A New Way of Meeting People

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A New Way of Meeting People

In today’s world, there’s a slow but sure shift towards the concept of a sharing culture in which a regular person like your neighbour next door offers you a service and you either take it or leave it. Some of us aren’t very comfortable with this idea as we are all used to the certified “trusted” service providers but to be honest, there are very high rewards to be gained with just that small risk. BonAppetour is just one of the many examples!

Here at BonAppetour, we believe in a social way of dining where travellers can meet local hosts, wine and dine, and share stories over food. It’s a great way to enhance your travel experience – see the city through the eyes of a local!

Apart from BonAppetour, now there’s also Lunch Kaki, a social networking app which allows people to find someone to lunch with! All you need to do is send someone a lunch request or accept one. There are two kinds of lunch requests though. The first is a Last Minute Lunch in which you have a 10 minute availability time frame to organize a lunch meetup, and the second is a Random Lunch in which you plan a future lunch and wait for a successful match with others. If you’re rather sceptical about it, no harm bringing someone else along with you! It’s actually a great way to meet new people – just squeezing a meet up within a 40 minute break? You never know what could come out of it!

What we’d like to suggest is having a Random Lunch at a BonAppetour host family’s home! Bringing many people together for an authentic dining experience can open doors to interesting conversations and before you know it, the ice is broken and everyone’s comfortable with one another. After all, the more the merrier, but don’t forget to check the limit on the number of people which varies for every host. 

So go out there and get out of your comfort zone. There are many possibilities waiting to be realized! Life could surprise you at the most unexpected of times. Don’t forget to download Lunch Kaki and perhaps, plan a meet at one of our dear host families’ home.

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Dining in Bangkok Made Easy with these Three Apps

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Dining in Bangkok Made Easy with these Three Apps

The aromatics of Thai food derived from the exotic fusion of herbs and spices are something that locals savor and travelers crave. As Phuket.com describes, it’s the “juxtaposition of sweet, sour, hot, and salty flavors [that] makes Thai cuisine so distinct.” With the amazing selection of eateries dispersed across the capital, residents and visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to dining. But after living in the city for a while, you start to get comfortable with certain restaurants and food stands, leading you into some sort of boring food routine.

If you ever find yourself in this kind of rut, all you have to do to reignite that sense of gastronomic adventure is download a couple of apps on your smartphone or tablet. As the managers of the entertainment portal Spin Genie have pointed out, mobile is currently the most important development amongst all internet trends, allowing consumers to depend on their devices to help them with daily problems like finding new restaurants to try out.

Wongnai

What started out as the nation’s top restaurant review website has transformed into a mobile community of foodies in Thailand in just one app. Touted as the Thai version of Yelp, Wongnai uses your GPS to help you locate nearby restaurants, all of which are complete with detailed info, user reviews, tips, and even pictures of meals!

 

Bangkok in myPocket

Although this is more of a comprehensive city guide compiled by Bangkok editors rather than a just a list of restaurants, Bangkok in myPocket has a detailed database of activities, events, and food places that can be accessed offline. One of the perks of this app is that it contains discount coupons and special offers, exclusive to app users.

 

WTF BKK

Still relatively new to the app market is WTF: Where to Fin Bangkok, a tool that allows you to search for restaurants in the city by name, cuisine, or location. Like Bangkok in myPocket, WTF BKK also offers great deals and discounts!

 

We hope you enjoy these apps and find them as useful as we have in our pursuit of tasty Thai food!

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Dining Customs From All Around the World

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Dining Customs From All Around the World

Traveling to a new country this holiday season? Gear your stomach up for a feast, if your itinerary is going to involve tons of food and feasting!

But hold on, guys – do you know about the various dining customs in different countries all around the world? (Yes, there ARE rules to stuffing your face) While travelling, it is not just about exploring new types of food, but also discovering different ways of eating, and learning new perspectives and cultural norms. Check out these unique customs to avoid the embarrassment of commiting dining faux pas, and eat like a pro wherever you go! 

In the United Kingdom

Tilt the bowl in the opposite direction, and scoop the soup away from you before sipping at it from the side of the bowl. This is supposed to a classy way of drinking soup. Dine with host Jane in London, and she will be happy to share on other interesting dining customs from UK! 

In an Indian Household

Normally, when you clear your plate, it is taken away. In India or Thailand, for example, if you clear your plate, it means that you are still hungry, so it is customary to leave a small morsel of food on the plate.  

In Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern households

Traditional families prefer to eat food with their hands, rather than with utensils. Take note to use only your right hand when you dine, and not the left – the left hand is considered to be unclean, for it is used for cleaning up after excretion. Our host, Nadya, will provide deeper insights into other aspects of Southeast Asian dining customs during her dining experiences in Singapore. 

In Germany

In Germany, one never dines with his hands. Utensils, such as a fork and knife, is always used at mealtimes. Also, do not insult your host by using a knife to cut the boiled potates – instead, use the side of a fork, for usage of the knife would imply that the boiled potatoes are not tender and well-cooked. Put this into practice when you dine in Germany!

In a Chinese Household 

Never stick the chopsticks into the rice bowl, as this is representative of incense sticks used in funerals, and implies that the dish is to be served as an offering to the dead. Instead, lay it flat on the top of the rice bowl. 

In Japan

Feel free to slurp up your noodles or soup, or to burp loudly after your meal in Japan. Your hosts will be pleased, for it indicates your sense of satisfaction with a delicious meal. 

When in Rome…

…eat as the Romans do, and savour your meals at a leisurely pace. You are expected to enjoy each and every bite, and not rush through the meal. Meals are often broken into a few distinct courses, with bread and olive oil available on the table throughout the lunch or dinner. 

Image Credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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What Would Happen if Jon Snow Came to a BonAppetour Dinner Party?

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What Would Happen if Jon Snow Came to a BonAppetour Dinner Party?

The news is out – if you want to avoid a dinner party disaster, please keep Jon Snow out of your guest list. Tried and tested by Seth Meyers of Late Night, the dinner party was filled with an array of silent pauses and awkward glances. More than once, Meyers had to pull Snow politely aside to instil a short crash course on how to make friendly banter with his dinner party guests. 

He might not have been the friendliest guest at Meyers' dinner party, but we like to keep our faith in the good of people. The dreamy Snow, with his chiselled features and tousled locks, cannot always be a terrible dinner guest…particularly not when he is feasting with the charming hosts of a BonAppetour dinner party!  

Inviting Jon Snow to a BonAppetour Dinner Party

With our bevy of genial and hospitable hosts in Italy, we are quite certain that the evening would not turn out to be a complete disaster, despite the myriad of warnings cautioning that the surly and taciturn Jon Snow makes for a terrible dinner party guest.

We cannot deny that it will present quite a challenge, for our hosts will be walking a tight rope when it comes to steering the flow of conversation. Judging by how Meyers' dinner party went, we advise the following: avoid discussions about the season (unless you want to be told in a deadpan manner that "winter is coming"), and do not make small talk about family. Questions about one's living location are fine, but only if you are well-versed in the geographical locations of the medieval Seven Kingdoms. If all topic starters fail, mildly suggest playing a game of charades. 

There is one comforting thought – we are quite sure that the array of Italian delicacies prepared by our hosts, such as crisp pizzas and classic Roman delights, will please Snow's palate, even if he is accustomed to a medieval diet. 

Dinner Party in the Tropics

Alternatively, what if we were to invite Jon Snow to a dinner party in the tropics, right smack in the bustling hub of Singapore? 

We cannot quite imagine the well-built man feasting on local favourites – the sight of Snow tearing apart a prata with his leather gloved hands is quite an unimaginable thought. If we had to recommend a dining experience, we would suggest a signature local dish, chilli crabs, or a hearty serving of nasi tumpeng.

However, we can foresee a difficulty that is likely to arise. Would the man be able to survive the sweltering heat of Singapore? We do not think this is likely, particularly when he is cloaked under a thick fur coat meant to ward off the freezing cold. Well, we like to keep some back-up plans in store in cases of emergencies – if Snow ends up sufferring from a case of heat-induced appetite loss, perhaps a dainty session of English Hi-Tea might do…

Image Credits: Geek Tyrant, Ew

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