodle shop serving up a textural mammoth of flavor. This restaurant was also recommended to me by my Bangkok eating guru (another big thank you once again) and didn’t disappoint.

I was a bit of a hot mess when I stumbled into Kuay Tiew Kua Kai Keng Jae Ngim. I had already walked about 15 miles for the day (just under 25 km), was in a slight rush to catch a Thai kickboxing match at Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium, and was making a case for being the sweatiest man in Bangkok. It calmed me down. Settled my mind, stomach, and heart.

Wattana Panich: Tucking Into a 50-Year-Old Bowl of Beef Noodle Soup in Bangkok

March 31, 2023March 31, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I am declaring this now for all to hear…errr…read. From this day forward, I am only consuming beef broth that has been aged more than 50 years. Fleetwood Mac and I are both never going back again to day-old beef broth. We demand 50 years. Wattana Panich Beef Broth, located on Ekkamai Road in Bangkok, is to thank or curse for that.

Passed down for three generations, Wattana Panich has set the bar for what beef broth and beef noodle soup restaurants should aspire to be – simple, unapologetic, and filled to the brim with savory, herbaceous, salty flavor. This article definitely will not do it justice and will be one of the few where I attempt to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Custard Nakamura Bangkok: Katsu Sandos, Custard Buns, & Baked Goods Galore

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

Situated off the bustling Sukhumvit Road (on Soi Sukhumvit 33/1) and easily missed next to due to its positioning next to one of the ubiquitous 7-11s of Asia, Custard Nakamura is a quaint, quirky Japanese bakery serving up a smorgasbord of sweet, savory, and traditional Japanese pastry (and sandwich) classics.

I was recommended Custard Nakamura by my Thailand eating guru (shoutout to her), who texted me a comprehensive list of must-go spots in Bangkok (feel free to message me if you’d like a list of the places). After having one of the worst starts to a morning I can remember in a while, I knew I needed some TLC – tender-loving custard.

Fran’s Brunch & Greens: a Bangkok Brunch on Steroids

March 19, 2023March 19, 2023Asia, Food, Thailand BigBody Leave a Comment

I think I may have found my absolute favorite brunch spot in all of Asia – Fran’s Brunch and Greens. Located a stone’s throw away from Lumphini Park (a spot that has become a daily staple for my walks) in the Northeast corner of Sathon, Fran’s is a brunch powerhouse serving up elevated takes on breakfast classics, creative and fresh Acai and fruit bowls, and open-faced sandwiches that will make your momma blush.

In my ten-plus years in Asia, I am declaring Bangkok as the “top dog” gastronomically for affordable, high-quality, Western and local cuisine. In this past month that I’ve given myself in Bangkok, the city has kicked through the doors of my “Cuisine Constitution” and torn down the walls of what I thought I knew about food in Asia.

Fran’s is the icing on the cake, the dot at the bottom of an exclamation point, the final stab by the orchestra to cap off the night (or start the day). Here’s why…

Quick & Easy Process to Get a 30-Day Vietnam E-Visa Explained

February 26, 2023February 26, 2023Asia, Travel, Vietnam BigBody Leave a Comment

As you may know by now, I’m heading to Vietnam in several days (mid-January, 2022). It has been nearly 3 years since I left Ho Chi Minh to embark on a journey to Europe for a six-month stint and move back to Hong Kong (my current base). I can’t wait to be back.

A part of me was stressed about obtaining a visa for Vietnam as I barely remembered doing so when I first moved there in July 2018. However, then I remembered that it was an absolute breeze and that’s why it wasn’t even registering in my memory.

If you are looking to apply for a 30-day Vietnam E-visa, I’ve got you covered. Below, I will walk through exactly what you can expect when applying, how long a 30-day Vietnam E-visa takes to be processed (and how long mine actually took), and additional considerations to keep in mind when traveling to Vietnam.

3:10 to Zuma: The Neverending, Free-Flow Brunch of the Century

January 12, 2023April 2, 2024Asia, Food, Hong Kong BigBody Leave a Comment

If you are looking for the holy grail of all brunches in Hong Kong, look no further than ‘Zuma’s Weekend Brunch’.

This is the brunch mecca to go on pilgrimage to, where you cast the ring into Mount Doom to prevent Sauron from destroying brunches across Middle Earth, your final resting place as you kick up your feet and hum R.E.M.’s ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’ while digging into free-flow champagnes and wines, neverending gyoza and sashimi bowls, and other Japanese izakaya-inspired fare.

… “And I feel fine.”

Shugetsu’s Tsukemen: My Number One Meal in All of Hong Kong

January 6, 2023January 12, 2023Asia, Food, Hong Kong BigBody Leave a Comment

Shugetsu’s tsukemen would unquestionably be my last meal on earth if I was ever on death row. This might sound absurd but it isn’t a lie. Shugetu’s tsukemen was (and still is) my number one meal when I was training for a powerlifting competition – unfortunately, I kept eating like I was training for a powerlifting competition once I ended and I developed a crippling tsukemen addiction.

There have been worse things in life.

This Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a ramen hybrid consisting of a salty broth, 300 grams of al-dente elastic noodles, and fatty pork belly cubes is everything that is right in the world. Pair it with an ice-cold, crisp Suntory Premium draft beer, crunchy fried chicken cartilage “bar snacks”, and half-moon pork-filled gyoza pillows, and your last days won’t be for nothing.