A View From the Cheap Seats

Rugby brings people together one beer at a time.

While it may be the end of the western world as we know it, we're partying like it's 1999 down here in New Zealand (NZ).

As hosts of the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) NZers old, young and in-between are embracing host responsibilities big time.

It's as if we're all putting on a national wedding for 100,000+ international guests and no one wants to be the party-pooper.

I'm doing my part by going to eight matches (six down and two to go) to make up for 14 years of no live rugby - the Hong Kong and Singapore Sevens tournaments don't count as they are just expat piss ups where men and women do things they wouldn't normally do at home.

Based on my rugby travels so far, every game has been terrific for a variety of reasons and here are five of my bonus point (good) and dropped pass (bad) observations so far.

Bonus Points

1. RWC has been a great catalyst for NZ cities to get spruced and gussied up. Auckland now looks like an international city with a beautiful harbour and downtown area -- the city just needs 250,000+ more people and a widespread transport system that works.

Can't get enough of the Samoan team's Siva Tau.

2. RWC volunteers are on good drugs. Maybe not, but the volunteers I've come across are unfeasibly nice, happy, chirpy and doing a great job.

3. Bonhomie aplenty among locals and visiting fans - even the Aussies. Though the Wales v Samoa game was mostly awful, I had a great afternoon talking shit and having a laugh with the three Aussies and an Irish bloke sitting near by. There was no spitting, malice or bad vibes just a lot of laughs and piss taking all round.

4. RWC is showcasing NZ's diversity to the world. Led by the polynesian and Maori communities, it's great to see Maori songs, traditions and themes incorporated in opening ceremonies, welcomes and other events. S'pose Asia will be represented when a player of Asian descent makes the All Blacks - could be a long time though .... probably as long as it takes for a train in Auckland to arrive...

5. Andrew Mehrtens - my favourite comments guy - I enjoy his insightful, sharp, opinionated and funny comments. He has a personalty and knows a lot about European rugby - more Mehrts please.

Dropped Passes

A nation of millions is praying for a world cup win.

1. What's with the shit food sold at the games?? Thought NZ, like many other developed nations, has an obesity problem so why just chips, hotdogs, pies and burgers for sale at games? Sponsor's orders? While I'm not expecting prawn sandwiches, canape and a hot and sour tofu hotpot what about other easy to heat and serve items like BBQ'ed chicken, fried rice, noodles, subs, sandwiches, wraps and burritos.

2. Dumb ass business owners. Two Sundays back, Hamilton was buzzing with thousands of Samoan, Welsh and rugby fans from all parts of the globe wandering about the city before the 3.30pm kickoff. My four travelling buddies and I wandered into the city square at lunchtime - which you'd expect to be a hive of activity - only to find that more than half of the restaurants were closed. Guess business must be booming in the Tron.

3. Eden Park. Yeah, yeah they shoulda built a waterfront stadium and all that -- but they didn't and we've got a stadium that looks like it was designed by five different architects. Still, it produces a great atmosphere for the big games - but the eight minute climb up the scaffolding stairs to the Sandringham Road cheap seats is a challenge for many. It's a long way to the bottom if you want a sausage roll!

4. No vuvuzelas!!! Just joking, but I am missing drums, trumpets, bagpipes, trombones, maracas and other atmosphere adjusting instruments and devices to add more sonic power at the matches.

5. This song - played before every game. I don't like it but I can't get it out of my head. And it hurts me to admit that it does put everyone in a good mood.

Triplets Brasserie

TB's charming courtyard - more great photos from their FB page

Triplets Brasserie (TB) is chic and elegant like Audrey Hepburn, and likely to become as iconic (local dining-wise) as the Hollywood legend.

Recently relocated from its former address in Thonglor, TB version 2 is right at home at its new central, and salubrious Luang Sang neighbourhood in the Luxx Hotel compound.

When we stepped into the stylishly lit TB courtyard we were immediately charmed and enchanted.

Cuisine wise, TB's extensive and well-thought out menu is equally attractive and appealing. Grouped under six categories - Verrine, Brochette, Small Plate, Salad Bowl, Pasta Bowl and Dinner Plate - it offers a great opportunity to share dishes tapas or dim sum style.

As we were in celebration mode, we ordered a host of different things including crab schnitzel balls, seared tuna salad, calamari, steak lollipops, crab pasta and a baked scallop and cheese dish.

The crab schnitzel, with a thick and crunchy breadcrumbed casing, was crammed full of fresh crab meat. Another hit was the seared tuna served with strawberries, a pink peppercorn dressing and leaves - an unlikely looking combination on the plate - but simply sensational when devoured. And the beef tenderloin lollipops were tender, juicy, full of flavour and one of the best beef dishes that we've ever eaten in Bangkok.

As with all good eateries, the ingredients, sauces and side dishes are super fresh and locally sourced, or made, including a selection of cheeses and sausages.

I'm not sure what the Triplets in the restaurant name refers to, but we gave TB a triple A rating - it's a rank that even Standard and Poors would find hard to dispute.

The volcanic chocolate molten cake. 

Seared tuna with a pink peppercorn sauce and sliced strawberries.

TB website

BK Post review

Sing Along With The Yoots

We heart this album so much. It's our 'go to' playlist in the car, especially when we are in chronic Bangkok gridlock, like last night when it took an hour to cover five kilometres.

The Yoots, comprising top musicians from a number of leading New Zealand bands including Fat Freddy's Drop and the Black Seeds, take classic Maori songs put them through a funk, ska, reggae, country, soul and acid jazzy wash to produce a superb set of head nodding, toe tapping, huge grin inducing tunes.

The songs really resonate with me because as a young fella growing up in Manutuke - a tiny rural Maori town south of Gisborne, NZ - they were the soundtrack to weddings, 21st parties, bus trips, pub sing-alongs and more.

This collection has also been a good way to introduce my daughter and wife to a few timeless classics and both are now huge fans. While I love all the songs, the last track, Po Atarau (Now Is the Hour) is my favourite. A traditional farewell song, it always brings a tear to the eye - don't ask me why.

I recommend the album to everyone especially expat New Zealanders living in faraway lands.

Buy the download or CD
NZ Herald review 

Salt

Another great reason to visit Ari - cheers to this site for this photo.

I'd been eager to dine at this new'ish Ari joint for ages and thank buddha it lived up to expectations (this rarely happens).

In many ways, it's a slightly trendier cousin of Pl Dib, which is just around the corner on Ari Samphan. For example, the Salt menu is chock full of Japanese and other Asian influenced dishes and flavours and sports the same industrial-minimalist interior look - there's even a 'towering inferno' wood fired pizza oven near the kitchen.

Whether you are enjoying the "alfresco aspect" in the cool backyard, lounging in the daybed section or sitting in the glasshouse front dining area, Salt offers a fun, funky and chic eating experience. My nephew, sister-in-law and me especially enjoyed looking out the big windows to get an up close view of Ari street life.

Our attention was quickly diverted when the first of our many orders arrived. Every dish was well cooked and presented and received a thumbs up from the junior and senior members at our table. My bro-in-law described the moist, beautifully cooked snow fish as 'joy on a plate.'

Other top picks? A fresh and zesty salmon carpaccio; a hearty beef shank platter served with cute spice cubes (like Oxo stock cubes but red and spicy); delicious tuna and fried salmon skin sushi and a juicy, cheesy margherita pizza that my bro-in-law declared to be as good as anything encountered during his many years of eating in New York.

Only an overcooked duck confit failed to impress - but one disappointment out of eight ain't bad. Given the other interesting and mouthwatering options available including beef ragu ravioli, frogs legs and a spicy lamb dish we'll most definitely be back.

Finally, a word on the atmosphere. We loved Salt's inclusive vibe - while it's one of the most fashionable new entries on the BKK dining landscape right now it's a place where everyone can enjoy.

BK magazine's review
Salt's Facebook page

Before..

And after 10 minutes in the wood fired oven

The flavoursome tuna and fried salmon skin sushi roll that offered a nice crunch factor

The Thai-styled beef shank and its spice cube condiment

The snow fish described by my bro-in-law as 'joy on a plate.'

Fatty, Fatty Friday

Three slices of pure, unsaturated and delicious audio fatness from Prince Fatty... Nirvana and Cypress Hill never sounded better.

Hanna

Given the choice between Harry Rotter 5 or Hanna, I put my money on the latter and what an inspired decision it turned out to be. Give me a teen killing machine over a young wizard anytime.

Like the best movie experiences, Hanna far exceeded my expectations - though full disclosure, I knew next to nothing about the film before viewing.

While the plot is fairly conventional, director Joe Wright brings a fresh take on the action/thriller genre fusing Leon (The Professional), Run Lola Run, Nikita and Walkabout.

For me, the best scenes were the ones in which Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) - who had been raised in the arctic wilderness - encountered other humans, modern gadgets and objects for the first time. In her eyes, the everyday and ordinary appear wildly exotic, familiar, enthralling and chaotic.

The film also contains more than a dash of humour courtesy of the English family who befriend Hanna. The daughter (Jessica Barden) almost steals the show as do her mum (the always excellent Olivia Williams) and dad (Jason Flemyng).

In addition, Tom Hallander, playing a German assassin is brilliant - his tennis gear attired character is a mix of Attila The Hun and Elton John.

Overall, a 3.5 stars out of 5 for me. The only thing that didn't quite work was the Chemical Brothers soundtrack - a little too boombastic for my ears - though the quieter, folkier tracks were good.

Baan Maii Chaii Klong

Great eats, superb location.

Inspired by the TV series, "The Trip" my good friend, Awi and I, recently ventured to the edge of Nonthaburi to dine at one of his favourite home district restaurants.

When Awi said the eatery was out of the way, and hard to find, he wasn't kidding. We finally got to Baan Maii Chaii Klong (BCMK) after a 20 minute drive that took us down small side streets and through quiet, leafy neighbourhoods.

Though we were only 35-40 minutes from the centre of Bangkok, this old klong-side family restaurant offers a feel, or a glimpse of life in the capital before skyscrapers, sky trains, expressways, mega malls, whitening creams, soap operas, condos and subways.

Sitting under a big shady sala, surrounded by old trees and huge plants, and nursing an ice cold lime soda, it was a happy Monday. In addition, my accompanying junior food critic daughter enjoyed the river vista watching fish, bathing dogs, boat vendors, a visiting stork and three fat cats.

This was sloooow dining at its best and a perfect counter to the searing midday heat. And the food itself? We kept it pretty simple - prawn cakes, vegetable stir fry, moo dad jiew (pork jerky) and a fire-starting yum tua phu (wing bean salad) - and it was all good, very good.

The selection is massive so we'll have to come back with more people to fully sample their extensive menu. Given its special and serene location, it's a happening spot in the weekend so a booking is a must to enjoy this true 'hidden gem' of a restaurant.

Baan Maii Chaii Klong Facebook page

Besides good food, enjoy a quieter, gentler and more laid back Bangkok.

Rustic, simple and tasty dishes. The rice includes cubes of taro as well as corn.