Colorful Sushi Dinner @ Jiro Raw Bar & Grill, Sukhumvit 15

Have you ever had this craving for sushi? If the answer is yes, then maybe give Jiro Raw Bar & Grill a go. The sushi place is located on the 2nd floor of Manhattan Hotel Bangkok in Sukhumvit 15 and open for lunch and dinner. Parking is available but limited, so BTS would be a better choice during the rush hours. Jiro is within the walking distance from BTS Nana station, BTS Asoke station MRT Sukhumvit station. A good short exercise before lunch or dinner would allow you to enjoy your food even more and to feel a little less guilty for for having those extra bites.

Upon entering Jiro, you would notice bright colorful bricks as part of the guestbook blackboard wall. If you are not in a rush, take your time to read the comments and perhaps on the way out you can find a spot to write yours. Jiro gives this casual playground vibe that makes customers feel comfortable and fun.

If you decide to take on this review and go to Jiro by yourself or with a friend, the best place to sit is at the counter where you can have little conversations with the friendly chefs. The occasional recommendations on various dishes would allow you to experience something new. The delicacies they serve are fun and colorful.

Starting off your dinner with Gindara (snow fish) Miso Steak is a good way to work up your appetite. Miso emphasizes the tenderness and savory taste of the fish meat. This is a must try if you are a fish lover. Chawanmushi (egg custard) is a classic famous Japanese and kid-friendly dish that is worth ordering at Jiro.

Today, we created our own little sushi assortment with Matsusaka, Foie Gras and my favorite Akimo (monkfish liver). Foie gras sushi was impressive. Akimo ones were just as delicious as we had hoped they would be.

The Aburi set was sensational and gave the orgasmic heaven in my mouth. The pairings of various fresh imported fish and different ingredients take the yumminess to the next level. The set is now on promotion so give it a try.

Jiro Dome is another great alternative for all you roll lovers. The size of the dish is enough to make one person full, so it would be wise to share this dish between two or more people. 

Kani Miso (crab innards) sushi give such strong aftertaste scent, and so should be eaten last so that they will not overpower other milder scent sushi. This has always been my favorite way to end my sushi ritual. Be brave and give this underrated sushi a try.

So how would I rate Jiro Raw Bar & Grill? I would give 8.9 out of 10 for overall.

• 9.5 for Food... Almost everything we ordered are very impressive. However, I still prefer to have my chawanmushi at Tenyuu better.
• 8.5 for Ambiance... The playground vibe really adds a big plus to the dining experience leaving you with an impression that Jiro is more of a different, young, fresh and casual sushi place.
• 9.0 for Services... Everyone at Jiro is very friendly, nice and helpful. The chefs with more than ten year experiences are very gentle, soft spoken and nice. They would ask the customers what they think of their selections and occasionally recommend dishes for them to experience. The waitresses are fast to clear the empty dishes and refill the greentea. The responsiveness is just amazing.
• 8.5 for Prices... The amount we paid for the food we ordered, the bill came out to be around 4k which would be the reasonable amount considering the ingredients Jiro chefs and owner use. 

Until next time, stay full and stay happy. 

Recipe Talk: No-Bake Summer Lasagna

Looking for a healthy meal? I have just a nice recipe for you. It is very easy and takes less than half an hour to complete the dish. It is No-Bake Summer Lasagna! I tried the recipe for family dinner yesterday, and We loveeeeeeeeee it! The recipe does not call for many ingredients, and the ones used are very common. You can substitute the vegetables in the recipe with those you like better. In my case, I love zucchini and cherry tomatoes so I use them. I pretty much followed the ingredients in the recipe, but I did substitute ricotta with feta and natural yogurt. I was not trying to be creative... I just did not have the ricotta on hand. It tastes just fine.

Do you love garlic? I love the aroma and the taste. That is probably why I used a lot more garlic cloves than the recipe calls for, and I feel no regret. When I was sautéing halved cherry tomatoes and minced garlic, I could not help falling in love with the smell.

Oh! One more thing, if you love basil leaves like me, I recommend using more than just one tablespoon. Go crazy and use as much as you like. It will taste amazing.

The fun part in making any type of lasagna for me is the layering. This is where your creativity and food presentation skill comes into play. Clearly, I still have room for improvement. I guess it all comes with experience and passion. Here is my finished version of No-Bake Summer Lasagna. What do you think?

Overall, I really enjoyed this recipe and will probably make it again. Thos lasagna is truly refreshing, stomach filling and delicious. If that is not enough, one serving is just 376 calories. This leaves you full, happy and guilt free. Give the recipe a go. I am sure you will not regret it.

Until next time, stay full and stay happy.

Spicy Meal @ Khua Kling + Pak Sod, Thonglor

Khua Kling + Pak Sod is a small family-run restaurant located on Thonglor soi 5. The restaurant offers authentic Southern Thai delicacies by the real Southern Thai chef from Chumphon. Upon opening, the restaurant quickly became the talk of the town, and has remained popular among Bangkokians. However, I just had a chance to check out the restaurant last night with my girlfriends and boyfriend. Siju, of the Dwell with Siju, my boyfriend and I arrived early just to avoid the typical scary Bangkok evening traffic on a rainy day. The place was still rather empty, but it was not long until the room was completely filled up with spicy food lovers. I highly recommend reserving a table a day or two in advance. The numbers are 02-185-3977 and 086-053-7779, and for foreigners, 081-811-5458. By the time the rest of the gang arrived, the place was so full of life.

Growing up with a mother who loves and enjoys the Southern food, I have come to love many dishes like Sataw Phad Kapi (สตอผัดกะปิ) and Khua Kling (คั่วกลื้ง). The level of spiciness I could take is very low, but this does not stop me from loving the Southern food. At this restaurant, you will find every dish is super duper tasty. Let's start on what we ordered, shall we?

Nam Prik Goong Sod (น้ำพริกกุ้งสด) was the first to arrive on our table. This dish offers a lovely combination of freshness from vegetables, tenderness from shrimps and aroma of Kapi (shrimp paste). It is a very good starter for a meal. Goong Phad Sataw Kapi (กุ้งผัดสตอกะปิ) is sooooooooo good! This dish as I mentioned before is one of my favourite Southern Thai dishes. This is a highly recommended dish. Sataw seeds are very soft but still chewy... the way they should be cooked. The overall taste just could not have been better.

Pak Liang Phad Kai (ผักเหลียงผักไข่), or stir-fried malinjo leaves with eggs, is so good that we reordered. Such a healthy choice with protein, fibre and vitamins in just one dish. I recommend having this with warm jasmin or brown rice. You will not regret it.

A meal here would not be complete if we did not order Khua Kling. There are a few varieties of Khua Kling on the menu, but we chose Khua Kling Kradook Moo Orn (คั่วกลิ้งกระดูกหมูอ่อน). This is a must order if you are trying out this restaurant. After all, the name of this dish is in part of the restaurant name. A word of warning, look out for those little chilies, or what Thais call Look Dord (ลูกโดด), as they can be deadly.

One last dish that cannot be left out from this review is Khao Phad Platoo (ข้าวผัดปลาทู). It is one of the best I have ever tried. I love how the dish has the aroma sweet basil leaves and the little bit of saltiness from Platoo (ปลาทู), or Thai mackerel. The combination is heavenly.

Apart from above dishes, we ordered a lot more like Kang Kua Pu Bai Chaplu (แกงคั่วปูใบชะพลู) and Kai Jiew (ไข่เจียว). However, there are so many other dishes I wish I could order, so I will certainly go back for more!

So how would I rate Khua Kling + Pak Sod? I would give 8.5 out of 10 for overall.

• 9.5 for Food... Every dish we had was amazingly delicious. However, the spiciness could be a problem for some people.
• 8 for Ambiance... Homey feel is a plus, but once the restaurant is filled up, it could feel a bit too busy. The huge portrait of the late father of the daughter owner really makes you feel like you are eating at a friend's place rather than at a restaurant.
• 7.5 for Services... The owner sometimes come to take orders, and she is very lovely and pleasant. However, some of the waitresses seem a little bit clueless. For example, a waitress served us two pots of hot jasmin greentea without cups, and unfortunately we could not possibly drink the tea straight out of the pot, we had to ask her to bring the cups for us. Another thing is the restaurant is of those park-by-the-sidewalks, which is perfectly fine with me. The problem is we did not have anyone directed us where we could park or not, but maybe I misunderstand the restaurant policy.
• 9 for Prices... For all we ordered, the bill checked out to be just around 2,500 baht. I could safely say it is relatively cheap considering the restaurant is in Thonglor, one of the most popular areas in Bangkok.

Until next time, stay full and stay happy.

Rainy Day @ Calin La Boulangerie et Le Cafe, Eight Thonglor

Calin La Boulangerie et Le Cafe, or what people refer to as Calin Cafe, is a charming Parisian style cafe offering a French dining experience. The cafe is located on the ground floor of Eight Thonglor. There are both indoor and outdoor tables for both AC lovers and weather appreciators. For me, I usually preferred my table indoor during this Bangkok rainy season. I recommend calling in to reserve a table (081-586-7305) in case you are going there on weekends or public holidays as the cafe will be crowded. Also going around 11 am would help you avoid the big crowd. The cafe opens daily from 8.00 am to 11.00 pm.

Before you continue reading the rest of this post, I would like to remind you not to be alarmed by the amount of food shared between four ladies. It is very usual in my family. Alrighty... If you are ready, let's proceed.

To start off my family brunch with my three lovely ladies, I ordered Moka Ethiopian Americano. my auntie and cousin ordered Cafes Richard latte. At Calin Cafe, six choices of Cafes Richard beans for diners to enjoy with homemade pastries and gourmet dishes.

Wouldn't you love the idea of having a nice breakfast anytime of the day? I most certainly do. This is probably why sometimes after a long day, I would die for a nice breakfast with butter croissant and cheesy scrambled egg. Yum! Well at Calin Cafe, they have all-day breakfast items on the menu for you to do just that. Just to indulge on a little breakfast feel, we ordered classic brunch dishes like Œuf en Cocotte with Salmon and Caviar and Broiche Egg Benedict with Ham and Asparagus. They are lovely.

On a rainy day, I love having a nice bowl of soup to warm myself up. The popular cream of Mushroom Soup, it would even make it even better. I love the soup because of the strong mushroom scent and because of the creaminess that makes the texture so smooth. I also like the natural taste with not much seasoning involve in making this soup. It is just my personal preference.

We tried the White Asparagus with Smoked Salmon and Parmesan Crumbles. Every ingredient on this dish is what I usually enjoy having in my meals. Give it a go if you are at Calin Cafe. Pan-Fried Foie Gras with Caramelized Pears is nice. The Caramelized pears go so well with the nicely cooked foie gras.

Apart from the above, we had Whole Wheat Pasta Provencale Style (Tapenade and Sea Bass) and Duck Confit with Potato Mousse and Glazed Vegetables. My three lovely ladies enjoyed the pasta so much.

What I cannot not talk about here is the 1824 Grain-fed Entrecôte Steak served with Spiced Fries. I asked for medium rare, and for the first time in a long while, I actually have my medium rare steak that I could enjoy. I give the Calin Cafe thumbs up for that. Thank you!

To end this lovely brunch, we enjoyed Kouign-Aman served with Creme Chantilly and Fresh Fruits and my favourite Croissant Pudding. The Croissant Pudding is such a delicious comfort dessert with freshly baked crispy croissant soaked in a nice warm custard. So good with a cup of coffee. If you are not really into the pudding part like I am, maybe give these homemade croissants a go. You will not regret having them.

So how would I rate Calin Cafe? I would give 8.5 out of 10 for overall.

• 8.5 for Food... All dishes are delightful and yummy.
• 9 for Ambiance... Casual and chic Parisian sidewalk cafe with two lovely areas, indoor and outdoor. The color scheme is just so warm and cosy.
• 8.5 for Services... We received a remarkable service from a lovely waitress named Pu. She is very nice to my elderly mother in terms of being very friendly and patient. Apart from her, the staff are very attentive, informative and friendly. If you are there during the rush hours, be patient. It can be very busy for them.
• 8 for Prices... For the number of dishes and drinks we ordered, I feel that they are fairly priced. The deliciousness makes up for the prices.

Until next time, stay happy and stay full.

Lovely Sunday Brunch @ Cafe Claire

Cafe Claire offers a classic French brasserie feel and a gourmet comfort food. Although the restaurant is located at the Oriental Residence on the busy Wittayu road, you feel at ease to enjoy your choices of breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Last Sunday, I decided to take up the recommendation on Cafe Claire from my fellow foodie, Paulsky0. It was a great opportunity to enjoy a lazy Sunday brunch with my dear Hong Konger/Canadian friend and to catch up on things. What would be a better way to start my brunch than with my French press coffee? Nice warm coffee really got me going.

My classic brunch pick is always Eggs Benedict (or sometimes Eggs Royale depending on my mood). The dish is not bad, but I would prefer to have mine at Roast.

Personally, I like Ink Fettuccine with Pesto, Crabs and Prawns and Miso Glazed Snowfish much more. They are quite tasty. French Toasts is just how I like them. You know... one of those that are overly drenched with maple syrup that you can no longer taste the toasts. French Toasts at Cafe Claire are made with no knead bread so I expect that the texture would also be different. If you say no to so soggy and over drenched French toasts, this is the place to find what you want.

My friend and I spent time chatting away while munching on good food. What a lovely way to spend your Sunday! A wonderful company and delicious food always make a new experience twice as better.

So how would I rate Cafe Claire? I would give 8 out of 10 for overall.

• 7 for Food... Some dishes are just how I love the, there is still room for improvement.
• 9 for Ambiance... Loveeeee the Parisian feel. Cafe Claire is quite a secluded and romantic place where you can enjoy a quiet brunch, a peaceful lunch or even a romantic dinner alone or with special ones.
• 8 for Services... The staff are very attentive, helpful and friendly. They know the order of dishes and make decent recommendations on food and beverages.
• 8 for Prices... Prices are pretty reasonable. For 6 items we ordered, the bill came just a little over 2,000 baht.

Until next time, stay happy and stay full.

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique @ Siam Paragon

When someone mentions the famous Singaporean TWG Tea Salon & Boutique, the very first thing that usually comes to anyone's mind would probably be the extensive tea list and a set of scones and finger sandwiches. After a walk around Siam paragon, TWG (on the ground floor) would make a nice resting place where you can enjoy your time in a classy manner. Today apart from my usual afternoon tea order, a pot of Happy Birthday tea and scones with whipped cream and tea jelly, I decided to try having dinner there. To my surprise, I enjoyed the All Day Dining dishes more than their tea snacks and desserts. I particularly enjoyed Cherry Duck, roasted duck breast with cherry sauce, and Spice Route Penne, spicy seafood penne.

Cherry duck is a good enough dish to dry for a duck lover. I love there are the orange slices and cherry sauce to give tanginess to the crispy skin duck breast. My only comment was I would to have my duck a little bit more tender and not well done.

Spice Route Penne is just right for the Thai taste. You could request for how hot and spicy you would like this dish to be. This dish made this evening dinner a whole.

So how would I rate TWG Tea Salon & Boutique at Siam Paragon? I would give 7 out of 10 for overall.

• 7 for Food... All Day Dining menu is worth a try. Desserts and tea snacks are average.
• 7 for Ambiance... Classy European vibe is a plus, but it is little bit too noisy for me.
• 8 for Services... The staff are very attentive and helpful.
• 6 for Prices... The tea is charged by pot (around 250 baht per pot) and one pot provides around three cups. After your done, you have to order a new pot. If you are not a hardcore tea enthusiast, you could enjoy the similar tea else where at lower prices or order a glass of their wide selection of ice teas instead. Apart from that, most items on the menu are fair.

Until next time, stay happy and stay full.

A Brief Introduction of BuBu Bubsie

Hello, world! 

Greetings from BuBu Bubsie (or me)! Let's get to know each other, shall we? I'll start. First question first... who am I? I am a true advocate of good food and happy life. I believe that people need to once in awhile indulge themselves with tasty food just to lift their weary spirits up. Of course, such indulgence should be of moderation. I was raised with the belief that "People who love to cook are happy people, but people who love to eat are even happier people." I love cooking and I love eating even more. I find happiness in little simple things like drinking a cup of hot Americano, being with my loved ones and waking up with no allergy. Now that you know who I am briefly, I would love to know who you are. 

Until next post, stay happy and stay full.