Shang Thai Celebration Kind of Love

Love has to be celebrated, what is the point otherwise? and no one knows that better than my love-struck bunch of friends. They took me to Shang Thai for my well-orchestrated surprise Anniversary dinner.

Mr. Hubster is back in India, drowning himself in medical books and thesis work (or so I assume ;)) So my friends took it upon themselves to make sure I was celebrating this day. Hence Shang Thai.

When I think celebration, I think fireworks, music, dance, laughter, balloon, flowers and chatty, high-spirited people everywhere. But Shang Thai is a kind of celebration that made me alter my imagery. It is grand without being loud, it is warm without being overtly expressive and above all it is yummy without being pretentious.

I had the yummiest Tom Yum soup (not that I have ever tasted the original). But my friend Yousuf was in Thailand and has had the real thing and said that it comes really close to the original.

We ordered the Tom Yum soup – seafood version. I didn’t mind paying 3.6 rials for it because the bowl of golden soup was bountiful with fresh fish, fresh mushroom, fresh cuttlefish, fresh mussel, fresh coconut gravy and was freshly infused with lemon grass. Oh did I mention it was fresh?

Talking about wedding anniversary, I also experienced a perfect union right there, as the Thai green curry – veggie version, perfectly complemented the Thai fried rice Kao Phad (RO 3.8).

Gang Kiew Wan or the Thai green curry (RO 4.4) will blow your mind away again in the most subtle manner as that’s the Thai way. Exotic flavours presented in a clean and simple manner.

One observation that I made, which I would like to share with you is that this is one place that treats veggies with a lot of care and honour. I am a hard core non-vegetarian and believe its criminal to have vegetarian food while eating out. But I stand corrected. This place is a haven for vegetarians as well. I loved the tender care with which the snap peas, mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn was prepared.

Best Thai restaurant in Muscat

Shang Thai, Muscat Grand Mall.

They have other outlets in Oman. Click here to visit their website

While you wait for your food, enjoy the complimentary prawn crackers and tantalizing dips

September 15, 2014 by Smitha Categories: foodie in muscat, Gang Kiew Wan, Kao Phad, THAI GREEN CURRYTags: best places to eat in muscat, coconut milk, curry, dubai, food blog, grand mall muscat, gulf, lemongrass, middleeast, Muscat, oman, prawn, prawn cracker, restaurant reviews, restaurants, rice, shang thai muscat, shang thai oman, soups, thai cuisine, thai fried rice, tom yum soup, United Arab Emirates 1 Comment

The Quickie Kind of Love

Quickies make us alllll happpy. WHY? Coz its quick and insanely satisfying. Mistake me not…for me talking about one quick fix that can make you smile, slurp, sip and sup. In India it goes by the name Gola, Chuski and in the West shaved ice popsicles.

Picture taken at Mumbai – Juhu Beach

From the beach side Ice Gola escapades in Mumbai to experimenting it in its many shapes and forms abroad, I have come a long way. Every time I take a drag from the ice i get filled with not just its sweetness but of the various memories that comes with it. The times I have shared a gola with my parents when I was a kid, as I couldn’t finish all of it to the times when I would selfishly keep it away from my hubby. So many memories of it with my friends, my sister-in-law and cousins…Gola I LOVE THEE.

Different types of golas found in India

Image courtesy of Shashank Mehrotra licensed under Creative Commons

Best Goal in Muscat

Khana Kazana, Right next door to Khimji Mart, Ruwi.

First Slurp Experience

I love the Kalakhatta flavor so do most of the gola fanatics I have met. It comes in a zillion flavors and what makes it click is a special Indian salt called the ‘Kala Namak’ or black salt, even though it is pinkinsh in color. Yeah we Indians like to always have that element of surprise to everything we do. It made with Indian blueberries called jammun. Get ready to be mesmerized. Will surely wonder how can something so simple looking, taste sooooooo darn good.

Word of Caution

Opt for the kalakhatta flavor only if you do not have place important to go to. Coz after u have it your tongue and lips will be colored beyond recognition in a naughty shade of purple.

August 21, 2014August 21, 2014 by Smitha Categories: UncategorizedTags: beach, fun, ice cream, india, indian snack, instafood, local restaurants, mudt see places in oman, must experience muscat, restaurants, restaurants in muscat, romantic restaurants in muscat, yum Leave a comment

The Messy Kind of Love

It’s more than a mouthful, its overpowers you senses, your hand is the only implement to aid eating, it spills and leaves a trail…in short, its messy but that is what lures you into slurpy submission. This is an Indian treat called Pani Puri / Gol Gappa / Puchka, which will surprise you, so you need to be a food adventurist to truly fall in love with this messy addiction!

Forget fine dining and say hello to street food dining that may make you sweat a bit but there are always ways to get over it!

Not familiar with Pani Puri? Intrigued? Read on…

So pani puri are these individual fried balls of dough (puris) that are stuffed with a filling comprising of potatoes and lentils which are thereafter dunked into a water (pani)bath.  Thus the name pani puri (balls of water). And don’t think blahh when I say water… coz it’s far from it. The water is the soul of this dish, it’s tangy (from the tamarind), it’s sweet and the moment it touches your tongue your mouth will be

“tricked, tickled and tantalised.”

Best Pani Puri in Muscat – Muscat Bakery Hypermarket Al Khuwair, near Home Centre.

First Bite Experience

It is so hard to get this dish right outside of India coz ‘freshness’ is the major deciding factor.  I opened my mouth to its maximum capacity and carefully placed the brimming pani puri in. This puri was made of semolina and is much better than the wheat / all-purpose flour puris as the semolina ones instantaneously melts in your mouth. FRESH!!!!!!!!!

I try real hard to be lady like and keep the released coriander, mint and herb infused sweet, tangy water from trickling out from the corner of my lips.

I demolished eight such puris and am left with sticky fingers and a happy tummy. Silly as it may seem this snack lures me into the must experience messy kind of love!

 

 

 

April 16, 2014April 16, 2014 by Smitha Categories: UncategorizedTags: al khuwair, best palces to eat in muscat, chaat corners, food, Gol Gappa, india, indian snack, Muscat, muskat bakery, oman, Pani Puri, restaurants, snacks, spicy, street food, yum 2 Comments