Other Asia Archives - Gazing and Grazing

Bangkok’s Gaggan is Worth Trying Once

June 17th, 2018

Bangkok's Michelin two-starred Gaggan is rated by some as Asia's best restaurant so I had to go see whether it was worth that hype and especially since the restaurant will close in 2020. After getting some help in securing a reservation, I'm glad I came because it's a blend of food that's unlikely to be duplicated elsewhere. The cuisine is borderless - creative Indian with Thai, Japanese and French influences and generally beautifully presented in 25 small courses. While some of it can be...

Soo Kee – Still the Best Char Siu in Kuala Lumpur

May 9th, 2016

Decades on, the best char siu is still found in Soo Kee, a simple local restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. Located further down Jalan Ampang just before turning off to Ukay Heights, Restaurant Yuen Soo Kee is a family owned operation where patrons mainly come for the barbecue pork (chinese style or "char siu"). This is Malaysian style char siu which is nicely caramelised and fattier than Hong Kong style char siu. Besides the char siu, the tofu, fried spring roll, steamed fish among other dishes are...

Lunar New Year Cruise

January 23rd, 2016

Last lunar new year, I spent ten days on Crystal Symphony with my relatives on a cruise that started in Hong Kong and ended in Singapore. Cruises are not for everyone but I think it is one of the nicest ways to go on holiday when you've got less mobile octogenarians in the group. Along the way, we stopped in Hainan Island (China), Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Since I live in Singapore, it was a convenient journey for me but familiarity with these stops meant that the cruise was not that...

Pic of the Day – Beijing’s Temple of Heaven

May 28th, 2015

With the China stock markets falling over 6% today, I looked through my old pics to find this one of the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan). I think this is my favourite place to visit in Beijing, as it’s within easy reach and there is a nice enough park surrounding the various historical structures. I took this shot in 2002 when blue skies were not an anomaly.

Tiantan Beijing — Knocking on heaven’s door – Tiantan

Pic of the Day – Bali Sunset

May 27th, 2015

In my view, Bali is best visited during July and August because of the cooler and drier winds that make the evenings pleasantly cool. Also the lesser humidity, I think, helps make for more dramatic sunsets. This was taken in Canggu (south Bali) in early August, 2009. ISO100, f6.3, 1/160, at 80mm focal length.

Canggu, Bali — Sunset over the padi fields in Bali