Austin Bush Food Blog

www.austinbushphotography.com
Who:
Arriving in Thailand in 1999 as a linguistics student on a study abroad scholarship, Austin Bush has stuck around ever since, first in a nine-to-five capacity, then blossoming as a freelance writer and photographer. He has contributed to Lonely Planet, Thai Day and Saveur, among other publications.
Why we like it: With screenshots from Google Maps, Austin shows you where to find all the best street eats. He also interrogates the street chefs, so that by the time you go, you know exactly what to expect (without taking away all the fun). The professional photos are dazzling and there are new posts most weeks. Sift through the archives for exciting write-ups on a Cameroonian restaurant in Bangkok, Laotian street stalls selling rare wildlife, savory pies in Auckland or dim sum in Hong Kong.

Bangkok Glutton

www.bangkokglutton.com
Who:
Chawadee Nualkhair got into food as a child because her mother couldn’t cook. She got a cooking diploma from L’Ecole Gregoire-Ferrandi, then went on to cover much more serious issues working for international news agencies. Now a freelance journalist, Chawadee has also released her first book, Bangkok’s Top 50 Street Stalls. She’s now going national with a follow up covering the whole of Thailand.
Why we like it: Dedicated almost exclusively to documenting street eating in Bangkok, Chawadee has a knack for hilarious and informative storytelling, with turns of phrase like “porky, piggy goodness” and a poetic ode to beef noodles, not to mention an eye for down-to-earth but beautiful pictures. Best of all are the actual over-the-shoulder videos of street cooks preparing their dishes, a seldom-seen perspective.

Riya’s Kitchen

www.riya-kitchen.blogspot.com
Who:
An executive personal assistant by day, and a self-taught cook, Riya is a veritable Thai Julie Powell (of Julie and Julia fame). Inspired by Singaporean food blogger Chubby Hubby, she got her ex-boyfriend to teach her to build a website. Her detail-oriented approach in the kitchen was handed down from her mother who said, “We can know where a woman comes from by the way she chops her chillies.”
Why we like it: Riya’s Kitchen is primarily comprised of recipes devised in the author’s own kitchen. Riya cooks everything from pastas and self-concocted dishes to various nam prik and yam dishes, all in addition to posting restaurant and street stall reviews from Bangkok, Phuket and elsewhere.

Eat Out Loud

www.ohsirin.com
Who:
While writing professionally for The Nation for more than ten years, Sirin built up a real passion for street food, particularly the stories behind the classic dishes. After pursuing her master’s in the US, she’s now a writer and translator for many books for Circle Publishing, like Eat Trang & Phuket, Eat Hong Kong and Tiew Kaab Samut Iberian.
Why we like it: With her gifted penmanship and eye for a story, who better to get food tips from? Sirin told us that a good dish is 70% flavor and the rest back-story and context. Besides the heartwarming tales, we like her simple but well-designed website.

Eat and Travel Diary

http://ow.ly/bxDu3
Who:
This Facebook page belongs to a couple whose shared love of food and travel really comes across on screen. They post about everything from yum street food to cute cafés, as well as all the great dishes to be found in the provinces, with a main focus on mouthwatering photos. (The text is in Thai.)
Why we like it: We already mentioned the great photos, but the best thing is the coverage of the provinces which gives welcome insight into the foods we all love but perhaps don’t know too much about.

My Sous-Vide Life

mysousvidelife.wordpress.com
Who:
Daneeya started this blog in 2010, with the intention of keeping a personal record of the courses she took at Le Cordon Bleu. Little did she know she would soon have a loyal following. Now she says, “My dream is to become a more modern Nigella Lawson or Martha Stewart, someone who can make domestic things look fun and relate to a young and busy demographic.”
Why we like it: Daneeya really does cater to first-timers and those pressed for time. She embraces multiple platforms: Youtube for video demonstrations and Facebook for question time. Her takes on new restaurants, both in Bangkok and abroad, are only added from time to time, but they really are the ones most worth knowing.

Hungry in Bangkok

www.hungryinbangkok.blogspot.com
Who:
A born traveler, Christopher Orcutt has enjoyed the cooking of relatives in France, California and Vietnam. Couple this with a mother who refused to cook and went only to the finest fine restaurants, and you have the makings of a bonafide foodie. He now works in advertising and documents his experience dining out in Bangkok with his partner.
Why we like it: The layout and photos may be modest, but Christopher’s daily blogging and wide range of food interests (he dines regularly at both street stalls and Michelin-star guest chef dinners) make Hungry in Bangkok a great food resource.

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With over 40 years muay Thai experience, Kridakorn Sodprasert, a teacher at Baan Chang Thai boxing school, passes on his insights into the “art of eight limbs.”

Why do you think muay Thai is making a comeback?
There are two main reasons: firstly, people are caring more about their health so are using muay Thai as a way to exercise while learning self-defense. Secondly, it’s already popular with foreigners and a lot of people just like to follow what they do.

How has muay Thai changed over time?
It’s become more business-centric. More people are now focused on building good fighters and putting on a good show for the sake of money and gambling. The rules have also changed to comply with this outlook—and sometimes referees bend the rules to ensure a better fight, something that didn’t happen in the past.

What are the benefits of the sport?
You learn to respect your teacher, be humble, patient, capable of forgiveness and sacrifice and grow as a person, as well as improve your stamina.

Are people mostly training or do they actually spar too?
It depends on the school and teacher, but in most cases if you’re a beginner, you’ll learn the proper footwork and defense moves first, then once you’ve got the balance right you’ll get a chance to fight.

How long does it take for a beginner to turn pro?
It varies depending on the person. If you have a good teacher and you train daily, you’ll be able to defend yourself within three months, and both defend and attack within six months to a year.

What are the signs of a good muay Thai school?
They should teach step-by-step without rushing the students. The staff must not be goons: instructors should be highly disciplined and be able to give reasons behind each move. They should really have some sort of experience in the art of muay Thai.

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DibDib Kitchen & Bar

Warehouse 10, 02-108-4270
From the owners of longtime favorite Pla Dib in Ari comes DibDib, similarly decorated with raw cement only with a DJ station that resembles an orange shipping container sat in the middle of the space. The menu contains some familiar dishes, but there are plenty new ones to try like salmon tartar with white asparagus (B300) and Langkawi bivalves with sake (B300).

Kacha Kacha

Between Warehouse 9 and 10, 02-108-4242-3, 081-629-3799
You have to pick your time wisely to get a table at this popular teppanyaki and yakitori chain from Nagoya. That’s down to the welcoming vibe rolled out by the chefs (all from Japan) whose banter and showmanship light up the premises. Try the okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza, B270), while yakitori starts from B40 (B420 for 12 sticks) and sake from B200.

Brasserie 9

Warehouse 9, 02-108-4288. www.brasserie9.com
Run by the company behind Bangkok Air Catering, Brasserie 9 serves French cuisine with a few contemporary twists. The restaurant is decorated with a mix of prominent timbers, hanging lamps and a feature wall displaying an old-fashioned world map. A la carte dishes include marinated salmon tartar with avocado and egg (B320) or try the 6-course set dinner paired with new world wines coming up soon.

Kodang Talay

Warehouse 7, 02-108-4488, 081-832-5884
The name says it all. Kodang Talay gets the plum location right by the river where it serves seafood in the classic Thai-style. It’s easy to look past the simple decorations when you’re feasting on deep-fried seabass in fish sauce, au suan (pan-fried oyster with egg) and stir-fried Thai scallop with butter.

Fire & Dine Bar & Bistro

Warehouse 10, 02-108-4388
One of several bistro-style restaurants set to open here, Fire & Dine Bar & Bistro is owned by the team behind Wine Republic. So you’ll be familiar with the décor as well as dishes like crab meat with asparagus in white wine cream, tomato coulis, and caviar.
 


Asiatique the Riverfront, 2194 Charoenkrung Soi 76. Open daily 5pm-midnight. Ferry available from Saphan Taksin Pier.

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