金 or Kin, Japanese Ramen in Thai

On the way back from Germany and again transit at Bangkok, Attila and I have narrowed down to a common baseline of Asian food as our dinner. He wants Japanese but I want Thai, thus we've decided to go to 金Kin Ramen Restaurant as they do serve Japanese Ramen in spicy Tomyum soup.

Attila has ordered the Buta Katsu Tonkotsu Ramen set that is served with a small plate of Kimchi and Gyoza. The pork broth is sweet yet it does go well with the tasteless egg noodle. For me, I'll prefer if the soup is thicker. Attila finds the soft Buta Katsu or pork fillet to be still acceptable but I'm indeed hate the strong 'porky' smell and I'll like to have it to be crispy. Talking about the Gyoza, I'll never order these pork dumplings in Ala Carte style as I don't like the soft and tasteless meat ingredient. I've chosen to take the Tomyum Special Seafood Ramen that is cooked together with river prawns, scallops, mussels, octopus and mushroom. It's kind of a waste to kill the freshness of the seafood with the spicy soup. Anyway, I do really love the juiciness of the prawns and scallops. As a lesson learnt, I'll not order Japanese Ramen in Thai restaurant anymore because the 'fluffy' noodle is not suitable for spicy Tomyum soup.

I feel a little happy as I've managed to taste a fresh seafood meal yet it's kind of disappointed towards myself for expecting a tasty Japanese Ramen with Thai Tomyum.

Smokey Joe's, the Pilot or the Currywurst

Passing through the open area between Terminal 1 and 2 of Munich Airport, you'll notice a plane with a lot of tables and chairs outside. The aeroplane turbine, the gas station... The 'pilot' is selling Currywurst or curry sausage in his small plane-shaped store.

The specialty is the Smokey Joe's Currywurst rot or red sausage that is served with their No. 1 sauce. The sauces are categorized into Classic, Medium and Hot. Do take the Classic if you're a Glider Pilot, go for the Medium if you're a Chief Pilot while Hot is for the Fighter Pilot. I've decided to try out the Currywurst rot in Hot sauce and additionally being served with a bread roll. Alternatively, you can ask for the airport fries. I'm totally amazed by this tasty sauce. The sourness of the tomato and the spiciness of the chili compliment each other, making the sauce goes well with the tender sausage. It's even great that the dish is warming up my body during the cold evening.

Smokey Joe's, this is the place that I've tasted a real 'spiciness' in Germany. Concerning on customers' requests, chili flakes and grounded chili are as well available for 'Chief Fighter Pilot'. It'll be a good idea to have such delicious sausage in Penang, wondering...

The Thai at Cambia Thai in Regensburg

Looking for Oriental cuisine in Regensburg, Attila has brought me to Cambia Thai Restaurant金宝楼 that is located at Neutraubling. It has been my habit that I've always wanted to try the roasted duck whenever I visit Europe. It's because the duck here is with crispy skin and without the bad 'ducky' smell that I hate.

After the food is ordered, the customers will be served with the plates that are heated on the candle light. I do quite enjoy this culture to ensure that the plates are still warm while waiting for my food.

Attila and I have decided to share Knusprige Ente mit frischem Gemüse, Erdnuss und Sojasoße and Knusprige Ente mit Gemüse und rotem Curry (scharf). These are the crispy duck with fresh vegetable, peanut and soy sauce while another is with vegetable and spicy red curry. I like the nice aroma of the peanut and mixing of the peanut and soy sauces taste a little sweet and also a little salty. It does go well with the duck meat. Spicy in German's term is somehow too easy for an Asian. The red curry tastes quite sweet in its milky red. This is not the most delicious duck meat that I've tasted in Germany whereby the meat is kind of chewy and I'm indeed expecting that the skin to be crispier.

At the end of the meal, it's common that you're served with the warm plum wine. This is the best moment that I've always enjoyed, especially during the cold Winter time. The digestive wine is very helpful to breakdown the heavy meal that I've had.

I'll never stop myself from tasting duck meat in Germany. I do think that I'll most probably get a better duck dish than in M'sia. It's weird for an Asian to eager for Oriental food during a short trip to Germany yet I'm really saying 'Thank You' to Attila for willingly to accompany me.

Vinetta, Homemade Recipe of Romania & Hungary

Have you ever thought to make eggplant into sauce? Attila's Papa and Mama have gladly prepared a special dish for us and it's of course a must for me to learn this traditional recipe.

By using mashed eggplant, a special sauce of Romanian and Hungarian that is called Vinetta is made. The eggplant is first being grilled on the fire till the outer skin turns into black crusty cover. Then, the dirty blackish skin is removed and the cooked eggplant is mashed with a wooden spoon slowly. It's not allowed to use metal as it's a belief that the metal will turn the eggplant flesh into black. The mixture of mayonnaise, sunflower oil and yellow mustard is stirred continuously in a separate bowl till it becomes a thick paste. The mashed eggplant is then poured into the mixture and being added with some crushed onion to add a little sweetness to the sauce.

Vinetta is commonly being eaten as spread on the dark rye bread. I like the little spiciness of the yellow mustard in the sauce and I'm really surprised by the deliciousness of Vinetta. I should really try to make it for my family and friends ;)

Homemade Recipe, the Sauerkraut Wickerl

Once a year during Winter time, this is the time that Attila's Mama likes to prepare Sauerkraut Wickerl for the family. Following the tradition, this heavy food with its carbohydrate and protein contents is good to warm up the body at the cold windy time. Both of us love the dish so much and it's grateful that Mama has specially made a pot for us during our visit at the end of Germany's Winter.

Sauerkraut Wickerl is a Bavarian dish whereby the meat roll is cooked with the cabbage that is fermented with white wine or Weinkraut. Weinkraut is also being known as Sauerkraut as it tastes sour. What is Mama's homemade recipe? Firstly, the raw ingredients are to be prepared such as mixture of brown rice and minced pork that is seasoned with curry powder, garlic powder and salt, cabbage that is boiled to make it soft and of course the Weinkraut. The cabbage is being used to wrap the minced pork and these meat rolls are then being boiled together with the Sauerkraut or Weinkraut for about 4hours inside the pressure cooker. An important note, the Bohnen-kraut and Dill-spitzen are being used to enhance the aroma of this dish. I've totally no idea about these herbs but they're apparently to be known as bean herbs and pickle sunflower seeds?!!

(Source from Wikipedia: Bohnen-kraut; Dill-spitzen)

The Sauerkraut Wickerl is so flavourful that the soft cabbage has absorbed the taste of the Weinkraut completely while the meat and rice inside are still tender and juicy. Additionally, do add the sour cream to enhance the deliciousness of this dish. I'm really glad to have chance to try and to learn this special recipe.

Since 1911, Schmidl Wurstbraterei

Brate means fry, thus Wurstbraterei should mean frying the sausage.

Early in the morning before visiting the Doctor, Attila has decided to bring me to his second favourite sausage stall that is located at Alter Kornmarkt. This small stall is called Schmidl Wurstbraterei. This is the place that Attila will hangout for breakfast after his night shift, in the old days.

The common all-time favourite is the wurstsemmel or the round bun that is layered with sausage, pickled cucumber and senf or the yellow mustard. We've ordered the Knackwurstsemmel and Bratwurstsemmel whereby one is with the big brown sausage while Bratwurst is the smaller white sausage. Both of us prefer Bratwurst for its slight crispiness and saltiness that makes it tastes more delicious. The Knackwurst tastes nice as well but I'll like to have it without bun.

This is not the best sausage stall that I've tasted but it's a good place for a warm snack in the early coldness of Germany. The most interesting is the friendliness of the lady shop owner that has warmed our morning day.

Caffè Nero, By Black Canyon at Bangkok Airport

During flight transit at Bangkok, Attila has pleasantly fulfilled my request by accompanying me to Caffè Nero for our lunch. I'm attracted at first by the brand of Black Canyon, for being well-known in Fusion food. It's just the most accurate time while I'm hunger for Thai cuisine.

Attila has decided to try the Egg Noodle & Prawn Wonton with BBQ Pork or Crispy Pork. This is the Chinese style soupy noodle that is served with dumplings that are filled with prawns and slices of grilled pork. I'm disappointed as the noodle tastes very awful whereby the soup is too sweet and it makes me feeling very thirsty. Furthermore, neither the prawn dumpling nor the pork meat is delicious. My Pad Thai or the Thai style Stir-Fried Rice Noodle with Prawn does not amaze me either. The noodle is very dry and it tastes only sweet instead of slight spiciness. The only compliment that I've is the segregation of the bean sprouts, spring onion and grounded peanut as it's a convenient idea for someone alike me that will not try out raw bean sprouts.

Black Canyon is a franchise that as well setting up its branch in Malaysia. I'm kind of disappointed to find out such food quality that I've tasted. The only thing that I can still be satisfied of is the Black Coffee. 'Coffee and love are best when they are hot' and I like this German proverb.