Michelin Guide 2019: The Local, Thailand

One country that proved to be worthy to be part of everyone's travel list is Thailand. Aside from scoring the best bargain for cute outfits, Thailand is a wonderful place to go on a food adventure. And the first place we visited as soon as we landed was a Michelin Guide restaurant in Bangkok. 

Hello, The Local by Oamthong Thai Cuisine. 

The Local is located in a quiet residential neighborhood in Bangkok which is about an hour away from Suvarnabhumi Airport. Its warm and quaint interiors alone makes it a favorite by locals as it creates a vibe of enjoying food at home. 

First Bite: Tendon Kohaku

Most of us probably had tempura as our first Japanese dish when we were younger. The beautifully battered shrimp or prawn dipped in the light sweet sauce mixed with shredded radish brings back so many childhood memories, including when I had to fight with my sister for the last piece. Though I've grown to love other Japanese dishes like sashimi, teppanyaki, sukiyaki and a lot more, tempura always has a special place in my heart, or tummy. And when I found out that there's a new tempura place in town, I just have to try it. 

Hello, Tendon Kohaku. 

Foodies who frequent or have visited Singapore might have noticed Tendon Kohaku and its long queues. 

Restaurant Love: Asakusa Home of Tempura

Jumping around is tiring. R and I could not even last five straight minutes jumping on trampolines. Oh how I miss being a kid. After an hour (well, more of 30 to 35 minutes) of playing with trampolines and questionably clean foam cubes, R and I built a huge appetite for heavy dinner. Since R fell in love with Asakusa and that we are just across The Grove, we decided to head there after Jump Yard.

Hello, Asakusa Home of Tempura!

The place was packed on a Saturday night. We had no choice but to eat outside. At least we were beside the fan and mosquito repellant machine.

R wanted us to stick with our usual Salmon Salad (PHP208) and Emperor Tempura Set (PHP578) but since I want to try something new, we also ordered Salmon Maki (PHP318) and Cold Soba (PHP98).

First served was salmon maki. We opted to make it mildly spiced as I have low tolerance for spicy food.

It was... not spicy at all. And the salmon bits were too few for us to get a taste of it. All we got a taste of were the Japanese rice and tempura crumbs. R gave me an I-told-you-so face after he saw my disappointed face. 

The salmon salad was served next. To make things a bit interesting, we got it with spicy sauce. But we played it safe by asking for the spicy sauce or dressing to be put on the side.

Love at First Bite: Asakusa Home of Tempura

I have been dying to visit this tempura place at The Grove for months but it gets cancelled every single time. I blame the lazy weekend bug! There was one time though when we finally braved the Saturday traffic and we were greeted by… a closed sign. I heard my heart break and my tummy whine the moment I saw the glass door signage. But the Year of the Monkey seems to be my year as when R and I visited The Grove during Chinese New Year for dinner, the place I have been eying for months was open. OPEN! *insert creepy mega giant smile here*

Hello, Asakusa! 

The foodie in me found it so surreal that I finally managed to get inside the “home of tempura”. It was a long wait and I hope that it won’t disappoint.

Famished, we ordered Salmon Salad (PHP208), Emperor Tempura Set (PHP578) and Gyudon (PHP288). For beverage, we settled with the complimentary house tea.    

Service was quick as it was not even past the 5 minute mark when the salmon salad was served.

I loved it! The fresh salmon cuts drizzled with what seemed to be teriyaki sauce went really well with the crisp veggies and tempura flakes. The contrast between the soft and crunchy textures was delightful as well. Though flavor was a tad strong as appetizer, it was still a great starter!

Gyudon was served next and we were perplexed with its appearance. It did not look like the gyudon we know. The meat looked a bit too dark. Tastewise, the flavor was overpowering. It was too sweet for gyudon. 

Restaurant Discovery: Woo Galbi

I think I'm sick. I'm suffering from an ooh-a-new-restaurant-we-have-to-eat-there-NOW disease and I think I have reached stage 4. 

Lately, I haven't been going on hardcore food trips where I have to stop by 4 restaurants in one day. (Awww T3, I miss those days!) But one thing is for sure, if there's a new restaurant in Shangri-La or Megamall, I have to go there. True enough, when Woo Galbi opened, I begged my mom and sister that we hold one of our Saturdate lunches at the new Korean restaurant. And we did.

We arrived a bit past 1 p.m. as my sister came from school and I was trying to lead a healthier lifestyle by going to the gym for circuit training and studio for yoga. (Yeah~ <3)

The place wasn't packed so we easily got a table. I got slightly confused as there were Japanese dishes on the menu too such as tempura and sashimi. While reading the menu, the only thing in my mind was, "hey, the food here is pretty pricey" upon seeing the price of the bibimbap. PHP450 for a bowl?! Well, worth it, I guess.

It took us 10 minutes or so to decide on what to order and finally, we ordered a solo serving of Cucumber Prawn Salad (PHP176), Japchae (PHP298), Grilled Boneless Shortribs Bulgogi (PHP595) and Shrimp Tempura (PHP232 for three pieces and PHP350 for 5 pieces). 

While waiting, we feasted on the side dishes which I find okay. The serving though wasn't very generous. 

First to arrive was the salad. I must admit, it was pretty tasty! The dressing was superb. Slightly tangy and sweet. It somehow reminded me of the dressing Vietnamese restaurants serve. The greens were crisp and fresh though there were only two prawns included. I guess if I upsize it'll be four or more.