Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Wuanood @ Mahatun Plaza, Phloen Chit, Bangkok - วัวนู้ด @ มหาทุนพลาซ่า ถนนเพลินจิต กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: noodle (beef)
Price: THB200 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)
Visited: 29 November 2014
Food: 5/10
Atmosphere: 5/10
Value for money: 2/10
Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Here is another high end beef noodle joint, "Wuanood". Setting aside its taste, Wuanood has recently, end of 2014, been launched at Mahatun Plaza on Phloen Chit Road by siblings of Hongsakul family. The place is small, only a block of commercial building, and can accommodate around 10 tables only. To me, it is a kind of place for those who work around Mahatun Plaza to have lunch. But if you would like to travel all the way here to taste it, BTS will do just fine with Phloen Chit station situated right there. Driving will also do with many parking lots. By the way, this place only operates during lunch time.

Wuanood @ Mahatun Plaza

store front

tiny little place

Menu here is mainly beef noodle with some choices of side dish. You will get a piece of paper to tick your preference. In brief, you just choose your kind of beef, noodle, stewed / soup, bean sprouts or not, toppings, and etc. Surely it is not cheap: say THB150 on average per bowl of noodle comparing to THB50 on elsewhere but of course with air conditioning.

noodle menu

savoury and drink menu

Guava Juice - น้ำฝรั่ง (THB30)

We did try both stewed noodle and noodle soup. I would say they were enjoyable but not particularly one worth looking for. Each bowl was quite small in fact. Come on, THB120 per bowl a base price for Thai-French sirloin, it should be a larger portion (5/10 perhaps). A normal guy would need like 3 bowls to satisfy for a meal. Ok, at least it is better than Nuer Koo - ร้านเนื้อคู่ at Siam Paragon / Silom Complex. What really disappointed was Crab and Glass Noodle Spring Roll - ป่อเปี๊ยะปู (2/10). This was sure not crab and glass noodle spring rool, I would say it was "glass noodle" spring roll. I barely felt any taste of crab. Oh crab. 

Anyway what I know at least is that whether or not you will like beef noodle here, indeed the owners of Hongsakul family are beautiful ones (O_o)". Try this place yourself to judge if you have time or pass by Mahatun Plaza.

Stewed Noodle with Sirloin Beef - เส้นเล็กแห้งสดเปื่อย (THB120)

Noodle Soup with Sirloin Beef - เส้นเล็กน้ำสด เนื้อกรอบ กากหมู (THB145)

Crab and Glass Noodle Spring Roll - ป่อเปี๊ยะปู (THB70)

Wuanood @ Mahatun Plaza, Phloen Chit, Bangkok - วัวนู้ด @ มหาทุนพลาซ่า ถนนเพลินจิต กรุงเทพฯ
Mahatun Plaza
888/56 Phloen Chit Road
Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330
Thailand

Open Hours: Mon - Sat from 11:00am - 04:00pm
Tel: +66 (0) 2650 7842
FB: https://www.facebook.com/wuanood

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Almaviva 2010

Date of Tasting: 8 December 2014
Wine Type: Red
Grape Varieties: 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Carmenere, 9% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14.5%
Origin: Maipo Valley, Chile
Appellation: Alto Maipo
Expect to Pay: ~ EUR110
Web: http://www.almavivawinery.com/
Chubby Appreciation: 94/100
Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, WS - 94/100, JS - 97/100, ST - 94/100, JR - 17.5/20, CT - 93/100


Appearance: dark red / violet
Aroma: cassis, currants, spices, and mild vanilla
Palate: Big and bold but great balance with lingering acidity. Soft and fresh on palate. Fruit forward with ripe tannins. Dark berries note with some bitter chocolate.

Simply powerful and dense but a harmonious and fine bottle from Chile. Pretty nice and accessible now. With nice steak, this would be a wonderful way to enjoy. Stay with it if power style (with a bit of oakiness of course) is what you are looking for.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

La Brasserie du Bon Bec @ Cogne, Valle d'Aosta, Italy

Cuisine: Italian (Aosta)
Price: EUR20 per person (what we paid for)
Visited: 7 October 2014
Food: 7/10
Atmosphere: 6/10
Value for money: 8/10
Services: 7/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

It was during Autumn when we visited the village of Cogne in Valle d'Aosta. With no surprise, there was hardly any restaurant operated during the period. Just to mention that the high seasons for this area are Summer, when visitors enjoy warmer climate and nature, and Winter, when ski enthusiasts parade in. Nevertheless, we were fortunate enough to get recommended, by the owner of a small hotel where we were staying, a nice, cosy, and so much of our like brasserie that still in operation: La Brasserie du Bon Bec. The restaurant is a part of a famous hotel in the area, Hotel Bellevue. La Brasserie du Bon Bec is situated right in the middle of the town so you won't be missing surely. The dining hall is set to fame the Alpine traditional mountain setting. Staffs were friendly and worked efficiently. There were only a few of them working in a restaurant with around 15 tables. Honestly, food was nice and staffs were equally nice. We decided to stick with this place for dinner during our few days of passing by.

La Brasserie du Bon Bec @ Cogne, Valle d'Aosta

old fashion country interior but cosy

just another cosy corner

Let's mention a bit on the food. They are pretty much local cuisine. No those fancy things at all. But they were yummy. By the way, breads and rolls here were simply delicious. Pricing of each dish was as well attractive: no those ridiculous mark up even in such mountainous place.

Cheese Fondue, Honey, and Walnuts (8/10) and Cream of Potatoes with Fresh Aromatic Herbs and Sausage (7/10) are highly recommended for any cold day (most of the days here anyway). These warm soups were such a good kicking start for a meal. They were creamy and savoury. The cheese fondue, in particular, was splendid with well balance between sweetness of honey and cheesy notes. Walnuts also provided cracking texture to the overall picture.

bread  and cutlery

Cheese Fondue, Honey, and Walnuts (EUR10)

Cream of Potatoes with Fresh Aromatic Herbs and Sausage (EUR8)

Next was Polenta with Cheese and Melted Butter (7/10). I promise I really love cheese and this classic polenta with cheese was so yummy and classic: so warm, so smooth, and so cheesy. Another polenta dish was Stewed Beef with Polenta (7/10). Classic stew that was not too thick with creamy polenta was so enjoyable. Lastly, it was Lillaz Trout Baked in a Foil (8/10). So simple but yet so much of satisfaction and joy. Juicy and sweet. Just nice. Lillaz is another little town in Valle d'Aosta and just a few kilometres from Cogne. So you sure guarantee the very best of local catch here.

Polenta with Cheese and Melted Butter (EUR8)

Stewed Beef with Polenta (EUR14)

Lillaz Trout Baked in a Foil (EUR14)

friendly staff boning off trout

During the visits, I did also get the chance to try local wines. I opted for pinot noir which I fond of. L'Atoueyo Pinot Noir 2013 (87/100) and Maison Anselmet Pinot Noir Eleve en Fut de Chene 2011 (89/100) were the choices. Both were enjoyable with pinot fruit aroma. But Maison Anselmet possesses more structure and mild oak palate.

Anyway, though we only tried a restaurant in Cogne, we could really say that we do like La Brasserie du Bon Bec and it is a place to go for in Cogne: reasonable price, delicious, and nice people. It won't disappoint you, I promise.

L'Atoueyo Pinot Noir 2013 (EUR12, 375ml)

Maison Anselmet Pinot Noir Eleve en Fut de Chene 2011 (EUR17, 375 ml)

La Brasserie du Bon Bec @ Cogne, Valle d'Aosta, Italy
72 Rue Bourgeois
11012 Cogne
Valle d'Aosta
Italy

Open Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 12:00pm - 02:30pm for lunch and 07:00pm - 10:00pm for dinner
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