New Japanese eatery

[lomuamart]

There's a fairly new Japanese place that's opened on Petchkasem Road about 200 yards north of Somtawin school on the same side of the road. It's called Neko Jhang (something to do with a cat) but dosn't have a sign yet. You can recognise it by the Japanese lanterns that are clearly visible from the main road.
I'd just popped out to get some beers and noticed the place for the first time. Apparently it's been there for a couple of months already but I'm blind. Had a quick beer in there and spoke to the owner. He's a young Thai chap who trained as a Japanese chef in Japan. Has worked for a number of large hotels in BKK and had a place up by the railway line in HH until about 6 months ago. Has also worked at The Hagi (sic), the restaurant by The Sofitel.
I didn't eat there but did take a look at the menu. It was pretty comprehensive with most dishes under 100THB. Some were 100-200 and the occasional special fish one was over 300. There were a couple of westerners sitting there eating and they reckoned the food was excellent.
Don't expect top of the range surroundings as most seating is literally on the street but it does have a covered area just inside. It was friendly and looked professional.
Dosn't open until 6.30pm and closes at 3am. I'm going to try some of the grub soon and will report back on it.
It's probably advisable to take mosquito repellent.

[Takiap]

Interesting to see you like Japanese food, considering you enjoy Indian so much. I tend to find the Japanese dishes very bland, but that's probably because I've eaten Thai for so long. BTW.....where do you buy your Indian spices, curry powders, and etc? Eating Isaan Thai every day is starting to scare me - a touch too healthy for my liking.


Of course, my next challenge will be trying to find some mutton, but I may just have to settle for lamb.

[lomuamart]

Must admit that I don't know that much about Japanese food apart from having eaten it many times through business back in the UK and I enjoyed it. That was years ago though. However, sushi or sashimi I'd die for with the wassabi and Kikoman soy sauce. Enough of the horseradish is guaranteed to blow your nostrils out and bring a year to your eyes. A totally different type of "heat" to a chilli.
I've been lucky with Indian spices because friends have topped me up with them when they come over. I believe Makro in Pranburi has everything necessary albeit in large quantities so the spices may lose flavour before they're used up unless you're cooking on an industrial scale.
Years ago, I picked up some pre-packed sashimi and sushi rolls from the Tesco Lotus Express at the Esso station by Chomsin Road. I proudly presented them to my wife as something different to eat and her reaction was "why didn't you tell me you liked this? I used to work in a hotel kitchen that catered for Japanese and Korean tourists". She promptly went out and bought raw fish, a huge bottle of Kikoman soy sauce and about a kilo of wassabi powder. I nearly died. The trick, according to her, is to put a dash of soda water into the wassabi mix. I don't know why, but it worked.

[migrant]

The soda water gives some air to the wasabi mix. It doesn't lose the kick, but gives it some lightness

[lomuamart]

OK, thanks for that migrant. The sauce certainly tasted good with the soda water.

[littlepick]

Sorry to disappoint, but I was in Makro's a week or so ago, and didn't come across any Indian Spices!

[lomuamart]

That's news then. They certainly had them there a year or so ago.

[wiki]

I'll have to check it out, that Hagi place is a total rip off!

I wonder if the food glows in the dark?

[Homer]

Anybody have a soi number for those of use who have no clue where Somtawin school is?

[lomuamart]

It's about 100 yards north of Soi 64. On this map http://www.huahinafterdark.com/hua-hin-area-map.htm it would be grid E8 right in the top left hand corner of it. The "ABC" is Somtawin. Go past that, past Soi 51 on your right and on about 200 yards, but not as far as the Shell garage (which really isn't to scale). If you get to the garage, park your car and walk about 400 yards back down.
As said, you need to look for the Japanese lanterns outside.