One of the things we look forward to the most is a food tour wherever we visit – especially ones that take us to local eateries rather than tourist destinations. We end up going to places where you would never otherwise frequent. We had a similar tour booked for tonight, which also included getting around the city in a tuk-tuk. Not only was it a great way to zip around town but the natural airconditioning was a bonus as the temperature was still over 30 degrees at 8pm

We started at a street side stall that specialized in satay skewers. Apparently they sell approximately 25k skewers a day – which is a mind boggling number. The skewers are marinated for 3 days and then cooked on an open grill by the roadside. The satay sauce was rich and creamy (and decadent) and I wanted to just eat it by the spoonful.

This was followed by a traditional Thai hotpot in a clay pot. The broth is steaming in a pot with a coal fire beneath and the meat and vegetables are added in at the table. We had a side of chicken, duck, prawns and corn salad to go with the beef stew. It was scrumptious, piping hot and flavoursome. Some items came with their own dipping sauce while the rest had it added in – creating an unique blend of flavours. The restaurant was in the open air with plastic chairs and metal tables around along a driveway. They also served intenstines and fortunately the guide didn’t order any for us.

We then visited Mont for a sweet break and literally had toast with sugary toppings. We tried 3 different flavours – pandan, custard and chocolate. Needless to say the chocolate was the kids favourite. We also had Thai ice tea with it – which might be my new favourite summer drink. Its cool and refreshing but still has the distinct taste of brewed tea. I walked around the bakery and got some photos of their breads which just looked like giant marshmallows – totally white and super soft.

The next stop was the Michelin star Noodle house called “Ann”. It was a tiny little establishment with only about 10 tables and usually has a 90 minute wait. We all got their famous Chicken Noodles which was smoky, tender and full of flavour. It came with a sauce which added another depth to the flavour. By now we were just so stuffed that I don’t think I did the noodle justice.

Finally we arrived in Chinatown for dessert which comprised of Coconut ice cream and fresh mango. We sat on a rickety table in the gutter with 2 seats on the pavement and 2 on the road and ate out of banana leafs. I guess no matter how full you are, ice cream fits in the gaps, because the kids devoured it all.