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The Never Ending Summer

This Eatvestigator needed a quick place for lunch right after landing in Bangkok. We found The Never Ending Summer, located amidst an art district called the Jam Factory.

Situated along the Chao Phraya river (5-10 minutes walk away from the newly opened Icon Siam), the restaurant occupies 2 warehouses which were decked out in an airy and lush interior. The main offerings are mod-Thai cuisine.

The first order of business was the Larb Gai with fried kale (THB380). This savoury and chunky meat concoction paired well with white rice. For the fibre conscious crowd, brown rice is available too.

Next up was the beef rump steak (THB480) which was presented with tropical garnish and chili fish sauce. Although medium well, it wasn’t much to shout about for this eatvestigator. Get your steak cravings satisfied elsewhere.

The sweet and sour cashew chicken (THB380) was easily a winner. The chicken had just the right amount of breading and the sauce was neither too dry or too sweet. Plentiful cashews are always welcome.

We had the chance to also try their fried flowers with egg but it didn’t leave much of an impression.

The Never Ending Summer hits the right spots for an intimate meal with outstanding Thai flavors. There is an outdoor sitting area that is perfect in the evenings for dinner with a riverside view. If you are in the vicinity for a date, consider taking a 5 minute public ferry over from Sheraton Orchid Hotel to the Millennium Hilton, and then saunter over along the river.

The Never Ending Summer
41/5 Charoen Nakorn
Khlong San, Bangkok, Thailand
Daily – 11am – 11pm

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Khaiphaen

larb

Happy 2019 to all! This eatvestigator has notably been a missing quantity for some time in the recesses of South East Asia. This time our trip took us to the landlocked region of Luang Prabang in Laos, where we had the chance to savor the namesake Beerlao and partake in wholesome food at this establishment by the name of Khaiphaen. It was good enough that we returned twice in the span of 2 days.

Khaiphaen proudly states that it’s a social enterprise, aiming to provide employment and learning opportunities to young people from local tribes like the Hmong. We noticed they were eager to practice English and Chinese with various out-of-towners. The restaurant is quite spacious, containing both an al fresco area and indoors with much necessary air conditioning in the hot afternoons.

Without much further fanfare we jump right into the appetisers. First was the highly recommended Chargrilled Eggplant Dip with Baguette and Local Vegetables (30000KIP).

The raw eggplant was beyond fresh, and had the texture of crisp apples. The dip was a serenade of mushroom with peanut sauce which went really well on the baguette. Next was what seemed to be local variety momo, the River Fish and Monkey Mushroom Dumplings (52000KIP). It was very well balanced by the roasted soybean and peanut dip.

If there’s one dish that defines the national essence of Laos, it definitely has to be larb, which is typically a mixture of fermented minced meat and vegetables. The Chicken and Mint Laap with Roasted Squash, Spring Onions, Chili and Lime (40000KIP) was somewhat sanitized but nevertheless enjoyable and refreshing.

larb

This was then followed by a splatter of mains. In the foreground were the Beer Lao Battered Fish and Chips (54000KIP). The fish was wonderfully battered and came complemented by papaya salad, a definite Laotian twist. On the left was the Lao Pork Sausages with a chutney consisting of spring onion (44000KIP). It wasn’t as meaty as imagined and was quite enjoyable.

A recurring theme were these seaweed crispies that are also found on top of the Khaiphaen and Rice Sticks with Tomato and Hmong Mushroom dips (36000KIP). The eatvestigator found this dish to be somewhat forgettable but the crisps were nice to chew on over Beerlao.

All in all, Khaiphaen does a fabulous job fusing local Lao ingredients with well known foreign dishes. You won’t go wrong dropping by if this is your first visit to Luang Prabang.

100 Sisavang Vatana Road, Ban Wat Nong.
Between the French Institute and the Mekong River.
Open Monday to Saturday
11am – 10:30pm
https://www.facebook.com/Khaiphaen/

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Openwork Coffee

Situated away from the hustle and bustle of Johor Bahru downtown, Openwork Coffee stands alone. By far, it is the only gyoza and coffee joint in town. When a reason behind this quirky pairing was sought from the proprietor, this eatvestigator was told that Johorians loved to chat over coffee and gyoza. Hmmm, not that there are many gyoza joints around. The location is a mere 5 minutes walking distance away from DoubleTree JB.

The cafe features clean lines and rustic furniture, while overlooking a forest valley. The proprietors offered up a serving of original gyoza (RM12) and namesake coffee.

The Papaya Milk Yakult Foam (RM14) was yet another curiosity on the menu. It was light on the palette and refreshing after a hot day’s walk. They also dished up a heaping good donburi in this Chicken Bowl (RM17) that consisted of fried chicken and yolk laid over fluffy rice and whole grains with vegetables.

The accompanying appetiser Prawn And Squid Salad (RM14) was another winner, reminiscent of Peranakan tones,with its fried taukee slices paired with a cooling salsa medley.


Despite the diminutive range of food on the menu, this eatvestigator welcomed the inventiveness and subtle tones of the available food pairings. Perhaps if you have an afternoon in JB to spare, make your way here for some coffee and gyoza.

236 Gim Shew Building, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak
Johor 80000
https://www.facebook.com/openworkcoffee/

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Kenboru

Hidden in bowels of the SMU compound is this recently opened donburi shop called Kenboru. It features customisable rice and soba bowls, with flame-grilled mains ranging from tofu to smoked duck and beef, all at less than $15. No wonder the place is raging with the student crowd on a weekday afternoon.


This Eatvestigator made a dash for the smoked duck breast bow ($7.90), well you get another $1 off if you are somehow related to SMU. Here are the results with a heapful of complementary mentaiko sauce. The result is appealing to the pseudo health conscious while being full of intense wafu flavours.

80 Stamford Road #B1-65
SMU, School of Information Systems
https://www.facebook.com/kenboru/

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Kamakura Shisoen

While running the course of a 2 day trip in Kamakura, this eatvestigator invariably transversed the ups and downs of Komachi-dori, where all the food action happens. It was definitely a welcome to find this cozy joint for a sip of the local Kamakura beer (¥800).

The local catch is white-bait (shiraishi), which comes as an accompaniment to many local dishes. However the fish are not caught during certain seasons. This particular three styles donburi (¥1380) is shirashi done in 3 styles: raw, dried and fried. Add some soy sauce and you are good to go.

To find the restaurant, look out for this basement on the left as you are walking towards the direction of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine.

Japan, 〒248-0006 Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura, 小町
https://www.facebook.com/pages/鎌倉新莊園/844352958933248

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The Lobster Place

Lobsters are relatively cheap in New York owing to its proximity to the rich Atlantic coastal waters. The costs of transporting live lobsters halfway around the world mean that prices are prohibitive in this eatvestigator’s hometown. Well, this eatvestigator is in for a treat! Lobster Place is right smacked in the popular Chelsea Market, where you can buy some delis and enjoy some good wines along with your meal. The queues don’t lie, these are some fresh succulent lobsters, and people are here to get a piece of the action!

Prices are in the range of USD12-14/lb depending on whether you are buying live or cooked ones. The cooked ones tend to be pre-cooked, probably to cut down on cooking time. This eatvestigator opted for a small cooked lobster (~USD16), which was pretty huge for one who hardly sees live lobsters. Don’t bother getting a large to share with your friend, it’s gonna get messy later and you know you want one all to yourself!  Your order is taken, then you have to make payment at the cashier. Cooking time is about 15 minutes, hurry and find a seat!

Lobster Place is more than just lobsters, instead it’s more like a seafood market. There are other stalls brimming with all kinds of fresh seafood, and even a sashimi counter. Viably, you could stroll around and eat some freshly sliced tuna, but this eatvestigator think its a bad idea! Once you pick up your very own freshly steamed lobster, you realize the enormity of the task ahead.

You excitedly splatter lemon juice over the evidence, pluck up that juicy claw and dab it with some butter oil. You cease to notice all the other patrons sitting around, who are also quiet in their indulgence. As you tear that soft white flesh, you think to yourself: the taste of the ocean is right here in your hands. For the price, it doesn’t get any better than this.

Meatpacking District
75 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10011

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