Makan in Thailand

[steveluv]

It was a good experience visiting this restaurant in Nikko Hotel Thong Lor.

Private room for 4

We are here for the Japanese beef.

The wine for the beef

Salad

Kimchi

Korean rice

Side dishes

Here comes the main

The meats

Beef tongue

Grill

 

 

[steveluv]

Today is a public holiday in Thailand. The queen's birthday which is celebrated as Mother's Day here. Since its a holiday I took some time to cook Singapore's chicken curry

 

 

[steveluv]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Agriculture/Thailand-abuzz-over-bug-based-feed-as-alternative-to-grain?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220811190000&seq_num=17&si=44594

Thailand abuzz over bug-based feed as alternative to grain
Business booms as livestock farms seek to address sustainability concerns

A man feeds his animals at a cattle market in Pakistan. Europe is leading in the insect protein market, but more and more companies in Southeast Asia are developing foods containing insects.   © Reuters
KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writerAugust 11, 2022 16:21 JST

BANGKOK -- Startups in Thailand are focusing on insects to make animal feed, seeking to help alleviate increasing pressure on livestock farmers to move toward sustainability.

"Insect-derived feed can be a solution to circular economy," said Peter Hamilton, CEO of Biovert Protein, a Thai startup developing technology to pulverize black soldier fly larvae to process into fish feed.

Biovert plans to build a factory in the Eastern Economic Corridor, a special economic zone in Thailand, by 2024 to launch full-scale production.

Concerns about sustainability in industrial agriculture are rising. In Europe, livestock, which consumes massive volumes of grains, is considered an environmental concern, and avoidance of meat is gaining steam. This presents a problem that needs attention for many companies in Thailand, a leading food exporter.

Black soldier fly eggs hatch in four days and become pupae in 14 days. The insects contain abundant protein as well as calcium and amino acids, essential nutrients. They can be mass-produced in a short period of time and are perfect alternative to grain-based feed, the company says.

Biovert's other goal is to reduce food waste. Black soldier fly larvae require a massive amount of food for growth, so the company buys spent grain from a local beer brewery.

Europe is leading in the insect protein market, but Southeast Asia offers lower barriers to new entrants. Thailand, in particular, is promoting the development of environmentally friendly technologies, spurring new businesses in the field.

These include FlyLab, another startup working on black soldier flies in northern Chiang Mai. Thai Union Group, the company behind the Chicken of the Sea canned tuna brand, also announced in 2021 an investment in Orgafeed, which develops pet food with black soldier fly larvae.

Reducing production costs is a major challenge. These startups are pouring money into finding out the optimal environment for enhancing the nutritional value of insects, and they must pass these costs on to customers to turn a profit. This means they not only have to get livestock farmers to invest in sustainability but also bring down prices as low as possible to conventional grain-based feed.
 

[Jamesc]

I can understand Bangkok but who goes to Jakarta for holidays?

The 5 star hotels are all full of people working there mostly without visas but I hardly see any tourists there.

You can see these hard working people all come back on the Friday evening flight pulling their wheeled carry on luggage with their laptop bags on top all waiting for a taxi at Changi airport.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Jamesc

[steveluv]

Curry I cooked goes well with prata

 

[Shibadog]

in case you haven't seen this 

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/beo-crescent-curry-rice-tiong-020049003.html

 

[steveluv]

11 hours ago, Shibadog said:

in case you haven't seen this 

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/beo-crescent-curry-rice-tiong-020049003.html

 

Thank you. I saw it and it broke my heart.

[steveluv]

Finally for the chicken curry you could have it with nasi lemak for breakfast like yesterday morning.

 

Nasi lemak was made from basmati rice

[steveluv]

Took the weekend off with a getaway stay at Sattahip beach (Chonburi)

 

The hotel room seaview

Night time

Lobby

Night view from the room

[steveluv]

Had dinner at my favourite Thai seafood restaurant - Preecha Seafood

https://goo.gl/maps/44upQ1jV6j4cmWQN6

 

Dinner by the beach

Almost sunset

Cockles

Kailan with salted fish

Steamed crab

Grouper with soya sauce

Edited August 14, 2022 by steveluv

[steveluv]

Yesterday had breakfast with a friend who recommended this fantastic fishball noodle shop in Pattaya

 

[steveluv]

Sunday night went to a "teochew porridge style" type of eatery in Pattaya.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeeeVGbq9Mc

Duck

Minced pork with black olives

Yellow chive with tofu

Oyster with deep fried flour

Vege with crispy pork

Comfort food to end the day

[Mooose]

On 8/15/2022 at 12:43 PM, steveluv said:

Yesterday had breakfast with a friend who recommended this fantastic fishball noodle shop in Pattaya

 

khun steve may i know where is this please?

is it the one at pattaya third road?

[steveluv]

52 minutes ago, Mooose said:

khun steve may i know where is this please?

is it the one at pattaya third road?

Yes!
Eak Fish Balls
038 426 427
https://goo.gl/maps/xmVSeUxfLH3ywNdAA

Edited August 17, 2022 by steveluv

[Mooose]

Just now, steveluv said:

Eak Fish Balls
038 426 427
https://goo.gl/maps/xmVSeUxfLH3ywNdAA

khob khun krub khun steve!

[steveluv]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/PTT-ready-to-bring-plant-based-meat-treats-to-its-gas-stations?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220817190000&seq_num=26&si=44594

PTT ready to bring plant-based meat treats to its gas stations
Thai oil company challenges country's food majors with soy nuggets and gyoza

PTT expects Thai consumers to be uniquely open to vegan meat products. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue)
KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writerAugust 17, 2022 11:46 JST

BANGKOK -- Pui, a company worker, was surprised late last month when she tried chicken-like soy nuggets for the first time at a Bangkok shop specializing in plant-derived foods.

Even though the nuggets do not contain chicken, they "perfectly re-create the juicy feel and flavor" of the chicken-based counterparts, the 32-year-old said.

The shop, alt.Eatery, is run by Thailand's largest energy company, PTT, whose business heavily relies on fossil fuels. It has operations spanning oil and gas exploration, electricity generation, petrochemicals and gas stations. But it has been expanding into other sectors as it strives to break free of its fossil fuel dependence and now intends to put alt.Eaterys in some of its many roadside gas station complexes.

Thailand is an attractive market for meat-like products due to its large Buddhist population and a number of other factors, including a newfound awareness about maintaining health brought on by the pandemic, executives at the state-run oil company believe.

PTT announced its plan to enter the plant-based meat market last year. It partnered with a Thai alternative meat company to set up a joint venture and launch the alt.Eatery chain three months ago. The shop's menu includes soy nuggets at 89 baht ($2.51) and gyoza dumplings at 99 baht.

Think tank Krungthai Compass estimates the size of the market for these meats will grow to 45 billion baht by 2024, up 60% from 28 billion baht in 2019.

It expects plant-derived meat to have a better chance at catching on in Thailand than elsewhere in Southeast Asia due to a combination of the country's large Buddhist population and its many vegetarians.

Some 90% of Thais are Buddhist. Some strict practitioners of the religion avoid consuming red meat but are often open to substitute products.

In addition, ethnic Chinese residents of Thailand celebrate an annual vegetarian week, Tesagan Gin Je, which has an economic impact that is estimated to exceed $75 million.

PTT, which announced its plan to start selling alternative meat products in 2021, opened its first alt.Eatery in May. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue)

The impact of COVID-19 also factors into PTT's expectations. In Thailand, many people who are working from home worry that they are putting on weight. As a result, many are watching what they eat and are saying no to fatty meats.

This is in addition to a growing environmental awareness that has prompted an increasing number of young people to reduce their meat consumption.

Energy operations currently account for 90% of PTT's business. Its joint venture partner will operate the plant-based meat factories, and the initial target is for 3,000 tons of annual output.

Currently, only one alt.Eatery exists, but plans call for adding 10 more outlets every year.

That's where PTT and its gas station-centered complexes come in. The company already operates about 4,000 eateries, including popular Cafe Amazon coffee shops. PTT now plans to put alt.Eatery outlets in these roadside malls, expecting the faux meat treats to attract even more traffic.

Charoen Pokphand Group, the country's largest conglomerate, and some of Thailand's major food companies, including Thai Union Group, already sell plant-based meat products. Thai Nippon Foods, a subsidiary of Japan's NH Foods, introduced plant-based sausages in July.

Technology injects these modern meats with flavors and juices similar to the real thing. But all the processing makes them more expensive than what they are trying to replace.

Due to all the competition from established food makers with production expertise and mass-production facilities, PTT's new venture might be forced into a price war in which survival depends on sacrificing profits.

[steveluv]

The breakfast spread at the Renaissance Hotel in Pattaya was pretty awesome:

Short video of hotel

 

Breakfast spread

 

Pork porridge

Noodle

Western breakfast

[Shibadog]

On 8/18/2022 at 12:17 PM, steveluv said:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/PTT-ready-to-bring-plant-based-meat-treats-to-its-gas-stations?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220817190000&seq_num=26&si=44594

PTT ready to bring plant-based meat treats to its gas stations
Thai oil company challenges country's food majors with soy nuggets and gyoza

PTT expects Thai consumers to be uniquely open to vegan meat products. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue)
KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writerAugust 17, 2022 11:46 JST

BANGKOK -- Pui, a company worker, was surprised late last month when she tried chicken-like soy nuggets for the first time at a Bangkok shop specializing in plant-derived foods.

Even though the nuggets do not contain chicken, they "perfectly re-create the juicy feel and flavor" of the chicken-based counterparts, the 32-year-old said.

The shop, alt.Eatery, is run by Thailand's largest energy company, PTT, whose business heavily relies on fossil fuels. It has operations spanning oil and gas exploration, electricity generation, petrochemicals and gas stations. But it has been expanding into other sectors as it strives to break free of its fossil fuel dependence and now intends to put alt.Eaterys in some of its many roadside gas station complexes.

Thailand is an attractive market for meat-like products due to its large Buddhist population and a number of other factors, including a newfound awareness about maintaining health brought on by the pandemic, executives at the state-run oil company believe.

PTT announced its plan to enter the plant-based meat market last year. It partnered with a Thai alternative meat company to set up a joint venture and launch the alt.Eatery chain three months ago. The shop's menu includes soy nuggets at 89 baht ($2.51) and gyoza dumplings at 99 baht.

Think tank Krungthai Compass estimates the size of the market for these meats will grow to 45 billion baht by 2024, up 60% from 28 billion baht in 2019.

It expects plant-derived meat to have a better chance at catching on in Thailand than elsewhere in Southeast Asia due to a combination of the country's large Buddhist population and its many vegetarians.

Some 90% of Thais are Buddhist. Some strict practitioners of the religion avoid consuming red meat but are often open to substitute products.

In addition, ethnic Chinese residents of Thailand celebrate an annual vegetarian week, Tesagan Gin Je, which has an economic impact that is estimated to exceed $75 million.

PTT, which announced its plan to start selling alternative meat products in 2021, opened its first alt.Eatery in May. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue)

The impact of COVID-19 also factors into PTT's expectations. In Thailand, many people who are working from home worry that they are putting on weight. As a result, many are watching what they eat and are saying no to fatty meats.

This is in addition to a growing environmental awareness that has prompted an increasing number of young people to reduce their meat consumption.

Energy operations currently account for 90% of PTT's business. Its joint venture partner will operate the plant-based meat factories, and the initial target is for 3,000 tons of annual output.

Currently, only one alt.Eatery exists, but plans call for adding 10 more outlets every year.

That's where PTT and its gas station-centered complexes come in. The company already operates about 4,000 eateries, including popular Cafe Amazon coffee shops. PTT now plans to put alt.Eatery outlets in these roadside malls, expecting the faux meat treats to attract even more traffic.

Charoen Pokphand Group, the country's largest conglomerate, and some of Thailand's major food companies, including Thai Union Group, already sell plant-based meat products. Thai Nippon Foods, a subsidiary of Japan's NH Foods, introduced plant-based sausages in July.

Technology injects these modern meats with flavors and juices similar to the real thing. But all the processing makes them more expensive than what they are trying to replace.

Due to all the competition from established food makers with production expertise and mass-production facilities, PTT's new venture might be forced into a price war in which survival depends on sacrificing profits.

i hope they don't kick out those fried snack stalls at PTT.. been meaning to try that Hi Pork one but haven't had the chance.