Supanniga’s super crabs

Love crabs (the kind from the sea and not from one’s pubes)?

I do.  Very much.

So imagine how wonderful it is to have a menu dedicated to crab lovers at Bangkok’s Supanniga Eating House.

Some items on this new menu includes humungous clumps of real crab meat cooked in garlic, salt and pepper and a crab version of hor mok (below).

My army of hungry companions and I ordered every item from this menu, as well as several dishes from the regular selection, and went to heaven with every morsel we savoured. The crab dishes were done so well that we ordered second rounds.

Supanniga Eating House is definitely joining my list of must-gos in Bangkok now.

Good luck finding this restaurant though, as it sits in an inconspicuous three-storey shophouse along Thong Lor. :)

 

Mango mania

There are many things I loved about Bangkok, but in a city that throws up something new and fancy very regularly, my only constant love is its mangoes.

Mango season in Thailand, as I was told, is in April and May. But for some reason, one could find the sweetest and juiciest mangoes no matter the time of year.

So there I was on the lively streets of Thong Lor in October, and salivating over this precious mountain of golden globes.

I bought a couple, and discovered to my great delight they tasted as magnificent as they looked.

Along with my love for mangoes is my equal fondness of mango with sticky rice. Common as this dessert may be, the dish is never complete unless both components – the mango and the steamed glutinous rice – are done immaculately. That means the mango has to be sweet, fragrant and juicy, with the right firmness, while the rice has to be chewy, warm, sufficiently moist and topped off with a drizzle of savoury coconut cream.

It must require some skills – and cooperation from Mother Nature – to create the perfect mango with sticky rice.

I had this dessert for every meal (except breakfast, only because I’m hardly a breakfast person) over five nights in Bangkok, and I’m still not sick of it although I’m paying for my gluttony with an expanded waistline. :)

Rejuvenating Racha

During the recent long weekend in Singapore, thanks to Hari Raya falling just before  National Day and the weekend, the husband and I grabbed the chance to escape for a four-day break in Koh Racha Yai, an island off the southern coast of Phuket.

There are a handful of resorts and chalets on Koh Racha Yai, and we booked our stay at The Racha, a member property of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

With such a short vacation, we cannot afford to lose seconds over poor quality anything.

While The Racha’s affiliation with Small Luxury Hotels of the World guarantees a luxurious stay, beautiful surroundings and top-notch service, it does not ensure perfect weather. August, unfortunately, sits smack in the middle of a wet season and the weather was wet and gloomy the day we arrived.

The view of the sea that stretches in front of The Racha was quite despondent and as colourful as a charcoal drawing. Oh well. One cannot do much about Mother Nature’s moods.

Fortunately, we had a splendid room at The Racha, and in there we hung out while waiting for the skies to clear.

Just like the rest of The Racha, our junior pool suite was a minimalist, predominantly white piece of architecture. The interior was mostly white too, with pieces of wooden furniture and fixtures.

We were provided with an iPod packed with 1,000 songs of various genres, and right away we got some smooth jazz on to set the mood as we explored our luscious abode for the next few nights.

The spacious living room proved to be a bliss whenever it rained, as it came equipped with a movie library of 200 latest and all-time-favourite movies and one of the best sound systems.

It was a perk too that the minibar was well-stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that were priced really low.

But the star of the junior pool suite was the outdoor Jacuzzi pool which came shielded from prying eyes with high walls and swaying coconut trees.

It was in this glorious pool that we hung out most of our time at the resort.

Did I already say that The Racha is a beautiful piece of architecture?

I have a particular soft spot for minimalist, stark white designs. Properties like that must invest in maintenance otherwise age will show up very brutally. The owner of The Racha must know that very well indeed, because he has been able to keep his nine-year-old (so I was told) resort looking fresh and clean as a daisy on a clear summer’s day.

I love the lush landscaping of the resort too, and white, winding paths. Such a beautiful contrast.

There were several hours each day when the skies behaved and the sun came out to play, and we were granted lovely views of the sea from our terrace. :)

And during those hours we would go on an ATV trail up and down bumpy tracks deep into the island, and up the hills to get some of the best views of the surroundings.

We discovered serene bays and vantage views from high up in the hills. The activity was so fun we did it twice on consecutive afternoons.

We also found time to laze on a hammock by the sea on a quieter afternoon – you have no idea how noisy the beach was with the holidaying crowds. It was unavoidable since the beach right in front of the resort was opened to the public.

And while the husband went diving, I sought out comforts at the spa.

Dining at The Racha was also quite a satisfying experience, and not as expensive as other luxury resorts. I had one of the best Hawaiian pizzas there! And oh, the fresh fruit smoothies were so, so good! :)

In all, The Racha gave us plenty of happy memories, and we will definitely be heading back its way when time permits.