Taste of Thailand – Sukhumvit

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Just a few weeks ago I wrote a review for Buddha’s belly in Kyungnidan. Well last Friday night I was craving Thai food once again. However I decided to make a change and try the restaurant opposite Called Sukhavit – A taste of Thailand. A taste of Thailand was exactly what I got. It trumped Buddha’s Belly in pretty much every department and will now be my new Thai restaurant of choice. Not only do they provide a great take away service with an extensive menu far longer than the one at Buddha’s Belly, they also have a large restaurant that can accommodate many people.

First up were the spring rolls. Slightly expensive at 7,000 for 6.  But they were fairly good none the less. I have to say rolls are slightly better at Buddha’s Belly but the dipping sauce at Taste of Thailand was better.

Our next choice was the cashew chicken 11,000. This dish blew my mind. It was exactly the same as the ones I used to eat in Thailand. full of flavour without blowing my head off. There were plenty of cashews and lots of chicken  The sauce was slightly sweet and spicy, just how I like it.

I also ordered the Pad See Ew – black-bean fried noodles with chicken 11,000. This is my favourite dish from across the road so I was curious to see how it would compare but it was just as good with lots of noodles, chicken and sticky sauce.

Last up was the Thai green Curry 11,000. The moment I opened the lid I could smell the lemon-grass wafting out. It was perfect. they also asked us how hot we would like it, which was a nice touch, everyone likes their curry differently and they got this one spot on. It also came with white rice, but I think we have all been in Korea long enough to know what that looks like.

They also have a great sweet and sour chicken dish that I don’t have a picture of it but it certainly gets the thumbs up from me.

I chose chicken for all my dishes but you have the option for tofu, pork, shrimp, or beef if that’s what floats your boat.

Sukhumvit is located in Kyungnidan at 671 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu. Seoul. 140-861. To get there take a train to Noksapyeong station (line 6)  exit 2 and walk straight down until you reach the under pass then go underneath. Sukhumvit is on the second floor above Noxa just opposite the exit of the underpass. You can call them on 02- 790- 2722 to place an order or make a reservation.

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Slow roasted belly pork

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So winter is here and so are the holidays. To me that means large joints of meat. Now is the time splash out on ingredients we wouldn’t usually buy. At a Thanksgiving dinner a few weeks ago we were served up some amazing belly pork, cooked by my talented friend James. It was so good, that I immediately sent Niall out into to the cold to buy some as soon as we got home. This glorious piece of meat is for sale in Costco (I have included the label below). Be warned though its not for the faint hearted, this slab of frozen meat was a a whopping 3.7kg but priced at only 22,000(that was the smallest one)! Luckily it just about fit in my freezer. Last weekend I defrosted it and then cut it into 2 large pieces so it was able to fit in my oven. This would make a great christmas day alternative if you cant find a turkey or just if you really love pork.

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Ingredients

2kg of belly pork

1 large onion

7 cloves of garlic

1 apple

Salt and pepper for rubbing

Directions

Thaw you meat thoroughly over night. When you wake in the morning cut the piece into two or three unless you have a giant oven (In which case I hate you!) Wrap up the unused pieces and put into the fridge or give to a friend (eg: me). Slice your onion and apple, then roughly chop your garlic. Then put them into the bottom of your roasting tray. If you have any fresh herbs you could put them on too,  mine all died in the snow though :( Score lines in the fat then rub on the salt and pepper.

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Put into an oven at 140 degrees Celsius uncovered for about an hour, this helps the skin get crispy. Then loosely cover with foil and cook for another 4-6 hours. All the fat  juices will collect at the boom of the pan so make sure to pour them off into a jug to save for later. You should also baste about once an hour. This was very easy for me as my oven only cooks for an hour at a time.  After about two hours you may wish to remove your onions and garlic if you are hoping to use them later for your gravy. Other wise they will burn to a crisp.

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Once the pork has been fully roasted remove from the oven and leave to rest for at least an hour, loosely covered in foil. Then slice your delicious meat. You can serve exactly how it is or cover the slices in a beautiful apple gravy.  I made mine with the onions, garlic and apple from the roasting pan, the juice from the pork, a little red wine, and a bit of bisto for good measure. Pour over the slices to keep them soft and tender. If you’re not using it straight away this is the best method of storage. Be sure to keep your fat for roasting the potatoes, no one minds a bit of cholesterol at Christmas. Voilà there you have the best roast dinner ever!