Little Bangkok turns 1!

By Chef Ed Dychauco
MANY, many years ago my cousin, Engineer Renato Sia, son of Mr. and Mrs. Juan Sia, decided after his graduation from college to pursue further studies in Chinese language. He came back a couple of years after with a girlfriend in tow, Penapa who eventually became his wife. They are now blessed with two beautiful kids Yutchacorn (or Pete-pete as we fondly call him) and Pawinacorn, his younger sister.Penapa or Lefang (her Chinese name) is from Thailand, a beautiful country of wonderful people.

Thailand is also filled with delicious and exotic food. I was in Thailand way back in 1992 for a vacation and I find the place to be very "Thai." I mean, the culture, the language, the way they dress, etc. it is so Asian yet so amazingly world-class! People are very hospitable and kind. Although most of them speak very little English, I manage to communicate with them using the universal language using the hands, facial expressions and of course, the calculator (!) when I go shopping! When people learn that Lefang is from Thailand, they keep on asking her to open a truly authentic Thai restaurant. And being away from your country, I guess one will miss the most is the FOOD! Because she is not a real good cook, though she CAN cook good-tasting authentic home meals, she decided to do the next best thing, and that is to sell Thai foods, delicacies and the like.

So with Renato or Rene (as we call him) they decided to open "Little Bangkok" last December 14, 2006!Not only did she enjoy having "her" foods, but she also educated and opened the eyes and taste buds of many Cagayanons to Thai foods and delicacies! At Little Bangkok, one can enjoy shopping at this tiny store, which is full of goodies from Thailand. Most sought-after and sellable items include the following: Thai Sauces like Green Curry Paste (Wow!), Tom Yam Paste (Incredible!), Tamarind Paste (Fantastic!), Pad Thai Paste, Fish Sauce, Mushroom Vegetarian Sauce, Dried Chili Powder, Lime Juice Powder and the many other "Hot" sauces! For the delicacies, Dilis (whether plain or spicy (Yummy!) is their best seller! Others include the Crispy Grilled Pork, Preserved Tamarind, Spicy Chewy Squid, Pad Thai Noodles, Ranong Tea, Jasmine Tea, Mangosteen and Durian Chips (How Exotic!).Nutritious and refreshing Tipco Juices are also on sale and come in different flavors like Carrot, Mixed Vegetables, Guava, Beetroot and many others. Little Bangkok also sells Women's Bags and Accessories like earrings, bangles, key chains, stingray wallets and one-of-a-kind Thai decorations.

This year, Little Bangkok turns one and they are giving BIG discounts on many selected Thai Items! Not only that, they are also giving freebies for every purchase they make during that day. So, why wait? Come and Shop now at Little Bangkok and have a little Thai in the city of Golden Friendship!Little Bangkok is located along Don Apolinar Velez Street, Cagayan de Oro City, just beside Sentro 1850 Restaurant and just across Pots & Pans Home Bake & Coffee Shop.By the way, Rene and Lefang speak Thai, Mandarin, Fookien, English, Vizayan and Tagalog! So, communicating with them won't be a big deal! I've learned a few Thai words myself!

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/cag/2007/12/13/feat/little.bangkok.turns.1!.html