Food Thread

[Maverick]

Restaurant: Marton -chef

Address: 184 Wenlin Rd, Shilin Dist, Taipei (台北市士林區文林路184號)
Telephone: (02) 8861 4384
Details: Credit cards not accepted. Chinese menu

Marton theme restaurant, named after the Chinese word matong (toilet), has become a hit in Taiwan since its opening in May last year. It's unusual theme is proving a draw for customers eager to eat food off plates and bowls shaped like Western loo seats as well as Japanese "squat toilets".

http://www.karazen.net/forum/images/upload/marton/04.jpg

http://www.karazen.net/forum/images/upload/marton/01.jpg

http://www.karazen.net/forum/images/upload/marton/02.jpg

http://www.karazen.net/forum/images/upload/marton/03.jpg

Anybody been there?

[lee-lee]

never been there. but i find it odd and weird. i dont think i could eat from there. i don't think i could handle eating food out of a toilet. the pic with the urinal and ice cream...ugh...making me nauseous...
i do have a question tho...i've never been to asia. do their toilet look different from western toilets? i thought it was all basically the same...

[Maverick]

Yes, there are regular toilet like in western world. But there are also toilets without a seat. You need to be in an "invisible" chair position to do it. They say it is cleaner this way.

[lee-lee]

Yes, there are regular toilet like in western world. But there are also toilets without a seat. You need to be in an "invisible" chair position to do it. They say it is cleaner this way.

like squating?

[Maverick]

Yep. The idea is that you will not touch anything and that is considered more hygenic.

But now back to the top of this thread: FOOD!!!

[xiaojia]

like squating?

Yep. The idea is that you will not touch anything and that is considered more hygenic.

But now back to the top of this thread: FOOD!!!

Yes, squatting. Its more hygenic alright.. Its the reason why people use it. But not the reason why it came about in the first place.

The traditional asian toilet is just a hole in the floor. Since people were so used to it, the toilet bowls were thus designed for squatting and not sitting. Squatting helps the process too.. so its actually easier to do it in that position.

But now most of the public toilets have both sitting and squatting toilet bowls. Most private toilets are sitting.

[Maverick]

Guess I choose the wrong restaurant to start a food thread with -cry2
Everybody is talk about toilets now-shrug

[Loreen66]

So that means we can eat and digest our food at the same time XD

[xiaojia]

Guess I choose the wrong restaurant to start a food thread with -cry2
Everybody is talk about toilets now-shrug

lol.. isn't that the highlight of that restaurant? haha.. can't help it if thats what catches our attention..

Post another one! haha

[evil_mui]

OmgZ -lol
I would feel so awkward if I went there

[Maverick]

... looks like this thread has just gone down the toiliet-cry2

[Taxloss]

Guess I choose the wrong restaurant to start a food thread with -cry2
Everybody is talk about toilets now-shrug

Wait, what's the topic actually? Talk about food in general or Healthy Food? If it's just food in general, there's enough in The Lounge but if you say this is actually a thread about Cool Restaurants then it's a good one.

For now I'll treat this as the Cool Restaurant thread and can't help to ask: How was the food there? :P

[Maverick]

Yes, I wanted to start a thread with cool or special restaurants.
This will enable PA members who are going to a foreign country to pick the best restaurants.
And not just go to the McD on the corner.

I hoped that people who went there can rate the restaurant.
Or that people who visit a restaurant make picture and post them here to share the experience with others

[taichi_masta]

I just noticed...picture number 3 looks like the squatting toilet!! lmao

[Maverick]

... it is *sigh* a Japanese squating loo ...

[xiaojia]

haha.. ok.. I shall give it a try:

http://photos8.flickr.com/12515968_bc68b5e0ec.jpg
http://sarongpartyfrens.com/wp-content/kaya.jpg
This is Ya Kun Kaya Toast coffee shop. Basically sells the traditional breakfast one can get in most coffee shops in S'pore and M'sia.
Bread + egg + coffee/tea

[Maverick]

Looks good. What is the origin of this toast?

[xiaojia]

lol.. you just got me there.. I dunno. Just know that its the traditional coffee shop breakfast one can get ever since young.. or even my parents generation. Probably influenced by the west?

[don]

that looks wheird....i wonder if the food is anygood

[Taxloss]

We stumbled into this theme restaurant by chance in Fukuoka last year.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_4180.jpg

My drinks, had no idea what I was ordering but they had these funny names like Crazy Doctor Imikawa Mix, Poison nr# 5, Instant Dead etc.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_4184.jpg

You literally didn't see a thing when you first step in to the restaurant so you have to use your hands to feel your way to the receptionist through heavy, dark curtains. Someone will lead you to a free jail in the cavern. (yeah ugly flash light, but otherwise you can't take a decent pic in there)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_4189.jpg

If you're a real chicken, you'd better return 'coz you have to walk over this 'looking through' aisle.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_6654.jpg

And all of a sudden the very little light that was available in your jail will go out and there are also walking/escaped ghosts/monsters walking around and banging on your jail grilles. Lots of screaming Japanese girls but it couldn't scare us...we were laughing or ass off! :D Was cool to notice this black light creature on our wall that appears when the light went off.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_6661.jpg


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_6670.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/Taxloss/Miscellaneous2/IMG_6681.jpg

[xiaojia]

Well.. manage to find some info:
The signature breakfast dish in Singapore is kaya toast. Kaya (pronounced "car-yah") is a jam or paste made from slow-cooking coconut milk, eggs, sugar vanilla and a hint of pandan leaves. It's spread on a slice of toast along with a little butter.

If I'm not wrong, kaya is of malay origins.. but here the food we eat is quite mixed.. from the different ethnic cultures in the area

[don]

^that looks pretty cool :D

[hiake]

@XJ: I love Kaya (never know that's how to write it :P) toast! They come in cans here in Canada (Chinese grocery stores, where else :P)

And I love the... Chicken rice thing. I have no idea what it's called in English, but it's a half-chilled chicken (flesh only, no bones) served with rice cooked with chicken oil. Comes with a Chicken soup boiled from chicken rack too. Delicious.

I remember, a long time ago when I visited Singapore, I love that chicken + rice dish and the drinks served in a sealed bag q^0^p I HAVE to have a Gourmet trip around the area next time I visit Hong Kong... I just MUST.

[Maverick]

... looks a bit scary ... were there any clients in the restaurant :D LOL

[Maverick]

Well.. manage to find some info:
The signature breakfast dish in Singapore is kaya toast. Kaya (pronounced "car-yah") is a jam or paste made from slow-cooking coconut milk, eggs, sugar vanilla and a hint of pandan leaves. It's spread on a slice of toast along with a little butter.

If I'm not wrong, kaya is of malay origins.. but here the food we eat is quite mixed.. from the different ethnic cultures in the area

BTW when I was in Orchid Road I saw somebody sell Ice-cream with bread??? Is this correct ... didn't I had too much beer and so it wrong???

[xiaojia]

hiake: it is called.. drums roll.............

"Chicken Rice!"

lol.. tats the name.. you got it right there.

But I've no idea what sealed bag you are talking abt..

[Taxloss]

... looks a bit scary ... were there any clients in the restaurant :D LOL

Ha, yeah there was a lot of them in groups and we were lucky they had a free jail for us LOL.

[xiaojia]

mav: thats really nice.. you should try it. Its cheap and good. Only $1 sing. Good on a hot day.. which is everyday..lol

hey.. we should so start a International Food thread and have everyone introduce the food from their own country..

[Maverick]

mav: thats really nice.. you should try it. Its cheap and good. Only $1 sing. Good on a hot day.. which is everyday..lol

hey.. we should so start a International Food thread and have everyone introduce the food from their own country..
Yes, good idea, then we know what to order or where to go when we are in another country :D But we need a topic called food and a food threads per country or continent.
And there must be a way where reviews can vote or give notes

[xiaojia]

haha.. I was abt to ask.. why is this in the health section? y not in the lounge?

[hiake]

^ Poutine for Canada, it's fries + cheese cubes + hot gravy. Heavenly way to clot your arteries.

@XJ: LOL for the drum rolls :P The drink were sold in bags instead of cups, that's all I remember... But it's a long time back >_< I should know more than that...

And because we all survive on the hypothetical good food (meaning BAD and UNHEALTHY)... Real good food is a health thing :P

[Maverick]

I was actually taking the word health very broad --> Life style :D

[xiaojia]

hiake: sth like this?
http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/7980/lencheekangxz1.jpg

[hiake]

^ YUP! Love them!!! :D

Cold drinks are the best near the equator...

[xiaojia]

yea.. thats one of the ways they use for take aways.. but usually for drinks only. In M'sia, you can even get Ice Kachang or Chendol take aways in those plastic bags..

[Maverick]

I have seen them, but never tried them. Instead I went for the smoothies ...

[xiaojia]

haha.. i love smoothies too.. all thanks to western influences..

[Maverick]

I needed something cool, since the hot weather in SG was burning me up ...
I even bought a Durian Smoothty for a colleague to try. But he didn't dare to try.

[hiake]

^ Not a huge fan of durian, me...

[Maverick]

That colleague was also not a fish eater. I tricked him into eating sushi :D

[hiake]

^ You are evil... trickery comes naturally to you I bet :P

[xiaojia]

haha.. you all just dunno how to appreciate durians.. they smell.. but taste terrific.. haha. Hey.. its mostly me talking abt s'pore food.. y not show some stuff famous in Canada?

btw.. mav, where you from?

[hiake]

Mav's from UK isn't he? I thought he is.

Not a fan of Durian, I grew OUT of it in fact, I didn't mind it as much (in fact, I used to like it) when I was younger. But not anymore...

Canada? Get the poutine!!! Potato fries + cheese cubes + hot gravy. The best way to get an artery clot.

[Maverick]

^ You are evil... trickery comes naturally to you I bet :P
Problem with this guy is he never try something new. So sometimes you need to use some tricks to help him. Otherwise you can't say that you were in SG, if you haven't tried any thing ... so me 100% -innocent2

[xiaojia]

lol.. you make it sound as though thats the only thing you can get there..

[Maverick]

haha.. you all just dunno how to appreciate durians.. they smell.. but taste terrific.. haha. Hey.. its mostly me talking abt s'pore food.. y not show some stuff famous in Canada?

btw.. mav, where you from?
I'm from the country with tulips and cheese ...

Canadian kitchen: none :D
... hmmm ... they have something called Slopy Joe ...

[hiake]

^ OH, so same as Resentless? I see. How's the cheese there? I never remember any of their names... but my friend kept half his fridge filled with all kinds of cheese, they are locally made and heavenly.

And... Canada isn't very known for its own cuisine as far as I know, except for some game. Not everyone like game now do they?

ETA> Sloppy Joes are American, just "special" sandwich... not my thing.

[Maverick]

Leerdammer, Maaslander, etc all Dutch cheeses ...

... never mentioned from where I come, ... since I don't want to let people think that there is a Dutch invasion going on in PA :D

[Maverick]

ETA> Sloppy Joes are American, just "special" sandwich... not my thing.

Oeps!-oopsie And I thought it was a typical Canadian dish ...-shrug

[hiake]

^ Admit it, you guys are leading a Dutch invasion on PA.

Food... I am hungry, I should make a tea. I think I have a mousse and half a pie somewhere in the fridge...

Oh, for food in Canada, the likelihood is that you get a cheap but comparably good and authetic regional cuusine. There are A LOT of great French restaurant and bakery all over the places. Italian and Greek, and of course Chinese and other Asians (except for Thai, never manage to find a super good Thai in Toronto nor Montreal)

[Maverick]

Man, just when I like to play Stratego ... I'm unmasked ...

[xiaojia]

lol.. starting to have the feel that all the food in the world is the same..

[Maverick]

I guess then you have never tasted the Chinese kitchen. They can create different dishes with the same ingredients ... Just amazing

[hiake]

@XJ: Well not really, just that most places don't have a lot of history to have their OWN cuisine.

Thai and Malaysia and Singapore food are so different although there are a lot of places which sell all of them (in one single store)

And Mav gave a very good example: Chinese cuisine can be very diverse even though they do influence each other and create the so-called fusion Chinese cuisine now...

[xiaojia]

no.. what i meant was you can get french food in canda, singapore.. thai food in singapore, canda.. you get my point.

Although I do agree that they will taste different. like even the same dish can be prepared differently just by comparing m'sia and spore.

mav: no.. I've eaten alot of chinese cuisine.. everyday ;)

[hiake]

@XJ: But that you know consciously that you are not eating local cuisine when you eat Thai in Canada, Chinesein Singapore, French in the States etc...

[xiaojia]

well.. chinese cuisine is pretty much local here in spore.. together with malay and indian food.

[Maverick]

well.. chinese cuisine is pretty much local here in spore.. together with malay and indian food.
Isn't there any fusion between these 3? I see that some master chefs are experimenting.

[wind2000]

Here's a pretty cool restaurant. You eat in the complete darkness.

http://onoir.com/en/frames.htm

[wind2000]

Oh, for food in Canada, the likelihood is that you get a cheap but comparably good and authetic regional cuusine. There are A LOT of great French restaurant and bakery all over the places. Italian and Greek, and of course Chinese and other Asians (except for Thai, never manage to find a super good Thai in Toronto nor Montreal)


There's a pretty neat Thai fast food in LeFaubourg food court.

[Maverick]

There's a pretty neat Thai fast food in LeFaubourg food court.
Any pics of that place and the yammy food they have?

[happychic]

I've never been to this place but its weird to think this place is so popular - i would personally find it too strange to eat food while sitting on a toilet

[hiake]

@wind2000: I know that place, but then it's a food court =_=b The only other good Thai food I've had in Montreal is up near cote-de-neige...

I guess I will just stick with Italian and French (and Schwatz) while I am in Montreal :P BTW, any good pastry place (preferably chain) besides Premiere Moisson? That's the one I usually go...

[taichi_masta]

omg, poutine is the best! That is the hidden jewel of Canada! Back in the day, I used to have it like 3 times a week...extra cheese, extra gravy! Man, those were unhealthy days...

[kdotc]

i..hear..montreal...got..the..best..poutine...iunn o


but..ya....WHERES..MY...FOOOD?..........lol

[hiake]

MTL does, doesn't it? My favourite: La Belle Province chain! Their poutine is heavenly for chain store. HMMMM.

[Maverick]

Poutine is this a typical Canadian dish?

[hiake]

I would think so... It's one of the few Canadian dish I know for being very Canadian.

Particularly popular in Eastern Canada somehow.

[Maverick]

I would think so... It's one of the few Canadian dish I know for being very Canadian.

Particularly popular in Eastern Canada somehow.
When I was in Canada, I wanted to taste some Canadian dish. But now one could name me one.

[kdotc]

gimme....to..dish...by...differnt..chefs....i..won 't..even...tell..the..difference...i..just..eati.. it.....lol..so..i..unno..wats..good..or..not

[hiake]

Well the thing is that poutine is not a very... well, fine dish. It's like sheppard's pie or something, you just DON'T see it served in any fancy restaurants =_=b

And West Coast is not so hot about poutine (for its unhealth value :P)

[Maverick]

Any good culinairy Canadian food? Food that is worth 3 Michelin Stars?

[kdotc]

we...se...poutine...at..ACC.....but...its...not..t hat..good..the..way...they..make..it

[hiake]

Uh... Don't think so, but Canoe have game on their menu, and it's a great fancy restaurant which I, the broke student, cannot afford to go TT_TT except for twice a year...

kdotc's msg is funny... *giggle giggle*

[Maverick]

Ritz Carlton Cake Shop
http://wineanddine.asiaone.com.sg/reviews/cafes/pics/20070407_003a.jpg

IT DOESN'T sell savouries and it's not even a pastry shop - but this cake counter located just adjacent to the Greenhouse cafe is the hotel's answer to the many requests it gets from its sweet-toothed guests to take away its cakes and desserts.
Pastry chef Terence Pang has done a good job of developing a range of eye-catching cakes and desserts, but the highlight of his collection would have to be the takeaway set of individual desserts served in tiny shot glasses. A set of eight costs $38 and if you want to impress at your next potluck party, this visual pleaser is made up of desserts like panna cotta with berries, tiramisu, passion fruit curd with scorched meringue and dark chocolate with pistachio cream and macaroon.
Other hot-selling cakes include the almond frangipane tart, ultimate chocolate cake. The loaf cakes look good but the banana hazelnut cake is not recommended - its soggy taste and texture are a far cry from what you think banana cake should taste like. But the flavourless orange cake is supposed to be good. There's also home made cookies, chocolate truffles and specially for Easter, they've got heavy duty 2 kg chocolate eggs filled with a teddy bear and additional eggs for $158. It may be a sugar overload, but one reckons the cake shop's fans aren't complaining.

Ritz Carlton Cake Shop
The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Hotel
7 Raffles Avenue
(S)039799
Singapore

If you happen to be in Singapore, try the above :D

[Maverick]

Everybody knows Sushi, but do you know how Sushi is done in Japan?
Here is a clip with all the Japanese habits :)
This could be usefull for road-warriors or international business folk.
0b75cl4-qRE

[fishfishchang]

i think.. i will only c...and will never eat the food... too....disgusting...

[semkei]

okay am going to this weekend to sumo the great place of sushi hehehe and best restaurant in rotterdam i will make picture later.

[Maverick]

Food art

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/fdfsfs.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/fdfsfs.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/dsadsa.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/dsadsa.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/dddds.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/dddds.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/asfff.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/asfff.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/fdsfsdfsd.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/fdsfsdfsd.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/fgsdfgsdf.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/fgsdfgsdf.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/gdfgdf.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/gdfgdf.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/fsdgsfdg.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/fsdgsfdg.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/gfdgdfg.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/gfdgdfg.jpg)
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/400/gdghdh.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1856/2130/1600/gdghdh.jpg)

[Maverick]

@XJ: What is this for food?
http://www.popularasians.com/image.php?u=26188&dateline=1177970888 (http://www.popularasians.com/member.php?u=26188)

[smallrinilady]

oh how strange

there is a sex in the city episode where they go to this new tready resturant in New York where it's a real resturant

but of course being so specialized, i assumed once it died down it would end up closeing due to lack of business


they serve everything on beds, and the beds are covered in eyptian cotton

honestly i think it's a bad business idea
you boom for about half a year and then you completely loose ALL business

anyways i was right, they ended up closeing
and it was SUPPPER expensive

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/mainbed.jpg
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/3bed.jpg

[Maverick]

oh how strange

there is a sex in the city episode where they go to this new tready resturant in New York where it's a real resturant

but of course being so specialized, i assumed once it died down it would end up closeing due to lack of business


they serve everything on beds, and the beds are covered in eyptian cotton

honestly i think it's a bad business idea
you boom for about half a year and then you completely loose ALL business

anyways i was right, they ended up closeing
and it was SUPPPER expensive

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/mainbed.jpg
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/3bed.jpg
Decoration looks great and relax. But what's for dinner? :D