New Favourite: Southern Thai dining at Koh Lipe

 

Koh Lipe Scarborough

I love love love Thai Food. I am always in search of some good Thai restaurants especially since my previous favourite, Pai, is such a pain to make reservations (for our group) and get to. Chiang Rai has replaced Pai’s spot in my heart (and stomach) for a while now, but it looks like we have a contender! The fam and I checked out the Michelin Guide’s Koh Lipe in the Scarborough/Markham location! I have heard good things about the Chinatown location but am so glad there’s one a tad bit closer! And we are soooo glad to have discovered this! Now, I understand that Pai specializes on Northern Thai and that Koh Lipe specializes in Southern Thai, but it is Thai to me and I love all of it 😊!

 It took a while to choose what we wanted to try since everything on the menu looked so good! We finally settled on a couple of specials and some classics.  

The staff was friendly and the service was fast. It did not take long to get all of our dishes served!

 To start, we got the Crispy fried smelt which was so yummy! It got us excited about all the other dishes to come! The smelt was topped with crispy garlic and it was delightfully tasty! The green chili dipping sauce gave the perfect sweet and sour taste to balance out some of the oil.

Crispy Smelt @Koh Lipe

 We then got Tom Yum hot pot which was pork bone in Tom Yum soup. The serving was generous and while broth was good, I could use a bit more kick. After a while, we had to ask them to turn off the flame so that the boiling broth does not all evaporate.

Tom Yum Hot Pot @Koh Lipe

 We also got the Chef’s Special Luok Jhim platter which featured steamed mussels, shrimp, squid and fish, rice noodles flavoured with fried garlic, chili-lime sauce and lettuce wraps. We were thinking, after some very good (junk) eating the previous days, maybe we should go for some steamed food. We reminded ourselves later, to make no pretentions going forward! While it was still delicious (seafood tends to always delight this family), this was our least favourite dish. It was just, well, steamed seafood with lettuce wrap and dipping sauce. What did I really expect? Anyway, we vowed to try the Prik Pao Talay (Stir-Fried smoked chilli platter, shrimps, mussels, squid, and clams) next time!

Luok Jhim platter @Koh Lipe

We all definitely enjoyed Mas Sa Man which was a tamarind coconut red curry with peanuts and potato. We got Braised Beef (instead of the Veggies/Tofu version—see why we felt we needed to have the steamed seafood?).  It was just an explosion of flavours in our mouths! Curry with tamarind was something we don’t usually get to try and we really enjoyed the sweet, sour, mildly spicy sauce with the very tender braised beef. It will be a challenge not to order again even if we want to try so many other dishes when we come back.

Mas Sa Man @Koh Lipe

 Of course, we got our usual Pad Thai (with chicken) and it while it was not the best, it still had all the elements we love about this dish--chewy noodles, good sauce (not too much tamarind to make it sour and not too sweet). They didn’t scrimp on the chicken and did not drown the dish with bean sprouts. Will try their Pad See Ew or Pad Kee Mao on our next visit.

Pad Thai (with chicken) @Koh Lipe

 We also got a Honey Longan drink and Thai milk tea which were good to balance out the rich flavours in between bites—and allowed us to eat some more!

drinks @Koh Lipe

 We ended the meal with the mango sticky rice dessert. It came with half a mango atop wonderfully chewy sticky rice and coconut cream. The mango jelly topping was cute but doesn’t really do much to add to the already delightful dessert. It was a wonderful way to end our meal!

Mango Sticky Rice @Koh Lipe

There were Southern Thai specialties we have not tried so we would definitely go back. We think this will now become our new favourite Thai place!

 

Michelin-guide Pho in Richmond Hill!

 

Pho Tai Nam @Pho Le

The fam, being noodle soup-lovers, was so excited to discover that Pho Le’s first location outside of Ho Chi Minh was in Richmond Hill! This Vietnamese chain established in the 70’s earned the Bib Gourmand recognition in the 2023 and 2024 Michelin Guide Ho Chi Minh City. While not a star, we have had great experiences with the Michelin-guide restaurants we've tried before! And, while the recognition is for the Vietnam location, the hope is that the recipe is executed well for the other branches. Indeed, Pho Le's recognition was well-deserved with meals that were good value for money!

The wait list is long and to line up outside during winter (as there is not much space inside to wait) is enough reason to make us find something else. However, on a couple of occasions, we managed to get seats and enjoy their yummy offerings.

Their appetizer platter had something for everyone—fried spring rolls, fresh rolls, wonton, chicken wings and papaya/mango salad! I especially love the fresh rolls, packed with good sized shrimp (not super thinly-sliced just to give an illusion of the shrimp in the rolls like other places!).

Fresh rolls @Pho Le

I tried their signature Pho, but while they recommend Pho Dac Biet (with rare beef, brisket, tendon and beef balls), I prefer the Pho Tai (which is just rare beef). The broth was superb and the noodles were nicely chewy. They served great quality Pho that really hits the spot. The girls prefer their Pho with beef balls and brisket.

Pho Tai Nam @Pho Le

At another occasion, I tried their Original Laksa, and I think I will be having this for my next visit again. I know, I know, it is not really Vietnamese (they also serve Tom Yum, too) but I really enjoy Laksa. The Laksa was so flavourful with the right hint of sweet and spicy. The broth was rich and hearty and the spices burst with flavour in my mouth! The original came with shrimp, fish cake, fish ball and tofu. Hubby got the Dac Biet which included rare beef, brisket, tendon and beef balls. Same broth, just different protein. The noodles were good quality and perfectly cooked and I enjoyed the seafood it came with. Hubby also enjoyed his Laksa and also decided he will order this again when we come back.

Original Laksa @Pho Le

They also offer other items including vermicelli soup and Hue-style soup (spicy, from a different Vietnamese region-- Ok maybe I will try the Hue-style next time). They even have more expensive items such as bone marrow and beef rib soup.  Grandma had the vermicelli rice noodle bowl with grilled chicken but was not too happy about it, but she enjoyed the Fried Spring Rolls for sure! We will also try their fancy drink offerings next time!

Vermicelli with Grilled Chicken @Pho Le

Service was faster during the weekday and they need more staff during the weekends. Nonetheless, the wait was not too bad and the delicious noodle soup was worth the wait. Pho Le has been declared our fam’s new go-to Vietnamese place!

Love is Blind: Chef’s Choice tasting at George

George Toronto

Hubby took me to dinner at George to celebrate a special day and this multi-year Michelin guide-recommended spot did not disappoint! It was one of the nicest meals we’ve had! Now, I will say my disclaimer outright—this is not a food blog per se. I told Hubby that I cannot even begin to remember all the ingredients which came with the dishes, much less describe them all with their most wonderful and unexpected flavour combinations. I will, however, attempt to share with you the experience and photos of what we had. These articles mainly serve to remind me of our experience and what we ordered.

Chef Loseto’s signature Chef’s Choice tasting experiences is offered in five, seven or ten courses. Hubby and I got the five course which were “double-blind,” meaning, hubby and I each got a different dish per course. So, we didn’t know what was coming! The dishes were also not available in the A la Carte offerings which made it all the more mysterious and exciting!

To start off, I got a Mango Fuego cocktail (loved the yummy mango puree, with rum and a kick from the chili salt rim!) with our amuse-bouche. Our amuse-bouche featured different textures of the veggies—from pureed chickpea to crispy potato chips and gave us a preview of the delights to come.

Mango Fuego @George Toronto

While the server explained what we were having as each dish was presented, I did not take notes (of course) for me to be able to recount accurately to you. As well, my memory took a blink as I savoured each bite! So, while some of the ingredients stood out, what was memorable was how beautifully plated and how great each dish tasted.

Amuse-bouche @George Toronto

For starters, I got a hamachi with matcha vinaigrette while hubby got tuna (who took the unappealing photo which did not make it here :P).

Hamachi with Matcha Vinaigrette @George Toronto

Next was our favourite, foie gras course. The richness of the foie gras was cut by a hint of acidity in the sauce. I got mine with pheasant while hubby had his foie gras with rabbit. So delicious! Another blurry picture did not make it here :P

Seared Foie Gras @George Toronto

Our main course consisted of bison for me and veal for hubby. Both were beautifully cooked! The bison was tender and did not taste gamey at all! However, I did prefer the veal and hubby preferred the bison. As we split each dish, we got to really try and enjoy both dishes.

Bison @George Toronto

Veal @George Toronto

The cheese course came next which was Ontario goat cheese and Quebec cheddar. Hubby and I equally loved these. The bread, fruit and nuts were perfect complements! The richness and saltiness of this course rounded out the mains and prepped us for dessert.

Cheese course, Cheddar @George Toronto

Cheese course, Goat @George Toronto

Finally, for dessert, we got lemon tart for me and caramel tart for hubby. It was just perfect for both of us. I loved the tartness of the lemon while hubby enjoyed the richness of the caramel. What a delightful way to end our meal!

Lemon Tart @George Toronto

Caramel Tart @George Toronto

Service was excellent and the place had a great overall vibe. If you go out to the street, you can even take a peek at the kitchens. I highly recommend this dining experience at George!

3-day New York City Itinerary

 

Manhattan from Staten Island Ferry

While we spent more than 3 days in New York and New Jersey in our family trip, going through attractions, doing some meet ups, and shopping (of course!), if you only have 3 days in New York, here are some of the places you can hit:

Day 1 – Central Park, The MET and World Trade Center

We took the subway to get around NYC. It was not very accessible for Grandma with escalators under repair and elevators not available in all stations (many quite stinky!), but she powered through (thanks to Salon Pas!). 

New York Subway Train

We got off at 81^st and walked across Central Park to get to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was quite hot and extremely humid on the day we were there, but you can spend a few hours just in Central Park. There are a few things to see such as the Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Fountain/Terrace and the Bow Bridge, among many others. But, we had to get out of the sweltering heat (and it was not quite 10am then!) so we just passed through to get to The MET.

Central Park

We got to The Met as it opened at 10am and went to the Special Exhibit first. If you can time it or book it, there are free tours you can join. While there are practically only 3 floors you can explore (rest are for restaurants and lounges), I think that a full day is not enough to appreciate everything the museum had to offer. We spent about 5-6 hours here, including lunch (at the ground floor Eatery which was not bad at all!), and even with that, we were not able to explore everything. I absolutely loved The MET! The collections were extensive and I would not hesitate on getting a membership if I lived in NY.

The MET

@The MET

@The MET

After a day of exploring, we took the subway at 86^th to Fulton to get to the World Trade Center. We checked out The Memorial which honored those who perished at the 9/11 attacks, at the sites where the two towers were. There was also a museum, which you can go to, but we skipped this. We then just walked around the Oculus, a nice and modern transportation hub/shopping mall. There were also many eateries close by for dinner.

Oculus

Inside the Oculus

World Trade Center Memorial

Day 2—Chelsea Market, High Line, Vessel/Hudson Yards, MoMA and Staten Island Ferry

We actually took the Staten Island Ferry the night before, after WTC, as the views were beautiful at sunset. It was a bit exhausting (after a full day at The Met) so I suggest this itinerary instead.

We were going to have lunch at Hudson Yards so we explored Chelsea Market and the High Line before going there. We got off the subway at 14^th and walked to Chelsea Market. We loved this place! The interiors were industrial chic which we really liked. The shops were fun and vibrant and we enjoyed a super yummy chocolate chip cookie croissant from Sarabeth’s. Unfortunately, we were only able to check out a few stores as not many places were open at 10 am. I think you can easily spend an hour or so here.

Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market

We walked to the High Line which is a rail trail transformed into a park. Some of the entrances were under construction so we took it from the middle. It was nice and relaxing to be walking through this greenway, practically right beside some apartment buildings, with sculptures here and there. At the end, we got to Hudson Yards, by the Vessel. The Vessel was a very interesting structure but unfortunately, closed. Even if it were open, I don’t think I’d have the guts to go up there, though.

Buildings along High Line

High Line

The Vessel

We had a most wonderful lunch at Queensyard, but if you are looking for something more casual, Mercado Little Spain at the lower floor has so many options. Wish I had more space for a second lunch as I would have loved to try out some of food there!

Chocolate Mousse @Queensyard

Jamon @Mercado Little Spain

After lunch, we took the train to 5^th Ave/53^rd St to the Museum of Modern Art, which housed my favorite Starry Night--I know it is just too “common” and popular but I have loved this artwork since I was in high school, so, sorry, art snobs. MoMA closes at 530pm but 7pm on Saturdays. There was also a company-sponsored free first Friday night for NYC residents (read: crowds) that we managed to catch so we took that as our cue to wrap up our visit. 3 to 4 hours should be sufficient for MoMA.

Photo (C) at MoMA

Photo (C) at MoMA

From here, you can take the subway to the Staten Island Ferry terminal. There is a ferry about every 30 minutes and it is free. Along the way, you can catch a view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty. Once you get to Staten Island, there is a shopping mall right beside the terminal and other attractions you can take transit to from there. Or you can just wait for the next ferry ride back to Manhattan. It was a relatively relaxing ferry ride when we took it. My friend who went with us said that it was surprisingly cleaner than when she was last there years ago.

@Staten Island Ferry Terminal

Lady Liberty

Day 3 – Broadway and Times Square

We could not go to NY and not catch a Broadway show. We saw a matinee performance of &Juliet. It was such a fun show and all of us enjoyed it! Of course, there are many, many other shows available on and off Broadway that you can see. I got tickets online, but there is a ticket seller by Times Square for some last-minute ones.

Times Square NYC

We then walked along Times Square and explored the many stores along the way. It was extremely busy, as was usual for this area. We happened to catch a street festival when we were there, which was a nice bonus! Rockefeller Center is a 5-minute walk from here so you can also try to squeeze that in.

We absolutely enjoyed our time in NY, even if we likely did not even scratch the surface in terms of places to visit. We definitely needed more time to spend with friends! We averaged 16,000 steps a day (hey, if we can make it there…), but this was apparently not enough to burn off all the good stuff we had been eating. Number of pounds gained from the trip will not be discussed. Yet, there were so many other treats we missed and would definitely come back for next time!

A day trip to Sweden: Lund and Malmo

Quaint structures at Lund

 We took a one-hour regional train from the Copenhagen central station to cross the Øresund bridge over to Sweden. We were so close after all that we could actually hit another country in this trip. We went first to Lund, which was farther out.

one of the buildings at Lund University

 This university town was on the sleepy side. It was very quaint with some traditional houses along the way to the Botanical Garden, which was our first stop after going through Lund University. We did not have time to explore Kulturen which is an open-air museum of traditional and historic structures, but this can be an option for you to explore. We went to the greenhouse of the Botanical garden, which opened for Spring just days before we arrived. It was a lovely garden but we had to make our way to the Lund Cathedral to catch the 15^th century astronomical clock, Horologium mirabile Lundense, chime at noon. 

Lund Botanical Garden

It was a short show and not at all fancy. However, keeping in mind that it was from the 15^th century, it was still a nice thing to watch (and catch as it only chimes at noon and at 3pm).

Lund Cathedral

Horologium mirabile Lundense

 We then headed to the Saluhallen Lund (food hall) where we had our lunch. Hubby had some meatballs (can it still be called Swedish even if these were from the Sweet and Spice, North African place?) while DD#2 and I shared couscous. Grandma had a most delicious Thai Red Curry chicken at Thai Way and DD#1 had a nice shrimp, cheese and bread dish from Malmstens Fisk and Kök. It was an unexpectedly nice meal that got us set for the rest of the afternoon.

Saluhallen Lund

Moroccan couscous meal

 

Moroccan meatballs in Sweden :P = Swedish meatballs?

shrimp dish at Malmstens Fisk and Kök

After a quick stroll at Stortoget, including a stop at Åhléns department store, we headed back to the train station to go to Malmö, about 15 minutes away by train.

Malmo Central Station

Malmo Central Square

 Malmö had a different feel from Lund. It was more vibrant and more modern. Even while we spent less time here (and hence, less pics as you may have noticed), I would pick Malmö over Lund, if I can only visit one city. It is, after all, closer to Copenhagen. We just walked to Södergatan, which is a pedestrian shopping street where Grandma had coffee at Espresso House. We also had to check out H&M, but decided there were better sales at home. After a whirlwind visit to Sweden, it was time to head back to Copenhagen. If you can manage it, I would definitely recommend checking out Lund or Malmö as a day trip from Copenhagen. While the vibe of both countries are similar, you still know you are in a different place.