Hey Yall,
Thought I’d write about something a bit different for ya today. Was resting up this Sunday thinking about my upcoming Christmas visit to see my family in the Texas. I only have around a week, which for my town is actually perfect…. there’s not much going on But I do have some foods I grew up eating that have been on my mind recently. Mexican food and Bar B Que in particular are just not done to my standards here in Asia (with one noted exception I’ll be writing about shortly). So these are the foods I load up on when I go home for a visit. This trip back home I’ll start every day off with a La Popular breakfast burrito.

I love these guys. I think I started eating these burritos towards the end of high school. Someone would go in the mornings and order a bunch of them and bring them around school for people. I liked them, but the original store was all the way on the north side of town (as if Abilene is that massive). Then they opened up a branch nearer to my home on South 14th. They kept things simple for the new store. Same grungy aesthetic of the original with a tiny interior. It’s not a place to sit and enjoy… you pick it up on your way out to work or wherever.

It became a regular morning stop then as it was on the way to school. Now I’m long out of school, but I’ll still swing out and pick up two Carne Guisadas and a Sweet Tea. Perfection. What a way to start a day

I know these things would be a hit over here in Asia. Maybe one day I’ll open up a street truck or something selling these bad boys.

I would say the only thing that’s not perfect about the place is the location. Wild Honey is, like so many things in Singapore, sadly located in a mall. A place like this with a nice outdoor location would be absolutely perfect, and would probably find me there once a week for brunch or brinner. It’s nice when inside though, you don’t really feel like you’re eating in a mall.

Chairs are comfy and stylish. There are real linens on the tables… little details that add to the warm cozy feeling.

The menu is a culinary trip around the world. A glimpse into the way various cultures start their day, or at least an idea of how they’d start their day with western ingredients

I went off my usual grid, ordering the Tunisian breakfast. Just sounded too good to not try. A sizzling skillet of spicy egg and sausage. Yum. Very, very good. A destination breakfast item.

Joanna had the Mexican Breakfast. A mountainous breakfast burrito with a side of guac. A faithful interpretation of the classic.

We also added a plate of grilled mushrooms. Woodsy and flavorful. A nice compliment to both breakfasts.

This isn’t a place to come in groups however. You can’t reserve tables and most of the seating is in smaller pairings. If going on the weekend for breakfast hit it early before the crowds start rolling in at 11 or you will have a while to wait to get a table.

If they eventually move out to a house slightly outside of town on along the river with ample outdoor seating… well I’ll virtually live there

Wild Honey
333A Orchard Road
#03-02 Mandarin Gallery

An unlikely place for breakfast on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road

I first discovered The Robinhood Pub when I lived across the street at Emporium Suites. For me it was a go to place for a beer with friends or to watch a game. It’s just your typical unpretentious, down-to-earth English pub. The crowd is varied….expats and Thais of all ages…the burger is good…and the beer is reasonably priced. So when Paul told me they also served breakfast, I had to check it out. We love the Dubliner breakfast, so I wondered how The Robinhood would stack up.

Breakfast or brunch at the Robinhood is served Mon – Fri, 10am to 3pm and Sat – Sun, 9am to 3pm…a good thing if you have a lazy morning or are just craving breakfast food for lunch. Items are 160 – 290 THB (S$ 7 – 12 / $5 – 9 USD) and include things like French Toast, Pancakes, Eggs Florentine, Eggs Benedict, Omelletes, Steak & Eggs and breakfast sandwiches.

I ordered the Bacon & Egg Burger with Cheese featuring smoked bacon and 2 fried eggs with cheese and tomato chutney. (200 THB / S$8.38 / $6 USD). It was large and filling and probably a great choice if you have overindulged on a Saturday night. The tomato chutney I could have done without…it was rather uninteresting and lacking the characteristic concentrated flavours of a chutney.

Paul ordered the Mega Omellete with chorizo, cheddar and onion (220 THB / S$9.21 / $6.64 USD). Again another abundant serving. In general the omellete was well executed, but the chorizo was a bit disappointing…not as spicy as one would expect a chorizo sausage to be.

Overall I would say our meals were adequate, but if I had to pick a pub breakfast to recommend as a real destination meal, it would have to be the one at the Dubliner.

With that said, we still totally recommend The Robinhood for drinking, hanging out and chilling with friends. We especially enjoy it as a relaxing mid-afternoon break from Emporium Mall after shopping.

The Robinhood Pub
Sukhumvit Soi 33/1
(across from Emporium Mall)
Bangkok, Thailand
Telephone: +66 (0)2 662 3390

Wow, just wow. That’s all I can say about the new campaign for Oscar Meyer branded bacon. I’m not completely sure about the bacon itself as I’d prefer a locally butchered bacon if I were in the states and had my choice… but this well executed ad campaign makes me reconsider mass market bacon.

I love taking food photography… and I have to admit to being slightly jealous here. This is food art at a whole other level. I’d like the art itself without the copy, framed and hung in my house (or at least as a background image on my desktop

Bonus shot after the jump.

Bacon Sunrise

Paul

Homemade pastas, a whole room of cheese, chocolate martinis and more, oh my!

I must admit I love a champagne brunch. And this one has to be among the best in Singapore. My favorite had been the St Regis Hotel Champagne brunch… and until recently nothing else had really come close. But I think now Basilico’s is right up there in my rankings.

There are 3 options for the brunch, which first and foremost is very smart. The only reason we don’t do more of these hotel brunches is that many do not have an option…it’s usually free flow champagne or nothing. But Basilico’s presents a more flexible option which all of our guests really appreciated. As a result our usual brunch club grew to 9 people on this particular Sunday to accommodate drinkers and non-drinkers. The 3 options included:

• $175++ with Billecart Salmon champagne and unlimited wine, beer and chocolate martinis
• $99 with Mumm Champagne or Italian Sparkling Wine
• $49 with unlimited soft drinks and juice

But now to the main event…the food! Ah, it was glorious. There was a carving station with pork belly and wagyu beef. The beef was a bit rare for my taste, but everyone else seemed happy with it. There was lots of fresh seafood …the usual brunch favorites like lobster, tiger prawns, crab legs and such. But the real standout favorites were lots of Italian touches like fire roasted veggies, including my favorite, grilled asparagus. And there were loads of spectacular homemade pastas….now normally I would skip the carbs and go straight for the proteins, but in this case I made an exception. The antipasto offering was extensive with lots of hard to find Italian hams and even the elusive burrata mozzarella cheese that one hardly ever finds in Asia.

But the fin de siècle had to be the foie gras and cheese room. It was a little slice of heaven tucked away on the side. With about a dozen cheeses and foie gras seared to order with honey drizzle and shaved truffles. Nothing spells decadence like foie gras and truffles and champagne…nothing. I won’t say who, but many went back for seconds and some even thirds! I myself was fully captivated by trying lots of the cheeses. There were many I had not heard of and so I was excited to experiment. And as a lovely touch, there were lots of citrusy jams and sweet chutneys to pair with the cheese in order to create the perfect bite.

The dessert buffet was a bit smaller in its offering than some of the other stations / courses. But at the end of the day, you’re probably not eating much dessert after this. I particularly enjoyed the homemade sorbet and  chocolate truffles. It was a fantastic pairing with the chocolate martinis (available in white or dark chocolate.)

We absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and so did our guests. Even now a couple of weeks later, we are still trading stories of debauchery…who had the most foie gras, the extra chocolate martini, the most ambitious seafood eater… I’d do it every weekend if it didn’t mean losing the day again in a 4 hour nap. Maybe next time I will do the non-alcoholic version

Basilico’s
The Regent Hotel, 2^nd floor
1 Cuscaden Road
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6725 3232

Our normal breakfast group was a bit thin this week… which was unfortunate for those who couldn’t make it because it was a highly enjoyable meal / experience. Sunday brunch at Graze is something we’ll be returning to enjoy soon.

Graze is located way out (for us) in the Rochester Park area of Singapore. The drive doesn’t take that long and you’re rewarded with a peaceful and serene outdoor dining area. I called ahead to make reservations earlier in the week (recommended) and was given a choice of outdoor or indoor seating. I asked the hostess which she thought was better and she suggested outdoor. I’m glad she did as it’s very pleasant outside (it’s covered so don’t worry about rain interruptions).

We’ve been to a few brunch spots and I’ve had difficulty with the menus because sometimes nothing really sounds good to me at the time. Graze was different in that I wanted just about everything on the menu. Unfortunately there were only four of us so we were limited a bit in our sampling of the menu.

We started with very smooth and creamy cappuccinos and complimentary toast (come before 12 to order breakfast / brunch).

I led the way with my usual – a burger. I have a soft spot for fried eggs on burgers so couldn’t pass this one up (sadly no pineapple). The meat was good, but fell apart a bit…something I don’t actually mind so much as I can at least be assured it’s not a pre-fab patty .

Joe also picked his usual, Eggs Benedict. They’re offered two ways – Classic or Salmon with Smoked Spinach. Joe’s a classic guy and his tastes were rewarded with this selection. Among the best he’s had in Singapore so far.

Kalpana went a bit off the path of the tried and true breakfast assortment, selecting the Avocado and Tomato on Grain Toast with Olive Oil and Rocket Salad. The Avocado came in amazing, large, green chunks…would love to have a guacamole from this place.

She also ordered the Eggs on Request and asked them to be filled with chillis. The dish tasted good, but looked a bit odd in presentation.

Joanna went all in, ordering the Cast Iron Pan – Bratworst, Smoked Bacon, Mushroom, Tomato, Country Potato, Fried Egg, Baked Beans, and Plum Chili Salsa. It was a sight to behold, but unfortunately suffered slightly from the pan. Obviously not all the dishes are cooked to order in the pan, but once dropped some can get a little over-browned / pver-cooked on the bottom.

We should have ordered the Dessert Sampler as so many of them sounded great, but instead ordered separately. Joe and I both went for the chocolate creme brulee with honeycomb ice cream. It was super rich with a dense pudding texture …. not a creme brulee, but good

Joanna ordered the Green Apple, Roasted Pinneapple, and Sour Cherry Crumble with Bourbon Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. It was good, but the ice cream didn’t taste like Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and was very close to the “honeycomb” ice cream.

All in all Graze is a highly recommended brunch spot for us. I could see Epicurious being a more visited location for us, with Graze being more of a special treat kind of place (prices are a bit higher). The setting is perfect for a comfy Sunday afternoon, lazily enjoying a hearty breakfast. Service can be a bit slow, so come prepared for that and you’ll enjoy your time there.

Also of note is the Sunday BBQ. Starting at noon you can order off a special Sunday BBQ menu that looks amazing. We will definitely be going back to try this out. The mashed potatoes, corn on cob, and meat dishes coming out of the kitchen to the late comers looked incredible….so look for that review soon.

Anyone else have an experience with Graze?

Graze
Address 4 Rochester Park
Open Sun 9.30am-3pm Tue-Sun 6.30pm-1am
Telephone 6775 9000

Before the day I discovered Sunrise Tacos, my intake of Mexican food was limited to two places in Bangkok – Coyote (Silom) and Charlie Browns. Both were decent, but a bit higher in price… and none did what I was craving most, the Mexican Breakfast. Then one day I went in for a meal and discovered Coyote was now doing a weekend brunch menu…

Fast forward to 2009 and there are now two Coyote locations in Bangkok, one in Samui, and one in Phuket. Same cozy feel, vibe, and kitschy decoration.

They’re franchised, so they’re not all owned fully by the same folks. Unfortunately, due to this detail, experiences can vary widely between the two. Both locations in Bangkok offer the Weekend Brunch from 11 am – 6 pm Saturdays and Sundays which offers diners a choice of main, jalapeno cornbread, and a choice of Bloody Mary / Margarita / or other drinks!

The first time I visited I stupidly ordered the “Waffle Benedicto”. It sounded great on paper, but really why would one come to a Mexican breakfast and get a waffle? It was a bad experience the first time and I’ve never sampled again to see if it was an off day or just something on the menu for the kids.

Thankfully on that first visit a friend ordered the Breakfast Burrito and we were both impressed by the size, flavor, and ingredients. This became my standard go-to on the menu and for 2 years I remained a fan. Complimented with a Bloody Mary and I was off to great start to a lazy Sunday

Unfortunately on my latest visit to the Sukhumvit branch, the breakfast in general lacked the original flare. My breakfast burrito had shrunk considerably in size and the tortilla took a steak knife to cut through. The flavors were still there, though, so maybe I caught them in between shipments of fresh tortillas.

Joanna and Gretchen both ordered Juevos Rancheros (fried eggs and scrambled). Though Joanna ordered a good 15 minutes before Gretchen, her order came out last so she passed the time with the jalapeno corn bread.

When the eggs finally arrived they and the sides were a bit cold. Again the taste was decent, but we really expected more in Bangkok for 500 THB (after tax and service) a head.

I’ve never had a similar experience at the Coyote location on Silom, so possibly the experience is unique to the Sukhumvit branch which isn’t as busy and probably doesn’t have the turnover of the Silom location.

Still there isn’t another place in town currently offering a Mexican inspired Sunday brunch in Bangkok, so if a breakfast burrito is what you’re craving this is it. Try out the Silom location and let me know what your experience is like in the comments.

Coyote Bangkok
Silom
Sivadon Building,
1/2 Convent Road, Silom Bangrak, Bangkok
02 631 2325

Sukhumvit
575-579 Sukhumvit Road,
Klong Toey Nua, Wattana,
Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 02-662-3838

Be pampered within an inch of your life at the St Regis Bali Resort

With its opening in early 2009, this all suite hotel on the secluded barrier island of Nusa Dua changed the face of luxury in Bali. Typically I prefer a more modern design hotel…something spare and minimalist. Some of my favorites being The Library in Koh Samui, Thailand or The Delano in Miami’s South Beach area. But somehow the plush, Balinese meets Upper East Side Manhattan environment of the St Regis Resort Bali made me reconsider my usual defaults. Not only was I staying in a massive resort (usually a no go for me), but I was also staying in the secluded, gated, high-end tourist area of Nusa Dua (usually I prefer the quirky vibe of Ubud) – and I was LOVING it. I didn’t want to leave and let me tell you why…

From beginning to end, the experience was pure pampering. In fact the experience actually begins at the airport…the hotel met us at the airport and while we waited in a lounge sipping tropical cocktails, our visas on arrival were processed. No standing in lines with fellow weary tourists for us! We instead revived ourselves with cool lemongrass scented towels and a snack of fresh mango and papaya. Then upon arrival at the hotel we were shepherded into the King Cole Bar…god forbid we would have to loiter at a check in desk – the horror. Instead we sipped champagne while our passports were discreetly processed and billing arrangements were made.

Subsequently we were whisked away to our suite. The St Regis Bali is all suites as well as lagoon houses. Our suite overlooked a rather tropical looking wooded area further adding to the sense of island seclusion. The room was unusually large with a lovely balcony on which to take breakfast or cocktails or simply lounge and read. In fact while the on site restaurant Boneka presents a ridiculously lavish buffet at breakfast, we often preferred to stay in the room and have it served in our PJs. This is a particularly nice touch….room rates include breakfast and if you feel lazy like we did you can take a buffet sampler in your room for no extra charge.

But don’t completely miss out on Boneka….the breakfast buffet is superb in quality and abundant selection with the additional treat of servers bringing out special items periodically from the kitchen that are fresh creations prepared individually – steaming mini bites of stuffed crepes with mango salsa and the like. And speaking of food, Paul swears one of the best burgers he has enjoyed in Asia was at the Gourmand Deli at the resort. It was in fact a juicy morsel of ground beef, grilled to perfection on a toasted bun (I don’t know why more people don’t toast the bun – such a simple way to elevate the humble burger). The Gourmand Deli will also put together a picnic basket for the beach if you like.

If you are starting to show the strain from the abundant gourmet foods, high thread count linens and highly attentive service, then you can get away from it all in the Remede Spa at the St Regis Resort Bali. If I am really honest, it is ridiculously expensive compared to the $5-10 massage you could get in a more local place, but my goodness they come close to justifying the extravagance with the serene environment, flourishes of luxury like very elegant tea (or juice or champagne) presentations before and after treatments, access to complimentary sauna and steam after treatments, and more.

While I chose to spa, Paul chose to surf. And the hotel was super helpful in providing an English speaking driver to take Paul to the surf area of Kuta in Bali. While he surfed, I walked on the beach and napped by the pool, swimming up to the bar for the occasional local Bintang beer (one of my favorite Southeast Asian beers).

And so it went…lavish breakfasts, surfing, napping, massages, lazy pool time, cocktails and watching the fire dances on premises at sunset…and then more of the same on the following day. Vacation monotony has never been so thrillingly sublime.

At the end of the day, I would say the greatest asset of the St Regis may also be its flaw – depending on your point of view. The utter seclusion of the resort for me is not typically what I would seek out – I tend to be a bit more adventurous and as there is so much to see in Bali, Nusa Dua in general is not the most convenient hub for tourism. However, if you just want to disappear and get away from it all…or have a seriously romantic weekend…or if you have been to Bali a thousand times and are over the mountains of Ubud, the rice terraces and the volcano hikes, then the St Regis Resort in Bali might be just the thing for you. Personally, I cannot wait to get back.

St Regis Bali Resort
Kawasan Pariwisata, Nusa Dua
Bali, Indonesia 80363
Telephone: +62 361 8478 111

A couple years back I met with a group of guys every Sunday for breakfast. We’d pick a different spot around town (usually Irish Pubs) every week. After our first visit here, the Dubliner became the standard for all the other Irish breakfasts around town… and soon we quit trying out new places and made it our regular spot.

It’s not that the Dubliner is the best breakfast food in town (there are more traditional options and more lavish options) it’s just a great value. Food is cooked well and there’s a lot of it, for around 200++ THB for the “mini” breakfast. There’s really nothing mini about it, and for some reason I find it necessary to add hash browns (more like tater tots here than what I grew up eating) to the mix for an extra 30 baht. Some of the guys in our “breakfast club” would piece together their own plates of food for about the same price as the fixed mini breakfast, which is a good option if you don’t want sausage or mushrooms.

There’s really not much else to say. It’s a no frills breakfast that fills you up… a perfect greasy breakfast after a late Saturday night out. The Dubliner is also famous around town for it’s quiz night, performances by Lee Shamrock, burgers, and more… but that’s another post all together I’d say the Dubliner is one of the best value breakfasts in town.

The Dubliner Irish Pub
440 Sukhumvit Rd,
(Washington Square, Soi 22)
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2204 1841/2

Hey all,
Our first visit to Time Out’s breakfast of the year, Epicurious, left us feeling slightly frustrated. After a couple months of sampling other breakfast options around town, the timing seemed right to venture back and see if possibly our expectations were too high before, it was a bad day, someone was sick etc…

I have to say, short of one recurring mistake, this time Epicurious was completely redeemed.

This time we went with the breakfast gang so more dishes were ordered and sampled. I think Epicurious is made for this kind of breakfast. If you’re busy talking with friends, joking, laughing enjoying the early morning breeze…the timing of the food is perfect.

Service was notably better this time around as well. Our servers filled our water bottle probably 15 times during the meal, remembered everyone’s orders and placement, and were really on top of things. This was almost a complete 180 from our first visit.

Joe, our “eggs benedict guy”, ordered up his usual….finally an eggs benedict actually served on an english muffin! According to Joe these were the best he’s had in Singapore, and good for him, they’re also about 10-15 SGD less than the other offerings.

Kalpana had the smoked salmon. Good flavor, but if you’re not a huge fan of capers you might steer clear of this one as the flavor can be a bit intense if you’re not expecting the salty punch these little guys carry.

I went with the burrito again. Don’t know why I didn’t venture out. It was the same as last time…not great, but not bad in any way as well. I still wish they’d use a spicier chorizo and have more chunks throughout the burrito….also maybe a zesty cheese in there as well. But then again, I lived in Santa Fe for three years eating green chilli enchiladas for breakfast, green chili cheeseburgers, and even green chili fettuccini Alfredo (won’t be repeating that one)… so maybe my Latin food cravings don’t represent most folks tastes.

Lyan ordered the baked eggs and toast soldiers. The taste of the eggs was good, but the toast soldiers were basically hunks of bread.. Lyan felt a bit let down…he really wanted little soldier formed out of bread

I can’t remember who ordered the pancakes, but they were fluffy and fresh. I think the next time I go I’ll be ordering these guys. They just look like the perfect start to a Sunday.

The only downside to the breakfast was once again the Hobb’s Choice. Surely lightning wouldn’t strike twice…it did. But less so this time. The eggs came out runny the first time. The server promptly took the plate back and within a few short minutes Joanna had perfectly cooked eggs (she prefers fried but not runny).

Coffees, OJ, and Teas were all fresh and fast. The serving of tea comes in a tea press which is a nice touch.

We ordered desserts of brownies and ice creams and various other menu items, but by this point the conversation was rolling, jokes flying across the table, bellies full, cravings for afternoon naps creeping up on us…I just didn’t have it in me to take any more pictures (or maybe I just forgot, but the above sounds better I think).

In the end we left the restaurant full, happy, and with remarkably thicker wallets than from other brunch places. After starter drinks, mains, desserts, finishing coffees, etc we still only came out to about 30 SGD a head. That’s a pretty remarkable deal in Singapore now that we’ve seen some of the other options out there.

Epicurious
#01-02 The Quayside
60 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238252
Telephone:  +65 6734 7720

Note: Breakfast starts at 9am Saturday and Sunday. No reservations for weekend breakfast.