MANGO METRO Magazine | Bangkok | January 2015

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Volume 9, Issue No. 2
JANUARY 2015
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4 mango metro JANUARY 2015
Now that the clear and consistent weather
of the dry season is upon us, lots of folks
head to the islands and beaches in the An-
daman. Krabi of course is no exception, with
it turquoise bays, white sand beaches, and
outstanding limestone karst peaks, most fa-
mously in Railay Bay, where some of Southeast
Asia’s best rock climbing is to be found.
Unfortunately, everyone and their mother
knows about these spots and a recent trip
there put me on one of the country’s most
knockout strips of white sand, along with
about 2,000 Russians and Chinese, so I decid-
ed to move away from the sea, further inland,
where Krabi also provides some great destina-
tions well ashore from all the beach throngs.
Sa Morakot, also known as The Emerald Pool, is
one of Krabi’s most beautiful haunts. There is a
lowland forest reserve about an hour south of
Krabi town called Khao Pra-Bang Kram Wildlife
Sanctuary, which is home to hot springs, lakes,
and to the endangered Gurney’s Pitta, a beau-
tiful passerine bird that is found here.
While the park itself is quite magical, of-
fering some quiet walking and deep
forest, the highlight here is the
colourful emerald pool,
which is a brilliant
jewel blue due to
Krabi
AshoreStory and Photos by Dave Stamboulis
Explore the lesser-known highlights on this southern hotspot

mango metro JANUARY 2015 5
the abundance of calcium carbonate and lime-
stone solution in the water, which reacts on
local algae and bacteria found in a hot stream
which flows into the pool, causing the splendid
emerald tones. Additionally, the pool is quite
large in circumference and almost several me-
tres deep, so it is quite perfect for swimming in.
Come early afternoon, many of the tourist
hordes in Ao Nang and Krabi come out here on
coach tours, but if you arrive early in the morn-
ing, you’ll have the forest and pool mostly to
yourself. There are also other areas of the park
to explore.
Further up the trail, there is a clear indigo blue
pool known as Sa Nam Phut, which is the ori-
gin of the Emerald Pool and about as clean
a pond of water as one will find in Thailand.
Due to its distance from the visitors centre it
sees few tourists and is a very quiet and magi-
cal spot. Nearby, one will also find the Hermit
Shrine, where a small temple and tiger statue
pays homage to a forest monk who retreated
here to live without disturbance. On my visit
here, the only other person I encountered was
a forest ranger praying at the shrine.
Not far from the Emerald Pool, those looking
for more inland water activities should call in at
Nam Tok Rawn Khlong Thom, or Khlong Thom
Hot Springs. Thermal springs coming from the
volcanic chambers of nearby caves have cre-
ated 35-40 degree water which cascades into
a river.
Several-human sized pools have been formed
here in the forest, and visitors can choose from
the natural hot tubs to a newer man made con-
crete pool structure near the changing rooms.
Again, getting here early in the morning or late
afternoon is the way to go, and a wonderful
way to enjoy the superb surroundings.
Not all inland Krabi attractions have to be
this relaxing though. One bit of penance that
ought to be on everyone’s list (at least to burn
off some of the past evenings’ happy hour ses-
sions) is the climb up Wat Tham Seua, better
known as the Tiger Cave Temple.
No, this is not the temple where they have ti-
gers that are supposedly drugged and contro-
versial. That one is in Kanchanaburi. This one
is Krabi’s highest landmark, a Buddhist tem-
ple that sits right on top of a mountain. Tiger
paw prints were found in a cave here, and the
temple takes its name from a Vipassana prac-

ticing monk who came to sit here and saw tigers roaming the area. These
days one is more likely to see hundreds of aggressive monkeys than tigers,
pleading for tourist handouts, but the monkeys are just a side show. The
real attraction here lies in climbing the 1260 steep stone steps (the sign
at the bottom says 1237, but the numbers rise at the top!) to get to Krabi’s
own slice of heaven.
The going is brutal, especially in the hot sun, and it is a quad and calorie
burner, but is well worth it for the fabulous views of all Krabi Province from
above, looking all the way out to the Andaman and all of the limestone and
jungle clad surroundings.
There are several golden Buddha statues up here to keep you company,
and if the weather is really clear, you might even see that white sand beach
you left just for the privilege of getting this high. However, before you start
thinking of just how good that celebratory beer is going to taste, remember
that it is another 1260 steps back down.
The Tiger Cave Temple is just outside of Krabi Town, about
2-3 kilometers, where one turns left onto road 6017 and
the temple is another 2km further on the left. Look up if
in doubt and you will see the temple perched on top of a
peak. There is no fee to punish yourself here.
For Khlong Thom Hot Springs and Sa Morakot Emerald
Pool one needs to travel about 45 kilometers from Krabi
south on Highway 4 towards Trang. When you reach Kh-
long Thom town, there will be signs posted for the left turn
onto 4021 heading out to the springs and pool, which are
another 25 kilometers inland and about 10 kilometers apart
(hot springs are first).
It would be very hard to get here on public transport, so
you either need to take a tour or rent a car. Unfortunately,
the parks which these attractions are in do not give foreign-
ers with Thai ID cards the usual Thai price, so you need to
cough up 200 baht for the Emerald Pool and 100 for the hot
springs unless you have Thai citizenship.
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The Art
Of Eight Limbs
Muay Thai is an ancient sport attracting
more interest than ever before
The smell of liniment hangs heavy in the air
as the drumbeat gains pace, matching the
fighters’ march to the ring. It’s the curtain-
raiser at MBK’s regular Wednesday Muay
Thai fight night and, today, the opening bout
is between two lads aged maybe 10 or 11 –
known as nak muangs. They perform to pre-
fight ritual, known as the wai khru, which is
a mark of respect to their teachers. And then
it’s on.
“It’s the art of eight limbs, because you’ve
got fists, feet, elbows and knees,” explains
Arran Sirisompan, one of the organizers of
the MBK fight night and regular ringside
commentator. “It’s an ancient fight-
ing style, maybe 400 or 500 years old.
It was used by the army as a way to
defend the King, so it’s a real warrior’s
art.
“The scoring system is just like in box-
ing – the judges will award points based
on who’s more dominant. They also look for
who’s using all aspects of Muay Thai – using
their knees and elbows as well as just throw-
ing punches and kicks.”
After the young fighters have finished, sev-
eral more bouts follow between mature con-
testants. Even without understanding the
finer points of the sport, it’s impossible not
to appreciate the spectacle, with both fight-
ers seemingly taking it in turns to explode to-
ward each other in bursts of movement and
fury. When a kick connects, the slap rings out
loud enough to be heard on the other side of
Ploenchit Rd.
Arran comes from a well-known Muay Thai
family. His father, Grand Master Chinawut
Sirisompan was one of the first Thais to take
Muay Thai to the UK, where he trained fight-
ers at his gym in Manchester. After the fam-
ily moved back to Bangkok, Chinawut was
approached by MBK to stage a regular fight
night. It quickly became a family affair, with

Arran commentating and his sister becoming
a successful fighter.
Indeed, the issue of women’s Muay Thai is a
prickly one. In the big stadiums, it is illegal for
women to touch the ring, let alone compete.
But at MBK, women are well and truly part of
the package.
“Women’s Muay Thai is one of our staple at-
tractions,” Arran explains. “There are definitely
women who are interested in competing and
not many outlets for them. So we’re happy to
give them that opportunity.”
Otherwise, the fighters at MBK are, in Arran’s
words, a “mixed bag”. They tend to be fighters
who are either on the way up or the way down.
“There are guys who have moved from our
fights to go and fight in the big stadiums and
for big promotions,” he explains. “And there
are a lot of people who are training in Bangkok,
aiming to have careers in Muay Thai. There are
always fighters in Muay Thai gyms who are ei-
ther winding down or on the way up and want
that experience in front of a crowd.”
And these days, Muay Thai is certain to draw a
crowd. The sport is in rude health with a boom-
ing profile that extends overseas. And, as a
result, even Thais are embracing the sport in
hitherto unseen numbers.
“There was a time when Muay Thai was looked
down upon among hi-so Thais,” Arran ex-
plains. “You’d have these young guys coming
down from the north to fight in Bangkok and
then heading back with whatever money they
earned. That was the old rule of thumb.
“But now, partly because of the foreign interest
and partly because some of the fighters are su-
perstars because of TV, hi-so Thais now watch
Muay Thai. So attitudes toward the sport and
the understanding of it have changed a lot.”
MBK Fight Night is held every Wednesday night
from 6pm, outside MBK on Ploenchit Rd.

2 Story Corner Restaurant in
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Seating upstairs and down and an
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Indoor Air-Conditioned Bar on
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Small outdoor patio, fridge, air-con,
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Equipment and licenses included.
850,000 Baht
Ex-Pat Bar in an Ex-Pat Plaza
Great returns for this simple air-
conditioned bar with TV and Darts,
bar counter and high-table seating.
Books available to genuine buyers.
12 months renewable lease.
1.5 Million Baht
Fine Dining Seafood and Steak
Restaurant in Silom
400m2 with quality furniture and
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13.5 Million Baht
Corner In&Outside Sports Bar
Brunswick pool table, TVs, toilets,
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2.5 Million Baht
Large Bar with Accommodation
4 Floors and a rooftop, the main
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Indoor/Outdoor Restaurant in Thong Lor
Small Italian take-out/delivery and dine-in
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Reduced to 1 Million Baht
Multi-Story Indian Restaurant
on Sukhumvit Road
2 levels of seating for around 60,
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Small Massage Shop - Ploen Chit
3 Massage beds, 2 Massage Seats,
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800,000 Baht
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3 Hair stations. Air-conditioned,
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MANGO NIGHTS
Ice Age Looming Large
Bangkok kicks off the New Year
with one of Europe's most exciting
rock bands visiting our shores
Ice Age are a four-piece band from Copenhagen,
Denmark with their original roots in punk. They
formed in 2008 with the average member aged
18, and are now on to their third album Plowing
Into The Field of Love which was released just last
October.
The post-punk sound, somewhat reminiscent
of Joy Division, remains but the new opus sees
them expand their palette of instrumentation to
sources as eclectic as the mandolin and viola.
"I think it’s important bands grow a little and
experiment with different sounds while still be-
ing themselves and not disappointing their fan
base,” says Popscene promoter Matt Smith, who
is bringing them to Bangkok.
Smash Cut Reviews, who give the new album
8 out of 10, said: "When they really decide to
slow it down, with the drunken-stumble-home
of Against The Moon, there’s enough going on,
what with the horn section and piano motif, to
doubly engage the listener while also laying out
one of the most emvotionally bare (and meta-
punk) sentiments: “Whatever I do, I don’t repent.”
It reaffirms the idea of ‘punk’ as a concept instead
of a sound, and is beautifully exemplified here.”
Ice Age have certainly turned heads in their na-
tive Europe. Not many Danish punk bands have
made the profile pages of Vogue magazine, after
all, usually the preserve of the Sophie Ellis-Bex-
tors of the music world.
Singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt told Vogue: “The
songs are a lot more open and not so compressed
and frenetic. I wanted to make the vocals sound
very intimate. I’m not perfect at hitting notes, but
I don’t try very hard either. It creates an effect
that’s more about intuition. Anyway, I do con-
sider myself a great singer.”
In keeping with Popscene's philosophy of bring-
ing in local supports for international acts, two
Bangkok acts are playing with Ice Age.
Says Smith: "Alternative rock act The Sangsom
Massacre have been together for nearly two years
and have been putting the hard work in playing
anything and anywhere Bangkok has to offer.
They have just released their first EP The Versus
Of Vice which is available via their Bandcamp
page.
And The Ginkz have been on the Bangkok scene
for several years now and are real entertainers.
They play more traditional, tongue in cheek,
sometimes Molam sounding material."
Ice Age with Sangsom Massacre and the Ginkz
are playing at Langsuan Castle in Chatuchak on
Saturday, January 17. Prices are 650B including a
free beer.
Degaruda have been turning heads for over a
year now as one of Bangkok's tightest and most
innovative original rock bands. Quite brilliantly,
they self describe as being influenced by "DC
hardcore punk, stoner metal, and Karen Carpen-
ter.”
But according to singer Dino Tarasin: "Our main
influence is the Carpenters in terms of song writ-
ing. We like pop melodies mixed with unconven-
tional song structures."
Last year, the band released their first self-titled
album. The song titles are certainly succinct and
hint at the tightness of the tracks with names
such as Tanks, Milk and Lamb.
It presaged a year of ups and downs. Tarasin says:
"Our best live experience was at Noise Market 2.
It was raining all afternoon and we were delayed
so we didn't expect to play to a lot of people. But
then we started playing and about 300 people
were there and they all went nuts and had huge
smiles on their faces.
“Probably a low point was a show we did at Im-
mortal Bar the second night of curfew after the
coup hit. There was literally no one there but the
other band that played before us.”
Degaruda plan to release a new album this year
but have to wait first as bassist Phil will be enter-
ing monkhood in January. And unlike some of
the city's promoters and venue owners who are
feeling down about the musc scene, Tarasin is
quite buoyant.
"Personally, I feel that we're either coming to or in
the middle of a golden age in terms of the indie
music scene,” he says.
“There are so many bands with so much talent
that are doing it for pure love and passion and
don't really give a shit if they get famous.
“We've played with bands like Monomania, Plas-
tic Section, Matthew Fisher and the Fishes, aire,
Triggs and the Longest Day. And they've always
put on inspiring shows.”
Degaruda making waves

A Year of Hard Knocks
Will 2015 bring a better or worse year for the capital’s nightowls? The jury is divided
MANGO NIGHTS
2014 was certainly a tumultuous year for Bang-
kok nightlife with the effects of martial law,
enforcement of closing times, visa crackdowns
and increased police searches of foreigners in
the Asoke area all having an impact on the qual-
ity of the scene.
Mango Metro asked a sample of promoters,
DJs and comics across the city to comment on
what they thought about the current situation
and one common thread that emerged was the
strict enforcement of 1am and 2am closures
across the city.
According to Popscene promoter Jimmy
Livewire: "Fingers are crossed that things can
improve in regards to late licenses. If things can
go back to how they were a few months ago
then I think punters will feel a lot more relaxed
about going out and will hopefully do it more.”
Thai DJ Souldust, a perennial at venues such as
Oscar and Vogue Lounge, concurs but certainly
doesn't mince his words when asked what he
sees as the no 1 challenge for Bangkok's night
life.
"The enforced, Orwellian, totalitarian and down-
right fucking shit 2am curfew [excuse the lan-
guage]. It’s the single biggest killer in our city’s
otherwise flourishing scene," he says.
But dig a little deeper and it seems the early clo-
sures aren't the only problem for the sector.
Mixmag Asia publisher and SixSix Asia director
Dave Milligan, who has been responsible for
some of the biggest international DJ events in
Bangkok, says he is wholly negative about pros-
pects for the city.
Indeed, after concentrating on this market for
some years he is now branching out into other
parts of Asia for his events.
"Unfortunately, things have been so stagnant
for so long that there isn't one venue which is re-
motely comparable to a world class venue. The
powers that be are holding things back in a mas-
sive way," Milligan said. "I have nothing positive
to say unfortunately.”
Early closures hit the dance clubs hardest but
the live music scene also appears to be under-
going mixed fortunes.
Popscene's Jimmy Livewire recently indicated
he intended to curtail his regular promotion of
touring international rock acts because of the
apparent fickle attitude of Bangkok's audiences
to actually attending their gigs.
"The excuses ‘I have work tomorrow’, ‘The venue
is too far away’, ‘It’s too expensive’ are actually
a bit pathetic. My ticket prices are never more
than 650 baht, 80 percent of the time the ven-
ues are accessible by MRT or BTS and if they fall
on a school night then they’re usually over by
midnight." Livewire says.
"I’m really not one to blow my own trumpet
but if Popscene didn’t exist then there would
be a lot less international bands/artists travel-
ling through Bangkok. I’d actually go as far to
say 80% less acts. If people don’t come and buy
tickets for my shows then I can’t pay the artists.
No tickets sold means no more shows, it’s that
simple."
For Bangkok's own rock biographer and uber-

MANGO NIGHTS
blogger Dave Crimaldi, the live music problem
is related to a lack of supply as much as demand.
"The underground live music community needs
more venues,” he says. “But police seem to be
enforcing laws they never cared about in the
past like zoning laws for music and entertain-
ment – this has forced some popular under-
ground venues like Fatty's to no longer feature
live music. Last year [2014] we also lost Harmon-
ica and Cosmic Cafe that really hurt us to lose.
"I also think the scene needs more music writers,
reviewers, photographers and videographers
because developing digital content is vital to
global awareness of the Bangkok scene. While
time-consuming, this is the DIY attitude. If you
can't get press, start a blog or zine. If you can't
get a producer, produce your album yourself.”
That said, Crimaldi, also sees positive signs in the
venues who are embracing independent music
such as Play Yard, The Overstay, Immortal, Rock
Pub, Hemingway's, Jam, Det 5, and Brownstone
Studio. He also namechecks some interesting
innovations such as SoFar.
"They are secret gigs set up in intimate settings,”
he says. “It's all volunteer production crew and
people register to go. It's a novel idea and brings
the mystery back to music. Things like that keep
the medium alive."
"The festivals Keep on the Grass and Noise Mar-
ket are both taking place out of town on the
same day at the end of January – I think the sites
of those festivals are very close so people can
enjoy Noise Market in the day and then go to
Keep on the Grass towards night.”
Livewire also agrees that the burgeoning num-
ber of festivals here might serve to keep the mu-
sic scene stimulated.
One area of the city's nightlife that is certainly
on the up and up is English language comedy.
A dedicated Bangkok Comedy Club opened up
above the Royal Oak Pub earlier in 2014 and
principal Chris Wegoda sees this as epitomising
a trend away from nightclubbing toward other
nocturnal activities.
"Not long ago all you could do was party at night
in Bangkok, that hasn't changed but party can
mean so much now. I think the ever growing
English language arts and entertainment scene
with more and more theatre, cabaret, magic and
of course comedy shows has to be a large part of
it," Wegoda says.
"The popularity of international comedians at
our club has motivated us to add more to the
schedule in the New Year. This will also help the
growing local comedy community, which has
really blossomed this year.
“We are going to be having some big names
starting as soon as January with Gina Yashere
who has appeared on Comedy Central, the To-
night Show, Conan O’Brien and a lot more."
Grem Wood, who performs with another com-
edy troupe, Bangkok Hilarious, agrees that 2015
will see comedy establish a foothold.
"2015 should see it grow to receiving more in-
ternational performers," he says, predicting a
minor surge in comedy and stage shows.
"A growth in the theatre industry in Bangkok
will define the new year, allowing acting in more
than TV commercials and minor movie roles, this
growing a bigger and more tight nit performing
community.”
One thing all our respondents agree on is that
there will be no shortage of artist "supply" in the
new year.
"The Kolour parties are going to get bigger and
carry on the momentum of their growth; they’ll
elevate themselves to the next level for sure."
Souldust says. "Others may see this as a bad
thing, but the way I see it is they’ll leave a gap
in the market for mid-tier brands to come into
light."
He also sees a trend away from the current
deep-house scene toward house and techno:
"The best thing about the city’s scene in 2015 is
how competitive it’s going to be, and much like
any economic model, a market which is highly
competitive will be much more interesting with
people offering different styles of music, price
range and party concepts. The punters will be
spoilt for choice.”

SUKHUMVIT SOI 22 (BEHIND NO IDEA)
OPEN TUESDAYS-SUNDAYS 6PM UNTIL LATE
WESTERN & THAI FOOD ● BEERS, COCKTAILS & WINE
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Friday, January 30 from 9pm
Saturday, January 10
LIVE COMEDY
DJ AFRIKA ISLAM
With WASABI BYTES (live electronica) in support & Together
Friday, January 16
UNDERGROUND
DISCO & HOUSE
WASABI BYTES
Bangkok’s international electronica act
release their new single “Euphoric” and
preview their new album “Greatest Bits”
exclusively at Glow. Live performance and
free CD for first 100 at the door.
FREE, THURSDAY JANUARY 8 FROM 9PM

Ari’s dining scene has really taken off in
recent months and Rock may be the most
sophisticated of the new places that have
opened up lately. Set up by a team of
foodie friends, Rock offers a Thai-inspired
menu that boldly borrows bits and pieces
from other Asian cuisines without top-
pling into full-blown fusion. In fact, it’s
these innovations that make Rock stand
out from the crowd.
The canapés are exceptional, starting with
the fresh pomelo slaw with toasted co-
conut, served in betel leaves. This dish is
a classic Thai starter that has returned to
several menus throughout the city, albeit
with a certain modern twist. The crab rab
wafers that come with a cream cheese and
a sweet-sour sauce are just as impressive.
Moving on to the appetisers, the sweet
mango salsa with smoked duck breast
and crispy wantons is a beautifully bal-
anced dish, with the mango delivering a
delicious citrus offset to the smokey duck.
Rock
The charcoal-grilled pork neck with tamarind
dipping sauce is also immensely satisfying –
there’s a hint of street food style here, height-
ened and refined by the introduction of more
delicate flavours.
There are some inspired mains as well – try
the yellow curry lamb shank with roasted
potato and carrot or the crab curry with
rice noodles.
Overall, Rock is the fresh, thoughtful
approach to modern Thai food, set in a
gorgeous interior.
Rock
7/1 Soi Chumnanaaksorn,
Phanonyothin soi 9
0826-888-200
facebook.com/rockrestaurantandbar
It’s fascinating to watch Thai embrace
western food in such vast numbers and
there are few places where this phenom-
enon is as acute as at Jim’s Burgers and
Beers. It’s a compact cafe set-up in Ari with
an even more compact menu. Neverthe-
less, it’s packed night after night with an
overwhelmingly Thai crowd.
The interior is comfortable and well-
judged but the openers haven’t broke the
bank going for appearance. Rather, they
have hit upon a formula for a damn good
burger and are sticking to it.
The signature offering here is the Honey
Beef Burger, which uses milk, cheese and
honey to flavour the patty. It’s a serious
offering. Forget about the dinky little slid-
ers served up at some of the gastropubs
around Sukhumvit and Silom. This burger
is a proper two-handed beef sandwich.
And it’s an absolute winner.
Not to be overlooked, the Super Cheesy
Pork BLT is as epic as it sounds and the Mr
Maew fried chicken is an ideal side. Wash
it all down with a Lucky Jack Pale Ale.
Jim’s Burgers and Beers
Jim’s Burgers and Beers
Rama6,infrontofAriSamphanSoi3
02-000-9598
Facebook: JIM’s Burgers & Beers
MANGO BITES

Dutch chef Hank Savelberg caught the eye
of Michelin with his European restaurant in
the Hague and now, as of last month, he’s
brought his eponymous brand to Bangkok.
Wireless Rd is already full of lavish restau-
rants and luxury hotels, so Savelberg will
have its work cut out standing out from the
other glittering options in this neighbour-
hood.
Savelberg made his name serving more tra-
ditional cuisine than is on offer here – it ap-
pears that, rather than doubling down on
the formula that has brought him a flood of
accolades previously, Savelberg is embrac-
ing a more modern style as he branches
out into Asia.
Even allowing for this snazzier presenta-
tion, the produce is still allowed to shine.
For example, the lobster salad comes with
lobsters cream, vinaigrette, lemon and
honey, creating a delicious offset that nev-
er threatens to take the spotlight off the
lobster.
In Bangkok, the gastrobar is the Holy Grail
of nightlife venues. Places that can attract
diners as well as drinks rake in the cash
but getting it right is harder than it might
seem. Sway, though, does a fine job of bal-
ancing their food and drink, pairing some
well-chosen craft beers with their signature
chicken wings.
Sway boasts a self-service ‘beer wall’, al-
lowing customers to pour their own craft
beers. They’ve sourced some interesting
brews, offering a well-balanced selection
that gives plenty of space to the thriving
home brew scene on the west coast of the
USA.
The food is rustic, with a few Canadian clas-
sics reflecting the nationality of the own-
ers. The putine is a messy delight: fries lib-
erally seasoned with a choice of toppings,
whether it’s gravy and cheese, jalapeños,
pork belly or grilled chicken.
But the chicken wings, served in a variety
of flavours, are the main attraction. Start
with a bowl of the signature Pok Pok wings,
seasoned Thai-style with garlic, chili paste
Savelberg
Sway
New opening
The grilled turbot is also excellent, the
beautifully moist fish coming with a cream
of peas, asparagus and onions, topped off
with a wild mushroom sauce. The turbot it-
self is expertly prepared but the sauce here
is particularly memorable.
Likewise, the slow-cooked candied chicken
leg, served with celery, wild mushrooms,
hazelnuts and smoked garlic sauce is an-
other shining example of Savelberg’s ap-
Savelberg
GFOrientalResidence,WirelessRd
02-252-8001
facebook.com/savelbergth
Sway
Arena 10, Thonglor Soi 10
02-711-6052
swaybkk.com
proach: taking traditional European fla-
vours and ingredients and heightening
them all with a modern twist.
and cilantro, before moving on to the In-
dian Spice option, which come dusted in
curry powder. Or try the Lemon Szechuan,
the Dark Chocolate or the Sweet and Spicy
Mango. As signature dishes go, these wings
definitely warrant a return visit.
MANGO BITES

MANGO BITES
H
ungry Hub was founded on
the notion that today’s con-
sumers want to be able to
search for local restaurants by loca-
tion or cuisine and then make reser-
vations at a restaurant all with the
click of a button on their computer
or mobile device.
The reality is, restaurants aren’t
open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
and that limits their ability to accept
reservations when the potential
guest is making dinner plans. Many
restaurants use an archaic method
of manually recording and track-
ing guest reservations; with Hun-
gry Hub, the reservations are made
electronically and tracked in much
the same way.
It’smoreconvenientandthereisless
room for error this way. By stream-
lining this process, Hungry Hub is
revolutionising the way diners and
restaurateurs interact. It is the new
standard in restaurant reservations
in Thailand.
Members are important to Hungry
Hub and they work very hard to
bring them the most up-to-date in-
formation available through social
media facebook.com/HungryHub,
instagram.com/hungryhub and
twitter.com/HungryHub.
With every successful booking,
members receive Hungry Points
Rewards which are redeemable for
cash. Service standards are among
the highest in the industry because
Hungry Hub listens to and acknowl-
edge the individual needs of mem-
bers.
With slightly over one month of soft
launch, Hungry Hub has over 1,000
downloads for their app; more than
65 restaurants on the list and seat-
ed more than 200 people through
our booking engine. Initially they
have focused on restaurants around
Sukhumvit/Thonglor & Sathorn/Si-
lom but are now expanding to Ari
and soon to other areas by adding
20-30 restaurants a month.
Hungry Hub is Thailand’s premier online
restaurant reservation service,
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sponsored content

Dan Koh
Through his company Sea Truffles, Dan Koh
has created a niche for himself as an import-
er of high-quality seafood. With the demand
for oysters now booming in Bangkok, Koh’s
Irish Premium Oysters have been cropping
up on menus all over the city.
“With the economics of Thailand getting bet-
ter, with a growing middle class, many more
people can afford this luxury item,” explains
Koh, a Chinese-Korean who hails from Ha-
waii.
“In America at the start of the 20th century,
oysters were the cheapest protein. It was
cheaper than chicken, beef and pork - in the
northeastern port cities the vendors would
sit on the docks, selling them like street food.
“Times change - refrigeration comes into the
equation. You have trends and oysters have
come back as a luxury item.”
Koh is also a devotee of organic sea urchins,
or uni, which he sources from the waters
near the Philippines.
“I’ve been eating uni for a long time - it’s
hands-down my favourite kind of sashimi,”
he says. “It’s expensive – it’s like foie gras of
the ocean, so you pay for it wherever you go.
“Uni has some of the highest occurring natu-
ral glutinates of any food in the world. These
glutinates are what trigger what’s called
‘umami’ - or ‘the fifth taste’. It means any
food with naturally present glutinates is go-
ing to be delicious.”
Koh is from Hawaii, so perhaps it’s no sur-
prise that he also swears by tuna.
“High-quality tuna has no smell, and is a
deep rich, vibrant colour and is very sweet,”
he says.
“I’m from Hawaii - so the best way to eat tuna
is ahi poke. It’s fresh tuna, cut into cubes,
then marinaded with garlic, ginger, sesame
oil and soy sauce, a little bit of chili pepper.
Just a light marinade – it’s so good.”
For more information, check out Facebook:
Sea Truffle or contact Dan Koh at
seatruffles@gmail.com.
Foodie chat
MANGO BITES

Pub & Restaurant
Bangkok
Deutsches
Eck
Sukhumvit Soi 20, Rembrandt Tower Serviced Apartments, Klongtoey Bangkok 10110
Tel.: +66 (2) 262 0263 Fax:+66 (2) 262 0264
info@deutscheseckbangkok.com www.deutscheseckbangkok.com
“Deutsches Eck” is a guest-friendly oasis in the heart of Bangkok
and a meeting point for everybody
Open daily 8am - 1am
Free of charge parking and complementary WiFi
Sit at our spacious garden terrace or inside the air conditioned restaurant.
Watch the latest sports events like Bundesliga or Formula 1
LIVE on our big TV screens

HEART DISEASE MYTHS:
HEART DISEASE MYTHS AND
MISCONCEPTIONS CAN BE LIFE THREATENING
Advances in science and technology over the
past decade have allowed us to learn a lot and
understand more about heart disease. But un-
less you follow medical news closely, there is a
chance you might have misconceptions about
the risk factors for heart disease, or heart disease
itself. We’ve compiled a list of the five most com-
mon heart disease myths.
1. If you have heart disease, you need
to take it easy.
Being diagnosed with heart disease may make
some people hesitate to live an active lifestyle
through fears that it could be harmful to their
heart. In fact, being sedentary does more harm
than good.
Exercise helps strengthen the heart muscle, im-
proves overall health and well-being, and ensures
the risk factors of heart disease including high
blood pressure and diabetes are under control.
2. Higher blood pressure is normal
as you get older.
Blood pressure tends to rise with age, but that
doesn’t mean it is good for you. It happens be-
cause artery walls become stiff with age. Stiff ar-
teries force the heart to pump harder. This sets up
a vicious cycle.
Blood pounding against the artery walls dam-
ages them over time. The overworked heart mus-
cle becomes less effective and pumps harder to
meet the body’s demands for blood.
This further damages the arteries and invites fat
into the artery walls. This is how high blood pres-
sure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
3. If you have heart disease, you
should eat as little fat as possible.
It is true you should eat a diet low in saturated
fat, partially hydrogenated fat, and trans fat. But
not all fats are equal. The unsaturated fats in veg-
etable oils and other foods are beneficial. In fact,
eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids can lower
the risk of heart disease.
4. If you take a cholesterol-lowering
drug, you can eat anything.
Cholesterol in the bloodstream comes from two
sources – your liver makes some, and you get
some from certain foods. Consumption of food
carelessly with hope that medication will take
care of everything is generally a bad idea. Statins
reduce the amount of cholesterol made by the
liver, but not those from food you eat. That is why
doctors always prescribe cholesterol-lowering
medication together with careful diet selection
and lifestyle modification, which proves to be
most effective in controlling cholesterol and re-
ducing heart disease risk.
5. Angioplasty and stenting or
bypass surgery will “fix” your heart.
Angioplasty and bypass surgery can better your
heart function and reduce chest pain as well as
improve your quality of life. But they don’t stop
the underlying disease –atherosclerosis.
Without correcting the problems that contrib-
ute to atherosclerosis, arteries will continue to
become clogged with fatty plaque, which may
mean the return of angina or a heart attack. After
undergoing angioplasty or bypass surgery, it is
important to correct the problems that led to the
need for the procedure, such as high cholesterol
or blood pressure, a poor diet, smoking, or lack
of exercise.

CLASSIFIEDS
MARKETPLACEAdvertise or announce
anything for... FREE!
Max. 75 words. Listings run as space allows or until cancelled.
Email your ad to: dsbkk@mangometro.com
For more DSBKK, click over to fb.com/groups/dsbkk
or fb.com/groups/dsbkkpromo
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GENUINE TEMPUR memory mattress 2m x 1m.
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CHEVROLET ZAFIRA on sale 2003 - 220.000 kms
Black color - leather seats 120,000 THB Contact:
083 833 44 49 (Th/En) (A)
COMPLETELY NEW RENOVATED fantastic 63sqm
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month. ggthonglor@gmail.com - 0839296111 (A)
NEED HELP WITH ENGLISH? You need a good
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I can help you with your most difficult reading,
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GOOD QUALITY SEAFOOD from Japan. We supply
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URGENT FOR RENT/SALE: All Season Mansion. A
luxury condominium on Ploenchit-Wireless rd.. 3 B/r
178sqm nice view, Best offered call 095-948-7221.
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LPN MEGA CITY Bangna 22F 2 Bedrooms 2
Bathrooms 2 Carparks 45.78 SQM , near cornner,
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ONE OWNER, no accident, very good condition,
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metallic. Asking 220,000 bt, negotiable. call K. Boon
0904121550. (A)
CONDO NEAR Thailand culture center for rent and
sale on the 8th floor, corner 60.23sq.m 1 living room.
2 balconys. Furnished in modern light / fresh style,
rent 20,000 b per month. Swimming pool. Saunas.
Fitness. Close to MRT. Contact joe 089-870-5009
E-mail easy1624@hotmail.com (A)
YAMAHA FINE SPORT 11 5cc Best in thailand. In
better than good condition – the first to see and
test will buy it. Seat fully refurbished for comfort.
Fully serviced with green book etc. Now reduced
to @ 24,000 baht negotiable. I’m in sathorn /
thonburi. Email Laurent.macaluso@hotmail.fr.
X-BANKERS – business loan consolidators, only
over 1.0 MB. Good credit, bad credit, no credit,
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Phone : 081-447-1478 (K)
MODERN CONDO from studio-3bedroom unit in
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from 18000Baht/month m. 095-948-7221. (L)
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fully fitted open kitchen , living room, 2 bedrooms
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or fabiennebgk@hotmail.com (A)
DO YOU WISH TO LEARN ENGLISH conversation
from a native speaker? Do you need a proofreader?
I can help. I am an American man living in Bangkok.
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spelling and everyday conversation. usateacherabc@
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KEBABS + FROZEN COCKTAILS

MANGO METRO Magazine | Bangkok | January 2015

MANGO METRO Magazine | Bangkok | January 2015

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MANGO METRO Magazine | Bangkok | January 2015