More Antics....

I have spent another week visiting antic dealers in London; I really want the restaurant not to look as if everything had been bought brand new yesterday.It is important that the furniture looks like the building: old but very well looked after.
I have found some really fascinating stuff: Silver forks for Sardines only; serving trays in silver exclusively for white asparagus (!); gold platted carving knives...
The highlight of my finding was a set of beautiful Escoffier dish (for main course garnish)- they were more than 80 years old but looked perfect to me. I bought the whole set.
I have also managed to convince one the antic dealer to show me his collection of German coffee cups- I have already bought the tea cups but he was really reluctant to show me the coffee cups that matched the tea cups. Wednesday morning after 11am only- this German guy can read me like a book- Grrrrrrr....

Back from the East

A week since being back but I just start to feel normal again.

After a few days, I felt unwell- then I felt really bad- fever and all... A bad flu!

Back to normal now and ready to get on with what's ahead! One minor bad news when I came back: Apparently my Drinking Licence application was not properly put together by my solicitor; Westminster returned it- we had to redo it; 2 weeks delay. Rather than moving in to start work on 20^th March; it will have to be early April- My solicitor didn't do his job properly- I make sure to bring this issue when he shows me his bill!

The leak at the restaurant did not seem to have been fully repaired, so I am chasing the agent for repair.

I have found some amazing plates at Islington Antic market; the perfect plate for our Louis XV pudding. I also discovered the most gorgeous 1940's coffee cups- I bought them all.

 

 

Four unique Bangkok dining experiences | CNNGo.com

Four unique Bangkok dining experiences CNNGo.com

Dishes from Soup restaurant Singapore

Tofu & Cucumber

Chicken & Ginger dish at Soup restaurant- Singapore

Lunch at Marsilling MRT-

2 lunchs in row in a small shop near Marsilling train station. Roast or steamed chicken are the only things on offers.

My steam chicken is soft and warm; the garnish of pickle cucumber is crunchy yet juicy- the fresh chilly paste doesn't burn and brings a lovely settle kick to the dish.

I don't know how they cook the rice- I suppose they steam it and add some sesame seed oil at the end- not sure. I must try.

Chicken consommé is clear, light and served with some chopped spring onions and coriander leaves. Delicious- as good as any consommé you'll get in a classic gastronomic French restaurant only slight difference is the price: the lunch is S$2.50 per person (£1.10); you know which one is my favourite!

Back to Singapore

Air Asia flight leaving Bangkok at 16.45- Landing Singapore 20.05
The plane is packed- Anais is a nightmare, she can't stop screaming unless we let her run around in the plane- that is what we do and she comes back with a massive bruise under her eye! She now can't stop crying-it seems as everyone in the plane is looking at us.
Now Arthur drops half of its orange juice on the man sitting next to him and they both fall asleep 10 minutes before landing! 2 hours of hell- but it makes good memory!
Singapore is steaming as always. The moment you walk out of the airport- you feel like if someone has forgotten to close to steam oven door! It is 9pm and temperature is around 32degrees. I wish I was in London... well maybe not.

Clive mother has cooked for us tonight- something simple, as she puts it.
It looks like a feast to me.
Sauteed vegetables with garlic and sliced abalone
Steamed fish with lotus roots, spring onion, little chilly and fish broth
Casserole of very soft pork meat, mushrooms, dark soya broth
White & brown rice..

There was also a brown bean soup with chinese herbs- but I was too full to have some.
Everything was masterfully done- but a mother always cook like that when she puts love in her cooking!

I hear stories of restaurant successfully opening without the help of a PR firm. Does it really make a big difference?

I guess that when a PR company takes you on board, they will first try to understand your product; try to understand what you are selling and also will try to understand what your customers want to remember you for. Not an easy task- Lot's of listening!

I haven't yet decided if I will be using a PR company- I am going to think about it for another 3 to 4 days. I have met quite a lot of them- they all have their qualities. Let's think....

Lats night Clive & I went to a very trendy restaurant- very near to La Table de Tee- called EAT ME. The restaurant has been established there for over 15 years and it is one of our local competitor. Eat me has been recently refurbished in dark cement tone- with some modern pictures trail of Bangkok- dark lighting and waiters dressed in black. I loved the deco.

The waiters were friendly and quite good looking- that helps!

The table are well spaced and there is a large sitting area on the terrace- we didn't seat outside;mosquitoes love my skin tone!

The menu is exciting with a mix of Spanish/Australian/Italian food items.

We ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand- delicious.

I asked for some quail eggs with a Spanich dressing as amuse-gueule- they had just run out.

We ordered some fillet of anchovies marinated in lemon and olive oil- they only arrived after our starters but were delicious and very fresh.

Clive ordered Japanese oysters cooked with paprika and Italian pancetta- delicious but very expensive- 870baht + tax + service charge= £20 for a starter- not exactly a terrific deal

I had sardines cooked in vine leaves, pomegranate- served with a brown puree- couldn't tell what it was. The sardines were overcooked- the vine leaf was useless and the few pomegranate grain did not bring anything to the dish. The sardines at Voyageur Nissart in Nice are much better- and they cost half of what I paid last night.

I had Kadgeree with prawns and marinated salmon- it was interesting.

Clive had red snapper with a Marsala curry (!); much better than mine-

Not memorable food wise- but the ambiance and decor were really good.

The only thing I would say is that., the restaurant did not have any Thai customers- at La Table de Tee-75% of our customers are Thai. Does it mean that we are not competing for the same guests?

Our bill came to 4500 baht (£90)- not cheap at all for Bangkok.

It is our last day in Bangkok before returning to Singapore. Arthur & Anais are going to be sad to leave Bangkok. They had such a great time with their mother;It was also the first time that Anais said "Mamam" with a very strong French accent!

Arthur & Anais will be back for the next school holiday.

I don't know when I will be next in Bangkok- They don't need me anymore here!

I can concentrate on Romilly street & Voyageur Nissart in Nice....