Thursday, October 31, 2019

(Almost) BEER-LESS IN BANGKOK

I did solemnly swore that I would stay dry in Bangkok as I did in Poblacion on Saturday night and at PAL's Mabuhay Lounge on Sunday morning , a vow reieterated while attempting a seance with the ghosts of the 1937-era National Stadium of Thailand to find out who were the Filipino medalists during the Asian Games of 1966, 1970 and 1978.   


Pratunam Market's Soi Sangkarn Petchaburi at Monday noon is bustling with food and traffic while L migrated my files from THBKKNB191 to THBKKNB199, the railroad tracks silent as a motorbike burst through an alley and I walk 1.3 kilometers for a rendezvous with Nipuna to what is allegedly the best breakfast place in Bangkok.


What can be the signage of the Soi 19 Sab Sab Wanton Noodles is a plaster of posters declaring it has "No Branch in Singapore" but unfortunately, we were too late for its famous Ter Kah Pork Trotters (braised and poured in a rice plate with slices of pork intestines, tofu, boiled egg and pickled vegetable) so we settled for a bowl each of its signature wonton noodles that came aldente with roasted pork, dumplings (read: wonton) and just the right hint of fried garlic which is more than okey, and a wonton soup which is forgettable.    


I roamed the Rama I area of the National Stadium later in the evening with my "Stay Dry" policy firmly in place as street shops set up their wares along Banthat Throng Road and Soi Chulalongkorn, Google Maps leading the way through structures as old as the National Stadium, roasted corn and an assortment of burning meat wrestling with the maladorous fumes of a nearby canal as I turned right to Charat Mueang Alley.  


Jeh O Chula is listed in the 2019 Michelin Guide and as announced, there is already a long line seated in blue plastic chairs although I was 30 minutes early from opening time, my culinary expectations on a high as I got listed, seated to wait and finally led inside after 20 minutes to an amazing bowl of its famous Mama Tom Yum Seafood topped with slices of phenomenal crispy pork and an equally awesome spicy pink salmon salad on the side, and these superlative adjectives despite the use of instant noodles in the tom yum and without the signature raw eggs too which is only served at 11 pm.  


Since everyone has to wait for their turn, Jeh O Chula is an embodiment of equality and this I was almost to tempted to raise as an operational best practice in our conference on sharing prosperity and addressing inequality where my imposed teetotalism gost a boost from a welcome halal dinner at the Cholay Seafood Restaurant after leisurely walking 1.3 kilometers from Chulalongkorn University to MBK on a balmy Wedesday afternoon.    


The conference ended on Thursday and was a smashing hit which deserved a team dinner at where else but Jeh O Chula which we had after a quick meeting of the ASEAN Working Group, and there I surrendered to superior forces and had my chastity corrupted. 

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