May 10th, 2012 » Chiang-Mai: PUN PUN Organic Vegetarian Restaurant (พันพรรณ)

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I went to Chiang-Mai, Thailand in November 2011 and it was my first time to see and eat in northern Thailand. I have been meaning to post about Chiang-Mai, but I was a bit lazy with blogging when it comes to Christmas and New Year’s back home so I do apologize for the MASSIVE delay. I’ve heard about PUN PUN Organic Vegetarian restaurant (พันพรรณ / ร้านอาหารมังสวิรัติเพื่อสุขภาพ) through blogs and Happy Cow Chiang-Mai. I only ate there twice and it was so far my favourite vegan-friendly restaurants in Chiang-Mai, Thailand. There are two locations: at Wat Suan Dok temple and Santitham, and I only went to one, the temple. The host spoke mostly Thai, but basic English, but he was a very friendly old lad!

Yet I did not find a menu at all even on their website, so I’ve assembled the menu with Jit‘s help (NorthernThailand.com). Feel free to download the menu below if you plan to try Pun Pun Vegetarian Restaurant, however the editing properties are not allowed.

View from Le Méridien, Chiang-Mai Thailand (Photo by Doni Dexter Photography)

Location & Hours & Notes

• Pun Pun Restaurant Website | Pun Pun on Facebook
• Located behind Monk Chat Building, Wat Suan Dok, Muang Chiang Mai,(Suthep Road) Thailand | Phone: +66-081-470-1461.
• Just ask your tuk-tuk or driver to take you to Wat Suan Dok temple, then walk on the main road until you see “Monk Chat building”, and you will see the restaurant sign.
• Open 9:00am-4:00pm except for Wednesdays
• Most staff speak Thai, but they might be able to know some English, it doesn’t hurt to try to ask. The host speaks mostly Thai though.

Coconut & Passionfruit Juices with Ice (30 B. each)
I love their ice juices. So refreshing and fruity when it comes from fresh fruits like coconut or passionflower. But I sadly would choose coconut over passionfruit, there’s something so real about the coconut ice water that I cannot explain in words. Each drink is worth less than a dollar!

{Gang Masaman} Masamman Curry in Coconut Milk w/ Potato, Peanut, Tofu and Mushrooms (45 B.)
I don’t remember what it tasted like since I ate it in November 2011, but it was a decent curry, I recalled. It comes up with one complimentary plate of steamed brown rice. For extra plate of steamed brown rice, it costs 10 B.

{Yen ta four} Noodle Vegetable Soup with Tofu, Topped with Beetroot & Lime Sauce (40 B.)
I am a MASSIVE fan of noodle soups because I grew up around herbal & broth-flavoured noodle soups (aka Taiwan). However, I never had an actual “Thai” noodle soup so I went for that one since it has unique toppings such as seaweed, beetroot and “lime sauce.” Unfortunately that noodle soup just didn’t really jive with my palate. It was a bit of a let down. It was sort of a tart, beet, seaweedy noodle soup. Seaweed & beetroot doesn’t combine very well for me, it was too sweet for me. I honestly don’t like my noodle soups sweet, but I like my noodle soups spicy and salty. I would love to try other noodle soups when I return to PUN PUN Vegetarian.

{Lap dtow hoo kub hed} Sour, Salty and Spicy Minced Tofu Salad mixed with Roasted Rice Powder (45 B.)
In the U.S., Thai restaurants call them laab or larb, which any meat mince played a role in the dish flavored with fish sauce, lime juice and fresh herbs. But in a veganized laab or larb, they use tofu or seitan as a source of protein and texture. Therefore, in Chiang-Mai, the northern Thais call their dish as, “Lap”, which I find it interesting. The dish was spectacular with some chili heat. I would get it again and it’s a must to try an authentic, vegan-friendly Lap salad for only 45 Bahts!

{Salad dok mai} Edible Deep Fried Flowers & Greens Salad (60 B.)
This is my first time to try fried flowers salad, or an actual flowers salad. It tasted like a sweet tempura salad, but I couldn’t taste the flowers very well, but PUN PUN serves a variety of vegan-friendly dressings. I don’t recall the dressing I had, but it was tasty on the salad. It was a certainly unique dish I have tried in Chiang-Mai. I would love to try it again when I return.

{Pad prig khing dtow hoo} Stir-fried Green Beans & Tofu with Roasted Chili Paste (45 B.)
The host at PUN PUN Vegetarian recommended me the stir-fried dish, and it was my last day to eat with them. Surprisingly the dish didn’t taste that spicy at all but tasty. I liked the combination of green beans & tofu with roasted chili paste, and it is served with one complimentary plate of steamed brown rice. For extra plate of steamed brown rice, it costs 10 B. I would love to try other stir-fried dishes when I return.

{Gang keaw wahn} Green Curry in Coconut Milk w/ Eggplant, Green Bean, Tofu, Mushrooms and Sweet Basil (45 B.)
I’ve tried all sorts of Thai green curries at other restaurants as well as the Bangkok International Airport (Suvarnabhumi): all of them tasted a bit heavy, greasy and extremely spicy. But this one at PUN PUN Vegetarian, it tastes like a perfect green curry, well balanced and blended. The vegetables weren’t soggy, but freshly cooked in the curry. I love the combination of the curry. PUN PUN Vegetarian serves very good vegan-friendly authentic northern Thai curries! Served with one complimentary plate of steamed brown rice. For extra plate of steamed brown rice, it costs 10 B.

Deep-fried Spring Rolls Stuffed with Herbs & Sprouts served with Tamarind Dipping Sauce (45 B.).
Wow, you can actually taste the strong Thai basil herb in the deep-fried, yet delicately crispy spring rolls. The sweetness from the tamarind dipping sauce was delish. I love fried spring rolls, but for Thai, they tasted great especially with fresh herbs. I would say it is a twist of Vietnamese fresh and Thai fried spring rolls. Great appetizer dish!

{Som tam Lao} North-Eastern style Green Papaya Salad (35 B.)
When it comes to Northern Thai cuisine, it is a must to try some green papaya salad from that area. At first, we can smell the fermentation from the salad due to the mild pungent smell. I had fermented salads before, but this green papaya salad was not as enjoyable as I had thought. It was too sour and fermented at the same time. But I wouldn’t mind trying their lap (Larb or laab) salad again, which was probably the best one.

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November 9th, 2011 » What’s Vegan at Silver Kris Singapore Airlines (SQ) Lounge?

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I attended Silver Kris Singapore Airlines (SQ) lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Bangkok a few times. I admit it was one of my favourite lounges at BKK airport because it was very remote, quiet and reserved. However, it did not have a bathroom, but it wasn’t much of a big deal because the public restrooms were about less than a minute walk.

Location and Access for Silver Kris SQ Lounge

• Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK): Concourse A, on Level 3
• Open daily from 05:15 to 23:00 (except on Thursdays from 05:15 to 19:00)
• THAI’s Royal Silk Lounge serves THAI’s Business Class passengers, Royal Orchid Plus Gold Card members, Star Alliance Gold Card members, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa Airlines premium Class passengers.

What’s Vegan?

Be warned that these dishes change daily, but there were some days I was there that was very vegan-friendly, which was a fortunate time for me to be there. On a daily basis, they come with fresh coconut water in the fridges, which was a plus because I don’t see any other Thai Airway lounges offering these. Always keep yourselves hydrated with fresh coconut water because they are better than any other liquids while flying! Plenty of juices, beers, alcohol, teas and black coffee to start with, of course, including these freshly sliced exotic fruits (papaya, pineapple, dragon-fruit and watermelon).

I am loving these fresh coconut water. That’s the only part I liked about the lounge.

Things that were vegan on that day (Sunday, November 6th, 2011), photographed in order

• Fried Thai appetizers with mushrooms/carrots (they are vegetarian as labelled)
• Brown rice, if you care to add some soy sauce on it or whatever condiments to keep you full.
• ABC soup with carrots, potatoes and onions according to a staff. You can add these with brown rice as a hearty porridge and add some soy sauce/chili sauce with garnished cilantro. That was a great meal for me already.
• Kuih Lapis dessert (glutinous rice flour, coconut, pandan essence and gula melaka (coconut sugar, common in Malaysia and Singapore)
• Sweet potato in warm coconut milk, which was my favourite. I love the coconut milk flavour with the sweet potato. It worked well together.
• Mini cereal boxes, you can add their warm coconut milk if you like(they do have English ingredients)

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November 1st, 2011 » What’s Vegan at Thai Airways Lounges?

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I went to check out a few Thai Airways Royal Silk lounges: one at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and two at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Bangkok. I highly recommend the larger lounge at Suvarnabhumi, the one without shower rooms because it’s vast and huge with plenty of seats without the feeling of being boxed in.

Location and Access for Lounge #1: Kuala Lumpur Int’l Airport

• Kuala Lumpur International Airport: North Wing (C11-17), Mezzanine Level
•  THAI’s Royal Silk Lounge serves THAI’s Business Class passengers, Royal Orchid Plus Gold Card members, Star Alliance Gold Card members, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa Airlines premium Class passengers.

What’s Vegan?

Plenty of juices, beers, alcohol, teas and black coffee to start with. I did not like the orange juice since it tasted artificial. Selections of raw vegetables and steamed stir-fry vegetables (shiitake, Chinese baby corn, cauliflowers, broccoli and sliced carrots) with steamed rice. Freshly cut exotic fruits such as papaya, watermelon, pineapple. It is great to separate these dishes with the respective utensils. Totally appreciative.

Location and Access for Large Lounge #2: Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

• Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK): Royal Silk Lounge at Concourse D, Level 3: 2,410 sq.m.
•  THAI’s Royal Silk Lounge serves THAI’s Business Class passengers, Royal Orchid Plus Gold Card members, Star Alliance Gold Card members, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa Airlines premium Class passengers.

What’s Vegan?

Absolutely not vegan-friendly. There isn’t much you can find at a larger lounge at Concourse D, Level 3. The best alternative is the freshly sliced fruits and juices. I think I felt sick afterward due to the flood. There’s also a bag of local Thai chips that was confirmed vegan with a Thai local after verbal translation, which was sour and salt chips. There was a sign stating that the lounge is affected by low supply of food. At least there’s a working Wi-Fi that should keep you up.

Thought I’d share something amusing at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) that occurred at the late evening. Thai men dressed in blue are like acrobatics.

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October 8th, 2011 » Vegan Mofo 5: What Did I Eat For Dinner in Bangkok?

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After missing two equivalent days in Bangkok, I was determined to eat one of the best restaurants in the centre of Bangkok, the Spice Market. It was at the same hotel I was staying at: Four Seasons Bangkok. I’ve already made arrangements with the dining department about my vegan needs within a week in advance, and they were very responsive, plus dedicated to accomodate my requests.

For cold drinks, we had lychee mint and watermelon juices. I think the lychee mint has more flavours and it’s a pretty unique drink. But for watermelon juice, it’s basically watermelon. Nothing quite special, I suppose.

They even emailed me a prepared vegetarian (or vegan) set in PDF. I don’t know why they keep saying vegetarian, but I just notice everybody said that in Malaysia as well. “Vegetarian” can also mean “Vegan” (no eggs or dairy).  I made it clear that I don’t eat dairy, honey, eggs, seafood, fish, meat, hoison sauce and anything containing bonito.

VEGETARIAN SET

Tom Yam Hed

Spicy Mushroom Soup with Lemongrass

Gaeng Kiew Warn Jae

Green Curry with Mixed Vegetables

Phad Char Prik Thai Orn

Stir-fried Vegetables with Garlic, Chili and Green Peppercorns

Tao Hoo Tod Kab Sauce Takrai

Deep-fried Tofu and Lemongrass Sauce

Yam Som-O

Spicy Pomelo Salad and Water Chestnut with Tamarind Sauce

Phad Pak Ruam

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables and Tofu

Kaow Niew Ma-moung

Mango with Sticky Rice

Kafae Rue Cha

Coffee or Tea

Comments: I am not too fond of LEMONGRASS and I understand it is one of the most commonly used in Thai cuisines. But I notice the authentic Thai dishes tend to have more fresh herbs and more lemongrass than these dishes made by Thai living in the U.S. I knew a few Thai restaurants in the U.S., and they don’t use too much lemongrass though. It was a lot of food for me at Spice Market including the breakfast buffet I had that morning. It was more than what I had wanted, but it was a vegetarian set prepared for us anyway. I think my favourite ones are the fried appetizers (bird nests and spring rolls), not because they are pretty small in portions, but they tasted lemongrass-less and good in a way. I was expecting more from them, such as Thai noodle dishes, which I loved. Where’s the Pad Thai? Where’s the usual laab? I don’t see any offered at the Spice Market, but I felt a bit sick of eating every dish that contained lemongrass. The most unique side dish was probably the spicy pomelo salad/water chestnut. It’s rare to see a pomelo in the salad. I had my first pomelo during my breakfast; it was a bit dry for me. Will I go back to Spice Market? I would, if they do things differently without lemongrass and I would, if they can be more creative with noodles since it’s all about Pad Thai.

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October 3rd, 2011 » Vegan Mofo 3: What Did I Eat in Bangkok for 1,5 Days?

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I missed an equivalent of two days in Bangkok due to cancelled flight at Tokyo Narita, I managed to stay in Tokyo for one day. After arriving in the middle of night in Bangkok, I was a bit shocked about how messy the city looked compared to Kuala Lumpur, but the Bangkok’s limo services wasn’t too bad. Unfortunately, the sad faces of these abandoned dogs have depressed me dearly.

It was difficult to find vegan cuisine in Bangkok, because I only have one day to experience Bangkok unfortunately. But the hotel I stayed (Four Seasons Bangkok) had a breakfast buffet and I already had food accommodations with them in advance (within 2 weeks prior to arrival), which was fortunate. The culinary staff was perfect about it, and ensured that all my vegan dishes were to be made strictly vegan, plus if they tasted good enough for my standards. They were very responsive to my vegan needs and I was really happy with them.

Dishes from the start from Day 1 Breakfast and Day 2 Breakfast:

• Fresh fruits (pomelo, watermelon, papaya, pineapple with dried kiwi and strawberries)
• Congee soup with cilantro, Thai red peppers, peanuts, pickled vegetables and sour soy sauce
• Fresh soy milk (tasted more authentic than these in America who preferred bland ones)
• Freshly sliced French bread (imported)
• Pad Kee Mao (wide Thai noodles with tofu and vegetables)
• Pomelo Salad
• Carrot and Apple Slaw Salad
• Thai Fried Rice (a bit salty for my taste)

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