MISKO NOSE LIFT IN BANGKOK

I have been wanting to change the shape of my peasant nose for, let's see, two thirds of my life. I have consulted two doctors who told me I wouldn't see much difference even after rhinoplasty. This was way before the Korean plastic surgery industry took off and noses way more bulbous than mine have been sliced to smithereens to emerge both aristocratic and genteel, which is what I believe I should possess. 

But I still haven't proceeded with it for various reasons I shan't share here. Suffice to say, I was very excited to hear of the Misko lift for nose reshaping in Bangkok. 

Similar to the thread lift that I did for my face, the threads used here have tiny barbs that, when injected into the nose in strategic positions, will hold up the nose in a shape you desire. It's minimally invasive (you can only inject so many threads into a nose after all, no matter how huge). Some filler, like Restylane, will also be injected to hold the threads better and also help shape the conker of your dreams.

From my research of the Thai clinics, the threads can be injected above the nostrils and vertically along the spine of the nose. If required, the threads could also fan out from the spine to the sides of the nose.

As expected, getting them to quote you a price is like trying to pull nails out from a plank with your fingers. They just want you to visit them in 3D so they can hynoptise you and make you sign for a package of three, I bet! 

So far, with much cajoling and empty promises, I have received quotes ranging from 30,000 baht to 50,000 baht (S$1,200 to S$2,000). Some promised unlimited threads, some throw in 1cc of Restylane filler and one offered 'restyling' if you should be dissatisfied. None promised I would get hitched. 

Online, The Klinic at Siam Square One seems to show they have done a few successful cases. I also came across one blog by Dr Sirithorn Schachaisiri of ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery who posted many super impressive befores and afters but yet, had a web link to www.facefocusclinic.com instead? 

I feel like exploring this procedure on my next trip to Bangkok. But at such prices, I might as well pay for a full rhinoplasty there, especially when my own experience with facial threads show that the effect last for, at most, a year. Oh well, I still have a few months to think about it. 

DINING IN ON A BUDGET

As long as you have a microwave in your apartment, you won't starve and you can have your breakfast, lunch and dinner for as little as S$10 a day. No, I am not talking about surviving on instant noodles and 3-in-1 sachets but balanced meals with carbs, protein, fibre and Vitamin C. My above takeaway lunch, for example, costs me 100 baht or S$4.00.

At most supermarkets, you can find a lot of food neatly packed for you to heat it up. Plain rice with a piece of fried chicken or a combination of fried egg with minced pork fried with basil go for 30 to 35 baht. 

 You can also find fried noodles and bee hoon going for as little as 15 baht (S$0.60)

Or simply choose white rice (10 baht) to go with any Thai dishes or curries (30 baht or S$1.20 each).

I still can't get over how delicious my pork ribs with bitter gourd soup was and it was enough for two. 

To top it all, you will see some items marked off as much as 50 per cent at any time of the day. 

IT'S NO JOKE AT JOK PRINCE CONGEE

I am a rice porridge/congee lover and I have done my research.

It seems that the best congee in Bangkok is served up at a tiny, narrow restaurant within walking distance from Sapan Taksin BTS Skytrain Station. 

From the information I have gathered, Jok Prince isn’t big on variety i.e their watery recipe has been honed to perfection. Their congee comes with finely minced pork balls, with or without offal, and is served with poached egg or ‘century egg’ (a Chinese style of preserved egg), with a garnishing of spring onions. What separates them from the competition is a faint but clearly perceptible smokey taste. Bowls start from 45 baht.

It’s at Charoen Krung Road, opposite Robinson Shopping Mall (next to Shangri La Hotel). Walk away from Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain Station for about 200 metres.

A PLATEFUL OF PAELLA @ CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET

You can't miss Viva 8 located along the stretch of Section 8, near Gate 2 of the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Because there is always music blasting and a small group of tourists clicking away at this caricature of a paella chef who happily makes a great show of it. 

Seats at this cafe are hard to come by and understandably so cos it's a neat watering hole for many beers and cocktails, with a live DJ on hand to play you some funky house.

Oh yes, the paella. It'll cost you 150 baht per flavourful plate. 

LEK SEAFOOD @ CHONG NONSI BTS STATION

This is one very local and no frills Thai seafood restaurant that is super easy to get to. Alight at Chong Nonsi BTS station, exit at the side with the two hotels and it is about a hundred meters away from the hotels. 

We visited it last year when we were staying at Chong Nonsi and we felt that our meal was thoroughly yummy and very reasonably priced. The menu is in English and the staff was very helpful in suggesting dishes too. For those who dislike going al fresco, like me, they have an air-conditioned section, while the other tables spill out to blend in with the hustle and bustle of Narathiwat Road.

Roll up your sleeves, grab a plastic chair and try their super big grilled prawns, stir fried baby clams with basil, grilled fish with salt and herbs in banana leaf, deep fried baby crabs, shell fish of any kind and Thai style steamed catfish with chilli and lime. And to go with the local flow, beer should be drunk with ice. 

IT'S CHABUTON FOR RA-RA-RAMEN

My go-to, mid-priced pick for ramen noodles when pad Thai is coming out of my ears is Chabuton, a Japanese oiishi export brought in by chef Yasuji Morizumi. If you must know, Morizumi was crowned the ramen champion on Japan’s famous variety show, TV Champion, in 2002. 

Please also know that in 2010, Morizumi's restaurant, “Mist” in Hong Kong was awarded a michelin star. And now, you can find many of his famed signature ramen bowls in Chabuton noodle houses dotted across Bangkok, in places like Terminal 21, Siam Paragon and many Central malls.

The tonkatsu ramen is their original hit: you’ll be served a bowl of noodles in concentrated pork-bone soup that’s been put on the burner for more than 15 hours, topped with Japanese onions and layered over with slices of yummy grilled pork. 

For those looking for a very good deal (me putting up my hand as I am typing this), you can get a very nice set meal at Chabuton's for 299 baht or less.

From what I read online, Chabuton’s competitors are Bankara Ramen and Ramentei. But stranger than fiction, I don’t seem to see them anywhere?

SHOPPING FOR A GOOD CAUSE @ PANKAN SOCIETY

Pankan Society holds a sale of sellable donated items at shopping malls to raise money for Yuvabadhana Foundation, an organisation that provides education funds for children in need. 

I chanced upon one of them at Central Plaza Lad Prao, at the basement of the mall. They have an interesting and considerable range and the items on sale looked very new to my eyes that mesmerise. 

ERAWAN TEA ROOM - AN UPDATE ON PRICING

Mel and Lawrie went yesterday and their all-you-can-eat menu has gone up from 800 baht to 900 baht ++. I think they want to make you pay for their reno incurred from the Erawan Shrine blast? Still, it's great value if a group of 6 goes and order 12 dishes to try. I'm very impressed 2 stomachs can fill in 9 dishes, with drinks and desserts too smile emoticon

AN EXPLORATIVE TRIP TO HUAI KHWANG

I decided to explore the vicinity around Huai Khwang MRT station as I have never alighted at this station before. I came out of Exit 1 and walked straight towards Exit 2. There is nothing in between them so you can save yourself some sun and exit at Exit 2 :)

After crossing the road at the T-junction and walking past two condos, you arrive at the Swissotel Le Concorde, which is huge and got me worried about their occupancy rate, not that it is any of my business. 

At the end of the hotel is a mini Buddhist shrine and immediately after it, there is public square lined with condos on your left. 

As I enter, I saw a small cafe, some shops and this place selling clay pot porridge, which is something I would love to eat. They also have a big massage place beside it.  

After this small public square,you'll see Joe Seafood, which looks rather promising.

Set under a huge white tent, there are quite a few tanks of live seafood and a not-too-friendly uncle behind the open air kitchen.

I have a good hunch their seafood would be good and reasonably priced. They look like they know what they are doing. 

By then, there seemed to be nothing further down worth exploring and it has been about an one-kilometre walk from the exit of the MRT station so I climbed up the overhead bridge and walked to the other side, back to where I came from. 

The Ivory is a very apt name for a dentist, don't you think? It seems like a new joint on this road. They promise you a brighter smile in 45 minutes!

Next comes two big massage places, the Lemongrass Thai Heritage massage and another one just beside it that also touts traditional Thai massage. Truth be told, there are two enormous and glitzy ones located before these two but judging from what they put on their facades, you can tell that your achy muscles may not be the ones that get massaged.  

And then we have the original fried curry crab from Somboon Seafood. Say what you like, but I still prefer our Singaporean crab dishes somehow?!

Cross the road at the T-junction and you'll find the Ganesha Shrine.

It was established in the year 2000 and according to the Chinese sign, it seems to have granted many wishes to its devotees. 

Well, there's another shrine more to my cup of Earl Grey beckoning me next to the Ganesha Shrine. Dr Beau clinic even has a men's health information centre, with a tagline "NO MORE EXCUSES"!

Fighting for the same beauty pie is Idol Me clinic a few steps away.

I love clinics that display their prices right up front. Just cutting to the chase gets my attention everytime. 

More options for your dental beautification if needed:

It seems like 1000 baht for cleaning, polishing and a dose of fluoride is pretty standard in Bangkok. I had the same price when I did mine at a Central mall.  

Wuttisak aesthetic and laser centre is a chain of beauty clinics in Bangkok. I saw another one at Park One mall adjacent to Central Plaza Lad Prao.

5 RESTAURANTS TO TRY @ CENTRAL PLAZA LAD PRAO

I recommend visiting the extremely huge Central Plaza Lad Prao as it has literally everything under one roof and at the same time, Union Mall is only just a bridge away, PLUS there are two great places for street food around it and its basement is an amazing web of individual outlets that are pretty cool to explore. How's that for an entire afternoon taken care of?

To go to this Central Plaza, alight at Phahon Yothin MRT station, exit at the sign Central Plaza Lad Prao, walk up the bridge towards Union Mall, turn left before you reach Union Mall and go down the narrow flight of stairs on the left. Walk straight for about 200 metres and you can see the entrance on your right. 

As you enter, you see these four restaurants on your left. 

On The Table Tokyo Cafe has a presence in many Central Malls. I have always liked their soothing zen interiors and yet, I have not tried any one of them. Yet. 

You can expect western infusions mixed with Japanese faves and there will be an abundance of cheese and mayo, which probably make everything extra delicious, no?

Taling Pling, all done up in hot pink, is also another established restaurant chain. I have tried the branch at Siam Paragon. There is another one at Central World and probably a few others scattered elsewhere.

Their menu can be extensive, which makes it extremely laborious to plough through for someone like me and I will hand over the ordering of what we are going to eat to whoever is with me immediately, since I eat almost anything and everything.  

At Taling Pling, expect home-style Thai dishes at reasonable prices. A quick peruse at their menu shows the presence of their favourite classics such as tom yum kung, beef curry, ox tongue stew, crispy pork lard omelette and yum pla salad. 

The white banners on the ceiling of Sushi Den caught my attention more than anything else.  While searching for more information online, I came across a post that claimed it gets its fish from the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo and another one in Hokkaido every morning. 

Their long trays of maki rolls look pretty impressive (250 to 700 baht) and a singular dish meal cost about 150 to 250 baht.

Like the ceiling of Sushi Den, I was captivated by the greens of this Thai-worded restaurant this time round. It serves economical noodle/rice meals from 75 to 125 baht as well as Thai dishes to be shared. I 'lined" my Thai friend Suwie and he said it's called Kam Poon in English and serves fusion Isaan food. 

Located opposite these four restaurants is the exotic looking Cafe Chilli. Its interiors are the most well-designed of the five if you asked me. 

The tumeric colours and wall graphics gives me a modern Indian vibe but the menu is predominantly Thai.

 Expect to see quite a bit of 'spicy' used as a prefix to the dishes offered. 

Prices start from 130 baht and goes up to 490 baht for grilled Australian beef/lamb.