RAMA V - Happy Birthday Danny and Andre!

Thai food is synonymous with spicy chilies. What is Spicy Thai food if it is less than Cathartic in nature, right? I don't know about you, but I am addicted to mind-blowingly HOT, tongue-numbing Thai food.



A few reasons why Chili in Thai food is Good for you:

1. Chili has a lot of fiber.
Chili is an excellent source of fiber. In addition to keeping you regular, fiber also slows the rate of sugar absorption into the bloodstream. This keeps your blood glucose levels from rising and falling too quickly.

2. Chili contains Vitamin C.
Chili provides a tremendous amount of Vitamin C. The more antioxidants you take, the better. Their high vitamin C content can also substantially increase the uptake of non-heme iron from other ingredients in a meal, such as beans and grains.

3. Chili is high in potassium, magnesium and iron.
Capsaicin in Chili is a safe and effective analgesic agent in the management of arthritis pain, herpes zoster-related pain, diabetic neuropathy, postmastectomy pain, and headaches.

On a HAPPIER less scientific note:

4. Chili can help you lose weight.
The capsaicin found in the chilies can increase your metabolic rate simply by raising your bodily heat production.

5. Chili can make you happy.
Chiles promote endorphin and serotonin release, both of which inflate your mood. The capsaicin is the trigger for increasing the serotonin and endorphins. These two raise your mood levels so you can actually feel happier just by trying a new chili recipe. What an added bonus:)

6. Chili can curb your cravings for fatty foods and sweets.
Some recent research has given some proof that the capsaicin in chilies actually curbs your cravings for fatty foods and sweets and you have a good chance of no wanting dessert afterwards. (erm, but if you're Me, not likely.. haha, but it was worth a try..)

7. Chili can help boost your immune system.
Chilies are high in Vitamin A, which can naturally boost your immune system. The more chilies you use in flavoring your Thai chili dish, the more Vitamin A you are putting into your body.




8. Chili may help regulate blood sugar after eating.
Apparently the capsaicin in chili also can help regulate your blood sugar. A July 2006 study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the amount of insulin that was needed to lower patients' blood sugar after a meal is lower if the meal contains chili. It's true that your fiery Thai food chili is good for you.

9. Chili can help clear congestion.
The capsaicin in chiles help clear mucous from your stuffy nose. The next time you feel a cold coming on, prepare a big batch of chili to help you breathe easier. It will help keep you warm too. Eat spicy Thai food, ward off the cold!




Anyway, enough talk about Chili. Thai food was what we had for dinner that night. Rama V was the location. The occasion was the joint birthday celebrations of Andre and Danny - a good enough reason as any, to get together for a huge makan and piss up session!

As you can imagine, Hot, spicy chili and great Thai food to lift the mood, alcohol to loosen inhibitions, great music and singing by the host himself Danny, stellar crowd of gorgeous people, both familiar and new faces.. mix it all up and what you have is a fantastic party!


Oh, and my favourite Thai dessert of all time.. the Lup Chup. Dainty mung bean desserts fashioned as miniature fruits. Explosions of flavour!

The night draws to a close. We had a great time. Thank you Danny and Andre for the invite and for throwing a spectacular party!

Footnote:
* Collages 1 & 2, courtesy of FBB.
** It is true, Danny can really sing, but Andre cannot.
*** Happy to have made the acquaintance of R and B! Wishing you guys all the best for your year end celebrations:)

Rama V

I remember the first meal I had on holiday in Thailand. The Mieng Kam is one of my favourite Thai snacks. Even now, everytime I eat that deep green Kadok Leaf (Piper sarmentosum) that wraps dried shrimp, fried coconut meat, diced fresh herbs (Galanga, Citrus hystri and onion) , and thick sticky sweet mieng sauce, I am transported back to the dusty roads of Bangkok, the bustle of Chatuchak Weekend Market and the chaotic hum of Sukhumvit shopping.

Needless to say, Thai food ranks way up there on my list of favourite foods. One of the places that has been around for ages in KL, is Rama V.

This was "THE PLACE" for Asian fine dining back in the day when Micheal Jackson was still the king of pop and Meg Ryan still had her own nose and cheek bones. I remember the second year back from Uni in Cardiff, being on holiday and all, we would tag along with our senior 'yuppie lawyer friends', who use to knock off work late and grab a quick bite at Barn Thai whilst unwinding to the Live Jazz band. Rama V was the other trendy, shi-shi place that side of town, that the yuppies frequented as well. Time passed. Things changed. Rama V slipped into oblivion.

Then one day, we get a call from an old friend. Apparently Rama V is back in the groove of things with new management.. the works... and menu is as good as ever! Of course we had to go check it out (with foodies in tow, obviously).

What can I say. This place is still amazing! Fantastic ambiance, cool deco and great service to boot. We started with the Mieng Kam, the Kao Tan Na Tang (Crispy Rice Served with Minced Chicken and Shrimp Sauce) and the Chor Ladda which is the Flower Shaped Dumplings Stuffed with Minced Chicken And Peanut.
My goodness, if Mieng Kam was my favourite starter before this, let's just say that now, Chor Ladda ranks a close second! That gorgeous flower dumpling with magnificent deep purple hues makes me want to keep it as a souvenir (not eat it!). Each mouthful is a wonderful explosion of sweet peanut and savory chicken... yes, yes, somewhere in my mind I am walking around in flip-flops and a summer dress in the Sukhothai gardens photographing gorgeous, looming, stone statues set against a clear blue sky. Bliss!

Next, the Pomelo Salad with Minced Chicken & Shrimp and the Banana Blossom and Minced Chicken Salad were served. This is thai salad with a twist! Imagine being served in the actual Banana Blossom itself.. beautiful! The taste was uniquely thai and the flavours were distinctly light and refreshing. Just as how a salad should be.

Between the The Hor Mok Talay which is the otak otak and the river prawn, I take... the river prawn! I loved the taste of the herbs used to marinade the prawn but found the otak otak a little over cooked. However, looking at the presentation of the food, all is forgiven... even slightly overcooked otak-otak is soon forgotten!

After that, amidst the laughter and the wine and the Soju (!) the other dishes were a bit of a blur but none the less delicious. I remember trying the Tom Yam Seafood - delicious but a tad mild, the Sautéed Beef with Young Pepper and Basil - succulent and tender, the Thai Fish Cake - fresh and crisp and the Deep Fried Garoupa Fish served with 3 Taste Chili Sauce.

If you are wondering how we ate so much, let me just say that there were 6 of us there and occasionally, our hosts joined in.

Thai desserts are renowned for their intricacy and the time and care involved in their creation. Thai women have such lovely delicate hands, no wonder they make such pretty delicate desserts;) Many Thai desserts just consist of three ingredients - flour, sugar and coconut, though close to a thousand different sorts of dessert have been created by the Thais! These days fewer are on offer, or even to be found. Not only that, the freshness of the coconut used is compromised more than ever. What crime! What sacrilege!

Anyway, if Mieng Kham is my favourite Thai starter, then Tab Tim Krob would be my favourite Thai dessert. Unfortunately for me though, most Tab Tim Krob that I have tried here in Malaysia, is not up to par mainly due to the sub-standard coconut milk they use.

Well, just check out the dessert platter at Rama V. If this is not thai dessert variety at its best, I don't know what is. Amongst the ones you see are the Mango with Sticky Rice, the Kao Nya Durian, the Steamed Tapioca served with Coconut Milk Sauce, the Pumpkin Custard, the tab tim krob i.e. Water Chestnut Dumplings with Jack Fruit in Coconut Milk (my favourite!) and the Thai Bo Bo Cha Cha.

So which ones were good? My favourites were the Mango and sticky rice, the pumpkin custard and the Tab Tim Krob. Sweet, tangy, rich, milky and most importantly, made with the REAL thing!

Wow! What a night. We polished off all the food, a couple of bottles of wine and soju, took many photographs, chatted with our hosts about old times and then called it a night. What a perfect end to a perfect dinner!

Footnote:
*The food featured -
STARTERS: MIEANG KAM Traditional Thai Hors’ Doeuvre, KAO TAN NA TANG Crispy Rice Served with Minced Chicken and Shrimp Sauce, CHOR LADDA Flower Shaped Dumplings Stuffed with Minced Chicken And Peanut.

SALADS: YAM SOM O Pomelo Salad witn Minced Chicken & Shrimp, YAM HUA PLEE Banana Blossom and Minced Chicken Salad.

MAINS: TOM YAM TALAY Tom Yam Seafood served in Young Coconut, NUE PAD PRIK THAI ORN Sautéed Beef with Young Pepper, Chili and Hot Basil Leaves,Thai Fish Cake, PLA KAO SAM ROS Deep Fried Garoupa Fish served with 3 Taste Chili Sauce, HOR MOK TALAY Seafood Souflle (Otak-Otak), CHUCHEE KUNG ME NAM River Prawn with Thai Chili Paste and Herbs.
DESSERTS PLATTER: KAO NYA MA MOUNG Mango with Sticky Rice, KAO NYA DURIAN Durian with Sticky Rice, MAN CHIEAT Steamed Tapioca served with Coconut Milk Sauce, SANG KA YA FAK THONG Pumpkin Custard, TAB TIM KROB Water Chestnut Dumplings with Jack Fruit in Coconut Milk, SAM SAE Thai Bo Bo Cha Cha.

** photo of restaurant in 4th collage courtesy of Rama V

*** photos of statues taken on our holiday in Sukhothai

**** a big thank you to andre and danny for being such great hosts.

***** portrait of cumi&ciki in the final collage courtesy of Luscious Lemongrass aka queen of dslr and now more recently known as, (due to an amazing post on the 'boogeyman blumerman') the new queen of horror!



Add:
Rama V,
No. 5 Jalan U Thant,
55000 Kuala Lumpur.

Contact: 03-21432663
Opening Hours: 11am-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm