Culinary Slut

【New Dessert Joy Level Unlocked . . .】

We discovered a wonderful paradise while visiting Cambodia in January. is a remarkable getaway accommodation located on Sunset Beach on Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia (check out the link in our bio for our blog about the experience).

Their Seaview Restaurant serves up fabulous Khmer food. Amidst all the wonderful meals we enjoyed one dish stood out amongst all the rest: an absolutely off-the-charts delicious - but oh so simple - dessert.

Domloung Cheung is sweet potato cooked in coconut water and palm sugar, served with shredded fresh coconut. Simple, right? But there’s nothing simple about the explosion of flavour that this dish brings to the table. The subtle, earthy sweetness of the sweet potato is accentuated when cooked in coconut water and bathed in palm sugar with it’s natural butterscotch notes. And the potato’s slightly nutty flavour is a perfect match for the fresh coconut generously grated on top.

Entirely new levels of dopamine fueled food joy are unlocked by this dish; we can’t wait to get home and try to reproduce it in our kitchen!

❗Sunset Beach, Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia
🌐 robinsonbungalows.com
👆 Tap the link in our bio to learn more.

【Seaview Restaurant at Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia ...】

We are firm believers that true travellers and bona ride foodies are often - maybe even always - two sides of the same coin. We have been known to plan trips around the foods we can enjoy, so when an amazing location includes new and delicious food experiences we are in our happy place!

This is exactly what happened when we booked four amazing nights at Robinson Bungalows. The location and overall experience was sublime (more on that in our blog: see link in our bio), but the Khmer food - and the vibe - at their restaurant is worthy of special mention.

We could go on and on, but we’re just going to let the pictures speak for themselves:

Whole BBQ Fish with Mango Salad
Teuk Mahek (Spicy Kampot Style Noodle Soup with Fish, Chili, Lemongrass)
Beautiful Setting for Beautiful Food
Mixed Seafood BBQ with Mango Salad
Cha Kreung (Stir Fry Curry with Long Beans, Bell Peppers and Peanuts)
Lort Cha (Stir Fry Rice Pin Noodles with Egg, Bean Sprouts, & Garlic Scapes)
Cha Bonlae with Beef
Banana Flower Salad (one of favourite new “finds” from this trip!)
Cha Mareasprov (Stir Fry Holy Basil with Pork)
This place has a special vibe (post-brekkie chilling with special friend)

We could stay here for an entire month and never get tired of their superb food. One of the most memorable culinary experiences of our SE Asia adventure.

📍Sunset Beach, Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia
🌐 robinsonbungalows.com

“New Hope Cambodia provides free education, free health care and community and crisis care support for preschool aged children who come from families living in Mondul Bei Village, Siem Reap. Our school provides hope and opportunity for its students to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families.” From: newhopecambodia.com

If you’re in Siem Reap and looking for a great meal while supporting a wonderful social enterprise, look no further than the restaurant that New Hope operates in association with their school. The restaurant was established in 2010 and teaches unemployed and often undereducated Khmers valuable cooking and hospitality skills, all the while developing language skills and confidence.

We had two fabulous meals here.

The first was their Khmer sampler: deep fried vegetable wontons; banana flower salad with chicken,vegetable curry, beef Lok Lak, and dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious, though the deep fried wontons were superb (some of the best we’ve ever had).

Our second meal was a “light” lunch. First we enjoyed their yummy amuse bouche platter (which arrives before every meal). This plate of banana chips, deep fried sweet potato chips, and awesome salty/sugary peanuts really hits the spot. Then we dove into a fabulous mango salad, along with a cashew chicken stir fry with steamed rice. Everything was superb as always.

Khmer Sampler for Two (with smoothies): 100K Riel (CDN $34)
Light Lunch (with mocktails): 100K Riel (CDN $34 - including $13.50 donation)

📍Mondul Bei Village, Slar Kram Commune Siem Reap, 17251, Cambodia
🌐 newhopecambodia.com

【Best dish in Vietnam … so far 😉】

We’ve been super fortunate to have Vietnamese friends in the restaurant business share with us the best of their home country’s remarkable cuisine. Needless to say, we were stoked to sample as many Vietnamese dishes on our six week swing through this beautiful country.

The more well known dishes like Pho, Bành Mí, Bánh Cuốn, Nem Rán (fried spring roll), Bún Chả and Bún Bò Huế have all lived up to expectations. But one restaurant in particular recently rocked our world with a dish that expanded our perspective on what Vietnamese cuisine has to offer.

Jubilant Restaurant in Tam Coc serves a Grilled Squid with Passion Fruit Sauce that is bursting with the complexity and layers of flavours and textures that Vietnamese food is renowned for. The squid was perfectly char grilled, fresh and tender. But it was the sauce that took this dish to the next level. It was both delicate and bold, a juxtaposition matched by a dance of sweet & citric tartness that took the char flavour of the squid to another level. The creaminess made it particularly special, made possible by the gentle addition of a nut butter. It was so good we were using our fingers to mop up the sauce (yes, we know there was steamed rice, but using that would have lessened the flavour hit! 😊).

We had a second dish - a tender and delicious Breaded Pork with Sesame - that was also fabulous and that we definitely recommend. But in all honesty the squid is the dish that we’ll dream about for many years to come.

📍Đội 3 Thôn Văn lâm, Ninh Hải, Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình 08213
💰VND 310,000 (CDN $17.65)

【Best Bún Chả in Hà Nội...】

Making the “best ever” claim about an iconic dish always elicits strong feelings and much debate. Hà Nội has over 5 million people and there must be hundreds of Bún Chả shops in the city. How could anyone claim to be the “best” of the lot?

But Bún Chả Đắc Kim has a reasonable claim. We were drawn to the vibe on our first exploratory walk after settling at our homestay.

Ironically, it wasn’t the famous Bún Chả, or the Michelin “Selected” designation, that caught our eye. It was the sight of perfectly crisp, golden spring rolls that stuck in our heads, making us vow to eat here before leaving Hà Nội. And we’re so glad that we did!

The minced pork patties were char grilled to juicy, flavourful perfection then bathed in a lukewarm, semi-sweet broth. Spooning this mix over room temperature Bún (rice noodles) - then adding raw garlic, chilis, herbs and lime juice to taste - is a ritual everyone should experience. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender, enhanced by the complexity of flavours in the broth. It’s hard to imagine a better Bún Chả.

And the crab-pork spring rolls? OMG, they were to-die-for!! Deep fried to crispy, golden goodness, they were perfect when wrapped in crispy lettuce leaves and dipped in Nuoc Cham. We’d go back again and again just for these spring rolls!

Whether or not you agree that these folks make the best Bún Chả ever, they are well worth a visit if you find yourself in Hà Nội.

📍67 P. Đường Thành, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm
💰 Set piece Bún Chả with 2 spring rolls: VND 95000 (CDN $5.30)

Whenever we travel we keep a listing of new dishes and tastes that rock our world. And it’s remarkable how often it’s the most simple things that leave the most lasting impression.

That’s certainly the case with Kompia - sometimes written as Kompyang - the Malaysian name for guāngbǐng, a small bagel-like treat that originated in China’s Fujian province (it’s sometimes referred to as a Fujian Bagel). There are many ways to serve these delicious mini-bagels, ranging from sweet to savoury.

We fell in love with a savoury version stuffed with the most delicious sweet pork paste we’ve ever tasted. These were so delicious we could have eaten platters of them, but we managed to restrain ourselves and have them as appetizer treats when we had breakfast at Min Kee Hong in Kuching.

And now, for all you history buffs in the audience, here’s a cool origin story:

Guāngbǐng was named after Qi Jiguang, who invented it. When Qi Jiguang led his troops into Fujian in 1563, the Japanese pirates, fearing his name, engaged mainly in guerrilla-style battles. Qi Jiguang noticed that the Japanese pirates could always trace where his troops camped because of the smoke that rose up to the sky when the soldiers prepared their meals. He found out the Japanese pirates had no such problem because they brought onigiri with them. So Qi Jiguang invented a kind of bread with a hole in the center so that they could be strung together to be conveniently carried along. Later, to commemorate Qi Jiguang’s victory against the pirate raiders, the bread was named after him as guāng-bǐng (or “Guang cake”). [Wikipedia]

🍽️ Min Hong Kee
📍Lorong 14, 93100 Kuching
💰RM 6.00 (CDN $1.80) for 4

【Three Type Eggs with Chinese Spinach】

During our visit to Singapore, and introduced us to this tasty dish. This soupy stir fry is made using scrambled eggs, century egg and salted egg and comes in a delicious broth. Apparently it is quite popular with the Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore.

The first egg is fairly simple – scrambled egg cooked in the broth.

The second is century egg, which we just love. These eggs are preserved using a combination of clays, wood ash, salt, quicklime and rice hulls for weeks or months to achieve the final product. The whites take on a jelly-like consistently and become a deep amber colour while the yolk turns black and creamy.
Lastly, salted eggs are made by being preserved in brine or by packing them in salted charchoal. This makes the yolk rich and buttery, adding umami to any dish they are added to.

👆 To learn more about this meal, tap the link in our bio.

🍽️ 80 Huat Huat
📍335 Smith St.,
Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre,
Singapore

{A whirlwind tour of our Albanian Food Adventure}

Last year we spent an extraordinary six weeks in Albania. We decided to travel there after following for over a year. His evocative posts had us determined to visit this little-travelled (for now) Balkan gem, and the country has stolen our hearts.

The people are incredibly friendly, the landscapes are stunning, the history is fascinating, and the mix of cultures is exhilarating.

Oh, and the food is fabulous! Whether it’s sipping cocktails in the pulsing, youthful capital of Tirana; enjoying seafood in a small town on the Albanian Riviera; exploring traditional and fine dining cuisine in the northern city of Shkoder; or finding unexpected gems in small villages and eco-retreats in the mountains - you will find delicious, creative food and drink for very affordable prices. Here is just a sneak peek into our food adventures last year:

1. Grilled Trout (Bee Echo - Lake Komani/Shala River)
2. Shrimp Crudo (Aroma - Shkodër)
3. Cream Chocolate Nut Cake (Mon Amour - Tirana)
4. Pasha Soup (Oda - Tirana)
5. Shrimp in Saffron Mushroom Sauce (Pelikani - Zogaj)
6. Tuna Tartare (Still Fish - Tirana)
7. Revani - Pasticeri Delight (Himarë)
8. Father’s Rice (Puri - Shkodër)
9. The Miller (Nouvelle Vague - Tirana)
10. Grilled Chicken Skewers (Brother’s Fast Food & Grill - Himarë)

If you’re interested in an Albanian vacation don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to answer questions and offer tips. But hurry; Albania is being discovered and the affordable, relatively low-traffic opportunities that exist today won’t be around for long.

👆For more information be sure to click on the link in our bio to visit our website and explore more Albanian food adventures.

Thinking of travelling to Europe? One of the best ways to bop around the UK and Europe is by train. It's affordable, comfortable and reliable. We discovered Trainline when researching train and bus routes/schedules in advance of our five month, five country UK/European adventure in spring-summer, 2022. While it’s a great, aggregated resource for determining routes & schedules, Trainline – particularly the app (which is very well designed) – is really at its best when used as a purchase and ticket download tool.

Visit our blog to learn more about using this app to get around Europe by train:
https://culinaryslut.com/travel/trainline-easy-europe-by-train/

{The Omakase Experience at Sushi Kaji} Sushi Kaji is tucked away in an unassuming commercial strip on The Queensway in Etobicoke. Tbh, we’ve had people say to us that they’ve passed by and wondered what sort of sushi restaurant would locate in such an unusual location.

Well, the truth is that Sushi Kaji is at the top of the IYKYK heap, and discerning fans of top-of-the-line sushi make the pilgrimage to Kaji’s eponymous resto to enjoy what is arguably the best Omakase in Canada. Kaji himself is one of Toronto’s OG sushi masters, moving here as a young man in the 1980s and establishing his own brand not long after he arrived in Canada. He offers two Omakase options, with the distinction being that one features a wagyu beef addition. All the ingredients are fresh, carefully selected and (mostly) imported - often daily - to ensure the best quality and experience.

And yes, it’s not inexpensive so for most of us mortals this is very much a special occasion event. Recently, we celebrated our wedding anniversary there, and believe us when we say the evening was very special and worth every penny (and more). There’s not much more to be said, so we’ll just list ten of the top items (for a full listing of the Omakase go to our website - link in bio - for a full photo essay):

1. Sashimi (Sea Bream; Ocean Trout; Toro - tuna belly)
2. Grilled Black Cod with Hatcho Miso Sauce (and Tamago)
3. Sukiyaki Wagyu Beef
4. Maguro (Blue Fin Tuna) and Toro Nigiri
5. Unagi (BBQ Eel) Nigiri
6. Ocean Trout Nigiri
7. Striped Amberjack Nigiri
8. Flounder Nigiri
9. Toro Tartare Nigiri
10. Strawberry Mousse

⭐For our Kaji photo essay check out the link in our bio
📍860 The Queensway, Etobicoke
🌐http://sushikaji.com/
📞(416) 252-2166

Halabos na Hipon - Fried Garlic Shrimp

Filipinos are famous for the many different ways they prepare and cook shrimp. Since we’re doing a beach feast theme the method for this shrimp is very simple: shrimp pan fried in butter with lots (and lots) of garlic. Cooked in the shell, shrimp are much more flavourful. The best way to enjoy these succulent shrimp is to first suck all the delicious pan fried butter and garlic off the shell before you devour the shrimp itself. Really adventurous eaters like to suck the rich flavours from the shrimp head after separating it from the body. And once you’ve separated the head and pulled off the legs, you can almost certainly go ahead and eat the shrimp whole, shell and all. Most people prefer to remove the shell before eating. This will pair beautifully with the sea grapes, mango and papaya salads and all the dipping sauces. Simple and delicious!

This will be served at our Kamayan Experience dinner event with our host Kanto. It is meant to be mixed and matched with the 10 other dishes being served that night.

This dinner event explores the taste of the Philippine Islands, serving it in the pre-colonial, traditional Kamayan style.
For detailed menu and ticket info, please visit the link below:

📅Wednesday May 10, 7:00 pm
❗ Ticket Sales End May 3
📍2986 Dundas St W
🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/617067905717
ℹ️ https://culinaryslut.com/off-the-menu/kamayan-experience/
📞 647-984-7588 (Text Only Pls)

The Kamayan Experience This Filipino feast with amaze you. Dishes rarely seen in Toronto featuring the flavours of the Philippine islands. Served Kamayan Style.

Inihaw na Liempo - BBQ Pork Belly.

A classic sweet and savoury Filipino barbecue with pork belly is typically grilled over charcoal, but can also be conveniently prepared in the oven. The marinade includes soy sauce, lemon or calamansi juice, sugar, and garlic. A sawsawan – one of the dipping sauces you have at your table – is almost mandatory. It’s also recommended to mix-and-match the pork belly pieces with things like the Salted Duck Eggs and Tomatoes or any of the fruit salads. If you’re craving a little spice, try it with the Palapa (the coconut hot sauce) – just delicious!

This will be served at our Kamayan Experience dinner event with our host Kanto. It is meant to be mixed and matched with the 10 other dishes being served that night.

This dinner event explores the taste of the Philippine Islands, serving it in the pre-colonial, traditional Kamayan style.
For detailed menu and ticket info, please visit the link below:

📅Wednesday May 10, 7:00 pm
❗ Ticket Sales End May 3
📍2986 Dundas St W
🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/617067905717
ℹ️ https://culinaryslut.com/off-the-menu/kamayan-experience/
📞 647-984-7588 (Text Only Pls)

The Kamayan Experience This Filipino feast with amaze you. Dishes rarely seen in Toronto featuring the flavours of the Philippine islands. Served Kamayan Style.

Inihaw Na Pusit - Stuffed grilled squid.

The squid tube is marinated in a sweet and tangy vinaigrette, stuffed with onions and tomatoes, and grilled (indoors on an iron plate or outdoors on a grill). It’s great as a main course, but for our Kamayan experience this squid is wonderful accompanied by salted duck egg, the sea grapes, grilled eggplant, the mango or papaya salad. Oh, and don’t forget to dip!

A Kamayan dining experience is very much about exploring the flavour combinations that can be mixed and matched with everything in front of you. And there will be 10 dishes to choose from!

📅Wednesday May 10, 7:00 pm
❗ Ticket Sales End May 3
📍2986 Dundas St W
🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/617067905717
ℹ️ https://culinaryslut.com/off-the-menu/kamayan-experience/
📞 647-984-7588 (Text Only Pls)

The Kamayan Experience This Filipino feast with amaze you. Dishes rarely seen in Toronto featuring the flavours of the Philippine islands. Served Kamayan Style.

Salted Duck Eggs on Tomatoes

This concept originated in 6th century China and spread throughout Asia.

Salted duck eggs are made using a brining method that can take many days. The brining solution gradually seeps through the egg shell making the egg white’s softer when boiled and giving them a distinctly salty quality. The yolk, as usual, is the best part of this, deepening in colour and adding more richness to the flavour (yes… it’s possible it can make egg yolk taste even better!) Every Asian culture has their own take on how they include salted duck eggs into their cuisine, and in the Philippines their use predates Spanish colonialism. Modern cooks are even finding ways to incorporate them in sweets and desserts. This is never meant to be eaten alone, but is mixed with other dishes. They pair beautifully with tomatoes and are traditionally served with fish.

This will be served at our Kamayan Experience dinner event with our host Kanto. In the spirit of a true Kamayan experience, we encourage you to mix and match them with any of the 10 dishes being served that night.

This dinner event explores the taste of the Philippine Islands, serving it in the pre-colonial, traditional Kamayan style.

Visit this link for detailed menu and information:
https://culinaryslut.com/off-the-menu/kamayan-experience/

📅Wednesday May 10, 7:00 pm
❗ Ticket Sales End May 3
📍2986 Dundas St W
🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/617067905717
📞 647-984-7588 (Text Only Pls)

Culinary Slut We are passionate food and travel lovers. We talk about food, read about food, dream about food, and

Sea Grapes.

We are so excited to share this rare dish with you! Rarely seen in Canada, this edible seaweed has been imported specifically for this event. It is known as umi-budō in Japan and is naturally abundant in the Philippines. Sea grapes are an excellent example of how a cuisine reflects a culture’s physical environment. Like so many ocean plants, sea grapes have a briny, salty taste which accents the variety of dipping sauces that they are dipped in at any table. They are also treasured for the popping sensation that occurs in the mouth when they are eaten. And, as is common with so many other ocean plants, they are rich in calcium and potassium; they are even purportedly effective at lowering blood pressure. Enjoy them on their own with dipping sauce, or mix and match them with other ingredients on the table.

📅Wednesday May 10, 7:00 pm
❗ Ticket Sales End May 3
📍2986 Dundas St W
🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/617067905717
ℹ️ https://culinaryslut.com/off-the-menu/kamayan-experience/
📞 647-984-7588 (Text Only Pls)

Kamayan Experience The Kamayan Experience Explore the flavours of the Philippines We are so excited to share with you an exciting twist on a traditional Filipino classic. Diona – Chef and Creator of the first Filipino street food in Toronto – will be our host for a Kamayan Experience with a special “beach food.....

【A Dinner Event Exploring The Taste Of The Philippine Islands】 We’re very excited to announce our first Toronto-based Off the Menu dinner event (and our first since the pandemic lockdowns began in March 2020).

Mark Wednesday May 10th in your calendar and join the inimitable Diona Joyce of Kanto by Tita Flips, who will be preparing a special Kamayan Beach Experience.

If you’ve never experienced a Kamayan feast, you’re in for a special treat. Not only will you get to sample some very special dishes (Can you say Tuna Jaw? How about Sea Grapes?), you’ll get to meet Diona and learn about the origins and history of the foods that you’ll be enjoying.

The New York Times recently identified Filipino cuisine as the next food trend in NYC. Interesting, and exciting for New Yorkers, but Diona introduced authentic Filipino street food to Toronto back in 2017. This is just part of a trend where more and more Toronto is the pacesetter, not the follower, when it comes to great food.

So, you don’t have to book an expensive flight to the Philippines to experience a delicious, authentic Kamayan Beach feast. Just join us for dinner on May 10th and settle in for a great experience.

For detailed menu and ticket info, please visit the link in our bio!

📅Wednesday May 10, 7:00 pm
❗ Ticket Sales End May 3
📍2986 Dundas St W
🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/617067905717
ℹ️ https://culinaryslut.com/off-the-menu/kamayan-experience/
📞 647-984-7588 (Text Only Pls)

We started Culinary Slut in 2011 as a really fun hobby. At first we just wanted to keep a personal record of the food we loved and of our amazing travel experiences. Long before instagram, we were photographing our meals and flipping through images like some people do their family photos.

That aspect of our work - the passion for food and travel and the determination to have fun - has not changed for us. We are still dedicated to sharing our amazing experiences, and to meeting as many followers as possible. This may sound odd for a virtual odyssey, but as a lot of you have been following us for years know we’ve managed to meet a surprising number of you. Building a community that bridges the virtual and the real worlds is at the heart of our passion.

And now a couple big things have changed. We now have a fancy new website and a business plan (wild, right!? ) because pouring our passion into this has become time and cost intensive! We’d like to recoup some of those costs, so as you explore the new website you’ll see some (hopefully) tasteful requests for contributions to our work.

We don’t do this lightly, and with this approach we make this promise - we won’t sell out. Even if we accept sponsored content, it will be because we paid for and tried the food or travel experiences - and loved them. That’s so important to us. Otherwise, our recommendations and discoveries aren’t worth the pixels they’re shining from.

A special shout out to for her amazing design work. We couldn’t have gotten here without you, Iva. Thank you so much!

instatravels

Once upon a time, a long time ago (but not so far away) Anyes was riding shotgun in a car with a friend. She was describing her meal earlier that day in elaborate, excited detail. “Wow, you’re a real food slut,” the friend observed. “What a great website url,” she responded. As soon as Anyes got home, she registered CulinarySlut.com.
And then nothing happened for many years, until Vic and Anyes fell in love. They realized early on that their mutually shameless adoration of food was a major bonding point. That’s when our food blog was born. How’s that for some food slt romance?!

Which brings us to this exciting day - the launch of our new website. This new, more dynamic site is our way of inviting our virtual and “in the real” foodie community to be a part of that passionate romance as well. We invite you to think of this as food polyamory.

While we share our own food and travel finds on our website we are sharing our passion, and our love of life. And we are encouraging all of our community to share their own discoveries and suggestions, which we'll happily pass along. We're also going to be re-launching our Off the Menu dinner club where we work with restaurateurs to feature delicious, exciting and - most important of all - hard to find dishes, so stay tuned!

A special shout out to .kezic for her amazing design work. We couldn’t have gotten here without you, Iva. Thank you so much!

instatraveller