Fah Thai Magazine Jul-Aug 2018

OVERTURES
ARTS & CULTURAL MATTERS
Lure of
the Local
Words Jeremie Schatz, Sarita Urupongsa Photos Jeremie Schatz, Dolnapa Ram-Indra
PHUKET
Siow Jung Sin
A bowl of sandalwood is kept burning out
front at all times. Stepping through the
fragrant veil of smoke, you realise you’ve
stumbled across something special. It’s
one part dimly-lit antique shop, one part
hustling restaurant, but it’s much more
than the sum of its parts. With no sign
and an unassuming façade, Siow Jung Sin
need not rely on glitz and glam to lure
in customers. This humble Phuket Town
favourite has a loyal following whose
stomachs and senses lead them back.
Despite the random décor of antique
mining lanterns, table tops displaying old
cassette tapes and dangling birds’ nests
creating a sense of timelessness, they first
fired up their woks only six years ago.
A labour of love for Bank and
Ingo Siyangsanaw, they are a constant
presence with Bank working his magic
over the fire and Ing liaising between
guests and staff. The steaming dishes
slide onto the table astonishingly fast
while the ever-moving staff literally run
to fetch customers’ requests.
Want a nearby and authentic experience
that can also be part of your beach vacation?
For a well-rounded trip, enjoying natural
scenery to tasting the culinary feat of a local
wok offers a lasting connection to a place.
Don’t expect phad thai or green
curry on this menu — Siow Jung Sin
churns out the fused flavours of Chinese
and Thai cooking traditions. Case-inpoint
is the signature dish, super teen
gai, with extra-tender stewed chicken’s
feet in a thick, searing red sweet and
spicy broth. The finest fried rice you’ve
ever had comes out of their open-air
kitchen along with rarely found flavours
like fermented soy bean and chilli paste
(phad tao hoo yee) and pan-fried young
coconut shoots with fresh shrimp (goong
phad yod maphrao). “Our food is not
very good, but it comes from the heart.
It’s heart food,” says Bank modestly.
However, the full tables of content diners
beg to differ.
What comes from the wok is only
part of the equation. With a third
generation recipe, Bank produces
homemade spiced rice whiskey (ya dong).
The smooth, sweet brew is aged with
fresh herbs for two and a half months.
It’s meant to drink before eating, but
typically continues throughout the meal
and into the night. Bank has colloquially
named it “the swan that never meets the
target,” the meaning of which is open
to interpretation.
If you have an empty stomach and
are on the prowl for a uniquely authentic
Phuket experience, find your way to Siow
Jung Sin. Siow Jung Sin, Wirat Hong Yok
Rd, Tambon Talat Nuea, Amphur Muang,
Phuket, Phuket
KRABI
Wat Tham Suea
Travellers looking to nurture their inner adventurer
will want lace up their walking shoes and explore
Wat Tham Suea, also referred to as the Tiger
Cave Temple.
Nestled in the shadow of a towering
limestone peak on the edge of a verdant valley
10km outside Krabi Town, this temple complex
attracts a diverse group of visitors. Established
in 1975 by Buddhist monks, there are several
versions of an origin story including tiger paw
prints being discovered on the cave wall, an
enormous tiger residing in the cave, and most
plausible, a healthy population of tigers roaming
the surrounding jungle.
Although named for the limestone cave, the
leading attraction is undoubtedly the mountaintop
Buddha and Chedi (Stupa). To reach the summit
one must climb a precipitous staircase of 1,260
steps. Although mostly shaded, it is quite strenuous
and an early start is recommended. A comfortable
pair of shoes and a generous supply of drinking
water are mandatory. You are unlikely to be alone
as troops of monkeys loiter around the steps and
bathe in the cistern at the top. Beware of your
unattached belongings as daring, naughty monkeys
just might want to rid you of them. However, it’s
all worth it as those who brave the primates and
muscle through the arduous ascent are rewarded
with a jaw-dropping 360-degree view of the
surrounding landscape.
After a much-deserved rest and descent
from the mountain, be sure to locate the other
staircase further back in the complex which leads
over a small ridge and into an isolated, jungle-filled
area where the resident monks live. A trail leads
past a sprawling altar, along the foot of a cliff
where the monks’ humble abodes perch in
indentations in the rock. It continues in a loop
through a prehistoric-feeling jungle.
One can easily spend the better part of a day
at Wat Tham Suea climbing the mountain, hanging
out with monkeys, and exploring all of the temples.
Who said you have to be lazy on vacation!
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