Kumamoto, Japan Superthread

[The Sad Punk]

And yes, I do have money saved up so I can do some dining out while there. To the extent that all I can really buy for tea is two-minute noodles until then.

 

[major_panic]

And yes, I do have money saved up so I can do some dining out while there. To the extent that all I can really buy for tea is two-minute noodles until then.

 

[major_panic]

At any rate, stuff here's cheaper than Sydney - which is not difficult at all apparently.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Oh yes! Those ones are really nice.

I can really only recognise them from packages though, a few of the imports I get have absolutely no English whatsoever on there (sometimes there's Engrish if you're lucky, of course) so it's really shooting in the dark. You never know what's going to be in those flavour sachets!

 

[major_panic]

Oh yes! Those ones are really nice.

I can really only recognise them from packages though, a few of the imports I get have absolutely no English whatsoever on there (sometimes there's Engrish if you're lucky, of course) so it's really shooting in the dark. You never know what's going to be in those flavour sachets!

Usually it's just dark soy sauce, garlic / oil thing and chilli powder in one, and fried onions and seasoning in the other, innit?

At any rate, these are the way to go. It always cracks me up when people don't drain the water and start adding stuff though.

 

[The Sad Punk]

At any rate, stuff here's cheaper than Sydney - which is not difficult at all apparently.

Haven't been there in the longest of times, but I figure you're right. Have no interest in going back there anyway - actually, a look at the site for their art gallery might change my mind.

 

[major_panic]

Also, I am so glad I can read Chinese and Malay/Indonesian. It gets you out of so much trouble at restaurants.

 

[Alisaura]

Melbourne IMAX - U23D - Saturday 7/6/08 - 5.15pm ... who's up for it?

 

[major_panic]

Haven't been there in the longest of times, but I figure you're right. Have no interest in going back there anyway - actually, a look at the site for their art gallery might change my mind.

Been there twice, seen the touristy things, went to the Mardi Gras, and meh. Nothing remotely interesting there at all. Apart from the Mardi Gras, which was... interesting...

 

[major_panic]

Melbourne IMAX - U23D - Saturday 7/6/08 - 5.15pm ... who's up for it?

Can't do this Sat or next Sat unfortunately.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Usually it's just dark soy sauce, garlic / oil thing and chilli powder in one, and fried onions and seasoning in the other, innit?

At any rate, these are the way to go. It always cracks me up when people don't drain the water and start adding stuff though.

Yeah, for that brand I believe so. But other direct imports sometimes have three sachets, and may have dried fish or vegetables that I am unfamiliar with that look like dried fish and taste funny. That's happened before. I'm no fan of either. Oh well, they're only about fifty cents and the noodle cake tastes pretty good on its own anyway.

Does anyone actually do that intentionally? Once or twice I forget, but it really ruins them. No one's going to eat spaghetti drowned in 400ml of water.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Been there twice, seen the touristy things, went to the Mardi Gras, and meh. Nothing remotely interesting there at all. Apart from the Mardi Gras, which was... interesting...

I occasionally have to visit gay bars to see one of my best friends, and depending where it is I usually get enough of the Mardi Gras spirit. I have some mega-rich relatives there (Sydney, not a gay bar). If they pay for my ticket and all accommodation, maybe I'll go sometime.

 

[major_panic]

Yeah, for that brand I believe so. But other direct imports sometimes have three sachets, and may have dried fish or vegetables that I am unfamiliar with that look like dried fish and taste funny. That's happened before. I'm no fan of either. Oh well, they're only about fifty cents and the noodle cake tastes pretty good on its own anyway.

Does anyone actually do that intentionally? Once or twice I forget, but it really ruins them. No one's going to eat spaghetti drowned in 400ml of water.

Oh, the dried fish stuff is just that - dried fish. Tiny dried anchovies usually.

And yeah, one of my friends who'd never eaten the stuff before was going to do it, probably cause he was only familiar with the "wet" type of 3-minute noodles.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Oh, the dried fish stuff is just that - dried fish. Tiny dried anchovies usually.

And yeah, one of my friends who'd never eaten the stuff before was going to do it, probably cause he was only familiar with the "wet" type of 3-minute noodles.

Yeah. Yecch.

Whoa, wait a second - he'd never eaten it before?! Maggi two-minute noodles were basically the food of my childhood. You shouldn't have butted in, waited until he'd done it and then pissed him off.

 

[major_panic]

Yeah. Yecch.

Whoa, wait a second - he'd never eaten it before?! Maggi two-minute noodles were basically the food of my childhood. You shouldn't have butted in, waited until he'd done it and then pissed him off.

He'd never eaten the Indomie stuff before, only the Maggi stuff, which is usually served wet AFAIK. So yeah, me and another friend were watching him with WTF expressions, then decided to jump in before he hurt himself.

 

[major_panic]

So, dried anchovies:

Comes in curried form too:

It's good stuff. Unless you're allergic to it.

 

[Alisaura]

also, Hi Bonnie and Maj.

Found out there's an exhibition of medieval illuminated manuscripts at the Library in town until the 15th... it's open till 9pm on Thursdays. Must remember to check that out, tomorrow or next week

I need sleep...

seeya dudes

 

[major_panic]

While we're on the subject of Malay food,

Nasi Lemak, meaning roughly "fat rice" in Malay. The rice is usually cooked with coconut or pandan, and eaten with what you see around it. Staple food for many in Malaysia, especially schoolkids.

 

[major_panic]

also, Hi Bonnie and Maj.

Found out there's an exhibition of medieval illuminated manuscripts at the Library in town until the 15th... it's open till 9pm on Thursdays. Must remember to check that out, tomorrow or next week

I need sleep...

seeya dudes

That'd be the one in the State Library, yes? I was going to go, then got busy

See ya!

 

[The Sad Punk]

He'd never eaten the Indomie stuff before, only the Maggi stuff, which is usually served wet AFAIK. So yeah, me and another friend were watching him with WTF expressions, then decided to jump in before he hurt himself.

Maggi can be served as wet or dry depending on what you're feeling like, one of the cool things about it.
Sounds like a pretty funny scene. Man, wouldn't have minded seeing your faces watching him do it!

 

[The Sad Punk]

Hi and bye, Ali! That sounds like a pretty neat exhibition.

 

[The Sad Punk]

While we're on the subject of Malay food,

Nasi Lemak, meaning roughly "fat rice" in Malay. The rice is usually cooked with coconut or pandan, and eaten with what you see around it. Staple food for many in Malaysia, especially schoolkids.

So, what is this stuff exactly, other than the egg and rice? Are those anchovies on the top? Apple and some kind of sauce or chutney? Fish jerky?

That boiled egg looks nice. Boiled is basically the only way you can get me to eat egg.

 

[major_panic]

So, what is this stuff exactly, other than the egg and rice? Are those anchovies on the top? Apple and some kind of sauce or chutney? Fish jerky?

That boiled egg looks nice. Boiled is basically the only way you can get me to eat egg.

Let's see, on top is anchovies and onions fried in chilli and spices, on the right is something called sambal (Sambal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), boiled egg, dried / fried fish, cucumber and boiled egg. Usually has raw peanuts too.

 

[major_panic]

Oh, Wikipedia has an article on Nasi Lemak too: Nasi lemak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[The Sad Punk]

Can't say it's the most appetising looking stuff as far as what I usually enjoy goes, but I'm sure it's nicer than I imagine it is.

 

[major_panic]

Can't say it's the most appetising looking stuff as far as what I usually enjoy goes, but I'm sure it's nicer than I imagine it is.

It's probably an acquired taste. I daresay you'd be interested in this stuff:

It's called rendang. From Wikipedia: "Rendang is made from beef (or occasionally chicken, mutton, water buffalo meat, duck or vegetables like jackfruit or cassava) slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices for several hours until almost all the liquid is gone, leaving the meat coated in the spicy condiments. The cooking process changes from boiling to frying as the liquid evaporates. The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the spices and to become tender. The spices may include ginger, galangal, turmeric leaf, lemon grass and chillies."

Rendang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[The Sad Punk]

Water buffalo meat? Sounds interesting.

I really like the spices they use. I'm not very good at eating red meat though, so yeah, maybe I'd go for one of those vegetable ones.

 

[major_panic]

Water buffalo meat? Sounds interesting.

I really like the spices they use. I'm not very good at eating red meat though, so yeah, maybe I'd go for one of those vegetable ones.

Well, mum apparently found a cheap place that does that well in the city, so there's another option for us to eat at if Greek and Indian fail us.

If made well, it's really, really, really good stuff. Occasionally it blows the back of your mouth out, but that's half the fun of eating it.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Well, mum apparently found a cheap place that does that well in the city, so there's another option for us to eat at if Greek and Indian fail us.

If made well, it's really, really, really good stuff. Occasionally it blows the back of your mouth out, but that's half the fun of eating it.

That sounds cool to me. I'm not particularly familiar with South East Asian food, in fact I wanted to delve into it a little bit more since everyone always talks about how great Thai is. A lot of far Eastern food places at food courts tend to blend together to me because of the sheer amount of them, but there's one I particularly enjoy which I'm pretty sure is Malay, which is encouraging.

Spicy food is great. But I have to keep training my spice tolerance, building it up - otherwise it dies down a little.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Oh sweet Jesus good lord what in the name of every god that has ever thrived and died, I have more posts than Axver in this thread.