10.320 Fried King Lobster with Garlic & Black Pepper

10.320

21 (Thu) November 2019

Fried King Lobster with Garlic & Black Pepper

1.5

at Pupen Seafood

-Pattaya, Thailand-

solo

Mission to Thailand, Day 3.

In Bangkok.  Here to participate in a consultation – “Innovations for Strengthening National Capacities in Health Law & Ethics” – as a pre-event at the 51st Conference of the Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium on Public Health.  I had attended a similar event in Malaysia last year (see 9.249 Ostrich in Oyster Sauce).

PERSONAL DEVIATION

Dives 139-140.

So long as I was in Thailand, I stayed an extra day to dive.

I went through Real Divers, a dive shop based in Pattaya.  The crew was professional, facilities were immaculate (including a high-speed boat), services were top-notch (including a lunch of pad thai).

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I won’t say what happening here, but those who know will never forget.

Alas, the diving itself was crappy, very very poor visibility, though I was assured that Pattaya can be excellent when the conditions are favorable.

Anyway, Thailand is the 8th country and the Gulf of Thailand is the 10th body of water where I’ve enjoyed the privilege of diving.

  1. Philippines, Balayan Bay (Anilao) (9.042 Garlic Squid + Buttered Vegetables); Batangas Bay (Puerto Galera) (9.115 Budae Jjigae)
  2. Fiji, Nadi Bay (Nadi) (6.104 Seared Mahi Mahi); Pacific Harbour (Pacific Harbour) (10.189 Clouds in Sky)
  3. Maldives, Arabian Sea (Male) (9.190 Grilled Snapper)
  4. Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (Kota Kinabalu) (9.248 Homemade Chicken Curry)
  5. Jordan, Red Sea (Aqaba) (9.265 Mixed Grill)
  6. Lebanon, Mediterranean Sea (Beirut) (see 9.334 Deep-Fried Red Mullet)
  7. United Arab Emirates, Persian/Arabian Gulf (Abu Dhabi) (10.299 Black Pepper Chicken)
  8. Thailand, Gulf of Thailand (Pattaya) (10.320 Fried King Lobster with Garlic & Lobster)

SHOPPING

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The Now Hotel, right on the beach, a couple blocks down the street from Real Divers.

At the 7-Eleven on the ground floor of the hotel, I had a blast buying local sauces, seasonings, and noodles to kick start my exploration of Thai cooking when I get home.

DINNER

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Pupen Seafood is a Thai restaurant.
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Very slick, clearly catering to the wealthy tourist crowd.
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Specializes in seafood, sold by weight, made to order.
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As per the rules, I was compelled to order a lobster.
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A bit more expensive than the place last night.
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Stir-Fried Morning Glory (3.0): I have never had a serving of this dish that wasn’t good.
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Grilled Prawns (2.5): didn’t anticipate that I would have to shell them at the table; I got through a few of them before giving up.

 

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Until this moment, the very thought of fish sauce had given me the shudders, but done like this – with lime juice and chilies and garlic and cilantro and sugar – I am suddenly enamored.
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Fried Rice with Squid (2.5)

Alas, the lobster, major meh.  The meat was overcooked and dry.  The deep-fried garlic was dry and overseasoned.  And what a mess.

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