During the Holidays in December we wanted to visit the beautiful city Antwerp in Belgium, but started planning the trip quite late, which resulted in higher costs. So when it was a sure thing that family from Suriname is visiting, we immediately booked the travel arrangements and a three day's stay in Belgium's port city.
Last Sunday we had the whole day to explore Antwerp and started with a light breakfast at the apartment and munched on snacks during the day to taste as much as we could. But as the time approached dinnertime, I craved something a little heavier like fried rice. A part of the group fancied a kebab though, but the place they wanted to try the Mediterranean dish was closed and another part wanted to try a Malaysian restaurant, but they didn't have enough seating for our group.
So we had the options for Thai or Chinese food and after a little online "investigating" we stepped into Ploy Pochana, where we initially couldn't be seated immediately and had to wait outside. Fortunately for us, a gracious man - sitting in a corner by the door - offered us his table and moved to a table for one. We also needed an extra table - for the "youth" in the group - because our group was too big.
It being a wet and cold day and knowing the benefits it brings during and after consumption of umami foods, I ordered a pot of Thai tea. When I opened the lid there were some herbs floating in the hot beverage. The tea was mild tasting, yet welcome and comforting.
Ploy Pochana has a varied menu, so we devised a strategy of what to order, because we would taste from each other and to prevent us from ordering the same meals. We also agreed upon which meats to order: scampi's, chicken, beef and pork.
The first thing the younger group requested was a plate of Pad Thai (Thai Noodles) with chicken and after scanning the menu, we ordered a plate of Phad Khing Moo (fried pork with ginger), Nua Phad Nom Man Hoy (fried beef in oyster sauce) and Kung Phad Pong Ka-Ri (scampi's in yellow curry with onions and celery). Of all three the shrimp and beef were my favorite: well seasoned and good fit for the type of meat. Pork is better suited for dry roast - instead of stewed in a sauce - in my opinion.
The "elder" table also ordered a variety of dishes: Tom Yam Kai (spicy chicken soup with mushrooms and lemongrass), Phad Kai Mamouang Himaphan (chicken with cashew nuts, red peppers and vegetables), Panang Kai (chicken in red curry and coconut milk, with lemongrass), Gaeng Masaman Phei (lamb in Thai masaman curry with potatoes).
The soup was creamy, spicy and umami, while the lamb was tender with the sauce and spices being well infused into the meat. The red curry chicken was also creamy and spicy, while the chicken with cashew nuts was adequate. It tasted like something I've already tasted before, while the other dishes introduced new flavor profiles to me.
As seen in the picture above, we devoured the plates and left the restaurant satisfied. The only regret I have was not seeing frog legs in time on the menu, because I would like to try those in the near future. What else should we try out next? Let me know in the comments below 🤓.
Chasse into the backstage! 💃
Are you interested in sharing your Sunday story and/or interested in partaking in #DashOutSunday? Be sure to read this post for more information. Looking forward to reading all about it 🤓.
