BigSnake

Is the milk fresh?? Bottle clean??

Had a night out last weekend and went looking for a nice place in BKK (air con, wait staff, real chairs!!!) to enjoy good Isaan food, with mixed results.

The Internet is a great information resource, but it also has its pitfalls, particularly regarding the shelf life of information. Had seen a variety of pretty good online reviews for a place called Sarah-Jane's in the Sindhorn Tower on Wireless Road. But upon arrival, discovered it had been (long?) gone. Lesson here... always call first!!!

Anyone know what happened to it? And did its supposed second branch on Sukhumvit Soi 26 survive or also depart this world?

So, after that miss, headed for a sure destination at Cafe de Laos on Silom Soi 19. Must say, it's a beautiful, charming restaurant LOCATION, with indoor and outdoor garden seating, cloth napkins, pretty good wait staff, a very broad menu, and prices generally in the 100-200 baht per entree range.

That was to the good. But after ordering a range of fairly standard Isaan dishes, found that the food was well-prepared and presented, but really lacked the fire and bite of authentic Isaan food that I'm more accustomed to. So I can only presume it had been "falang-ized" to fit with the prevailing clientele in the area. Interestingly, at about 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, the restaurant also was nearly deserted.

As a side note, we tried their version of beef larb, and while a bit tame, much to my surprise found some of the best Thai food beef (Thai food means I'm excluding steak dishes here) that I've found served in Thailand - very thinly sliced, absolutely tender, cooked just right, no fat or other stuff... It restored my faith a bit that it is possible to occasionally find a "good" Thai food dish here prepared with beef.

In the week before, also paid a return visit to Ventiane Kitchen in Sukhumvit with a ground of Thais who originally hailed from Isaan. Both they and I enjoyed a variety of dishes over a couple visits, and likewise for the Thai music and dance/swordplay shows in the evening. All positive comments from my Thai friends about the quality and authenticity of the food there (they enjoyed, but I passed on the ant egg soup), despite the place's reputation as a bit of a tourist destination.

On the flip side, a recent visit to Steak Lao's branch on New Petchburi Road confirmed what a variety of other posters have said. The Thai food (we didn't order steak) and prices were OK, pretty decent... But the service was exceptionally bad, almost to the point of being non-attentive and at times seemingly surly -- and that was during a weekday lunchtime when the restaurant was quiet with few customers.

I already know what others will say... stick to street food when you want Isaan... But, there are times when you just want some without having an accompanying appetizer of clouds of diesel bus fumes.

Yep, not an easy place to drive in, even worse if you can't read Thai.

Ok, I guess its age, tiredness, I don't know what. But I find my pictures coming out blurry on a regular basis. I just cannot seem to hold myself still when pressing the shutter. So, what kind of image stabilization would be best for me? I am looking at buying a nicer camera when I go to the US later this year, thinking of getting a mid-priced superzoom. I currently have a very basic cheapy small point and shoot. A guest had the Fujifilm s700 which has dual stabilization. But would optical be better at controlling my shaky hands?

Yes it is, maybe a cure some day, in the mean time we all just have to make the best of it.

Will that's what most dogs like to do, is fight. There were about nine or ten fight in road one day as I drove pass, I just step on the gas and bruise some dog ass, enough said,

Hope they catch the SLIME BALL and let his resr in prison for the rest of his life.

Hope it never happen

ALL FARANGS PLEASE READ!!

I'm an American who has read and heard about the Thai girls and to not buy anything unless consulting a lawyer and wait a while first, like a year or more. Well I took a girl out of the bar and out of a rat infested box near Din Daeng and built a Big house in Wangnoi (near Ayuthaya) and now we are divorced and she and her family are claiming that I did not pay for anything and that it belongs to them. To make matters worse, she got pregnant with a Thai guys baby and said it was mine.

I would ask for input in how to get the land and house back and would like to bulldoze/ destroy this house and would like to get the media involved as well as sponsors to help me to destroy this place as money is not an issue but I would like to make an example that we can all share of BAD Thai women that take advantage of us Farang.

Yes it happen quite often in the land of smiles, a never by friend here in CMU has the same problem, Count your Blessings and move on friend, now you know how evil some people can be, in other WORDS: GREED< GREED GREED GREED.

Let's hope not,

Go for it, where ever you are you will get nice and wet. ENJOY

About six months ago I made a suggestion that the reason for all the new expensive hotel construction in Chiang Mai would be followed by a change in Thai law to permit casino gambling. It made sense to me when I realized that all of the old PM's buddies had purchased lots of land in the Doi Saket area when people were talking about moving the airport when we didn't need to. Why would they buy land out there? It's just rice paddies. Why would the international cartels spend so much money putting up expensive hotels when there were no people around to fill them? To me, the only answer was legalized gambling. Big casinos like you find in Vegas. But I thought that it wouldn't happen for at least two years. I guess I never stopped to think just how fast people could move when there is a chance to make money...... You guys who live in the Doi Saket area will be happy to see improved mass transit to your area. After all, that's where the new casinos will be built... after they purchase the land from those that bought it before the prices skyrocket. I wonder how they knew?

Now.... has Chiang Mai lost its charm? hope it never happen, this country has enough problems as it is.

BIG MAC

Wonder how many but true income??

Somewhat of a HERMIT, but still like to have a beer or two with the boys and check out the ladies,

RIP, Who is/are the Suspect(s)?? I wonder?? Girlfriend or girlfriend's lover??

Weather alway nice in Thailand, maybe why it is call the land of smiles, no or very mild earth quake, no really bad storms, no snow, a little fog once in awhile.

I Have a new PC with a genuine copy of vista.The computer running vista is fully loaded 4GB Ram and good graphics board.Had Vista for 4 Months.Compared to XP that I have on another PC and using the same Acer AL1916w flat screen the display on vista is not as sharp as XP although i have tried many adjustments to brightnes,contrast screen size etc.with Vista.Vista has some good points bur i prefer XP

The question that i want to ask is it possible for me to remove the hard disk with Vista installed.Buy a new HD and install XP.THE HD with vista installed i would keep and possibly re insltal again later.

Without knocking vista too much i think vista is a good solid platform for a business application but for me xp is much better for home use.Another instance when downloadind music.after a while the programe shuts me out from opening other progs such as my photos.

I am retired and only a novice on PC matter so would greatly aperciate comments and advice on my suggestion re changing the HD with vista installed.I do spend a fair amount of time

Using my PC music downloads,working with photos news etc.

With thanks in advance for any adviseGREAT

LJS

See it all the time on motor bike, almost hit a few, some people are just to lazy/crazy to fix their light. I ask one kids(23Years old) why he didn't replace his lights his respond "NO Money", no kidding.

Will Justic be server??? When Pigs fly.

Hmm m!! sounds a bit Racist to me.