I am not even sure where to begin when describing the varying taste delights of SE Asia. In 24 days I covered three countries, but within those countries sampled a range of both local and internationally influenced cuisines that ran the gamut from fine dining (foie gras with apple compote in Singapore) to fantastic street food (juicy fried chicken from a cart in Bangkok). I could start with the best meal (post-wedding suckling pig on Nusa Penida) or the worst (the gingery seafood soup in Bangkok - so spicy I couldn't finish it). I could start at the beginning (beachside in Bali) or the end (a winebar in Singapore)...
Instead, I will start with rice.
Rice was a running theme in every dish I ate on my trip, either as a side dish, or as breakfast. In Bali, Nasi Goreng (Rice Fried) was a staple and served as breakfast most mornings. It might come with Babi (pork) or Ayam (chicken) or it might just be a large bowl of fried rice full of vegetables and egg.
Nothing beats Nasi Goreng for breakfast. NOTHING. It fills you up, is full of protein for the day ahead, and yet, somehow, is light enough that it doesn't sit in your stomach or slow you down. A's nephews on Nusa Penida were fascinated by all the sugary cereals that were brought over for the wedding guests to eat for breakfast. They ate bowls and bowls in the days we were on the island - they had never had anything like it. I, on the other hand, could not get enough Nasi Goreng and, like the children discovering their first taste of cereal, ate bowls and bowls of it throughout the day.
While on Nusa Penida I had the privilege of participating in a traditional Balinese wedding feast. In the wee hours of the morning before the wedding, two suckling pigs, likely raised special for the occasion, met their end (but not in vain, as they were cooked so well as to truly honor them). The pigs were spit roasted all night while being basted (fortunately for me NOT in coconut water but in some other, sweet, delicious concoction) until their skin became dreamy, honey-colored cracklings and their meat a juicy delicacy. The pigs were accompanied [by easily a dozen] other dishes of varying degrees of spice and awesomeness. I went for the shredded chicken, the deviled eggs topped with sambal (making them incredibly devilish!), green beans in some sort of spicy curry-like sauce, and heaps of steamed rice (to temper all of the spice).
(home-cooked wedding awesomeness)
Overall, though, in Bali my go-to dish was Babi Goreng - stir-fried pork, usually heavily glazed in soy sauce with chilies, and accompanied by white or yellow or fried rice (or some combination thereof). Babi goreng is both sweet and salty, filling and light, and always cheap and delicious! The best two places for Babi Goreng (in my book) were the Amon Beach Bungalows in Candidasa and Marni's Warung in Ubud.
(mmm...Fried Pork!)
By the time I got to Thailand, my stomach was a bit delicate from all the 'goreng' foods in Bali (and from all of the antibiotics and antihistamines I was taking for my bronchitis). Fortunately, as the hostel I stayed at in Bangkok was in a very international area (Sukhamvit), I was able to sample a wide range of cuisines including Thai, Spanish Tapas, Japanese Sushi, Vietnamese and Californian-Mexican.
My favorite two meals in Thailand were at a sushi place called "In the Mood for Love..." (I think). There I tried some amazing sushi combinations including an enormous roll that had apple and tomago, and one that came topped with rare sirloin. I tried at least 10 rolls in two visits (at Western prices!) is was that good.
Also very good was the Vietnamese food at Vientiane, across the street from the sushi place, where the portions were huge, the atmosphere (an open barn with a live band) was fun, the waitresses very friendly, and the food was great. While I usually avoid places with picture menus, this place was fantastic and the pictures helped ALOT. Both the sushi place and Vientaine are just off the Thong-Lo airtrain stop if you find yourself in Bangkok any time soon.
Also in Thailand, I got a chance to try food I wouldn't have if I'd not had a guide. My guide, P, was a real foodie, so he continually purchased fruits and snacks for my friend and I at every market we visited, and even at a roadside stand in Ayutthaya because it was Mother's Day and he insisted we HAD to try a special Thai-Indian dessert (something-Roti) which involved wrapping a sort of eggy pancake around hair-like spun sugar (not unlike cotton candy). It was way too sweet for me, but in the several hour drive home my friend at the entire bag.
At the floating market, P bought us sugary 'tacos' filled with a thick cream and topped with shredded carrots. At the train market he bought us little fruits that tasted like a cross between an apple and a pear, plus dragon fruits and little pink spiky fruits that I don't know the name of. When I needed my caffeine fix, he helped me buy a cappuccino from a street vendor near the train market. (Note to travelers: street cappuccinos in Thailand are made with Sweet Condensed Milk, which isn't bad per-se, but is definitely an acquired taste. Once you get used to drinking them, stopping at an American Chain Coffee Company mid-trip results in a bitter shock to your taste buds.)
Finally, I arrived in Singapore with far more of my trip budget remaining than I had expected, which is good, because Singapore is REALLY expensive. Even though all my meals were eaten in or around China Town, my entire purse of left-over pocket money went to enjoying a final few high-end meals before coming back to Egypt where many of my favorites (i.e. anything made from pork) are not available.
Of course, that meant that in my quick three days in Singapore I had: two foie gras appetizers, a lightly dressed crab salad, the best lasagna I have ever tasted, seared lamb chops, [the very famous] Chili Crab, the most beautiful pork belly I have ever seen (though it was a bit tougher to eat that I generally prefer), and lots and lots of really great wine. I tried to get the chili crab at a hawker center, but no one at the local hawker center was serving it! Instead it was all wine bars and white table cloths for me - which, after living on a serious budget the whole trip was no problem whatsoever. I do not regret a single penny spent on food the whole trip.
(chili crab - oh so spicy and hot!)
(pork belly...layers of porky goodness!)
(seared lamb chops in a balsamic reduction)
Thankfully, despite my Singapore splurge I had enough money left over for one, very important spend for every traveling foodie...a gym membership once I got back to Cairo.
