Viva Asia Travel & Food Dec/Jan

10 Contents

THAI LEGEND At the Amari Watergate Hotel in Bangkok, we meet the sprightly lady who is almost singlehandedly making sure traditional Thai cuisine is preserved for future generations.

22. DON’T MISS SAIGON

The old and the new of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon and now a hub of energy, tourism - and good food.

14 GREAT SCOT

28. KEMPINSKI KLASS

The Hotel Indonesia Kempinski takes the pain from the chaos of Jakarta Airport to the quiet luxury of their Ganesha Club.

Leo Schofield visits the ancient and historic capital of Scotland, the newly energetic and charming Edinburgh.

18 MAN IN BLACK

30. HO, HO, HOT!

Some great ideas for making Christmas Day in the tropics an easy, delicious and colourful lunchtime treat.

We talk to Carlos Constanzo, Chief Butler at the St. Regis Resort in Bali, his newest career step after a glamorous stint in Hollywood

34 Contents KOH SAMUI Viva Asia pays a visit to the surprising island of Koh Samui, now Thailand’s Number 2 destination.

60. Manta

Glamorous

A visit to Sydney’s award-winning harbour-side icon Manta. And nothing is short-changed: it is caviar and fine vodka all the way

46 SAILING THE SILVER SEAS

66. WORLDS BEST BARS A fascinating trip to the hotels whose bars have been voted best in the world.

We talk to Silversea’s ‘Mr. Cruise’ in Asia Melvyn Yap about his ‘life on the ocean wave’ - literally

62 COOKING WITH GUINNESS

64. LIQUID ASSETS

The latest news in wine, beer and spirits from all over the globe.

We look at a whole menu using Ireland’s national tipple everything from soup to nuts, cooking with Guinness

EDITORIAL

2010 has been quite a year for travelling. We have taken you to some fascinating places, notably among them the fashion capital of Milan and the city-in progress, Abu Dhabi. We can’t wait for the Louvre and the Guggenheim to open.

But it is always nice to come home. Well, once you have cleared the airport – and usually late. (Domestic flights seem always to be late and with the rather insulting excuses of ‘due to operational reasons’ or ‘late arrival of aircraft.’)

Indonesia’s two main airports, Jakarta and Denpasar, have long passed their use-by date. They need drastic expansion and faster operations, especially immigration and baggage handling.

Indonesia is now a thriving world economy and local people have to stop thinking locally and start thinking globally!

We did discover a cure for the chaos: a new service by the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski to help you escape Jakarta Airport in style and whisk you to the hotel in the CBD in delightful calm and comfort.

We were especially impressed this year by the energy and optimism that pervades Asia. Despite its troubles, Bangkok seems to be booming. And places like Ho Chi Minh City are surging ahead.

Heartening still, in a place like modern Bangkok to meet Professor Sisamon Kongpan, a sprightly 78-year-old lady who is well aware of all the modern trends but works tirelessly at her singular passion of preserving authentic Thai food – not just at the Amari Watergate Hotel where she consults but in all of Thailand.

On the beverage scene, we visit a startling new château – not in France but in China. Then we found some fantastic cocktails for the festive season from the people at Absolut. And, with Ireland’s national tipple Guinness as a key ingredient, we bring you some great dishes to cook. Oh, and take a look at the hot (cold) Christmas menu to make for easy entertaining on the big day.

We go cruising on the Silver Shadow; we visit the Asian luxury group Shangri-La’s first venture into Europe; we go to ancient Edinburgh and we give you the complete low-down on HCMC, as the locals call it, but even more call it Saigon.

We hope you enjoy the issue and thank you again for your kind letters and emails. From everyone at VIVA ASIA, a very Merry Christmas and all best wishes for a healthy, prosperous and safe New Year. And for 2011, Happy Travelling.

Graham Pearce

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You could only dream about a view like this from the terrace of your hotel room. But this is the Chaillot Suite from the brand new ShangriLa in Paris, the luxury brand’s first venture into Europe.

Publisher PT Artha Cipta Pratama Editor in Chief Graham Pearce Production House Origomedia Art Director Arya Indrajaya Graphic Designers Origomedia Senior Promotion & Advertising Mel marketing@vivaasiamagazine.com Marketing Executive Uchie Susilowaty Website www.vivaasiamagazine.com Email info@vivaasiamagazine.com

ORIGOMEDIA Jl. Setiabudi III / 2A Setiabudi, Jakarta Selatan 12910 Indonesia p +62 21 5292 1638 / 7031 6882 f +62 21 5292 1637 e info@vivaasiamagazine.com www.vivaasiamagazine.com

Contact: Editorial: Graham Pearce gp@vivaasiamagazine.com

Advertising: James Weston jim@vivaasiamagazine.com

Our gratitude for some pictures in this edition to www.flickr.com

CHEF : SISAMON KONGPANG

THAI LEGEND

Amidst globalized same-ness and the hamburgerized tourist palate, the future of authentic Thai food is safely in the hands of a sprightly 78-year old lady in Bangkok.

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CHEF : SISAMON KONGPANG

Ajarn Sisamon Kongpan moves slowly and gracefully into Thai on 4, the signature restaurant at the Amari Watergate Hotel in downtown Bangkok. But her serenity successfully hides some considerable energy, toughness and single-mindedness about her beloved national cuisine.

The striking modern décor of Thai on 4 complements the rich taste of its Thai cuisine. It is sleek and impressive, boasting original artworks by the renowned Thai painter, Kreangkrai Vongpitirat. The menu features specialities from all corners of the kingdom.

Signature dishes include green beef curry with coconut milk, chilli and Thai herbs, served with roti, a superb and spicy pomelo salad with grilled tiger prawns, and pan fried snow fish with red curry sauce and shredded Kaffir lime leaves.

Professor Sisamon also consults on traditional Thai beverages to complement the food and even creates new recipes using the traditions of the Thai royal court.

She comes to the restaurant at least twice a week to maintain the quality of the recipes that she has given to it. (As we speak, she politely but unceremoniously sends a fish dish back to the kitchen because it is not correctly presented for photographs. In fact, she goes with the dish to the kitchen to fix it herself).

Ajarn Sisamon is a famous figure in Thailand and overseas. Not only is she food consultant at the Amari, she consults for Thai Airways and travels all over the world to

show foreign catering companies how Thai food should be prepared for in-flight meals.

She has a degree in Applied Nutrition and did post graduate work at the University of Hawaii. When she returned to Bangkok (still only 23), it was to the Rajamangala Institute of Technology’s faculty of Food and Nutrition, a position she held til her ‘retirement.’

Retirement never meant slowing down, however. Since she left ‘work,’ she has written some 24 cookbooks, both in Thai and English, including one called Food for Golden-Age People. She consults at the royal cooking school and remains an expert in nutrition and advisor to the kitchens of the royal palace. Apparently she does know what’s good for one: she announces she is leaving us shortly for supper with her mother, who is now past 96.

Professor Sisamon is nationally recognized as the leading expert in Royal Thai cuisine and traditional cooking methods. And her food comes from all over the country: among them, “shooshee curries that carry the fragrance of the rind of bitter orange; penang curry that has the aroma of roasted coriander seeds.”

my mother in the kitchen and I have been cooking ever since.” With this, she produces a box of curry puffs she has made for us to try.

“You know there are only 25 calories in each of those? I use very little oil and only lean ingredients. I am a stickler about ingredients and a healthy cuisine,” she says.

“Thai food is high in fibre, low in fat and we eat a lot of raw ingredients. Of course, taste is also very important and I have made a great study of spices over the years and I can now tell you what is good for you.”

“For example, garlic is good in preventing high blood pressure (as is lemon grass), aids digestion, relieves cold symptoms and fights some intestinal parasites. Ginger aids digestion, is good for the sinuses, relieves stomach ache and dilates the capillaries.

And, best of all, chilli (she says) relieves diarrhea, stimulates digestion, relieves infections, dissolves blood clots and can help prevent intestinal cancer.”

THE PALACE

“If you really go back to scratch, the basic herb mixture in Thai cooking is chilli, garlic and shallots. These are ground to a paste and then flavoured with many other herbs, spices, leaves and roots to make the different flavours,” she explains.

“There are many kitchens in the many royal palaces,” says Ajarn Sisamon. “They were where recipes and techniques were passed down through the generations. We have taken these dishes and rationalized them and actually written recipes. But the food is not too different from fine restaurants such as this; perhaps a different presentation,” she adds.

“I think I was about seven years old when I first began helping my grandmother and

“Of course, I am not allowed to tell you what the King and Queen eat. Just let me say

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CHEF : SISAMON KONGPANG

Other things to do when you are staying at the Amari Watergate This is a hotel to dine for! Apart from Thai On 4, there is Grappino for excellent Italian food, Heichinrou for authentic Cantonese cuisine, and Henry J. Bean’s Bar & Grill for an all-American experience.

Across the street from the hotel is the Platinum Mall, where you can shop til you drop for cheap clothes, bags, shoes and costume jewellery.

Next door is a cheaper option: the Pratunam Market complex for clothes, luggage and shoes.

Around the corner about five minutes are the Siam Mall and the Paragon. Both with high-end shops and restaurants.

And a short taxi ride away is the Jim Thompson Museum.

It’s also worth taking to the river for a trip to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.

the royal table is very simple. Perhaps an appetizer, a soup, a main course with meat or fish. And there are lots of vegetables. The King only likes healthy food,” she smiles.

“As for tourists, they need to come to Bangkok and places like Thai on 4 to get the real thing,” she says. “The ingredients in the West are often not the same or are hard to find. Indian holy basil in the UK, for example, is not right for Thai food. Kaffir lime leaves here are small; in Australia they are bigger and do not taste right. The same for mint.”

And she also has a word about how foreigners perceive Thai food: “Thai food is not always hot,” she says. “We have three degrees: hot, medium and mild. But even then, I refuse to adjust taste and chilli-power for the tourists. (They don’t change dishes in Italy for foreigners, do they?”).

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“But I do explain that, if you find a dish too hot, simply do as we do and add some cooling ingredients: rice, vegetables and (something new even to a jaded international palate) salted eggs.”

With that she is off to give some final advice in the kitchen and calmly announces she is off to Spain next week to give some firm advice to the Spanish she wants to provide ‘proper Thai food’ when they cater for Thai Airlines flying out of Madrid.

www.amari.com

DESTINATION : EDINBURGH

GreatScot Great Scot

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t

DESTINATION : EDINBURGH

For nigh on a century, historic Edinburgh was bypassed by travellers to Britain. It was London, the Lakes and the Home Counties – and back to London. In this new century, all that has changed and Leo Schofield pays a visit to this newly vibrant (and hip) Scottish capital.

An amazing city, Edinburgh. History here comes as rich and textured as thick marmalade on breakfast toast. Its stones fairly ooze atmosphere. Here the ancient, mediaeval and modern worlds telescoped, leaving evidence of all three, the most potent being that of the so-called Scottish Enlightenment, those fifty or so years between the last Highland uprising of 1745, which culminated the following year in the bloody battle of Culloden, and the French Revolution of 1789, when Scotland’s ancient capital was miraculously transformed from a filthy, squalid, cramped, dangerous town of forty thousand drunken, quarrelsome, bigoted inhabitants into a city that, for a brief glittering moment, rivalled Paris.

That transformation came in two forms.

The physical change involved handsome new roads, new dwellings, in fact a whole new town, established a stone’s throw from the great rock to which old Edinburgh had clung for centuries. But it was in matters intellectual that 18th century Edinburgh shone brightest, becoming as James Buchan calls it, a ‘capital of the mind’, generating more mental history than any

other town of its size since the Athens of Socrates and changing for all time the western world’s attitudes to mechanical processes, perceptions, feelings, sickness and health, trade, money, relations between the sexes, government and the purpose of existence. Alongside this scientific and philosophic revolution came mighty advances in the arts, architecture and literature.

Edinburgh literally comes in two parts.

There’s the old city, the town clustered around the giant rock on which stands the symbol of the city, Edinburgh Castle, a great looming grey presence, a metaphor for power, impregnability, timelessness.

The Castle is the epicentre around which the visitor seems eternally to circle, eerily illuminated every night and in August a firing platform for pyrotechnics during the month of performances of the internationally renowned Edinburgh Military Tattoo staged annually on the castle’s esplanade.

Successive rulers added to Edinburgh Castle, the seat and, in times of crisis, the safe refuge of a succession of Scottish

Kings. Here, among the Royal apartments, is the tiny room in which Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to the boy who, after the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, was to become King James VI of Scotland and James I of England. And it is within the castle precincts that one can find the oldest building in Edinburgh, St. Margaret’s Chapel, a tiny Norman structure which has been standing there intact for more than 900 hundred years, a survivor of all the sieges and bombardments to which the fortress on the rock was subjected during that period. In the castle too are housed ancient Honours of Scotland - the Crown, the Sceptre and the Sword of State, all on view in the Crown Room.

This is one of the markers for the Royal Mile, the main street of mediaeval Edinburgh and the cobblestone route along which successive sovereigns travelled in procession from Edinburgh Castle to the gates of the beautiful Palace of Holyrood House, established in 1498, home to the Stewart kings of Scotland and the ceremonial home of the present British monarch.

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DESTINATION : EDINBURGH

For a sense of the radicalism of thought and deed that overtook this city in the 18th century one must move to the elegant purlieus of the New Town, situated to the north between the Castle and the Firth of Forth. Here one feels palpably the effect of Scottish Enlightenment in the civilized plan, the glorious public buildings, the elegant Georgian squares (Charlotte Square of 1791 is one of the great urban spaces in the world), the handsome town houses and grand public buildings, some designed by the greatest of British architects, James and Robert Adam, who just happened also to be Scottish.

places to eat appear to be McDonald’s, Starbucks and Burger King. Not much in the way of good eating either in the streets leading uphill to New Town or in the less thronged, more elegant George Street, but tucked away all over town among the fair to middling are some good to great eating experiences. Demand begets supply and the ever-growing number of visitors has spurred the establishment of many good B and B’s, often in fine old houses. Until they came along choice of accommodation was restricted to the two famous high-end hotels, the Caledonian and the Balmoral, and a variety of drabber places of lodging.

Timing? August is when you have a good but by no means certain chance that the weather will be fine. This is the month when Edinburgh is at its liveliest, the time of the Edinburgh International Festival of the Arts and its half dozen satellite festivals, the Fringe, the Literary Festival, the Television and film Festivals and the Tattoo are in full swing then, offering a heady mix of diversions. The bookend months of July and September are lively too, but avoid the chillier months. It’s then you’ll want to be sitting inside by a fire, reading, discussing ideas. Just as they did during the Enlightenment years.

In deep contrast to the stews of the mediaeval city on the rock above, this seemingly endless arrangement of broad streets and elegant squares with their sober stone terrace houses evoke a sense of order and rationality that was 18th century Edinburgh’s gift and legacy to western civilization.

‘Edinburgh is a visual delight to the walker, wrote the British poet, writer and enthusiast for architecture John Betjeman,’ …. it is what a city ought to be, somewhere to live and walk about in’, so pack sturdy brogues, for it is on foot that you will most easily negotiate and enjoy it. But walking can induce hunger and there are times when the serious eater may think that in Edinburgh there has been perhaps too much concentration on the mind and not enough on the stomach. A stroll down the stylish Princes Street can be dispiriting, as the only

WHERE TO STAY The Chester Residence 9 Chester St. Edinburgh 0131 226 2075.

Email: enquiries@chester-residence.com Impeccably restored by its owners Jacky Brayton and Brian Shirley, it comprises five apartments, two at garden level, a superb double one that occupies the entire first floor and two others, each with stylish kitchens and bathrooms. The very best kind of serviced apartments.

RESTAURANTS Restaurant Martin Wishart (A modest place by the water at Leith serving the best French food in Scotland. Marries classic technique with Scottish produce and the result is impeccable. Push the boat out with this one. £35) 54 The Shore, Leith (0131 553 3557) The Tower, Museum of Scotland (A smart modern restaurant on the top floor of museum with stunning view of Castle. Exceptional wine list. (£23) Chambers St. (0131 225 3003) Harvey Nichols

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(Buzzy, predictably chic, pricey but good. Good bar).

30-34 St. Andrew Square (0131 525 8350) Le Café St. Honoré (Old-fashioned French bistro in a back lane. Bentwood chairs, lace curtains, aperitifs and conservative but delicious food.

Open 7 days for lunch and dinner).

34 North West Thistle Street Lane (0131 226 2211) Valvona and Crolla (Since 1934, a standout delicatessen run by a clan of thirdgeneration Scots with roots in Abruzzo. Choose a bottle, pay retail and drink it with lunch in the simple new restaurant tucked in behind the pastas and sausages and the wine department).

19 Elm Row (0131 556 6066) FISH Fishers at the Shore (Best fish and chips in Edinburgh. Always crowded. Regulars prefer to eat at the bar).

1 The Shore, Leith (0131 554 5666) Fishers in the city 58 Thistle Street (City branch of the above).

PERSONALITY : CARLO COSTANZA

MAN IN BLACK Now the chief butler at the luxury St. Regis Resort in Bali, Carlos Constanzo occasionally dons his uniform black suit for special occasions – something that has an extra special meaning for him: for seven years he was butler to the original Man in Black, Will Smith, co-star of the two phenomenally successful sci-fi movies.

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PERSONALITY : CARLO COSTANZA

Constanzo has been in the service industry all his life, becoming a part-time butler in 1992 and then making it a full-time job in 2000. He began his professional career back in Melbourne with the groundbreaking Regent Hotel and later with the Grand Hyatt.

He was born in Santiago but left Chile with his family as an infant and he grew up in Australia. “I am definitely a Melbourne boy, “ he smiles. “But I am particularly proud of both heritages: especially Chilean and Australian wines.”

After College he set off to continue training in Spain, devoting his time between the Red Cross and various hospitality venues on the Spanish Riviera.

Four years later he returned to Australia to join the pre-opening team of Crown Towers (in 1996), a hotel where he was to become exposed to the pressures (and pleasures) of attending countless prominent dignitaries, presidents, prime ministers, royals and international celebrities who visited Melbourne.

Constanzo was at Crown Towers in Melbourne when Will Smith came to town to promote his movie Ali. So impressed was the American actor that he cheekily poached him to work in his own household.

MR & MRS SMITH “I was in Los Angeles a week, taking on my role as butler to the Smith family – Will, his wife Jada and their three children Trey, Jaiden (now star of Karate Kid) and Willow,” says Constanzo. “Just a week of calm and then it was chaos as we toured the world to promote Men in Black II.” “In this kind of situation, your role changes dramatically: to stylist, medic, timekeeper, nutritionist, chef, travel agent (although most travel was by private aircraft) – just about everything. You became part of their life and you are married to your Blackberry!”

“But it was simply an amazing time. The Smiths live on a 197-acre estate that took seven years to build in Malibu Canyon,” he says.

“You also meet the most interesting people.

One night in Cannes, we sat around a dining table with Will and Jada – as well as Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Angelina Jolie, Julie Andrews and Antonio Banderas (that was Shrek time). It was all so casual – just people enjoying Provençal food and a glass of wine,” he recalls.

“I also remember in New York when Will was promoting his movie Hitch. Brooke Shields wanted to speak to a real-life butler for her own movie Bob the Butler. By the

end, it was kisses and hugs. And then, not dropping any more names, she greeted me like an old friend at Tom Cruise’s wedding in Rome.”

“Then, one of my greatest memories was meeting Nelson Mandela in South Africa where Will Smith was helping promote the 46664 foundation for international AIDS awareness and education.”

You might well ask why one would leave all this?

“It was seven years, happy years. But I wanted my life back,” says Constanzo. “Will hugged me on the day I left and wished me well.”

ST. REGIS “I had to consciously force myself to slow down. Take a breath. It would not do for our guests to discern any note of edginess.

They come here for a peaceful holiday.”

“Now I do have a life. Working at the St.

Regis – with two days off a week and with 24 butlers all told, I can indeed afford to do this,” he says.

“There have been such major changes in what a butler does since World War II,” says Constanzo. “Remember back then, it was one of his jobs to iron the morning newspaper. Nowadays, it is more like finding a compatible plug for a laptop.”

“At the St. Regis, the butler is the first point of contact for a guest. You find out their special requirements, introduce them to the facilities, make them feel at ease. And I should point out, not everybody feels comfortable with a stranger there 24 hours, so you also have to know when to back away,” he says.

“But the majority of our guests delight in the extra service our team of butlers can give.

Our major job is never to say ‘no.’ I always quote an example, a bit flighty, but you get the meaning. If a guest asks to meet Queen Elizabeth for tea at two on Tuesday, you 19

PERSONALITY : CARLO COSTANZA

don’t say no; you have a couple of backup plans – perhaps Prince William or the Duchess of Cornwall!”

“We are still called upon for many strange things but I am constantly amused by our most common request: and that is to direct guests to the best places to buy furniture in Bali. I have quickly become quite expert at this. We had one guest, a nice American lady, who wanted a few accessories for her home. Well, after a spree of four hours, she had bought a container full of stuff and was very happy.”

“Meantime, I relax by listening to classical music. (It is not on my CV but I was once a classical percussionist (mostly drums) and I taught music in Melbourne for five years early in my career.”

“I am loving Bali, especially its spirituality and I am also on a mission to explore its restaurants. I love Japanese food above all.

But I am discovering some nice Italian and even some Spanish food around.”

“And on the job, I am not the man in black any more. I feel like I have lost my armour,” he laughs at memories of his starchy suit, sometimes even tails, he wore as a butler in previous jobs. “One of my uniforms here even includes a sarong!”

www.stregis.com/bali

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GALLERY

Bespoke Christmas Shopping the Hyatt Way The luxurious Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill has created a sensational package for those looking for inspiration and support with their London Christmas shopping trip. As the weeks pass by and we get closer to Christmas, panic starts to close in, with last minute thoughts of what to buy for friends, family and loved ones.

This centrally located hotel has the answer to those worries and is delighted to work with personal shopper to the stars, Martina Wagener, who looks after an array of high-profile clients, including top American film directors, politicians, footballers and fashion designers, and has a diverse range of Christmas gift ideas for everyone. With access to the many secret boutiques of London, Martina has the keys to the city and the experience that goes with it, having worked with Browns and Selfridges as their top Personal Shopper. As part of this special package, guests will spend half a day with Martina, who will highlight the “must-have” gifts for this year and remove any stress from the Christmas shopping experience.

Alternatively, the short-of-time business executive can spend 30 minutes with Martina discussing his/her gift requirements and she will return a few hours later with the chosen gifts, all wrapped perfectly.

Package guests will stay in the comfort of a Regency Club room with access to the Regency Club Lounge, which offers complimentary daily continental breakfast, all-day tea, coffee and light snacks and cocktails and canapés between 6:00pm and 8:00pm every evening. In addition, they will have use of the hotel’s chauffeur driven car for their half-day shopping trip. From the hotel’s wonderful location in the heart of London’s main shopping area and Martina’s creative ability to find a present for those most difficult to please, this accommodation package is the perfect answer to all Christmas shopping wishes!

This exclusive package starts at £749 per night and is subject to availability.

www.hyatt.com www.martinawagener.com

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TRAVEL : HO CHI MINH

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TRAVEL : HO CHI MINH

DON’T MISS SAIGON

On the way to Ho Chi Minh City, our driver goes to great pains to tell us “the French were here for 80 years; the Americans for 20. Now we are independent but this is still Saigon. Everybody here calls it that. Its official name was changed, I think, as a political move to remind people who won the war.”

Our driver was obviously born after the war as we also asked, but got blank stares, the question if the musical Miss Saigon ever played here. Probably not, as it was a war-inspired Madame Butterfly tragedy.

But there are now rumours a movie is in the making and nobody can stop the DVD industry). And speaking of movies, there is, astonishingly, a zippy bar called Apocalypse Now. After the surrender, it was the first official act of the North Vietnamese to rename it Ho Chi Minh City and it remains the biggest and most bustling city in Vietnam.

Newly dominating its skyline is the Bitexco Financial Building, designed by Carlos Zapata and 68 storeys of glass: sexy and attractive with its helipad jutting out from the top.

Recent history aside, the major influences on this place over the millennia were Khmer and Chinese (it was once a regional capital of the Khmer (Cambodian) Empire). But the French did take a sleepy little town and lay out wide, tree-lined avenues (there are still lots of trees today), parks and buildings, public and private. There is still something charming about rock-solid buildings with columns and shuttered doors leading onto cool verandahs.

There are also some vestiges of the sleepy old Asian town – food vendors in their

conical hats, trishaws, sidewalk eateries and miles of black spaghetti providing vital electricity. Many of the old buildings are in disrepair; hopefully they will preserve them. For the rest, it is 21st century haste to modernise and develop and, just about everywhere, there are cranes presiding over the erection of steel and glass.

The streets are clean and people dress in a casual Western fashion. Sadly, there is no evidence of the beautiful ao dai; it seems relegated now to weddings and special occasions.

Like any Asian city, it has its traffic - there don’t appear to be many rules but it seems to keep moving. But a warning: when you need to cross the street, look both ways (they drive on the right here) and look again – and again for good luck. There are a million motorcycles and they take no prisoners – they even come at you on the sidewalk. Having said that, it is a great city for walking, rare in Asia.

Politics seems very much in the background here, although a guard did yell at us when we tried to photograph the old American embassy - oddly the one thing everybody asks about, with vivid memories of that helicopter evacuation in 1975. They actually razed the building in 1998 to build a new and smaller one for their consulate (an embassy must be in the capital, which is now Hanoi).

Next door is also the gracious French (now) consulate in tree-filled grounds.

Two other things the French left were good bread, so rare in Asia, and coffee – although the Vietnamese variety is an acquired taste and tar-like to the initiated. Many here drink it iced.

SIGHTS The city spreads out from the Saigon River and by far the best way to get around is on foot. Maps are good and most things are easy to find so take a comfortable pair of shoes. Just about everything happens in District 1.

Must-sees are the neo-Romanesque Basilica of Notre Dame and the recently-restored Opera House – but strangely you cannot go inside either unless there is an event there.

(Note to locals: you could make a mint with guided tours at both.)

There is the charming rococo City Hall, now set off by a statue of Bac Ho (Uncle Ho) in the park opposite. The old Eiffel-designed General Post Office is also worth a look (you can go inside here) and it is a favourite spot to have your wedding picture taken.

You should take a stroll down Dong Khoi (formerly rue Catinat). Start at the Hotel Continental (setting for much of Graham Greene’s novel The Quiet American which 23

TRAVEL : HO CHI MINH

street vendors still peddle to tourists) and you will find international label boutiques but also some upcoming local brands, silk shops, art galleries, handicrafts (you can never have too many salad servers…) and lots of restaurants. There are also places to buy fake watches, DVDs and T-shirts (one even reads ‘Good Morning Vietnam’). You will also find many shops selling the famous Vietnamese lacquer work. If you look carefully, you will sort out a beauty from the kitsch.

truly Vietnamese but lots of others: La Niçoise, for example, just off Dong Khoi.

to the business, tourist and expat crowds but you should also do the authentic thing.

EATING

You can find the national noodle soup dish: pho (pronounce it sort of like fer) anywhere but if you want to play it safe, try Pho 24 or Pho 2000 – they have branches everywhere and a lunch bowl costs a little over $2. See box below for a full guide.

Saigon is a great place for food, although not yet as sophisticated as other Asian capitals. But it is a place to try Vietnamese food, long underrated and one of the best (and delicious) new trends around the world and here you can get into it at ground level.

There are many upscale restaurants catering

Ho Chi Minh is now and an exciting and vibrant city on the way to total modernity.

You will also find many jewellery shops, some selling finely designed pieces, others the famous loose Asian gemstones.

There is an antique street called Le Cong Kieu but it is hard to find. Here they sell mostly Khmer pieces, Chinese porcelain and stuff taken from old mansions and churches.

(Prices are very reasonable).

For culture vultures, there is the History Museum, with artefacts through 20 centuries from the Bronze Age (good gift shop, too). There is also the War Remembrance Museum, which many people find distressing because of the American war and its useless waste of life on all sides.

In a large park is the classic 1960’s former presidential mansion, now called the Reunification Palace (for obvious reasons) and has been left virtually untouched and, on days when you can go inside, you can see how they lived in the years before and during the Invasion.

The Old and the New

At right angles to Dong Khoi, at the Rex Hotel (whose 5th floor terrace was where crusty old journalists reported the war) is Le Loi. If you walk three blocks down you will come to the famous Ben Thanh Market. It is a wet market on one side and on the other a treasure trove of home-wares, costume jewellery, woodcarving and textiles – and also the centre for knock-off labels and watches. Make sure you bargain, just like at home.

If you are into shopping, there are malls and arcades for traditional fashion. But do look at some of the local designers (many still on Dong Khoi) for some energy and difference.

HCMC is also paradise for the model nut: especially if you fancy a hand-carved boat, vintage aeroplane or war-era jets and huies.

By this time, you will be well and truly ready for a cocktail. Thankfully, the French tradition of the aperitif remains and you can find dozens of cafes, bars and watering holes around town where you can relax – some

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The American Consulate

Opera House

TRAVEL : HO CHI MINH

Tourist-friendly (despite the persistent soliciting of hawkers and ojek riders) and fun. And if the politicos don’t hear you, you can tell your friends make sure they don’t miss Saigon.

DAY TRIP Not far from the city are the Cu Chi Tunnels, the beginning of a vast network that go all the way to Cambodia where Viet Cong guerrilla forces lived, worked and battled.

Not for the claustrophobic but it is fascinating to see they are not just corridors but there are kitchens, schoolrooms, hospitals, factories and mass housing.

Delta and some lesser ones that take you cruising on the Saigon River, which runs through the city.

At Ben Duoc, another tunnel system has been built just for the tourists to crawl through. They will even let you have a little target practice with old weapons.

There are also very good day trips by boat that will take you around the mighty Mekong

DINING OUT Reservations are recommended everywhere as Ho Chi Minh’s dining scene is buzzing.

Some recommendations: Com Nieu Saigon (Vietnamese-Authentic Casual, complete with shattered crockery and flying-rice show) 19 Tu Xuong, D3, (848) 39 326388 Hoa Tuc (Vietnamese Fusion, housed in the courtyard of an old opium refinery – hoa tuc means poppy in Vietnamese) 74A Hai Ba Trung, Lam Son Square, D1, (848) 38251676 Hoi An (refined Vietnamese; beautiful dining room) 11 Le Thanh Ton, D1, (848) 38237694 Mandarin Restaurant (timbered Chinese décor; Vietnamese fusion cuisine) 11A Ngo Van Nam, D1, (848) 38229783 Quan An Ngon (authentic Vietnamese country dining; colonial décor) 160 Pasteur Street, D1, (848) 38 277131 La Cuisine (French; smart casual; reasonably priced) 28B Ngo Van Nam Street, D1, (848) 38 22298882 La Cantine (international but French inspired menu) 6 Dong Khoi Street, D1, (848) 38 238866 or 38 245984 Le Bordeaux (authentic French; few minutes drive from CBD; chic) F8-F9 D2, Binh Thanh Dist, (848) 38999831) Sandals (restaurant and bar – smart casual; hodge-podge menu from far-flung spots like

Morocco and Norway; friendly and hip) 93 Hai Ba Trung Street, D1, (848) 38 275 198 Amigo (international steak house, complimentary salad bar) 55 Nguyen Hue, D1, (848) 38 241 248 Ngoc Suong (fresh seafood, Vietnamese family style) 17 Le Qui Don, D1, (848) 3930420 (they have several branches, including Ngoc Suong Marina). * AFTER HOURS (and earlier as midnight seems to be a general closing hour. And you could be lucky enough to hear Elvis Phuong perform…)

Apocalypse Now 2B Thi Sach, (848) 38256124 Acoustic Bar 6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, D3, (848) 39 302 239 Sax n’ Art Jazz Club 28 Le Loi, (848) 38228472 Saigon Saigon Bar 9F Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, (848) 8234999 Level 23 88 Dong Khoi, (848) 38 272 828 Purple Jade InterContinental Hotel, Hai Ba Trung, (848) 3520 9999 Lam Son Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam Son Square (848) 824 1234 (smoke free)

25

GALLERY

A once in a lifetime event - 3 Chefs Dinner It has become of one of the most successful marketing strategies in modern hospitality. Associate your property with star power – and they don’t come much starrier than Richard Gere.

Three spectacular chefs from three countries - an unforgettable food, wine, golf and spa experience at one of the world’s best destinations - The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.

treatments, farm tours and walks, exploring the Hawke’s Bay wine region and more.

Other fabulous dining experiences featuring the best of New Zealand produce are part of the weekend mix .

Any one of these three chefs would be enough to lure the most discerning food & wine lovers to New Zealand - but as a trio - it is a once in a lifetime event.

The highlight of the weekend spectacular will be the Saturday night degustation dinner on Saturday March 26 - when the international chefs will each create two signature dishes as part of a six course dinner from three of the world’s foremost talents. Each course will be matched to sublime Dry River wines.

Thomas Keller is best known for his landmark destination restaurant in Yountville, California - The French Laundry, which he opened in 1994. He now has eight restaurants and two bakeries in the United States, including the renowened Per Se in New York City. Keller is a man of exceptionally high personal standards, and values genuine collaboration. He is very much looking forward to cooking (and playing golf!) in New Zealand alongside two of his best friends and respected colleagues, Heston & Neil.

The weekend provides ample free time to enjoy all that a stay at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is renowned for - from rounds of golf on the Cape Kidnappers course, spa

Heston Blumenthal opened The Fat Duck in the United Kingdom, which gained three Michelin stars in 2004. Heston has received worldwide recognition for his unique

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approach to gastronomy and has been described as a culinary alchemist for his innovative style of cuisine.

Neil Perry is undoubtedly Australia’s best known and most influential chef. Neil’s flagship brand - Rockpool - includes Rockpool, Rockpool Bar & Grill (Sydney & Melbourne) is synonymous with quality produce, outstanding wine and one of the world’s great dining experiences.

Exclusivity is assured as this special dinner is limited to guests at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers - just 22 suites and a 4 bedroom owner’s cottage are available for this truly special event. A three night minimum stay encompassing the night of Saturday March 26, 2011 is required to secure a spot at the 3 Chefs Dinner at The Farm at Kidnappers.

www.capekidnappers.com

HOTEL : JAKARTA

KEMPINSKI KLASS

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HOTEL : JAKARTA

Let’s face it, negotiating Jakarta Airport can be frustrating, time-consuming and chaotic – at just about any hour of the day. The Hotel Indonesia Kempinski has just introduced a service that will take away all that pain.

It is called the Ganesha Executive Club Experience and it begins at Soekarno-Hatta.

Here you will be met just beyond immigration by a trained host, whose English incidentally, is perfect. He will take care of your baggage claim and whisk it, and you, to kerbside where a sleek BMW-7 Series is waiting to transport you in quiet comfort to the city.

The chauffeurs are also English speaking and will greet you with iced water, a cold towel and any information you may need about Jakarta. If you don’t feel like chatting, these cars have two built-in TV screens.

Of course, he discreetly calls ahead so that when you arrive at the hotel, a smartly dressed greeter clad in contemporary

Indonesian kain songket will escort you to the lobby, where a senior executive of the hotel, either the General Manager or Director of Marketing will personally offer his or her greetings.

From there a ‘Lady in Red’ will guide you to the private check-in service at the Ganesha Executive Club Lounge. (You should know that these multi-lingual guest-relations people, as well as a personal butler, will be of service all during your stay.)

Club Level is always the way to go when you are staying at luxury hotels but the Indonesia Kempinski goes a few steps further to really make your stay enjoyable, your leisure and business activities seamless (this includes free WiFi in your suite).

Not the least of this is use of the luxurious Ganesha Executive Club Lounge with its selection of international newspapers and magazines, a separate TV Lounge, computer work-stations and a boardroom. Club guests are also welcome to an executive breakfast buffet, light snacks throughout the day and evening cocktails with hot and cold canapés.

It all makes the chaos of the airport seem like a distant memory. www.kempinski.com

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FOOD

HO, HO, HOT! Many people in the Southern Hemisphere have taken to celebrating Christmas in July so they can really enjoy the trappings of the cold climate North. But if you are celebrating on December 25 and you are in Asia, it is going to be hot.

Viva Asia this month is delighted to give you a little respite from a hot stove, days of preparation, heavy food and complicated presentation.

These are cold recipes for a tropical Christmas table (or buffet) that are varied, easy and delicious. Best of all, the host can sit down with the party and enjoy the spread.

FROZEN TOMATO SOUP (Elegant and simple, it takes minutes to make and is unbelievably refreshing on a hot, sultry day. We also like this with a clove of minced garlic and perhaps a dash of Balsamic vinegar.)

375g ripe tomatoes (or you can use 2 cans peeled tomatoes) 1 or 2 shallots, grated Pinch each of tarragon, dill and basil Grated rind of ½ a lemon Yoghurt Curry powder Salt & black pepper to taste

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FOOD

If you can find ripe, red tomatoes, grate and discard skins and seeds. If you are using canned, roughly chop. Add the shallots, lemon and the herbs and season to taste.

Place the mixture in the freezer for a couple of hours until it begins to crystallise. To serve, scoop mixture into a serving bowl (or individual bowls) and top with a dollop of yogurt seasoned with a dash of curry powder. If you want extra Christmas colour, add basil or mint.

CHRISTMAS TURKEY (OR CHICKEN) SALAD 4 large turkey or chicken breasts 3 ribs celery, chopped 2 cups seedless green grapes 1 can water chestnuts 4 shallots 1 green pepper, sliced 125g cashews, toasted 2 mangoes ½ cup coconut milk ½ cup sour cream or yogurt 2 tbspns mango chutney 3 tbspns curry powder

Salt & pepper to taste 1 cos lettuce 1 mango extra Chopped parsley Poach chicken breasts. Cool and sliver. Put in bowl with celery, shallots, pepper and cashews. Toss.

Dressing: Chop mango. Puree in a blender with coconut milk, sour cream, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in chicken.

Arrange lettuce onto plates. Serve with extra mango and parsley. Place on a buffet with a green salad, a Guinness potato salad (elsewhere in this issue) and a salad of snake beans with vinaigrette.

HAM & RICE SALAD SALAD 4 cups cooked cold rice 2 cups diced pineapple 250g diced ham 1 small cucumber, finely chopped ½ cup chopped green onions 6 radishes, sliced 31

FOOD

DRESSING 1 cup yoghurt 1/3 cup sour cream (or use all yogurt) ¼ cup mint leaves 1 tbspn chilli Pinch each of basil and cumin Salt & pepper to taste Combine salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with the dressing. Let stand covered for 30 minutes before serving.

BEAN SALAD 1 large bunch snake beans 4 chopped shallots Blanch chopped beans in boiling water for 1 minute and then plunge into cold water with ice cubes. When cool, toss with the shallots and blend with your favourite vinaigrette.

Season with salt and black pepper and toss through some pine or other nuts. (A simple dressing is 1/3 white vinegar to 2/3 olive oil – seasoned with a teaspoon of mustard, a dash of lemon juice and black pepper to taste).

ICE CREAM XMAS PUDDING (This can be made up well in advance and frozen. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving).

2 cups mixed dried fruits (You can get dried mango, banana, papaya, orange, watermelon and more from local produce stores. You should also use some raisins or sultanas.)

Brandy or Grand Marnier Zest of 1 orange 3/4 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds If you can find it, a few pieces of crystallised ginger is also delicious Pinch each of nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon

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1 4-litre pack of vanilla ice cream (some people prefer chocolate) Marinate the fruit in the brandy or Grand Marnier overnight.

Let ice cream ‘warm’ up a little but don’t let it become liquid.

Stir in all the ingredients and mix well.

Place in a mould or a dish and return to the freezer.

If you have difficulty in unmoulding it at serving time, dip the mould in a little hot water.

Serve with a good chocolate sauce or cream mixed with a little honey.

EASY CHRISTMAS PUDDING (This is so easy and recalls the taste of a cold Noël: just buy a ready-made Christmas pudding from the supermarket) 1 Christmas pudding 2 litres good vanilla ice cream 1/4 cup brandy (or your favourite liqueur) Unpack the pudding and place in a bowl.

Pour over brandy and let it soak in.

Crumble the pudding and stir into the slightly softened ice cream.

Refreeze and remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Place on a platter and surround with fresh berries.

DESTINATION : THAILAND

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DESTINATION : THAILAND

Koh Samui Luxe Koh Samui is a tiny island off the Thai mainland. It was a small fishing community until intrepid backpackers discovered it back in the late 1970s when they came by coconut boat. Now it boasts a thriving tourist industry and luxury resorts like the Four Seasons.

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DESTINATION : THAILAND

Koh Samui is now Thailand’s second largest tourism destination (after Bangkok and before Phuket). It is only 21km long; the coastal lowlands, rising to a central granite massif whose slopes are covered with dense rainforest. (You can hike here or go trekking by elephant).

It is surrounded by about 60 other small islands which compose the Ang Thong Marine National Park, a paradise for kayaking, snorkelling and diving where you can see beautiful underwater mountains, coral gardens and the occasional whale shark.

Just five minutes from the old capital of Nathon (still a one-elephant town but also the ferry and luxury cruise liner port) is the Four Seasons Resort. Hidden behind a tall hill, its dense greenery spills past its villas, down onto white sand, palm trees and the aquamarine sea that is the Gulf of Thailand.

The Four Seasons prides itself on being eco-friendly and many of the buildings have living coconut trees as part of the indoor décor, rather than cutting them down.

Its 60 one-bedroom villas and larger residential villas all have views of the ocean and all have private pools if you don’t feel

like going down to the main pool, right on the beach. All have al fresco living and dining spaces Lan Tania (named after the local blue palm) is the main restaurant and sits 100m above the beach, air-conditioned inside, oceanbreezy outside. They serve Italian and Thai food and a buffet breakfast.

On the beach below, Pla Pla (“many fish”) serves fresh seafood, Thai style, for lunch and dinner – along with the occasional luau.

The Beach Bar has oversized lounges for cocktails and snacks.

All the seafood arrives fresh from the surrounding ocean while vegetables and herbs and spices are grown in the local garden.

The main reason people come to Koh Samui is for the beach and the ocean and its many water sports. The Four Seasons even has its own boat. And when you return from a day of snorkelling, it is to simply chill – luxe style. www.fourseasons.com/kohsamui

Koh Samui You will get your bearings quickly and find your favourite beach, whether it be deserted or fringed with bars and cafes Patong-style (Chaweng and Lamai).

Other island attractions include coral beds at Laem Set and Thong Takhian; the nearby butterfly garden; a snake farm; a monkey theatre (also with performing elephants) at Bo Phut and a massive seated Buddha image on Fan isle.

Surprisingly good is the Samui Aquarium and the Tiger Zoo (at Ban Harn) where the brave can have their picture taken with the tigers and the leopards.

The Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai) has a 15m statue of the Buddha and the Laem Sor Pagoda, with its yellow tiles gives off a wonderful golden aura from miles away.

Getting there: there are a dozen flights a day from Bangkok and other parts of Thailand. There are also international flights from Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The intrepid can take the ferry from the mainland.

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GALLERY

blend of grapefruit, jasmine and vetiver creating a fresh, versatile fragrance for everyday use and is beneficial to overall well-being.

Featuring a contemporary design, the range includes shampoo, conditioner, hand & body wash, hand & body lotion in 30ml & 60ml sizes, bath soap in 30gm & 50 gm sizes, dental kit, shave set, grooming kit and shower cap. A molded amenities tray, plush his & her slippers and a travel bag also complement the line.

Something New in the Bathroom

Rendezvous and The Marque Hotels have rolled out the exclusive French Connection amenities range in all guest rooms.

Introduced exclusively through Concept Amenities, the luxurious French Connection range of guest bathroom amenities are packaged in ultra modern, square black and white bottles manufactured with Eco Pure®, an organic additive, which allows plastic to fully biodegrade within a few years in landfill conditions.

The signature fragrance in this range has been formulated exclusively by worldrenown perfumer Jo Malone, with a floral

“Our guests have told us they love being pampered, so this year we are introducing the luxurious French Connection amenities to all of our Rendezvous and The Marque hotels in Australia and New Zealand to make their stay even more memorable and enjoyable,” said Iqbal Jumabhoy, Rendezvous Hospitality Group, Chief Executive Officer. “French Connection is a premium brand, and our partnership is in line with our commitment to deliver quality to guests on a daily basis,” Mr Jumabhoy said. www.RendezvousHotels.com

www.MarqueHotels.com.

HOTEL : PARIS

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HOTEL : PARIS

PALACE IN PARIS

Long a prestige brand in Asia, Shangri-La has just opened its first property in Europe – fittingly, a palace in Paris.

In the chic 16th Arrondissement, the mansion was indeed built in 1896: the Palais Iéna, for the grand-nephew of Napoleon I, Prince Roland Bonaparte.

In addition, half the rooms have a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine below, many with fine terraces for outdoor dining and lounging.

They have been careful that the restoration retains its residential heritage but they still offer some 81 rooms including 27 suites, making it the most intimate of all Shangri-La Hotels worldwide.

Chef Philippe Labbé presides over the food, including La Bauhinia and the gourmet French restaurant L’Abeille. And, a first for Paris, Shangri-La’s signature Cantonese restaurant, Shang Palace.

Interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon crafted each room individually to retain the residential ambience while providing all modern day comforts.

www.shangri-la.com

Included are five duplex suites and the ‘Suite Imperiale,’ which originally housed Prince Roland’s private rooms.

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RESTAURANT : SINGAPORE

JAPANESE SHRINE If you like authentic Japanese food (fresh and flavoursome), the place in Singapore to go is Inagiku – still wowing them after opening two decades ago at the Fairmont Hotel.

The design of this place is sort of ‘organic Zen.’ It has a simple monochromatic colour scheme, indirectly lit. There is lots of wood, sturdy, leather chairs in walnut complemented by sleek lamps over every table.

But their major claim to fame is the food.

International travellers and Singaporeans in the know crowd the place every lunch and dinner time for a menu very special in the city.

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They have a combination of classic and some modernised Japanese dishes, all with premium ingredients, many flown in daily from Tokyo.

Another drawcard fro Inagiku is Chef Eric Yong, teppanyaki masterchef who has held sway for nigh on 20 years. He is one of the very few locals certified by Japan’s Association of Teppanyaki Chefs.

www.fairmont.com.

DESTINATION : BALI

Away With The Birds Travellers to Bali are starting to head out of the Kuta/Seminyak centres for other options. One place, actually not far away in Jimbaran, is a quiet haven for people in the know.

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Gending Kedis (it means ‘bird song’ in Balinese) began life as a private hideaway but now boasts some 19 villas, spilling down a ridge with views of the rainforest on the bluff opposite.

It has become especially popular with honeymooners, conference groups and people who just want to get away from it all (and it is especially popular with people from Jakarta).

All the villas have been built in a way to that each has a breathtaking view over a steep wooded ravine with luxuriant green vegetation. They have one, two, three and four bedroom villas, all with private pool, kitchen and spacious living areas.

Dining is in the spacious Alcedo (‘river

kingfisher’) restaurant or there is 24-hour butler service in your villa.

When you absolutely feel the need to leave, there are white sand beaches down the road; two nearby golf courses and their concierge can arrange day trips for shopping and cultural visits.

When you get home, you will want to simply chill and, yes, you will hear the song of hundreds of exotic birds.

www.gendingkedis.com

DESTINATION : BALI

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UP IN THE AIR

If you were thinking that every major destination route was covered in Indonesia; think again. In news that will be welcome news to tourism operators in Medan, Air Asia has announced that from January 16th 2011 it will be launching a new route Medan to Hong Kong.

AirAsia will be the only airline offering this international route. Kathleen Tan, AirAsia’s Regional Head of Commercial explained, “Our growing presence in Hong Kong since our conception in May 2008 signifies the commitment that AirAsia has for the Hong Kong and South China market. We are confident that this new route will stimulate more travel between these two destinations and enhance tourism activities. We are optimistic that our low fares and world class services will continue to induce more travel demand and contribute to the economies of both nations. Hong Kongers visiting Medan will be enthralled by its unexploited beauty and life energy. This would also further boost inter-domestic travel to Bandung and Surabaya from Medan hub. Apart from that, guests may also leverage on AirAsia’s vast route network in South-East Asia and beyond as we fly to over 132 routes and over 70 hot destinations at ultra-low fares.” www.airasia.com

Air-Asia announces another new route.

Bali-Phuket – Direct

Budget carrier AirAsia has launched a direct flight from Bali in Indonesia to Phuket in Thailand.

The airline launched a Denpasar-Bangkok flight two years ago and this is now running above 80% capacity.

The obvious question is why would you fly from one similar beach destination to another?

“We look at Bali and Phuket as essential tourist hubs with people coming from all over the world to both. With this new service, they can spend a week in Bali and then a week in Phuket with ease. It will make travel more convenient and increase tourism revenue in both places,” says AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld (pictured) who launched the new service in Bali. “And Bali is already on the way to becoming an increasingly important hub for flights to many other parts of the world.”

“People here should also look at from the other direction: our flights will be bringing tourists to Bali as well,” he says.

Initially, they will fly four times a week from Phuket (departing 0630) and the return from Bali (departing 1140). In 18 months, they predict daily flights, even two on some days – one morning, one evening.

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CRUISING : MELVYN YAP

Sailing SAILING THE SILVER SEAS the silver seas 46

CRUISING : MELVYN YAP

It is a wonder his nickname is not ‘Tom’ because Silversea’s Melvyn Yap is known as ‘Mr. Cruise’ in Asia.

Philosophy.’ This means we are totally free in destination planning and we do go to many unusual places,” says Yap. “Shareholders would want you put your ships where it is most profitable – which means they would not even come to Asia as we do,” he says.

“Silversea is considered the most expensive line in the world. Our space ratio is much bigger than other lines – that is, the number of passengers in relation to the size of the ship. Selling a cruise ship is like selling an aircraft: in economy class, you have a configuration of 3-4-3. Business, you probably have 2-2-2 and in first class: 1-1.

So, other lines have inside cabins and outside cabins. Whereas we have a single aisle and you have a sea view on both sides.

And 80% of all our suites have verandahs.”

“Then service and food are of utmost importance because you are on board for everything. The Silver Shadow, which is the ship that comes to Asia, has 382 passengers and there are 295 crew. So that is a very good service/passenger average.

On bigger ships with other lines, you get 10 passengers for every one crew member.”

“We take our food very seriously - and we are learning. In Asia passengers have a sophisticated palate so they are happy with the western restaurants on board but we have now introduced an Asian fusion restaurant for them as well.”

WHY CRUISE? “I think cruising is for lazy people,” laughs Yap. “And I say lazy because the main thing is you only have to unpack once. Then you can visit five or six cities without repacking and unpacking again. It is terrific. Some of our cruises do 10 European countries in 15 days. Can you imagine all that packing and unpacking if you were not living in the cabin of a luxury cruise ship?”

“There is no changing hotels, no changing buses, no endless transfers to airports, no queuing at immigration and no waiting for planes.”

We have six ships: Silver Cloud, Silver Shadow, Silver Wind, Silver Whisper, Silver Spirit and Prince Albert II. And all a

horizontally stabilised, which makes such a difference to a smooth ride; it cuts the roll to virtually nil,” he say.

“And we go everywhere. Anywhere where the water is deep enough to sail. And our ‘destination itineraries’ mean, unlike other lines who start and end in the same city, we may leave from one and disembark from another.”

“The other good thing about Silversea is that we are not dominated by one nationality.

Firstly, our company is Italian, then 50% of our business comes from America, 30% from Europe, 15% from Australia and New Zealand and the rest from all over. A very international crowd so you will feel very comfortable.”

EDUCATION “Life on board is not all eating, drinking fine wine and lounging around. We want cruising to be an educational experience not formal schooling but voluntary lectures and seminars that will give you great insight to where you are sailing. So we have visiting archaeologists, historians and anthropologists. And we also have visiting 47

CRUISING : MELVYN YAP

jewellery designers, artists – and chefs.

Our culinary cruise is proving extraordinarily popular with its five-star guest chefs.”

OLD PEOPLE? “It is true that the longer the cruise, the older the crowd,” Yap says. “Chiefly because they have the time to spare so they especially like our world cruises because who of us has three months to spare?”

“In Asia, though, the crowd is much younger. Here our average age is 45. (In Europe and America, it is older: about 65) because in Asia, I think the young get richer, quicker. And there is a mindset to have it: spend it! Money seems to come and go very quickly here, a whole different ball game.”

“Our biggest client in Singapore is a solo cruiser. And he was only 45 when he took his first cruise and how he’s been with us for about 350 days in four years. He retired at 45 and he’s now only 52.”

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NEXT? “We are doing very well, despite things like the GFC. We are sailing just about everywhere – well, everywhere except to Western Africa; nobody has done that yet. But we are getting feedback from our regular clients that that is the next place they would like to go, so we are busy organising a new itinerary to places like Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo. We will be the first cruise line to go there,” he says.

“I am looking forward to that myself. I think Africa will be the next part of a life-changing education. It will make Singapore look kind of blah but I must admit, I love coming home – not least for the best Chinese food!” www.silversea.com

HOTEL: HO CHI MINH

InterContinental Asiana Saigon 50

The new InterContinental Asiana Saigon sits at the centre of a new business hub in Ho Chi Minh City, a place fairly bursting with economic energy.

HOTEL: HO CHI MINH

InterContinental Asiana Saigon seems like a mouthful but they want to convey the whole concept to the traveller: the five-star prestige of the brand, the ownership (the same company that owns Asiana Airlines) and Saigon, because that is how much of the world still thinks of Ho Chi Minh City.

It rises 21 storeys above Hai Ba Trung Street (in District 1) and offers marvellous views of the city, including many of its parks, treelined boulevards and landmarks. To orient you, it is across the street from the French and the American consulates and the new Diamond Plaza Mall.

It has 305 rooms and suites (all with floor-toceiling windows), a stylish club lounge and international dining choices. There is Yu Chu for Cantonese and Pekinese food, Market 39 with its French-Asian-Vietnamese food coming from open kitchens and Basilico for Italian.

From the hotel, it is easy walking distance (at most a short taxi ride) to the city’s major landmarks, the Saigon Trade Centre, Petro Tower, Central Plaza, the new Bitexco Financial Building and the Dong Khoi Street shopping precinct.

You are welcomed by tall young men in traditional court costume and you leave the bustle of the city outside as you enter the cool, calm lobby, which also houses “The Library” – a lounge where you can enjoy a cocktail, a cup of tea, read or meet a business colleague.

At night, you are also close to all the entertainment venues – or you could simply choose to stay in and head for the hotel’s groovy new club called Purple Jade.

A tip: they have one of the best concierge services in town so if you need a business address, a restaurant, a club, a tourist service and the best way to get there, just ask at the desk in the lobby. www.intercontinental.com/saigon

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WINE : CHINA

A New Dynasty

To celebrate 30 years in the wine business, the Dynasty Fine Wines Group unveils its new headquarters: a lavish French-style chateau.

Just near the city of Tianjin, the grand new building takes the Palace of Versailles as its inspiration, complete with spires, battlements and marble statues of Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine. There is also a nod to the other palace of Le Louvre and a cheeky replica of I. M. Pei’s glass pyramid.

The aptly named Chateau Dynasty is the largest wine complex in Asia, covering some 11 hectares and is already a promising tourist attraction, as well as wine-producing operation.

The interiors are an eclectic mix that would have been and eye-opener for even the jaded Queen Marie-Antoinette. The décor 52

incorporates Regency furnishing and eclectic antiques, ranging from historic tapestries and medieval suits of armour to an armchair originally owned by the 16th century French author Michel de Montaigne.

Not forgetting this is a wine centre, grand exhibition halls showcase the world’s top vintages, including priceless Rémy Martin cognacs.

An underground museum beneath the pyramid explains the history of wine, from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome to the most hallowed vineyards of France and the New World. Exhibits range from ancient wine urns and historic bottles to antique winemaking equipment and tools.

Chateau Dynasty is also a prestigious banqueting, events and conference venue, incorporating a grand dining hall seating

up to 400, with 22 guest rooms and a spa specialising in treatments using grape essence.

The doors were officially thrown open by Dynasty’s chairman Bai Zhisheng and their French executive advisor Francois HeriardDubreuil. (Dynasty is a joint venture with the French wine and spirits group Rémy Cointreau).

Mr. Bai said, “Chateau Dynasty marks a significant milestone in our development, which also includes a huge expansion of production capacity.” In 2010, their production capacity expanded from 50,000 tonnes (equivalent to approximately 66.7 million bottles) to 70,000 tones or 93.3 million bottles.

“Dynasty will also educate Chinese consumers and organise regular exhibitions

WINE : CHINA

and workshops on French and Chinese wine, food and culture to build up a platform of wine tasting, promotion, trade and storage for wine lovers in China.“ Chateau Dynasty has a diverse range of 100 wine products in five main categories, namely red, white, sparkling wines and brandy from high-end vintages to reasonably priced varieties targeting young wine lovers – and most recently, ice wine.

They are also proud of their new premium wines, including the Chateau Dynasty – Grand Wine, the winery’s equivalent to a Bordeaux Premier Cru.

www.dynasty-wines.com

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GALLERY

GALLERY

Hoi King Heen awarded one World-Famous Michelin star Hoi King Heen at the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong has been awarded one coveted Michelin star by the most prestigious restaurant guide in the world.

Among the 13 newly appointed Michelinstarred restaurants, Hoi King Heen was honoured with the one star recognition.

Offering a menu of classic and innovative creations, Head Chef Leung Fai Hung has over 30 years of culinary experience, bringing the best of Cantonese cuisine to the restaurant. “It is extremely humbling to become part of the Michelin history and truly an honour to be part of this recognition on a level with some of the very best restaurants in Hong Kong and around the world,� said Chef Leung.

Guests at Hoi King Heen can indulge in a tantalizing culinary journey and dine like stars with Chef Leung’s award-winning dishes including steamed garoupa rolls with Yunnan ham, Braised winter melon balls stuffed with black olives mustard, Steamed crab claw with egg white and Fortune chicken.

The world-famous Michelin star rating system was introduced in 1926, setting a benchmark for consistency and excellence in outstanding restaurants in Europe, United States, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Macau.

Michelin-starred restaurants dictate a level of quality for ingredients, compatibility of flavour and advanced culinary skills.

www.hongkong.intercontinental.com

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FOOD

BLACK MAGIC

Guinness stout was first brewed by Arthur Guinness in Dublin 170 years ago and became one of the world’s most successful beer brands.

Its distinctive colour (not black but actually a very dark ruby) and burnt flavour comes from the use of roasted unmalted barley and, early on, a portion of aged brew was blended with freshly brewed product to give a sharp tang.

It is popular around the world and it is still the biggest-selling drink in Ireland where Guinness profits are some €2 billion a year.

For some reason, it is an import still readily available at supermarkets in Indonesia where other so called ‘luxury products’ are still under government scrutiny. And if Guinness is not exactly your cup of tea, it is a great ingredient for many food dishes.

Viva Asia brings you just a few: Stout Onion Soup 2 cans Guinness 1/4 cup olive oil 3 large onions, thinly sliced Salt and pepper 6 cups beef or chicken stock 2 bay leaves Pinch each of thyme, allspice Garnish: Blue cheese and croutons In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients and bring

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to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 30 minutes until the onions are soft.

Season again and add a little vinegar if too sweet. Garnish with chunks of blue cheese and croutons.

Guinness Potato Salad 6 medium potatoes 4 slices bacon 1 small onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 tspn salt 2 tbspns unsalted butter 2 tbspns flour 1/2 tspn mustard powder 1 tbspn sugar 1 can Guinness Tabasco to taste Parsley for garnish

Boil potatoes in salted water. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice.

Fry bacon until crisp. Break into small pieces and combine with onion, celery and salt. Set aside.

Stir melted butter and flour in a small saucepan until blended.

Add mustard and sugar. Slowly stir in Guinness and Tabasco. Bring to a boil, stirring. Pour over potatoes and let stand 1 hour. Toss with bacon mixture and serve garnished with parsley.

Beef & Guinness Stew 1kg steak, cubed 2 tbspns olive oil 2 large onions, in chunks 2 cloves garlic

FOOD

Indonesians have just joined thousands around the world to celebrate Arthur’s Day. The Arthur in question was one Mr. Guinness, generous philanthropist and the original maker of the ever-popular Irish dry stout – distinctive for its black colour, accentuated by a white foamy head.

1/4 cup plain flour 1 cup beef stock 1 cup Guinness 3 carrots, sliced 2 bay leaves 1 tsp each thyme, rosemary 6 prunes, pitted and halved Chopped parsley Sauté onions until golden. Add garlic and cook a further 1 minute. Remove from pan.

In same oil, brown the meat, reduce heat and add the flour to coat. Add the stock slowly to make a thick sauce. Add the Guinness and simmer 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, herbs. Season to taste.

Slowly simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours until meat is very tender and the sauce is thick.

Stir occasionally so meat does not stick.

Add the prunes 30 minutes before end.

Garnish with parsley and serve. (Note: this dish can be made the day before and gently reheated).

Irish Rebel Stew 1kg beef or lamb, cubed 1kg unpeeled potatoes, in large chunks 5 carrots, thick slices 1 large onion in chunks 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbspns Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp coarse black pepper Large pinch each of oregano, fennel seeds, tarragon, thyme and sweet paprika 2 bay leaves Chilli flakes, to taste 2 cans Guinness Flour Water Salt & pepper to taste

Dredge the meat in flour and brown in some olive oil in a large pot.

Add 1 cup of the Guinness and the Worcestershire sauce. Let it simmer a couple minutes until flavour and aroma have developed, scraping any brown bits up from the pan bottom and sides. Add 1 cup water, onions, herbs and spices, and remaining Guinness. Let simmer on medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes.

Add potatoes and carrots and enough water to almost cover. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Smash a couple of the potato chunks and put them back into the pot to thicken the stew.

Taste for seasoning and add chilli if you want.

(It is not uncommon to add other vegetables to this stew, which can also be reheated next day: peas, celery, turnips etc) Fish in Guinness 4 white fish fillets (such as garupa) Unsalted butter 1/4 cup chopped green onions 3 tbspns parsley, finely chopped 3 tbspns green onions, finely chopped Salt & white pepper 1 can Guinness Pat fish dry fish and rub each fillet with butter. Butter well a glass or ceramic baking dish, large enough so fish can be placed in a single layer.

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FOOD

Sprinkle dish with the green onions, parsley, salt and pepper. Dot with butter.

Pour in enough Guinness to reach halfway up the sides of the fish and bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, until fish flakes when tested.

Transfer the fish to a heated serving platter; spoon over cooking liquid and serve.

(Usually with a green salad and boiled potatoes).

Duck in Guinness and Honey (You could use a chicken for this recipe) 1 duck, trussed 2 tbspns oil 2 tbspns honey 1 tbspn brown sugar 1 cup Guinness Pinch each nutmeg and cinnamon 1 1/4 cups chicken stock Salt and pepper Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Brush duck with oil and seal in the hot oven until browned – about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan mix together the honey, sugar, Guinness and spices and simmer for 10 minutes. Add stock and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reduce oven to 150 degrees; cover the duck with the sauce and roast for 1 hour or a little more, basting occasionally. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before carving.

Guinness Cottage Pie 2 tbspns olive oil 275g lean minced beef 3 onions, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced Pinch thyme 1 can tomatoes, chopped 2 tbspns tomato purée 1 can Guinness 5 tbspns Worcestershire sauce 1-1/4 cups chicken stock 1 kg potatoes, cooked & drained Salt & black pepper 1 knob butter 2 tbspns finely grated Parmesan or cheddar 1 large egg yolk Heat the olive oil in a pan. Season the minced meat and sauté until lightly browned. Remove to a colander to lose the

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excess fat. Saute the onions, garlic, thyme until golden. Add the meat, tomatoes and tomato purée. Stir constantly for 4 minutes.

Add the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce and boil until the liquid has reduced by half.

Pour in the stock and return to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Mash the potatoes with the butter, cheese and egg yolk. Season.

Layer the meat mixture in a large pie dish.

Spoon the poatoes over – should not be smooth. Grate over some extra cheese and bake about 30 minutes until golden rbwon.

Tuna Teriyaki 2 kg tuna (can also use mahi mahi) 1/4 cup honey, warmed 1/3 cup light soy sauce 1/2 can Guinness 2 tbspns oil 1 tbspn sugar 1 tbspn sesame oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed Pinch ginger Salt & pepper to taste 2/3 cup flour Make a marinade from all the ingredients except the flour. Coat fish and place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

FOOD

250g butter 1 cup Guinness 1 tspn salt 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, sifted 2 large eggs 1/2 cup sour cream Frosting Heat oven to 180 degrees.

Lightly dust two greased springform pans with cocoa powder. In a heavy saucepan or microwave oven, heat butter, Guinness, and the rest of the cocoa powder until butter melts. Let cool. Sift dry ingredients together and add the Guinness-cocoa mixture. Beat thoroughly for 1 minute and then add the eggs and sour cream and beat 2 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool cakes 10 minutes before removing from pans. Ice each with a rich chocolate frosting. Place on top of each other and frost the sides. (A good frosting is cream cheese mixed with fine sugar and cream.)

Guinness Christmas Pudding (This is a wonderfully rich dessert and you don’t have to wait til Christmas to make it…)

Sprinkle the fish with flour and grill, basting often with the marinade.

Guinness BBQ Chicken 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces Salt & pepper to taste 2 cans Guinness 1 tbspn brown sugar Juice 1/2 lemon 1 tbspn oil 1 tbspn dark molasses Dash Tabasco Rub salt and pepper evenly over chicken and arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking dish.

Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl and

pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, turning several times.

Remove chicken from marinade and barbecue skin-side up. Brush it again with the marinade and turn and cook until tender.

Baste often.

Can be eaten hot or cold.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

3 cups fresh bread crumbs 230g brown sugar 230g currants 280g seeded raisins, chopped 280g shredded suet Pinch salt 1 tsp cinnamon Grated rind of 1 lemon Juice ½ lemon 2 large eggs, beaten 2/3 cup milk 1 can Guinness In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.

Stir in lemon juice, eggs, milk and Guinness.

Mix well and turn into a well greased pudding basin (two if there is too much mixture). Cover and seal with foil and leave overnight.

Steam slowly for about seven and a half hours.

(A friend we know cheats with this one: make a packet chocolate cake and substitute Guinness for the water).

1 cup cocoa powder or 200g dark chocolate

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TRAVEL

Manta’s Glamorous Gourmet Duos

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TRAVEL

Some things just naturally go together: cocktails and sunsets, fresh seafood and a crisp white wine. So it is with caviar and Belvedere vodka – a truly glamorous (and delicious) match.

Perched on the edge of Sydney’s sparkling harbour, Manta Restaurant and Bar at Woolloomooloo Wharf tempts the palate with a choice of three premium types of caviar: Beluga, Oscietra and ocean trout roe – all served with crisp bread and seasonal condiments.

“Nothing makes you appreciate the beauty of Sydney more than spending a sunny afternoon or balmy evening relaxing in the lounge bar, a chilled Manta Martini in one hand, caviar in the other,” says owner Rob Rubis. “Add the front-row harbour panorama and you’ve got a match made in heaven.”

For Sydneysiders seeking something new, Manta is also thrilled to offer the worldrenowned Spanish Joselito Iberico Jamon De Bellota, ham from an entirely acorn-fed black pig, naturally cured over three years.

“It has the most incredibly light texture and, matched with a glass of vintage Dom Pérignon, it’s an unusual but ethereal combination you just have to try,” says Rubis.

While such delicacies in the buzzing atmosphere of the bar and the stunning harbour view are a major drawcard, Manta’s award winning head chef Daniel Hughes gives restaurant patrons plenty of reasons to focus their gaze on the table.

The signature ‘raw plate’ shows off the exceptional natural quality of the fresh produce that Hughes personally picks: hiramasa kingfish with Sicilian capers, shaved fennel, radish and orange; ocean trout tartare with horseradish crème fraïche, cucumbers, eschalot and lemon oil; king prawn ceviche with garlic, chilli, lime and baby basil and yellow fin tuna with avocado and preserved lemon.

Hughes then displays his colourful Mediterranean flair in the entrée selection: 61

TRAVEL

spaghetti with hand picked Alaskan king crab meat, garlic, chilli, grape tomato and a dash of white wine and the melt-in-yourmouth handmade taglierini with Crystal Bay prawns, shaved cuttlefish, green peas and a drizzle of white truffle butter.

Seafood lovers flock to Manta for the crustacean delicacies prepared fresh to order – grilled whole Yamba king prawns with parsley, garlic and olive oil; steamed mud crab with botarga, parsley and lemon butter and grilled lobster with tomato, chilli, garlic and basil. These are all served with a generous helping of Manta’s famous truffle “angel chips” – crispy-skinned, soft-centred chips drizzled with luscious truffle oil and sprinkled with Parmesan – it is clear why Manta consistently achieves rave reviews. Even patrons who prefer to skip sweets in favour of an extra helping of angel chips struggle to resist the tempting desserts. “The citrus mousse with orange, baby strawberry and passionfruit trifle is to die for,” says Rubis.

Manta’s bar is a drawcard equally as enticing as the restaurant. Here, they mix an impressive wine list with magical cocktails – s such as the signature Manta Martini (freshly crushed lychees and lemongrass shaken with Belvedere vodka and apple juice) and Manta Bellini (Belvedere vodka shaken with freshly pressed raspberries and Chambord topped with champagne or sparkling wine).

“And, while the raw plate is hard to go past, guests who find it hard to tear themselves away from the waterside bar can enjoy several more substantial offerings as well. Such as macadamia and herbcrusted scampi and pan-fried Crystal Bay prawn cutlets,” says Rubis. “The menus reflect Manta’s setting: natural, fresh and inspiring.” www.mantarestaurant.com.au

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DRINK : WORLD HOTELS

LIFTING THE BAR AT WORLD HOTELS Usually known for its news coverage from far-flung trouble spots, CNN (Cable Network News channel) has given its roving reporters a rather softer assignment: to decide on the best hotel bars in the world Obviously, the network isn’t stingy about where these people stay – or enjoy a drink – because the list names some of the world’s top (and most exy) hotels, along with their signature cocktails.

At the head of the list, interestingly, is the Rock Bar at the Ayana in Bali – a well-known centre of world news where conflicthardened journalists have to go every day!

The bar is, in fact, spectacular: perched as it is, on a cliff above the ocean and already an icon spot for a sundowner for people from all over the world.

In case you are travelling, here is the entire list.

1. Rock Bar, Ayana Resort, Bali (www.ayanaresort.com/rockbarbali) Cocktail: ‘a martini -- on the rocks, of course.’

2. Felix, The Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong (www.peninsula.com) This spectacular bar was designed by Philippe Starck and sits on the 28th floor of this famous hotel.

Cocktail: just order champagne!

3. Lantern, Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore (www.fullertonbayhotel.com) Beautiful spot on the hotel roof beside the 64

swimming pool and with spectacular views over Marina Bay. Cocktail: Red Lantern (Don Julio Tequila with watermelon, cucumber, lime and a splash of Cointreau) 4. Vue Bar, Hyatt on the Bund, Shanghai (www.hyatt.com) Probably the best view in town from the top two floors of this skyscraper property.

Cocktail: Vue-tini (vodka, mango, lemon juice and Grand Marnier).

5. New York Bar, Park Hyatt, Tokyo (www.hyatt.com) You will recognise this place from Lost in Translation. On the rooftop, 52 storeys up with breathtaking views of west Shinjuku.

Cocktail: Suntory Yamazaki, an 18-year-old single malt.

6. Rooftop bar, Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh (www.rexhotelvietnam.com) Kitsch with pagodas, birdcages, bonsai, giant porcelain elephants and plastic flowers. And open 24 hours.

Cocktail: a sunset pastis.

7. Sky Bar, lebua at State Tower, Bangkok (www.lebua.com) It fans out from a neon-lit bar on the 63rd floor of The Dome at State Tower.

Spectacular view.

Cocktail: a glass of vintage wine from their vast list.

8. Wink, Taj President Hotel, Mumbai (www.tajhotels.com) High energy, filled with execs and highend travellers. Fusion of modern and rustic decor.

Cocktail: Wasabi Martini, made with vodka, wasabi & sour mix.

9. Veranda Bar, Figueroa Hotel, Los Angeles (www.figueroahotel.com) Dim lanterns, woven rugs, ornate pillows and bougainvillea, this poolside bar is in a courtyard behind the Moroccan-style hotel.

Cocktail: The electric blue Fire and Ice. 10. Redwood Room, Clift Hotel, San Francisco (www.clifthotel.com) Vintage deco lights shine on Starckdesigned lounge furniture and plasma TVs displaying digital art.

Cocktail: classic martini, spruced with blue cheese-stuffed olives.

11. Bemelman’s Bar, Carlyle Hotel, New York City (www.thecarlyle.com)

DRINK : WORLD HOTELS

White-jacket waiters, nickel-trimmed glass tables, chocolate-brown leather banquettes and a 24-carat gold leaf ceiling.

white marble floors), impeccable service and some of the most killer cocktails ever shaken (not stirred.)

Cocktail: The Old Cuban, a mojito topped with champagne.

Cocktail: Mulata Daisy (rum, lime juice and sugar, kicked up a notch with the tang of fennel seeds and sweet chocolate liqueur).

12. Grotto Bar, Hyatt Regency Resort, Maui (www.maui.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels) A dim cave enclosed by dual waterfalls, this is a swim-up bar that ‘is an adult refuge in a resort oozing with pool-splashing tikes.’

Cocktail: An ice-cold piña colada.

13. The Rose Bar, Delano Hotel, Miami (www.delano-hotel.com) A party stop with Venetian chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling drapes and marble tabletops illuminated by candles, this sexy space is the place for pretty-people-watching.

Cocktail: Mango Martini 14. Ghostbar, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas (www.n9negroup.com/#/ghostbar/main) Sits atop the 90m high Palms Casino Resort, space age décor and its Ghostdeck with 360-degree views of the Vegas skyline.

20. Alexander’s Bar, Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens (www.grandebretagne.gr) The trademark fixture of the bar, and the hotel itself, is the rare 18th century tapestry of Alexander the Great’s entrance into Gavgamila. Impeccable service.

Cocktail: A glass of exotic Midori liqueur over ice.

21. Il Palazzetto Wine Bar, Palazzetto Hotel, Rome (www.ilpalazzettoroma.com) This opulent, Renaissance-era palace is located over the Spanish Steps; its terrace bar a great place to view Rome’s dolce vita.

Cocktail: choose from the list of 400 wines (it is the home of Rome’s Wine Academy).

22. The Bar, The Merchant Hotel, Belfast (www.themerchanthotel.com)

With ornate ceilings, silk damask wall and antique Baccarat chandeliers, the Victorian grandeur is palpable in this multi-awardwinning bar, home to the world’s most expensive cocktail (a US$1,300 mai tai made with the extremely rare J. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum) Cocktail: any from the 60-page book but signature is the Merchant Ivory (apparently, they import water from Fiji to make the ice).

23. Blu Bar on 36, Shangri-La Hotel in The Rocks, Sydney (www.shangri-la.com) On the 36th floor, the New York-inspired fluorescent blue bar offers views of Sydney Harbour and the Opera House through floorto-ceiling windows.

Cocktail: Holy Amigo (Herradura tequila, Crème de Pêche and peach bitters).

24. The Bar, Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, Budapest (www.fourseasons.com/budapest) Dark wood furnishings, purple velvet couches and a dramatic glass roof, this art nouveau bar serves cocktails in ornately patterned glassware.

Cocktail; Apple Martini 15. Jade Bar, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Arizona (www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com) This sleek, Zen-themed bar offers innovative cocktails and up-close views of the sandstone cliffs. Outside is the patio ‘fire bowl.’

Cocktail: The grapefruit and basil martini.

16. Sky Yard, Drake Hotel, Toronto (www.thedrakehotel.ca) This ultra-cool rooftop garden space lined with eastern-inspired booths and daybeds plays host to indie film screenings, singalongs, art shows, clothing sales and bands.

Cocktail: Changing menu: ask for the special.

17. Icebar, Icehotel, Copenhagen (www.icebarcph.com) Everything, and we mean everything, here is made of ice, from the furniture to the cocktail glasses to the gleaming art.

View from Vue, Shanghai

Cocktail: a vodka shot to keep warm 18. 02 Lounge, Ritz Carlton, Moscow (www.ritzcarlton.com) Encased in a geometric glass dome, this airy rooftop spot is a strategic merging of steel, wenge wood and beige leather. Views to the Kremlin are exhilarating.

Cocktail: ‘shots of oxygen.’ It’s the O2 Lounge, remember?

19. Connaught Bar, The Connaught Mayfair, London (www.the-connaught.co.uk.)

Ultra-stylish décor (platinum walls and

Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh

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DRINK : WORLD HOTELS

26. Bar, Home Hotel, Buenos Aires (www.homebuenosaires.com) There’s beauty in simplicity at Home Hotel’s mellow bar, which feels more like your coolest friend’s backyard. White pod chairs sit amongst kumquat trees and the music is cumbia.

Cocktail: house specialty is a brain-numbing vodka shot served 10 degrees below freezing.

Ice Bar, Copenhagen

27. Red2One, W Santiago, Santiago (www.starwoodhotels.com) Chile’s most exclusive bar, the décor a modern twist on traditional Chilean décor.

Pops of red are juxtaposed against clean white sofas and natural wood floors. You can see the snow on the Andes from here!

Cocktail: Something from the Cosmo Corner. Choose from a black cherry, black or sparkling cosmo.

Cocktail: A virgin strawberry mojito. That’s what Beyonce and Jay-Z sipped on a recent stop there.

25. Level 8, Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski, Dar es Salaam (www.kempinski.com/tr/daressalaam) With views over the port of Dar es Salaam, Level 8 is the spot to kick back after working or running around. Late at night, the space transforms into a cosmopolitan lounge.

28. Bar dos Descasados, Santa Teresa Hotel, Rio de Janeiro (www.santa-teresa-hotel.com) This outdoor terrace is lined with cabanas and reclining lounge chairs and lit by North African lanterns. Beautiful Brazilians come here to drink in style.

Cocktail: best is well-chilled champagne.

Cocktail: Caipirinha.

PRESIDENTIAL OLEH-OLEH We are wondering if President Obama’s people picked up on this during the recent visit to Jakarta or, in fact, if the Obamas had time for a little shopping on the way to the Palace.

These are wayang-style puppets in the likeness of ‘Barry’ – who will probably understand its significance, having lived in Jakarta for a while as a boy.

And just for good measure, there is one in the likeness of our own President Yudhoyono.

Actually, the man who makes these is a carving legend and, as well as highly decorative traditional images, he will make a wayang in your own image – no matter if you are a president or not.

All you need are two photographs (one faceon, one profile) and it can all be done in less than a week.

You can see the work at the Museum Topeng & Wayang at Kubu Bingin in Bali or on Jalan Surabaya in Jakarta, Shop Number 109.

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29. Bascule Bar, Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town (www.capegrace.com) Tiny place with the largest whisky selection in the Southern Hemisphere. Views of the Waterfront Marina and across to nearby Table Mountain are extraordinary.

Cocktail: Any one of the 450 whiskies.

30. Rooftop bar, La Purificadora, Puebla (www.lapurificadora.com) Sip a cocktail while watching people swimming through a huge glass wall. The space is by Mexico’s top architect Ricardo Legorreta - purple, Tetris-like sofas, granite walls and glass-floored balconies.

Cocktail: Their signature cocktail is a mixture of mandarin, pineapple and Curaçao. * The list has created some interest on CNN’s website with many writers offering their own favourites: Among them, the Marco Polo Lounge at the Far Eastern Hotel in Taipei, Top of the Mark in San Francisco, the Hemingway Bar at The Ritz in Paris and (one of Viva Asia’s favourites) the bar at the Imperial Hotel in Delhi that harks back to the days of the maharajas.

DIRECTORY B A L I A C C O M O D AT I O N

J A KA R TA A C C O M O D AT I O N

J A KA R TA A C C O M O D AT I O N

I N D O N E S I A A C C O M M O D AT I O N

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LIQUID ASSETS

Pieta Jordan, Marketing Manager of Bluetongue, said “The refresh of Premium Lager and Light reflects the contemporary position of the Bluetongue brand, whilst enhancing the great taste that is being brewed in our new state of the art Warnervale brewery. We see this fresh look as a great way to engage today’s’ Australian Premium Beer drinkers; and encourage them to try the great taste of Bluetongue.

Whether they are a loyal drinker or a first time taster, we know our taste won’t disappoint. Bluetongue Premium Lager and Bluetongue Premium Light refresh comes at a time of natural maturation and expansion for the brand. Although we are only seven years young, we now taste better than ever”.

Great Taste Never Looked So Good

Bluetongue has recently announced the new look of its Premium Range which encompasses two key products within its portfolio, Bluetongue Premium Lager and Bluetongue Premium Light.

With its fresh new look, the Premium Range intends to firmly position Bluetongue Premium Lager and Bluetongue Premium Light within the premium domestic beer category.

The fresh new look better brings to life the taste credentials of the Bluetongue Premium range; in short, it’s brewed for taste.

Bluetongue has always been brewed with three different types of hops, with each hop working in combination to create the perfect balance of flavour, aroma and clean finish and now the new packaging will clearly highlight this.

www.bluetongue.com.au

The most expensive beer in the world In November at an auction at the Bondi Pavilion on Bondi Beach, Sydney, the world’s most expensive beer price was smashed from $800 set earlier that month, to $1850.

A Doctor purchased the Number two bottle of Antarctic Nail Ale for $1850. The Number one bottle of Antarctic Nail Ale had sold for $800 earlier in the month at a similar event in Fremantle. The unique beer which was brewed with ice brought back from the Antarctica from the Sea Shepherds last campaign. (The Sea Shepherd campaigns to stop Japanese whalers killing whales in the Antarctic sanctuary. All proceeds from Antarctic Nail Ale go to the Sea Shepherd).

Nail Brewing Australia’s brewer John Stallwood says “It is great to sell the most expensive bottle of beer in the world but it is all about a good cause. It is also good that a beer about saving the whales is now most expensive beer in the world. I think future beers that sell for over $800 won’t just be unique but will also be for good causes.”

www.nailbrewing.com.au

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LIQUID ASSETS

enjoyed over 100 years ago, when the Goslings brothers used to swap rum for used Champagne bottles consumed by the British Royal Navy in Bermuda. They could then package their rum for tourists to take back to America, previously it was only sold direct from the barrel. In order to ensure no leakages, the rum was sealed with a black wax and the bottle became known as the “Black Seal”.

Handmade, Wrapped In History.

A Perfect Gift For seven generations, the Gosling Family has been enjoying a family secret— Gosling’s Family Reserve Old Rum. After 155 years, Malcolm Gosling 7th Generation has decided to let the old family secret out of the barrel and share it with rum aficionados.

This ultra-premium aged Old Rum is crafted from the same blend of ingredients as the company’s flagship product, Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, but it is aged longer in oak barrels to create an unusual richness and

complexity. Consider it the ultimate sipping Rum. It takes time to make each and every bottle of Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum, they are hand filled and hand labelled, sealed with a cork, dipped in wax and individually numbered. Each bottle is then placed in a sturdy straw-filled wooden box. This most unusual packaging recreates how the Goslings “Old Rum” was sold and

Old Family Reserve Rum is made in ultra small batches and is aged until it has acquired an extra luscious, nuanced complexity much like a rare scotch or cognac and is “Unavailable” almost everywhere. The reception for Gosling’s Old Rum is impressive with a medley of accolades under its belt it is proven to be a winner with all who are lucky enough to taste some of it.

Serve as you would a cognac, in a brandy snifter.

www.goslingsrum.com

Arniston Bay’s New Positioning Builds On Brand Growth Best-selling South African wine, Arniston Bay, has unveiled a new look as part of the development strategy to change the overall positioning of the brand, and the revised packaging complements the optimised wine styles and further improves the consumer offering. The enhanced wines are a collection of approachable, fruit-driven styles with good varietal character, length and elegance.

In order to build on the brand’s growing momentum and sales success experienced in international markets, the intention of the new packaging is to recruit new consumers, ensure consumer loyalty and further increase brand awareness for sustainable growth.

The laid-back, carefree personality of the brand is reflected with a new icon – a uniform device that will be used across all tiers – featuring a petrel flying freely over the coastline, accompanied by the words “where time dances idly in the waves”.

The new design includes a revised consumer-friendly back label with enhanced varietal and brand recognition – based on consumer feedback that the wine shelves in-store are too intimidating – and improved alcohol responsibility messages. www.arniston-bay.com

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LIQUID ASSETS

Mondillo red ‘pure gold’ Mondillo Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir has picked up two of the country’s most prized medals; not only for a fantastic wine but one which is produced under the Sustainable Winegrowing of New Zealand programme.

The Central Otago vineyard’s wine has been named a recipient of the coveted Pure Gold Medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2010. This follows a Pure Gold Medal awarded in the first ever ‘Pure’ category of the Bragato Wine Awards earlier in the year.

When Air New Zealand Wine Awards introduced the sustainability category in 2007, the Mondillo 2006 Pinot Noir was the only wine to receive the Pure Elite Gold medal in the Pinot Noir category.

The ‘Pure’ content of the medals is of great importance to owners Domenic and Ally Mondillo. “Sustainable practice is a key strategic goal for a successful future in the global wine business and, as these medals prove, great wine can be produced in a way that is sustainable,” said Domenic Mondillo.

“Since 2004 we have produced consistently

Celebrating 25 Years of Cloudy Bay

During November, Jonah’s Whale Beach (Located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches) played host to Cloudy Bay’s 25th birthday celebrations with the launch of the Cloudy Bay Deck.

The Cloudy Bay deck at Jonah’s was the location for Sydneysiders to sit back and relax on a Sunday with a glass of Cloudy Bay wine, accompanied by a delicious menu specifically devised for the occasion by acclaimed executive chef George Francisco.

The menu on offer at the Cloudy Bay deck was created to complement a range of Cloudy Bay wines, specifically the new Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010. On offer was an exquisite seafood sharing plate, the perfect accompaniment to the Sauvignon Blanc 2010 as well as smaller plates including Sydney Rock oysters, tempura zucchini flowers filled with ricotta and pinot braised Veal cheek with Celeriac hash.

Cloudy Bay Vineyards was established in 1985 by the founders of Cape Mentelle in Western Australia. Innovation, meticulous attention to detail and regional expression are the guiding principles of Cloudy Bay. The Cloudy Bay team is committed to producing ‘wines of region’ and strives to enhance the pure, bracing flavours and stunning vibrancy, naturally afforded by the climate and soils of Marlborough, New Zealand.

www.cloudybay.co.nz

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excellent, award and medal winning wine in a way that will leave the land and the vines in a condition that will continue to produce great wine for years to come. This has always been our goal, we see it as our responsibility to carry the Pure New Zealand brand worldwide. It’s very encouraging to see each vintage since the first in 2004 maintain the high standards we’ve set.”

The Air New Zealand Wine Awards attracted 1,586 entries with almost 40 per cent of entries being sustainable wines. In the Pinot Noir category, 310 wines were submitted, 74 of those sustainable.

The 2009 vintage was released in June 2010 following two trophies and medal successes for the 2008 vintage. Each Mondillo Pinot Noir has picked up several awards and over the years a loyal global following has developed for Mondillo wines.

www.mondillo.com

GALLERY

Up Up and Away The Hua Hin Ballooning Festival, created and developed by the Rest Detail Hotel Hua Hin and Stafford Edison International’s Classic Events, is perfectly timed for a memorable Valentines Day for 2011. The event is supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Siam Winery Company’s Hua Hin Hills Vineyard.

From February 12 to March 6, flights float off just after sunrise from the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard for a leisurely one hour flight.

Luxury Limousine transfers collect guests from their accommodation and transfer them in style to the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard.

You will enjoy stunning panoramic views as you gently float above the wine growing estates of the lush Hua Hin Hills and over the ranges to the west of the city, enjoying the panorama from above. The professional Balloon Pilot will take guests over low and high levels amongst beautiful rolling hills countryside for the adventure of a lifetime, before setting them down at a private

Champagne Breakfast Tent. Here they will enjoy a sumptuous breakfast presented by Rest Detail Hotel.

The winners for the WTA are selected by 185,000 industry professionals and consumers worldwide who cast their vote online.

Photo: Peter Baumgartner, Etihad’s Chief Commercial Officer (left), celebrates winning the title for “World’s Leading Airline” and “World’s Leading First Class” airline with Graham Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards (right) and Etihad cabin crew members.

After breakfast guests are then chauffeured back to their hotel in style just in time for more relaxation! www.restdetailhotel.com

On Top of the World Etihad Airways has topped the World Travel Awards again by taking out the title “World’s Leading Airline” for the second year in a row.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline was also named “World’s Leading First Class” airline for the third year in a row.

The WTA recognise the best airline, hospitality and tourism brands in the world, with industry experts vetting nominations on the basis of their customer relations, creativity, quality of service, product innovation and business acumen.

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The top airline WTA was presented to Peter Baumgartner, Etihad’s Chief Commercial Officer, at a gala event in London.

Etihad was the first Middle Eastern airline to win the “World’s Leading Airline” award in 2009 and was credited for the excellence of its onboard product, luxurious airport lounges and strong service ethic during a period of phenomenal growth.

www.etihadairways.com

CHEF’S CORNER

Everyone is smiling this holiday season.

Chef Panus Pasawatho

Thailand is often referred to as the “Land of Smiles”, a reflection on the warm greeting visitors to the Kingdom receive. With the holiday season upon us the hotel General Managers and Chefs in Thailand will certainly have something to smile about.

The hotel General managers will be smiling because they are traditionally busy at this time of year with Christmas and New Year bookings and functions.

Those chefs lucky enough to have a RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® in their kitchen will also be smiling as they ease their way through this busy time of year.

The RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® cooks everything from meat, fish, 74

poultry, side dishes, and bakery items.

It recognises product size and batch and cooks everything to the point of perfection. Chefs can bake, roast, steam, poach, blanch and much more, all in a single unit.

We caught up with a couple of Chefs in Thailand to find out what they would be cooking in their RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® over the holiday period.

Rene Oskam is the Executive Chef at the InterContinental Hua Hin Resort. This wonderful resort is a popular tourist destination and busy all year round and particularly over the holiday season.

Rene told Viva Asia “We will be using the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® to cook all our roasts: turkeys, hams, pork with crackling, vegetables and whole fish.

All these items will be featured in our Christmas eve dinner. In our a la carte

CHEF’S CORNER

restaurants we will prepare most of the meat dishes in the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ®. Many of these items are slow cooked in advance and chilled until use.”

Chef Panus Pasawatho, Sous Chef at the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong is another fan of the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® and provided us with his recipe and method for preparing the perfect Roasted Whole Turkey with stuffing, condiments and Cranberry sauce.

Ingredients whole turkey (7 kgs) 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 1/2 quarts turkey stock 8 cups prepared stuffing

the only SelfCooking Center in the world.

It outsells its nearest competitor two to one. So if you are a General Manage of a hotel and not sure what to get your chef for Christmas; we can guarantee that a new RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® will put a huge smile of his or her face.

How to cook Select the process in the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® for roast turkey (Under the Poultry Process). Set the core temperature to 80 degrees C. Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.

Place turkey in the SelfCooking Center ®, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. The roast will be done in when the meat has reached its core temperature.

(In a traditional oven it would take about 4 hours.)

Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Serve with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts, baby carrots, cranberry sauce and gravy on the side.

The RATIONAL SelfCooking Center ® is

Chef Rene Oskam

Millie Chan Sales Director, Asia Pacific Rational international AG Mobile: +65 9770 9820 Email: m.chan@rational-international.com

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MIXOLOGY

Tis the Season to be Jolly With the Christmas season upon us, we decided to bring you a lovely selection of festive cocktails by Absolut. Whatever your tastes, we are sure you will find something here to whet your whistle over the holidays.Â

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ABSOLUT PEARS TEMPTATION

ABSOLUT GIBSON

1 PART ABSOLUT PEARS 2 Parts Cranberry Juice 1 Part Pear Juice

ABSOLUT 100 2 Dashes Dry Vermouth White Pearl Onion

Build over ice in a highball glass.

Garnish with a pear wedge.

Stir with ice & strain to a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a pearl onion.

MIXOLOGY

ABSOLUT SEX ON THE BEACH

ABSOLUT BLUES

ABSOLUT APEACH Cranberry Juice Orange Juice

2 PARTS ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ 1 Parts Simple Syrup.

1 Part Lemon Juice.

Shake with ice and strain to a ice filled highball glass, garnish with a peach wedge.

Shake and serve straight up.

Garnish with lemon and blueberries.

ABSOLUT BLACKBERRY FRUITINI

ABSOLUT MANDRINOSKA

1 PART ABSOLUT KURANT 3-4 Blackberries 1 Dash Dry Vermouth 1 Dash Sugar Syrup

1 2 3 2

Muddle all ingredients in a shaker.

Add ice & shake.

Double strain into a well-chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with blackberries.

Muddle the mandarin & orange slices with the granulated sugar in the bottom of a rocks glass. Add the ABSOLUT MANDRIN & crushed ice. Stir & serve.

ABSOLUT MANGO MOJITO

ABSOLUTE PEARS FIZZ

14 PARTS ABSOLUT MANGO 1 Tablespoon Sugar 2 Part Lime Juice Soda Water 2 Parts Sugar Syrup Mint Leaves

1 Part ABSOLUT Pears Vodka 1 Part Lemon Juice or fresh lemon juice 1 Part Simple Syrup Lemonade Tonic 1 Piece of Pear

Muddle mint leaves with sugar in a long drink gass and add crushed ice. Build the vodka, lime juice and syrup over the ice and stir. Top up with soda water and more ice. Garnish with mint leaves and bits of mango.

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add ABSOLUT PEARS Vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Pour, shake and strain into a highball glass filled with ice cubes. Top up with lemonade and tonic. Garnish with 1 piece of pear.

PART ABSOLUT MANDRIN Slices of Orange Mandarin Wedges Bar Spoons Granulated Sugar

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MIXOLOGY

ABSOLUT RASPBERRI URBAN

ABSOLUT BLOODY MARY

4 PARTS ABSOLUT RASPBERRI 1 Part Cremé De Cassis Sprite

5 PARTS ABSOLUT PEPPAR 2 Dashes Hot Sauce 1 Part Lemon Juice Tomato Juice 2 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce Celery

Fill a highball glass to the rim with ice cubes. Pour

Top with sprite Garnish with raspberries.

Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes. Add ABSOLUT Peppar, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice & hot sauce. Fill with tomato juice.

Stir. Garnish with1 stick celery.

ABSOLUT SALTY DOG

ABSOLUT SUN SEEKER

ABSOLUT RASPBERRI & cremé de cassis over the ice.

1 PART ABSOLUT RUBY RED 2 Parts Grapefruit Juices Fill a salt rimmed rocks glass to the rim with ice cubes.

Pour ABSOLUT RUBY RED & grapefruit juice over the ice.

Garnish with grape zest.

Muddle the fruits with syrup in the bottom o a highball glass.

Half fill with ice & add the ABSOLUT CITRON. Stir, fill up to the rim with more ice & stir again.

ABSOLUT VANILIA ALEXANDER

ABSOLUT VODKA TONIC

1 PART ABSOLUT VANILIA 1 Part Cacao Liqueur 1 Part Cream Chocolate

1 Part ABSOLUT VODKA Tonic Water Lime

Shake all ingredients with ice & strain into a well-chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with grated chocolate.

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ABSOLUT CITRON Simple Syrup Lemon Wedges Lime Wedges

Fill a chilled highball glass with ice cubes. Add ABSOLUT VODKA. Top up with tonic water. Garnish with 1 wedge lime.

SUBSCRIBE

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

For the past three years Viva Asia Travel & Food Magazine has developed a strong following in Indonesia, with the hard copy of our magazine, and around the globe with our electronic version.

We are exited to announce that we are currently launching aggressive subscription promotions in Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Over the coming twelve months we anticipate a substantial subscription growth in each of these countries. The resulted growth will see Viva Asia Travel & Food Magazine become one of the largest magazines of its type in the region.

In each new country we enter we will be donating the profits from the subscription sales to a local children’s charity. So not only will purchasing an annual subscription of Viva Asia Travel & Food Magazine provide you with a quality magazine to read six times a year; it will also be helping underprivileged, disadvantaged and sick children in your home country.

To subscribe to Viva Asia Travel & Food Magazine visit www.vivaasiamagazine.com and click on the subscribe page. If you are in Indonesia simply send an email to info@vivaasiamagazine.com and one of our subscription staff will respond to process your subscription. Alternatively, you can call our office on +62 5292 1638.

Annual subscriptions to Viva Asia Travel & Food Magazine are currently available in the following countries.

Australia (AUD48)

: Profits from subscriptions sales are donated to Cottage by the Sea. www.cottagebythesea.com.au

Hong Kong (HKD 300)

: Profits from subscriptions sales are donated to Variety the Children’s Charity. www.varietyhk.org

Indonesia (IDR 250.000) : Profits from subscriptions sales donated to Yayasan Kasih Anak Kanker Indonesia. www.careforcancerkids.multiply.com Philippines (PHP 1.500) : Profits from subscriptions sales are donated to Bahay ni Maria Orphanage & the Springboard Foundation. www. springboard-foundation.org Singapore (SGD 42)

: Profits from subscriptions sales are donated to Make-A-Wish Singapore. www.makeawish.org.sg

Thailand (THB 1.200B)

: Profits from subscriptions sales are donated to Mercy International. www.mercy-international.com

Canada (CAD 53)

: Profits from subscription sales are donated to A World of Dreams Foundation. www.awdreams.com

United Kingdom (GBP 40): Profits from subscription sales are donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC): www.rmhc.org.uk USA (USD 50)

: Profits from subscription sales are donated to Angels for Foster Kids www.angelsforfosterkids.com

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COMPETITION

of

Royal Kamuela Villas Nusa Dua

In each edition of Viva Asia we feature a photograph from a hospitality establishment somewhere in the world.

Take a look at the photograph above and if you know the name of the St. Regis’ first resort in China, which is located nearby, email your answer to info@vivaasiamagazine.com We will draw two lucky winners who will each receive a 700ml bottle of Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac courtesy of Martell.

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