I miss SE Asian food. Since I moved to Shanghai, my palate misses the spices, the sheer heat of bird chili as well as lemongrass and sambal. That was until I discovered Cafe Sambal in Jiashan Market. Cho Chong Gee, the owner, hails from Malaysia and delivers authentic Malaysian food daily at Cafe Sambal. Whether it’s a curry you are craving, or satay, beef randang or rojak…the menu is chock full of Malaysian specialties.

I went with a half Malaysian friend as a barometer. Malaysian is probably the SE Asian cuisine with which I have the least experience. Some, but not a lot. And I wanted to get a local’s point of view. We decided to go for a leisurely Sunday brunch in order to try as many dishes as possible. Does Cafe Sambal deliver? Indeed it does.

To shake the wintry chill of Shanghai, we started with a warming cup of Tea Tarik – a spicy, ginger milk tea common to Malaysia. As we perused the menu my dining companion started to get excited. There were so many dishes he wanted to try and he started to talk excitedly – curries, noodles, fish cakes! Turns out the 88RMB brunch menu provides lots of dishes for sharing which was perfect considering a growing fear that our eyes were way bigger than our stomachs. In fact the brunch menu is special in that Cafe Sambal adds special dishes that they don’t have time to make during the week, and as a result the menu changes about every 2 weeks. Another good reason to come back again!

So with the brunch menu we were able to try:

Chicken Satay, an elevated version using better cuts of meat than the typical street food versions

Otak Otak, a Nonya-style fish cake wrapped in banana leaf

Accar, pickled papaya salad with peanuts and sesame

Fried Chicken with Sambal

Hokkein noodle with minced pork, this was one of my favourites and I desperately wanted to have a 2nd portion but didn’t want to be piggy

Beef Rendang, the best this side of Kuala Lumpur

Prawn fritter, a Cafe Sambal translation of a classic street food & Prawn with lemongrass and chili, a spicy classic (see above)

Hokkein meat roll, the ordinary name simply doesn’t do it justice, this is like a Malaysian meat loaf and who doesn’t like meatloaf?

Dragon Bean with cashew nut sauce, this was new to me and despite it’s appearance was also a favourite, don’t let the prehistoric look of the dragon beans scare you

And if that is not enough , a couple of amazing dessers including Kuih Dadar and Sago Gula Melaka.

Two things impressed me about this brunch and Cafe Sambal. The quality of the food and the value of the brunch menu. It makes for an amazing combination that will certainly keep me coming back. If you are a lover of SE Asian cuisine, you must pay Cafe Sambal a visit.

Cafe Sambal
Jiashan Park
37A, Lane 550 Shanxi Nan Lu,
near Shaoxing Lu
Shanghai, China
Telephone: +86 21 3368 9529

I am consistently surprised by the Japanese culture of innovation. From having the world’s most advanced public transport system decades ahead of others -to- cell phones so advanced you can use them (not cash) to purchase a soda at a vending machine, the Japanese always seem to be ahead of the curve. They even found a way to make one of the world’s simplest pleasures better….a colder pint of beer. Kirin recently announed Ichiban Shibori Frozen Draft Beer.

The beer itself is not frozen, but rather the foam on top is frozen and swirled on like a kind of soft serve ice cream. This swirl on top acts like insulation, keeping the cool in. This means your beer can stay icy cold for 30 minutes on a hot summer day. And the foam not only protects your beer to keep it frosty, but you casn also eat the foam like a sorbet. Just keeps getting better, doesn’t it ?!?!?

Kirin is launching the beer in summer in Japan. Sounds to me like a good reason for a trip to Tokyo (as if I ever needed an excuse

It’s always nice to be recognized, isn’t it? Accidental Epicurean was recently featured as Best Travel Food Blog by My Life Scoop. Check it out

I remember the first time I tasted Creme Fraiche. It was my first trip to Paris…too many years ago to mention or else it will easily date me. First it was served alongside a berry tart in a cafe. Then later that week hadwas drizzled over a soup. The slightly sour, yet somehow slightly sweet creaminess was heaven and seemed equally at home with sweet or savory companions. “What is this magical cream that goes with things both sweet and savory,” I asked my waiter? “Madame, eet iz creme fraiche!” he said. Thus, began my love affair with creme fraiche.

Upon coming to China I realize it is very difficult to find. And in fact I started to make it myself. Turns out it is super easy (and also impressive to dinner guests). Now, like with mayonnaise and dressings, I will never buy commercial creme fraiche again.

How to Make Creme Fraiche:

• Combine 1 Tbsp of buttermilk for every 1 cup of heavy cream
• Let sit for 12 – 24 hrs depending on desired thickness (in a warmish, but not hot, location)

The creme fraiche will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator after making.

That’s it! Easy peasy. Homemade creme fraiche.

1. Belgian Beer Tour

I am fascinated with trappist ales and such. For years I have wanted to rent a car and drive around to various pubs and abbeys to educate myself and of course liberally sample Belgian ales. (and eat my weight in Moules Frites) The only thing holding me back from this trip is a companion. It’s not exactly exciting to go beer tasting alone and I haven’t found a traveling companion similarly inspired by Belgian ale.

2. Camino de Compostella

This is a new addition to my list after watching the movie “The Way.” Martin Sheen plays a man who becomes an unlikely pilgrim on the Camino. What is the Camino? It is a road that spans from the French Pyrrenees to Galicia Spain to a UNESCO world heritage catherdral. The grounds contain a Roman cemetary from the 4th century where legend suggests the apostle Saint James is buried there. It’s not religion that drives my interest but more the journey. I never did the backpacking thing in my 20′s, so why is it I want to try my hand at it in my (late) 30′s? I am looking to find a different kind of comaraderie on the road. I am not interested in drunken evenings in youth hostels. I would like to do something that might shift something inside of me, see breathtaking scenery on the ground under my own feet, push myself to my limits to walk / hike 780 km (484 mi) and while of course meeting people, no doubt spend time in solitude and consider life. The key barrier to this trip isn’t money, it’s time. This walk can take 2-3 months.

3. SCUBA Diving at Sipadan, Malaysia

Off the coast of Borneo lies Sipadan, an environmentally protected island purported to be one of the best dive sites in the world. And only 120 dives are allowed daily. One can see turtles, parrot fish, barracuda, reef shark and 3,000 other species of fish. Actually this trip is totally achieveable considering I am based in Shanghai. But somehow after 5 years in Asia I haven’t managed to get there. It’s time to make this a priority!

4. Cuba

Us Americans are prohibited from entering Cuba legally. That said, I know plenty of people that have been. It has been described as a step back in time, as if the world stopped sometime in the 1950′s with classic cars, women in curlers and transistor radios. It may be the feeling of another time or the mojitos or the desire to practice my Spanish, but I have been longing to go to Cuba for years now.

What are your dream trips for 2012 and beyond?

It’s nice to see something about Wall Street that’s funny, for a change. A banker friend sent me this article and I couldn’t resist to share. It’s a Kevin Roose piece from the NYT where he interviews a dumpling cart vendor who goes to work at Goldman Sachs cafeteria for a short stint. In a word – hysterical. Whether you know NYC or Wall Street or bankers or dumplings, there’s something in this for everyone Enjoy.

Here’s an excerpt:

This Inside Goldman Deal Comes Steamed, With Sauce

Kenny Lao has the kinds of credentials — a master’s in business administration from New York University and a former job as a Wall Street analyst — that might come in handy when pitching business to Goldman Sachs.

But the only deals he had to offer Goldman were stuffed, steamed and served in packs of six.

Mr. Lao is the co-founder of Rickshaw Dumpling Bar, a Manhattan restaurant that has been serving up dumplings since 2005. This week, Rickshaw was invited to sell its dumplings inside Goldman’s cafeteria, an 11th-floor outpost inside the firm’s gleaming skyscraper at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan.

“It looks like ‘Gattaca,’” Mr. Lao said of the bank’s commissary, referring to the 1997 science-fiction film. The cafeteria features sleek chairs and futuristic décor and windows overlooking the Hudson River. “It’s so far from my dirty, gross life on the street.”

Goldman’s dumpling connection began several years ago, when Rickshaw operated a food truck that often parked near the bank’s former headquarters on Broad Street. When the firm moved to the new building in 2010, Rickshaw found it harder to park nearby.

“So many Goldman people e-mailed us, telling us to come to 200 West,” Mr. Lao said.

This winter, a Goldman representative asked Rickshaw to sell dumplings for a week in its cafeteria, which on most days features sushi, a carving station and upscale menu items like truffled macaroni and cheese. Mr. Lao jumped at the opportunity.

“The truck business is very cyclical,” he said. “For us to have the opportunity to be indoors at a company where we have fans is great.”

Mr. Lao has been observing his Goldman clientele with interest. They tend to eat lunch in regular shifts, he said, around 11:35 a.m., and 12:15 and 1:30 p.m. They prefer the pork and chicken-based dumplings to the vegetarian option, an edamame-based dumpling with lemon sansho dip. (“A very meaty crowd,” he said of the bankers.)

And despite the firm’s food-stocked headquarters, he said he hasn’t noticed any visible heft in the work force.

“There are all these skinny Indian girls and ex-rowers from Princeton,” he said.

(click here to read the full article)

• Willy Trullas Moreno from his namesake restaurant El Willy
• Dicky To at Yi Long Court, Cantonense restaurant in the Peninsula Hotel on the Bund
• Tom Swe Tae Thein from Lost Heaven, a favourir Yunnan restaurant in Shanghai
• Paul Pairet of one of my favourite restaurants in Shanghai, Mr. & Mrs. Bund
• Sushi chef Hatch Kenjiro Hashida at Shanghai’s new sushi / sake lounge, The Geisha

Enjoy

I am always interested in the way things work – from ordinary kitchen appliances to operations more complex. I find all the moving parts that come together and make something truly amazing. And when I think about varying levels of complexity , one of the more complex operations has got to be opening a resort hotel, on a tiny and remote island,  in an environmentally protected area. I have always wondered what it really takes to get a luxury beach resort up and running, especially one of those on a remote island…where do they get the materials? the food and ingredients? the employees? If you have ever stayed at one of the better beach resorts, maybe you have also wondered, how is it that everything seems so perfectly executed in such an isolated location. Well this is no accident. I recently had a chance to speak to the Dusit hotel which is opening a new Maldives location at the end of 2011. And here’s what they had to say during a Q&A session.

Question: How long does it typically take from breaking ground to opening?

Answer: Around 2 – 3 years. It can be less or more depending on location, size of project, and concept.

Question: How does one find an island for a new hotel?

Answer: In the Maldives, the government decides and releases potential islands every year. Each project comes with guidelines of keys, size and inventory, as this will define the ‘bed taxes’ revenue income for the Maldives government and revenue department.After the island is released, there is a bid and tender process for the main lease for the island and possibly for a sublease for the developer. As so many international [hotel] chains and developers are trying to get a foothold into this very lucrative high-end market, the competition is strong to secure a good deal and good location.

 (the Dusit will have 104 villas in the new Maldives property)

Question: I would imagine there are a lot of environmental concerns in the Maldives, were there any special considerations?

Answer: The environment does play a big role in the Maldives for development  – conservation concerns for marine life, corals, fish, turtles and sharks, plus the nature on the island and surroundings in general. The hotel operator and developer needs to go through an interview and background check process, having various big players competing each time.There are strict planning guidelines attached with the island title – which include restrictions on landscaping, for example – whereas the operator is unable to plant or landscape with non-indigenous flora, trees, etc. 

Question: Then tell me about the process of planning the hotel – what all goes into it?

Answer:  For this project, everything was done on a very last minute schedule – as the resort was signed in July and the target opening is in December.  Typically, planning would be a minimum of 18 months- 2 years – all of which has been compressed into 6 months for Dusit Thani Maldives. Dusit International has an internal design team and project team – and they have engaged outsourced interior design companies to assist with the project.  Due to time constraints, multiple companies have been engaged to complete the project on time. In this instance, Dusit International acquired a build-shell – so the entire design and layout was decided in advance.  Minimal changes have been made to the design and building plans to ensure that the project stays on track.

The Maldives is a special location, and at all times this environment has been taken into account.  The various design principals applied have been geared to respect the natural beauty of the Maldives, while at the same time giving a strong nod to our Thai heritage and artistry.  The blending of the two environments has come together through colour, texture and design. The design team has been the glue and the inspiration to ensure that the vision is translated into a stunning reality.

Question: Overall, what are the top 3 challenges in opening this hotel?

Answer:

Location – The resort is located on a remote island – stunningly beautiful, but not easily accessed.  Thus, the build/construction is not easy to monitor, and the pre-opening team is slightly disconnected from the site – at least initially.  This obviously will come together , however, it poses challenges during the early stages.

Logistics – The distance and remoteness poses major challenges for logistics – planes – both international and domestic, sea planes, boats, containers and shipping organization.  The overall planning  and deciding every last thing that is needed for the resort so that it can be sourced, purchased and sent to the Maldives.

Local circumstances – Negotiating and navigating through the various hurdles required to open a resort – particularly in a small island nation.  Finding and hiring staff – and ensuring that the local hire quota of 45% is met. 

Question:  Is it hard to recruit employees in the Maldives because the island area and local residents are so spread out?  

Answer: There is a commitment to employ around 40 – 50% locals, to grow and develop them. The rest are expatriates from Asia, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Europeans and others from abroad. Almost all employees live on site, with a very small percentage of local Maldivians commuting between islands.

Question:  On the F&B side of things, I imagine sourcing not only staff but also ingredients is difficult – is this the case?

Answer: Hiring and the recruiting of chefs are challenging – to find the right one to inspire the kitchens, work with a diverse kitchen team, and in a remote location.  The idea is to find a chef who has previous Maldives experience (or at least island/remote resort experience – like Seychelles, Fiji, etc..).  In our case, we interviewed several chefs  and hired an Executive Chef who has extensive 5 star Premier Resort Maldives experience.  This is great because he is prepared and equipped in advance to deal with the challenge of logistics. 

And yes, in the Maldives, sourcing is a constant challenge.  As the resort is in a remote Atoll – the chef can’t just pop into a grocery store if he runs out of an ingredient.  F&B needs to plan well in advance – both for locally purchased goods from wholesalers/consolidators in Male, the capital, or via international and/or bonded suppliers shipping containers in from Australia, Germany, Dubai, etc..  As containers can take up to two months to clear, a chef needs to know what he needs well in advance (and also a good idea of how many guests would be in the resort well in advance). 

Question: What 3 things that would most surprise someone outside the hotel business?

Answer: The amount of waste created before, during and after a hotel island development. Not only the building materials waste, but workers living waste as well.

The process of selection – everything from forks and knives, mattresses, paper, trashcans, slippers, toothpaste, golf buggies, etc

The stress – everyone thinks that hotels are so glamorous – but a lot of work goes into making things look so effortless – and the opening process is a very high-stress time.

Yes, that’s right – reindeer. I suppose it depends on where you live, but in some parts of the world it is not strange at all to eat reindeer, say Norway, Sweden or Finland. Even if you have never been to those places, you may have even eaten reindeer and not known it – in the U.S. and Canada reindeer is called Caribou. Basically a reindeer is a type of deer, so don’t be too scandalized. If you have eaten venison, you have likely eaten reindeer or a close cousin of the reindeer. Don’t worry, Santa will forgive you.

My first experience with reindeer happened to be in Stockholm, Sweden at Mathias Dalhgren’s famous namesake restaurant in the Grand Hotel. Dahlgren is a chef trained in the classic sense which is apparent from an early career win of the Bocuse d’Or in 1997 and receiving Michelin star at two different restaurants, one being the current. However, what I appreciate about his food is not just the flawless execution, but his ability to keep things real and at times even rustic in spite of that perfectionist attention to detail. With that gestalt mastered, where else to try reindeer but in Sweden at Mathias’ restaurant. It was a surf and turf of sorts, see above, salmon and reindeer sashimi. (For the record it tasted like beef / venison.)

Don’t be shy…try reindeer. ‘Tis the season. And if you are in Stockholm try a Michelin starred reindeer experience:

The Restaurant Mathias Dahlgren
Grand Hotel Stockholm
Södra Blaisehomshannen 8
SE-103 27 Stockholm, Sweden
Telephone: +46 86 79 3584 

One of my many laments of living in Asia has been the lack of access to craft beers, otherwise known as microbrews - the other laments are silly things like missing multigrain breads, the price of wine, and truly high-speed internet, but I guess this is a relatively small price to pay for having such a rich life otherwise.

I was able to get the odd Belgian ale in a ocassional bar here and there (usually at prices that constituted highway robbery!), but I really missed kicking back after work and having that one perfect beer at home. Why one? Sometimes a beer is so rich, so full of flavour and so satisfying that one is all you need. It is like having a bite of a perfect dessert instead of some of that reduced fat nonsense that consistently disappoints. Don’t get me wrong, I love a light local pilsner or lager, but every now and again I desperately crave a masterful beer crafted by Belgian monks or by hippies from Oregon, USA. So when I found Cheers-In, I felt like a kid in a candy store. In fact I am not entirely sure I fully understood the true sentiment of that expression until I walked into a Cheers-in. So much to try, so much to taste, too many beers and not enough days…it felt like an embarrassment of riches.

All my favourite Belgian beers were at Cheers-In. The standards like Chimay and Duvel and Leffe were available, but then also some of the more obscure like Trappistes Rochefort 6. And then my favourite SE Asian beer, Beer Laos, caught my eye. And being from NY, of course the Brooklyn Lager stuck out as well. On top of these gems - I was able to try beers I had never seen like Rogue Dead Guy Ale from Oregon. Suddenly I was in beer heaven.

I had to find out more, so I spoke to the owners and visited the store. Actually you can buy in one of their locations or order from the website (they can even deliver cold!!!).  I was surprised to find a group of Frenchmen from various corporate backgrounds who left those worlds to start up this entrepreneurial endeavour. When I asked “Why beer, instead of wine? It seems all the French people I meet in Asia are involved in wine,” one of the owners, Greg, said “That’s exactly why. We wanted to do something different.” Touche.

I was also excited to learn that Cheers-In has about 200 different kinds of beer and if you have a special request that they don’t carry, they will make every effort to get it. “We are adding new countries every time someone requests a beer from their country. We just added Chile,” says Greg. Out of curiosity I ask, “What is your best-selling beer?” Greg tells me that Americans order a lot of Coors Light – I am vaguely embarrassed to be American at this juncture and am quick to point out how much I like Belgian ales, ha ha.

It is times like these that I want to kick myself…when someone has a simple entrepreneurial idea, brilliantly executed in Asia. I wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?!?!?” But hey, I am just glad someone had the idea, because now my hunt for draft beers and microbrews in Shanghai is over.

There are 2 retail locations in Xuhui and a website:

- 25 Yongkang Lu (French Concession)
- 499Beijing Xi Lu (Jing An)