For the first year after I moved to Thailand, I had made a promise with myself: no American fast food! After I decided to live in Bangkok permanantly, I relaxed this rule a bit. I love Thai food so much, but every once in a while I’m just in the mood for some McDonald’s, KFC, or Pizza Hut.
One cool thing about visiting other countries is that the fast food menus at popular restaurants are different from what you are used to at home. At McDonald’s in Thailand, for example, you can order Thai-style rice dishes, such as this kraprao gai (basil chicken).
Kraprao Gai – basil fried chicken from McDonald’s Thailand
McDonald’s version of this classic Thai dish uses their delicous fried chicken and fluffy jasmine rice. Basil chicken isn’t usually fried, so even though it’s a very Thai-inspired dish, it’s still sort of a fast food fusion taste. The basil and chili sauce that is served on top of the chicken is spicy, but not nearly as hot as what you normally find at a local restaurant in Thailand. The flavors have been adapted to fit international tastes a bit more.
McDonald’s basil chicken in Bangkok, Thailand
I’ve made it a mission to visit McDonald’s in the different countries that I visit to learn how the menu is different from place to place. It’s fun to try these fast food twists on traditional dishes, and it’s kind of interesting to see what food and specific flavors that McDonald’s thinks are important enough to the country to add into their menu.
If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m a guy who loves his tea. I recently visited a great tea museum in Macau (FREE!), and when I learned that there was also a tea museum in Hong Kong, how could I pass up paying it a visit?
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong, China
The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is housed inside an 1840s-era colonial-style mansion that once served as the residence of the British colonial commander in Hong Kong. Now, the historic old mansion houses Hong Kong’s museum dedicated to everything tea.
various types of Chinese tea
Permanant exhibits on the ground floor of the museum tell about Hong Kong’s important history of tea culture. Exporting Chinese tea to Britain and the rest of the empire was an integral part of Hong Kong’s economy for much of the 18th and 19th centuries, and tea played a huge role in the culture of not only Hong Kong, but England as well. The museum informs visitors about different types of Chinese tea, as well as the culture behind traditional Chinese tea ceremonies.
a traditional Chinese tea ceremony
When we visited in January 2019, the museum was hosting a special exhibit showing the works of local artists and craftsmen who had each created a tea set in their own particular style to represent an issue that was important to the artist. Some of the professional artists had creted really amazing tea sets – some beautiful, and some intentionally ugly to highlight an ugly issue in the world today.
tea sets on display at the Flagstaff Museum
Some of the best (in my opinion) and most evocotive work, however, came from the high school category. The tea pot below, for instance, definitely caught my attention, though I’m not sure I would have much of an appetite to enjoy my tea if it was served from these pots!
Would you drink tea from these unique tea pots?
The Flagstaff House Museum is located at 10號 Cotton Tree Dr, Central, Hong Kong (near Admiralty MTR station)
The museum is open every day except Tuesday from 10:00 – 18:00
Admission to the Flagstaff Museum in Hong Kong is free
Ever since spending three months in Vietnam, I have to admit that I’ve gotten a little bit addicted to coffee! It’s not that I can’t start my day without a cup of joe, it’s more that I don’t want to. While I certainly miss Highlands Cafe and all of the other amazing coffee shops in Vietnam, Bangkok has plenty of opportunities for a coffee lover as well. Some really great options, as a matter of fact, come from a can, or even from a bag!
Cafe Real – Korean iced coffee in a pouch
I bought this pouch of iced caramel macchiato at JidubanG Market in Bangkok. It’s a small Korean supermarket and import shop located near MRT station Thailand Cultural Center. This coffee was imported from Korea, and the unique design and serving style caught my eye.
If you like sweet coffee drinks like you can find at Starbucks, you’ll love this drink! If sweet coffee isn’t your thing, you might not enjoy it as much. It is very sweet! This is ok for me, though, as I do have a good American sweet tooth!
I like how convenient the pouch is. It’s easy to carry and very easy to store in the refrigerator. It’s a little harder to drink from than a can, however, since you need to pour it into a cup to drink it conveniently. At around 35 baht per pouch, it’s a little more expensive than canned coffee, but there’s also more per serving. I really like it, and ended up stocking up on five pouches to enjoy throughout the week. I know I need to cut back on coffee… but I need my fuel to get through the day!
One of the great things about Bangkok, Thailand is that it truly is a world city. If you know where to look, you can more or less find any sort of food in the city. One of the things that helps me not to be so homesick here in Bangkok is that I can get Tex-Mex and American barbecue fairly easily!
There are even plenty of shops and supermarkets where foreign visitors and expats can feel at home. The other day, for example, I discovered and visited the JidubanG Market, a Korean supermarket and import store located just next to Esplanade Cineplex at MRT Thailand Cultural Center.
JidubanG Market, Bangkok, Thailand – located near MRT Thailand Cultural Center
JidubanG Market is very easy to get to, and is accessible by foot from MRT Thailand Cultural Center (Exit 3). Walk past Esplanade Cineplex, and the supermarket is easy to find.
a small cafe inside the JidubanG Korean Market, Bangkok, Thailand
It was morning when I visited the store, but this being summer in Thailand, it was already very hot. Luckily, the supermarket has a small cafe, so I oredered an iced coffee and sat down to cool off for a while. It was cool and comfortable inside the cafe, and they were playing quiet Korean pop music.
Besides coffee, the shop also serves a number of hot, fresh Korean snacks and fast food items.
Korean food and snacks
The Korean supermarket isn’t huge, but it’s packed full of imported food, snacks, and other Korean goods. It definitely caters to the city’s substantial Korean expat population, offering long-term residents a taste of home.
an amazing variety of Korean instant noodles available for sale at Jidubang Market, Bangkok
The aisles of the market are full of imported Korean goods and snacks, including an entire aisle made up of imported Korean instant noodles. Next to that, you’ll find all sorts of chips, sweets, rice cakes, and more. There’s also a small homegoods and cosmetics section, again containing all imported goods from Korea.
food and snacks from Korea in Bangkok, Thailand
The Market doesn’t just sell snacks and dried goods, though. There’s a small section of frozen and refrigerated Korean meals and ingredients for those who want to cook Korean dishes, but have trouble finding the right ingredients elsewhere in Bangkok.
Korean goods in Bangkok at JidubanG Market
JidubanG Market, Bangkok, Thailand – Korean supermarket and import shop
Location
JidubanG Market is located at MRT Thailand Cultural Center just next to Esplanade Cineplex.
99/26-28 Khwaeng Din Daeng, Khet Din Daeng, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400
It’s summertime in Thailand, and the weather is getting hotter by the day. When the mercury is hitting 35C (95F), I’ll try almost anything if it means keeping cool. When I saw the new limited edition Lay’s “Cooling Sensation” potato chips, I was intreigued, but honestly kind of creeped out by the idea. Of course, that meant that I had to buy a bag of each flavor to review here!
Hey, if eating potato chips is the best way to stay cool in the hot Thai summer, bring them on!
My first impression of both the Icy Lemon Flavor and the Melon Bingsu Flavor chips was that both flavor was weirdly sweet. I don’t know, but it just seems weird to be snacking on a sweet potato chip. After the initial sweetness, I was hit by the odd “cooling sensation” that felt a little bit like mild menthol. I can’t say that the “sensation” actually helped me to cool down at all, but it definitely made my mouth feel a little cooler.
The flavors are weird. The Icy Lemon chips are supposed to taste like cold lemonade, and I guess they do, but it’s just a really odd flavor to put into a potato chip. The Melon Bingsu actually tastes like the Korean shaved ice dessert, but melon feels like an even stranger flavor to put into a chip than lemon.
Overall, while I appreciate the idea and am always a sucker for a gimick like this, the flavors just don’t work. Yes, the chips have some weird type of menthol-like cooling, but it’s just strange. I don’t really have any word for it.
But don’t take my word for it! Try the chips yoursef and let me know what you think! Maybe you’ll like them, and if you do, please let me know below.
I love Thai food! Living in Bangkok, I often feel like it’s impossible to go hungry, since even the pickiest eater can find something on the Thai menu that he or she will love.
While Thai cuisine definitely has a reputation as some of the most delicious food in the world, sometimes a guy just wants a pizza. After six years in Thailand, I’m no stranger to bravely trying new foods, but some days after a long day at work, I’m just too lazy to get out again and walk down the street for something to eat. Pizza Company to the rescue!
But even though Pizza Company offers the standard pepparoni, cheese, etc, the pizzas they make often tend to have a more “Thai” twist than you might expect. Here are a few of the strangest Thai-style pizza flavors that I’ve ordered from the Pizza Compay in Bangkok over the past year. Hungry for something different? Read on!
Tom Yum Kung
The Tom Yum Kung pizza is one of the staples of Thai pizza. Tom Yum Kung is a type of spicy and sour seafood soup, usually served with shrimp. This dish is regarded as one of the most popular national dishes in Thailand. The pizza takes the flavors and ingredients from Tom Yum soup (shrimp, squid, mushrooms) and puts them on top of a fairly mild Tom Yum sauce and topped with lots and lots of cheese.
Of the four pizzas that I’m reviewing today, this one is my favorite! The Tom Yum Kung pizza has a nice combination of flavors that works really well together. None of the flavors are too overpowering, and the harbal aroma makes it feel fresh and filling. This is one of the pizzas that I regularly order in Thailand.;
Go ahead and order this one. I highly recommend trying it.
Durian and Cheese
The Durian is regarded as the “King of Fruit” in Thailand. It’s a controversial fruit to say the least. People either love it or hate it, and there’s no in between. Durian is known for its distinct aroma, which is compared to rotten meat, stinky socks, and gasoline. The taste, however, is something like a sweet, fruity custard. Needless to say, it’s an acquired taste, although the smelly fruit is banned from public places in Thailand, such as the metro and hotels.
The Durian and Cheese pizza is an interesting choice. The cheese adds a bit of salt to the very sweet fruit, but the durian and cheese combo is almost overpoweringly creamy. This works better as more of a dessert pizza, to be honest. I liked my first slice, but it became too rich when I tried to have more.
Here’s a hint: pop this pizza in the fridge! I think that it tastes best cold!
Kung Pao Chicken
This Kung Pao Chicken pizza from the Pizza Company was a part of the restaurant’s new Chinese New Year promotion. The pizza is made with fried chicken and toasted cashew nuts with lots of peppers and onions, and served over a sweet and sour oyster sauce base.
Although it’s called Kung Pao Chicken, the flavors really remind me mostly of Thai cashew chicken.
This is a weird one. On my first bite, I loved it. However, after one piece, I began to feel that it was way too salty. I like the idea, however, and really enjoy the cashew nut and chicken combo on a piece of pizza.
A good idea, but too salty. Maybe order it with a different sauce?
Hong Kong Roasted Pork
Hong Kong Roasted Pork is another special that the Pizza Company introduced for Chinese New Year. It reminds me a lot of Thai moo daeng (red pork).
Chinese-style roasted pork is served over a sweet and sticky sauce and topped with cheese.
Honestly, I was the most excited about this pizza, as I really love red pork. However, I found the Hong Kong Roasted Pork pizza to be a little bit too sweet. It might be better with less sauce, or maybe with more cheese to add a little more saltiness and creaminess to the pizza.
Worth ordering. It’s a good idea, but a little too rich.
I know… Chinese New Year is long past, but it’s never too late to review Cafe Amazon’s new special Chinese New Year coffee drinks. The drinks are limited time only, but are still available for a few more weeks.
Cafe Amazon is offering two new drinks as part of a special Chinese New Year promotion. The one that caught my eye the most, however, was the “Amazon Fortune Cookie”. I was espacially interested in trying this one, since fortune cookies aren’t actually Chinese, nor are they at all popular or familiar in Thailand!
the board promoting Cafe Amazon’s newest special promotion additions
I’m a fan of Cafe Amazon, especially when I’m on a road trip in Thailand (generally, Cafe Amazon is one of the standard and ubiquitous shops at nearly every Thai rest stop). Their drinks tend to be a bit on the pricy side for Thailand, though, and this Amazon Fortune Cookie is no exception. The drink costs a relatively steep 75 baht. I ordered one anyway, since I actually really like fortune cookies, and the idea of this coffee caught my attention.
Cafe Amazon’s Amazon Fortune Cookie coffee drink
The Amazon Fortune Cookie is a blended iced coffee drink with a slight sweet hazelnut flavor, and topped with cruncy biscuit pieces which resemble the taste of an American-Chinese fortune cookie.
I really like this drink, although it was quite sweet. In fact, I already requested to make the drink slightly less sweet, so I imagine that the original order would be very sweet. That may just be me, though, as I generally don’t take my coffee overly sugary.
I do like the flavor. I think that the flavors (hazelnut? caramel? honey?) blend really nicely together, and the crunchy biscuit pieces on top really do tie it all together.
All in all, I do like this drink. I would get it again, maybe if it’s an offering again next time Chinese New Year rolls around. Maybe this week I’ll try Cafe Amazon’s other special promotion drink.
the iced coffee has a slight hazelnut flavor, and is topped with crunchy biscuit pieces
Try the Amazon Fortune Cookie at Cafe Amazon locations in Thailand now while the promotion is still running!
11 Reasons Why Convenience Stores in Thailand are AMAZING
If you’ve lived in or traveled around Asia, chances are, you’ve completely fallen in love with the convenience stores, particularly 7-Eleven. Sure, we have these stores in the US, but they can’t compare with what you’ll find in Japan, Thailand, or elsewhere across Asia. Here, convenience stores are a major part of life, and the expat or traveler’s best friend. Don’t believe me? After living abroad as an expat for six years, here are the reasons that I think 7-Elevens in Thailand are amazing. Read on:
1. Open 24 hours
It’s rare to find a store in Thailand that’s open 24 hours. There’s no Walmart, and the Tops, Tesco, and Villa supermarkets all close in the evening. But sometimes you need to get something at night. Sometimes you might want to pick up a beer or a late-night snack. Where can you turn to? Why, to the convenience store, of course!
you can buy toiletries and more 24/7 in Thailand at a convenience store
2. Lots of snacks
Snacks, snacks, and more snacks! If you are hungry, particularly if it’s the middle of the night, chances are, you’ll head to the local convenience store.
I recommend trying as many snacks as you can when traveling in Thailand. Some of the flavors are remarkably different! I recommend some of my favorites: pad khi mao broad beans (drunken noodle flavor), wasabi snack jack, and the many different strange and wonderful varieties of Lay’s potato chips that you can find only in Thailand.
lots of Thai snacks in crazy flavors
3. Pay bills
Another reason to love 7-Eleven is that it makes paying your bills easy. You can bring an electric, cable, or internet bill to the counter during regular business hours. The employee simply scans the bar code on the bill and rings up your charge. You can even pay for your electricity or internet with cash! There’s no need to go to a district office, or even to deal with online banking and bill transfer. This really helps if you are a traveler or short-term expat who doesn’t have a Thai bank account.
4. Buy SIM cards
Tourist can buy SIM card at 7-Eleven stores, just make sure that you bring your passport to register your phone number.
If you already have a SIM card and a mobile phone plan in Thailand, you can “top up”, or add money to your account at the counter at 7-Eleven. Just ask the employee to top up your phone. They will print out a recipt after you pay. Dial the number on the recipt, and the balance will automatically be credited to your mobile account.
You can buy a card to top up your phone, or just ask at the register.
6. Buy airline tickets
Just like paying for your utilities at the convenience store, you can also purchase airline tickets with cash! When purchasing a ticket from Thai Air Asia, Nok Air, or a number of other airlines, simply choose “counter pay” as your method of payment upon checkout. You will be prompted to print a PDF document with a bar code that you can take in to the 7-11. It works the same as paying a utility bill; the employee simply scans the bar code and rings up your ticket payment. Then, you can simply pay in cash to finalize your ticket booking!
7. Toasties!
Toasties are one of the greatest things about living in Thailand! I love these things! 7-Eleven stores stock a number of varieties of sandwiches which you can purchase any time of the day or night. When you buy a toasty, they will even grill the sandwich for you in a sandwich press. It’s an awesome breakfast or late-night snack. And, it pairs well with…
7-Eleven toasty sandwiches. You can buy it and the employees will toast it fresh and hot for you.
8. Canned coffee
A toasty sandwich and a can of coffee. This was my go-to breakfast for several years when I had to get up early to go to my office in Bangkok. Canned coffee is super popular nowadays in Asia, and in Thailand, a can of delicious coffee only costs around 10-15 baht! (My favorite canned coffee is Nescafe Black Ice. It’s not overly sweet, and only has 50 calories).
various varieties of canned coffee from a 7-Eleven store in Thailand
9. All Coffee
On the other hand, if you want to drink a fresher cup of coffee, many of the 7-Eleven stores run an All Coffee counter. Here, you can buy late, macchiato, mocha, and other types of fresh coffee for a great price. This is actually one of the cheapest coffee chains in Thailand, and in my opinion, the coffee is really good!
All Coffee is a coffee shop chain run by 7-Eleven in Thailand
10. Quick hot meals
The 7-Eleven will also heat up their pre-made refrigerated and frozen meals. These come in a huge variety of dishes, from Thai dishes like fried rice and noodles to more western meals like spaghtti. I relied on 7-Eleven quit often for a tasty hot meal on nights when I was working late and didn’t want to cook or go out for dinner. While they may not be the halthiest options, the hot meals from the convenince store are just that… convenient.
Frozen meals at 7-Eleven in Thailand usually cost 40-50 THB. The employees will re-heat them for you!
11. Stamp collecting!
Starting in August every year, and running for several months, 7-Eleven Thailand sponsors a really fun stamp collecting promotional program. Every purchase over a certain amount earns you a few stamps that you can collect in a stamp book. The stamps have themes such as Thai dishes, ASEAN countries, or LINE Friends characters. The stamps can be redeemed for gifts, or can be cashed in for a discount on your purchase (every stamp is worth between 1 and 3 baht). It’s a fun little promotion, and it must work, because it makes me want to shop at 7-Eleven more often during these months!
After the hectic traffic and chaos of Hanoi, I was pleasantly surprised by the slower pace and calm atmosphere of Da Nang, Vietnam’s major coastal city in the central region.
local artists painting undersea designs on the bridge over the Han River, Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang is a city of just over 1 million, which sits on the coast and is cut in half by the Han River. Many of the city’s most attractive spots (nicest hotels, most scenic restaurants) are located along the Han River Front area. The river is spanned by several modern and unique bridges, and is especially beautiful to visit at night, when the bridges are lit up in an impressive display of color.
Da Nang’s famous “Dragon Bridge” shoots fire out of its mouth in a nightly display.
One of the most prominent features of the Da Nang River Front is the very odd “Dragon Carp” statue that stands spewing water into the river. The Dragon Carp, I guess, is Da Nang’s version of Singapore’s Merlion – a mythical creature invented to promote the city’s tourism.
Han River in Da Nang, Vietnam; the Dragon Carp and the Dragon Bridge
Da Nang also has its own version of the Love Lock Bridge, much like the one found in Paris, France. Da Nang’s bridge is quite new; there aren’t so many locks on it yet, but it’s becoming more and more popular as more people are beginning to discover Vietnam.
Da Nang’s very own “Love Lock Bridge” is one of the city’s newer attractions
Couples can purchase a heart-shaped padlock for a few thousand VND at shops along the riverside. They lock the heart into place on one of the bars of the bridge, where it stays, symbolizing eternal love.
locks on the bridge to signify eternal love
While it’s nice to view the river during the day, it’s much more impressive at night. When the sun goes down, the lights along Da Nang’s three big bridges come on in a nightly show of color.
Da Nang Han River at night
The most spectacular, in my opinion, is the famous and iconic Dragon Bridge.
This bridge is designed to look like a Vietnamese dragon, complete with a head that breathes fire!
Dragon Bridge in Da Nang lit up with colorful lights at nighttime
On weekend nights at 9:00 pm, there is a light show at the Dragon Bridge, that ends with the dragon’s head breathing out fire! Don’t miss this, especially if it’s your first time to visit Da Nang! One of the best places to view this spectacle is from the Dragon Carp statue near the Love Lock Bridge.
The Dragon Bridge and the Dragon Carp are lit up at night in Da Nang, Vietnam.
The Love Lock Bridge looks great at night too. When we were there, dozens of couples were posing and taking photos together beneath the red heart-shaped lights along the bridge.
Vietnam Love Lock Bridge at night
If you’ve got the time, you can even book a dinner cruise along the river. It’s the best way to see Da Nang at night! If not, there is no shortage of great food to enjoy in Da Nang.
Dragon Bridge at night – every night this bridge shoots fire!
You might also like these posts about some cool things to do and see in Da Nang and throughout Vietnam’s central region:
Of all the cities in Vietnam, Da Nang might be my favorite. Sure, it might not have the history of Hanoi, the culture of Hue, or the modern lifestyle and convenience of Saigon, but Da Nang offers a great balance of the three. Vietnam’s largest city in the central region is located right in the middle of the country along the coast. It’s a place where cultures intersect at a developed and beautiful oceanfront city.
Da Nang itself is home to some really great attractions, too. Among them are some of Vietnam’s most interesting museums. I’ve chosen three of the best museums in the city. These are the ones that I think give visitors the best look at Vietnamese history and culture.
Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture
the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture
Champa, or the Cham Kingdom was an ancient kingdom that ruled parts of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from the 2nd century until it was absorbed by Vietnam in the 19th century! While the Cham Kingdom is culturally related to the ancient Khmer Empire in Cambodia, it thrived and lasted much longer. In fact, you can still see Cham cultural societies in Vietnam today!
Khmer-style Cham artifacts at the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture
If you’ve been to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, the Angkor National Museum, or the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, you’ve probably seen art and artifacts similar to the ones kept at the Museum of Cham Sculpture in Cambodia. However, as the Cham Kingdom and Khmer Empire were two different cultures, the art is actually different.
Khmer-style Cham carvings
I’m a huge history guy, and I found this museum to be completely fascinating. The museum has an extensive collection and it impressively laid out and organized with plenty of information to present to the visitors.
Cham-style carved elephant at the Da Nang Museum of Cham Culture
Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture Location, Hours, and Admission
The Cham Sculpture Museum is located at Số 02 2 Tháng 9, Bình Hiên, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
The Da Nang Museum is centrally-located, and contains exhibits all about Da Nang and the central region of Vietnam. The majority of the exhibits are focused on the region’s war-era history – central Vietnam was the border between North and South Vietnam and as such, the fighting here was the heaviest – as well as the culture of several ethnic minority groups that live in the area.
entryway and interior at the Da Nang Museum
Admission to the museum costs only $1, and you can spend several hours wandering through the interesting exhibits.
exhibits about local life along the sea in Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang Museum Location, Hours, and Admission
The Da Nang Museum is located at 24 Đường Trần Phú, Thạch Thang, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
When we were traveling in Vietnam, we really came to appreciate art museums. Unlike some museums, art museums are always air-conditioned (climate control helps to protect the paintings and other artwork on display), so you can always count on a cool and comfortable place to sit and rest for a few minutes if the sunlight and temperature are starting to wear you out.
art and artifacts at the Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts
Even more than an escape from the Vietnamese heat, though, the Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts houses a beautiful collection of art from Vietnam’s past, as well as modern art from the contemporary period.
art from Da Nang’s past at the Museum of Fine Arts
Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts Location, Hours, and Admission
The Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts is located at 78 Lê Duẩn, Thạch Thang, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam
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