Food for Thought

After a good few months of mostly surviving on fried noodles and rice it was a pleasant surprise to find that though, yes, there was still a lot of noodles and rice about the Indonesians really did something different with theirs. Menu's here are also spiced up with the frequent inclusion of repetitions; who'd want to order 'Tempe'? Not I - but 'Tempe-Tempe'? Hell yeah.
Our days of cheap eating-out came to a close here in Indo so we got stuck in good and roper and here's the best of the best;

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

Scrambled Eggs on Toast, Fruit Salad & Cup of Tea (Pondok Lita, Gili Trawangan)

ELEVENSES

Corn on the Cob (Lombok)

LUNCH

Nasi Goreng - spicy rice with vegetable & chicken (Gili Trawangan)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Fish Satay (Lombok)

DINNER
Grilled Red Snapper & free Salad bar with Vegetable Curry
(Gili Trawangan, Mount Bromo)

Dessert

*sometimes dinner is too good to have a dessert*

Drink

Bintang Beer (everywhere)

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Banana Pancake with a fresh Fruit Salad & a cup of Coffee (Sonjas Lombok)

ELEVENSES

LUNCH

Mee Goreng - spicy fried noodles with veg (Lombok)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Corn on The Cob (Lombok)

DINNER

Gado-Gado, steamed veg in a peanut sauce, with
Tempe-Tempe, puréed potato and egg in spicy little croquette-type pieces of joy
(Kuta & Gili Air)

Dessert

Banana Pancake (yes it was breakfast too, but they are that good)

Drink

Vanilla Milkshake (Gili Trawangan)

Food for Thought

You know the drill by now...we've eaten our way around Malaysia and Singapore and now we compile a day-long set menu that is way beyond our eating capabilities but well within our dreaming. You may spot a few old favourites here but we haven't got lazy, honest, the populace here is a veritable mix of Indian, Chinese, British and native Malays and the cuisine reflects this perfectly. So here goes...

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

Egg Masala Thosai (Cameron Highlands)

ELEVENSES

Samosa & Chickpeas (Little India, Penang)

LUNCH

Spicy Vegetable Curry in a creamy Coconut Sauce (Mama Chops, Taman Negara)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Roti Dal (Little India, Singapore)

DINNER
All-vegie Chinese Buffet with Chicken Wings (KL & Qqafe, Singapore)

Dessert

*Rob claims to have never had a desert*

Drink

Peach Sofa (Going Om, Singapore)

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Roti Chanai (this one's for Sarah...Cameron Highlands)

ELEVENSES

High Tea (Scones, Cream, Tea...the works, Cameron Highlands)

LUNCH

All-vegie Chinese Buffet (KL)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Samosa, Chickpeas & Onion Baji (Little India, Penang)

DINNER

Vegetable Murtabak with Rojak Salad (Cameron Highlands & Newton Food Hall, Singapore)

Dessert

Fruit Platter with Ice (CBD, Singapore)

Drink

Mango Mojito (Marina Bay Sands, Singapore)

Food for Thought

Thailand is probably the country on our itinerary that is most famed for its delicious local cuisine - and it did not disappoint at all. We fell in love with sizzling curries, spicy soups and salads that sound like they are made of fruit. But best of all, with plenty to try and not that much to spend on the experimenting, there was also always a cheap place to get a good Thai meal - almost any day of the day or night. Long live the man with the tiny cooking station attached as a side-car to his motorbike! Anyway, here's our pick of Thailands finest bites.

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

Stir-fry beef (Pai)

ELEVENSES

One whole potato swirled on a stick (pictured...but how do they do it? - Chiang Mai)

LUNCH

Pineapple fried rice (J'Nee, Koh Tao)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Pad Thai (Koh San Road, Bangkok)

DINNER
Massaman Curry % Papaya Salad (Mr Phu's, Koh Samui)

Dessert

Mince pies & custard (massive thanks to Miri, Will & G-unit for
bringing an end to 6-months of cravings)

Drink

Jagermeister & Coke (also thanks to W, M & G)

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Vegatble & Noodle Soup (J'Nee's, Koh Tao)

ELEVENSES

Samosa (Mr Samosa, Koh Tao)

LUNCH

Penang Curry with brown rice (Pai)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Free salted peanuts served by ladyboys in 'Miss World' outfits
(Mui Thai Fighting, Chiang Mai)

DINNER

Suki Yaki Soup and Massaman Curry (Mr Phu's, Koh Samui)

Dessert

Mango Sticky Rice (Cooking Course, Chiang Mai)

Drink

Twice as much Sangsom whiskey as was necessary & coke
(thanks Spooner & Rob, Pai)

Food For Thought

Well Laos has been, as predicted, a culinary delight to say the least; and so with the help of 365's honorary member - here are our all-star menus for Laos.

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

3 fried eggs and a loaf of bread (Ban Na Him)

ELEVENSES

Chocolate &banana doughnut (Si Phan Don)

LUNCH

Fried noodles with pork (Mama Pap's Si Phan Don)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Omlette & bacon baguette (Vang Vieng)

DINNER

Elephant Camp Dinner: Cucumber soup with fried mixed veg,chicken curry with steamed rice & fried spring rolls (Elephant Camp &Si Phan Don)

Dessert

Banana pancake (Jasmin's Pakse)

Drink

Lemon juice (Buddha park, Vien Tien)

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Mixay Guesthouse buffet; fried egg, toast, coffee, unlimited salad buffet (Vien Tien)

ELEVENSES

Cinnamon whirl (Si Phan Don)

LUNCH

Creamy coconut curry with potato & veg (Si Phan Don)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Cappuccino shake with haribo-sweets in (Tha Kaek)

DINNER

Khua maak kheua gap moo (aubergine fry with tofu) & a Luang Probang Salad (Cooking course, Luang Probang)

Dessert

Banana Pancake (Jasmin's Pakse)

Drink

Glass of Red Wine (I know, I know...yes it was Chilian but as my first in 5 months it was indeed my favourite drink)

Jeff's Menu

BREAKFAST

MixayGuesthouse Buffet (as above)

ELEVENSES

Cashew nuts (before the ants got to them) with an Oreo Shake (Vien Tien & Tha Kaek)

LUNCH

Feu Khua (deep fried noodles with egg and veg) with a Luang Probang Salad (Cooking course, Luang Probang)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Duck & Vegetable kebab (Vang Vien)

DINNER

Po's Dinner; Vegetable curry with grilled fish, pork cutlets, chips, sticky rice & fresh spring rolls (Tat Lo)

Dessert

Lemon & sugar crepe (Luang Probang)

Drink

Mint & Lemon Shake (Vien Tien)

Food for thought

Although it may not be well-known for it's cullinary delights, Cambodia's food has been amazing - lucky, seeing as we're probably bound to making these lists from now on. It's perhaps easier to vary your diet here than in neighbouring Vietnam, as Cambodians seem fans of Indian style curry sauces, as well as 'traditional' Asian noodle, rice and stir fry dishes. Below are the foods and meals that got the nod for best we've had during our stay.

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

Baguette and omlette. Standard, but this restaurant had peanut butter, jam and nuttela for free in the condiment basket.

ELEVENSES

Iced Coconut

LUNCH

Cookery class sea food Amok and rice

AFTERNOON SNACK

Mochi rice cake

DINNER

Beef Lok-Lak from Chim's, Kampot

Dessert

Banana and vanilla milkshake, from Battambang

Drink

$1 a bottle whiskey and flat coke

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Pancake and honey

ELEVENSES

Ice Coffee and milk

LUNCH

$1 yellow noodle and rice, from Siem Reap

AFTERNOON SNACK

Mango, pineapple and sapodilla milkshake, from Battambang

DINNER

Cookery class veg Amok
Dessert

Banana and chocolate milkshake, from Battambang
Drink

Angkor Draft

Food for Thought

There are, of course, many ways in which Vietnam differed from India but none so much as the cuisine. Here we have a nation of meat-lovers and no animal is sacred. No land-dwelling, sea-dwelling or sky-dwelling creature is safe from the butchers' knife or a guest-appearance (often un-named) in a bowl, on a plate or on a skewer. But the French have left their mark too and (thank you French invasion!) freshly baked baguettes and delicious pastries are also readily available - if often stuffed with the afore mentioned mystery meat stuffs.

With restaurants, cafes and streeet stalls open on every inch of pavement it is impossible to go hungry in Vietnam, so here is our Vietnamese all-star menus.

Rob's Menu

BREAKFAST

Baguette with omlette & cheese (from Hoi An)

ELEVENSES

Dragon Fruit

LUNCH

Veg & egg fried rice with aubergine fry (from Ninh Binh & Hue)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Duck Skewer (from Ninh Binh)

DINNER

Cao Lau (pork with noodle and veg) with veg spring roll (from Hoi An & Cat Ba Island)

Dessert

Vitamilk frozen yoghurt

Drink

4000 dong Bia Hoi

Kat's Menu

BREAKFAST

Pho en chay (noodle soup with tofu, tomato, spinach topped with peanuts served with fresh lime and chilis - from Hoi An)

ELEVENSES

Ca Phe (Vietnamese-style super strong coffee filtered into super sweet condensed milk)

LUNCH

Fried tofu in tomato sauce, spinach, green salad (boat lunch in Halong Bay)

AFTERNOON SNACK

Blueberry & Almond pastry (from Saigon - better than any I've had in France)

DINNER

Veg fried noodle with roast pumpkin topped with peanuts
Dessert

Same yoghurt as Rob, because it tastes like a dutch dessert; fla
Drink

Saigon Green (Saigon's own Bia Hoi)

Food for thought

As so begins what we're hoping will turn into something of a tradition.

When we leave a country we will run-down our all-star menu for a days fine dining. This is part self-indulgent confirmation of what local foodies we've become and part useful record of our tastes so that in a years time we can (try to) recreate these culinary delights for you fine folk.

Rob's

BREAKFAST

Masala Omlette on toast

drink: Train Chai

ELEVENSES

Street roasted spicy nuts

LUNCH

Mutton Rice with Onion Raitha (school lunch) with naan

drink: Appy

AFTERNOON SNACK

Egg Puff

DINNER

Starter

Spring Roll (from Allepey)

Main Course

Egg wid Mushroom biryani [sic] with Chicken Hydrabadi & parotta

drink: "cooling water"

Dessert

Free Chocolate Milkshake (Crafters Cafe, Fort Kochin)

Kat's

BREAKFAST

Masala Dosa with Vada

drink: Train Chai

ELEVENSES

7 rupee slice of cake

LUNCH

"Backwater Thalli" Veg curry, pineapple chutney, spiced beetroot,

ladyfinger fry, green salad, chapatti & popadom

drink: Appy

AFTERNOON SNACK

Samosa (bus stand, Hampi)

DINNER

Starter

Papad & dips (from Bangalore)

Main Course

"Ashram Thursday Dinner" creamy chick-pea

& corriander curry, dry noodles & parotta

drink: Kingfisher beer

Dessert

Ooty Chocolate

NB: threesixfive would like to strongly recommend against attempting to eat all of the above on the same day... not for the lack of trying - there is certainly no way that we could do it anymore