Sunday, August 17, 2008

Chatuchak, Chinatown, Beirut Restaurant

Chatuchak Weekend Market

Hey hey hey! Guess what I've been up to this weekend? I've been up to...Bangkok!

I made sure to arrive on Saturday to catch the renowned Chatuchak Weekend Market. Be there early, I was told, you'll beat the crowd and heat. So I was there at 10, and sure enough, the weekend crowd was barely building up, which was a blessing, coz I managed to navigate the massive marketplace in record 20 minutes.

There wasn't much to see, since shopping's not my thang anyway and the food stalls were barely getting started. I managed to grab a few colorful snaps before I left.

So far, not impressed. Next stop, Chinatown.

Delicate Flower Dumplings

Street markets are found throughout Chinatown, and I found myself drawn to one in particular, enticed by the smell of fried food and steaming dumplings. Magic begins for me here.

I have no idea what the above is really called, I just know it looks as good as it tastes. Made with a swift swoosh of the hand, the lady boss whips up countless sheets of the plain and colorful rice wrappers on a mini steamer, adds a little knob of sweet coconut in the middle, and with a deft sweep rounds up the edges and magically produces the final florets for your viewing and dining pleasure. Truly a feast for the eyes.

Fried Radish, Chives & Yam Cakes

This reminds me of the soon kueh in Singapore, the taste is similar as well. And just as I do back home, I prefer the pan fried version here for that extra crunch.

More Chives Cakes

A squarish, greener variation to the dish, the texture of this cake is thicker, like chewy, fudgy pudding. This is my choice of the lot simply for its funky color.

A Study in Botany

Hummus

Evening came and I wandered into the Sukhumvit district, coming up to Beirut Restaurant, a Lebanese eatery packed with Middle Eastern expat. This has to be good.

The hummus was good, it usually is, though I especially liked the fragrance of the toasted pinenuts and paprika in this instance.

Falafel Wrap with Fries

In a perfect world, all fries would be thick cut and crinkled. Well, it isn't, but having your Lebanese falafel wrap come with some is close enough.

The Whole Shebang

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