The Unsophisticated Gourmand

The Unsophisticated Gourmand Eccentric economical epicurean.

Chicken Sandy StandingsNow that I'm back in the UC, I'd like to review the current (completely subjective) rankings in m...
10/05/2026

Chicken Sandy Standings

Now that I'm back in the UC, I'd like to review the current (completely subjective) rankings in my search for the most addictive local chicken sandwich.

3rd Place: The Hot Hudson, Castaways Bar & Grill. This considerable contender comes with a couple of crispy cutlets covered in sweet and spicy hot Hudson sauce, as well as pickles and cole slaw. Bonus points for their thick, heavy hand-cut fries.

2nd Place: Crack Chicken, Urban Fork. As the very first entry in this competition, UF set the bar almost too high. The fried chicken breast was thick and juicy with a craggy outer crust. Sweet crack sauce coverage was complete but not copious. Dill pickle aioli provided the the proverbial cherry on top. I'm half convinced this big bird could capture the pole position with a spicier sauce (i.e. Nashville hot).

1st Place: Hot Honey, Phoenicia Diner Canteen at Blue Duck. This provisional champion uses a chicky cheat code called boneless thighs, which are perfectly crunchy, slathered in hot honey, and lovingly sprinkled with sesame seeds. A slice of unmelted pepperjack and another dill pickle aioli rounded out the toppings. Even their toasted milk bread bun was outstanding. Could this be the GOAT? 🐐

Falling into Autumn at West Kill BrewingChecked out Oktoberfest at Belleayre around lunchtime yesterday but found the fo...
10/04/2026

Falling into Autumn at West Kill Brewing

Checked out Oktoberfest at Belleayre around lunchtime yesterday but found the food options to be sparse, so we cut our losses and popped over to West Kill Brewing. This is hands-down our favorite brewery in New York State. They brew their small-batch b**r with spring water direct from the source of the eponymous West Kill, as well as using many ingredients foraged from the 127-acre dairy farm the brewery occupies.

We started with 1 dozen oysters ($38) from the Oyster Party pop-up. These über-fresh austern were dressed with either Tabasco or mignonette sauce, with slices of lemon on the side. Next, we waited about 30 minutes for 3 arancini ($13-ish) and a pepperoni pizza with hot honey ($21) from the permanent food truck, Forno Rosso. The pizza was nice, but the cheesy rice balls were exceptional. Having sampled 5 different brews, our favorite was the Brookie L***r Mule (with added ginger and lemon). 16-oz pours are $5-$8, depending on the brew. Go West (Kill), young man 🍺

Khao Kai Jiao: Thailand's Simplest MealWhile transiting through Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport during the flood-related ...
10/03/2026

Khao Kai Jiao: Thailand's Simplest Meal

While transiting through Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport during the flood-related madness earlier this week, I stopped into Magic Food Point for one last meal outside of the terminal. With only 50 baht easily accessible, my options were limited to Som Tam without sticky rice, a small bowl of wonton soup without egg noodles, or a Thai omelette. I opted for the latter.

Khao Kai Jiao is a favorite of children and old people all across Thailand. It's cheap, easy on the stomach, and doesn't taste half bad, either (especially when I load it up with chillies soaked in fish sauce). It can be served soft or crispy and is often filled with things like minced pork or crab meat (à la Jay Fai).

Price (plain): 30 Baht

A Fakel in ThailandHad a chance to try one of these peculiarly sliced bagels while killing time in the International ter...
10/02/2026

A Fakel in Thailand

Had a chance to try one of these peculiarly sliced bagels while killing time in the International terminal of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport. I opted against the charcoal bagel with truffle cream cheese, because I'm not in the habit of eating formaldehyde-based synthetic flavorings. The plain variant was more of a bagel-shaped piece of light, airy bread interjected by fluffy dollops of uncultured, ultra-emulsified cream cheese-type product. It may have been an enjoyable novelty in a parallel universe where bagels didn’t exist...

Price: 120 Baht (Roughly $4)

Eating a Sponge from 7-Eleven 🧽Have you ever looked at the sponge floating in your kitchen sink and thought, "That looks...
10/02/2026

Eating a Sponge from 7-Eleven 🧽

Have you ever looked at the sponge floating in your kitchen sink and thought, "That looks tasty"? Yeah, me neither... Luckily, the creative (and possibly inebriated) minds at 7-Eleven Thailand's R&D department did the mental heavy lifting, giving us the product we never knew we wanted: the edible sponge.

Straight out of an episode of "Is It Cake?", this Scotch-Brite deep fake comes complete with 2 layers (one a soft and absorbent lemon sponge, the other a rough matcha abrasive pad) as well as soap suds made from pudding and coconut jelly. The whole thing tastes oddly (but not unpleasantly) like lemon lime dish soap. It really cleanses the palate (pun intended) 🤣

Price: 45 Baht

Preparing for America at LigonIn anticipation of my impending trip back to the land of buns and patties, I stopped into ...
10/01/2026

Preparing for America at Ligon

In anticipation of my impending trip back to the land of buns and patties, I stopped into the new Ligon Burger location in Ubon (across the street from their former kiosk at the now defunct Warehouse Coffee) to try my old favorite: the Spicy Chicky burger.

Normally I wouldn't call a chicken sandwich a "burger," but since this was technically a patty rather than a breast or thigh, it met the criteria. Fear not, however, as this coarsely-minced chicken had discernable meaty chunks and small air pockets, making a pleasant texture unlike the dense, yoga mat consistency of most other chicken patties. Its breading was delightfully crunchy in contrast. The bright orange sauce, while not face-melting, was flush with flavor. I may have singed my mouth in gluttonous enthusiasm for this locally unparalleled bite.

By way of critique, while some have remarked that Ligon's burgers (and the chicken in particular) are too greasy, I believe this is a matter of personal preference. Nobody goes to a burger joint for health food 😉

Price (sandwich only): 89 baht

Being a Knucklehead at PeppersVEGETARIANS LOOK AWAY🙈. This freakishly large pork knuckle is an ongoing Oktoberfest speci...
09/25/2026

Being a Knucklehead at Peppers

VEGETARIANS LOOK AWAY🙈. This freakishly large pork knuckle is an ongoing Oktoberfest special at Peppers in Ubon, and they aren't forking around. Though I don't know the exact weight, it was more than enough for 2 fully grown male Farangs (although rumor has it a German polished one off solo).

Included with the pork knuckle were mashed potatoes, gravy, cabbage slaw with bacon, pickled red onions, dill pickles, and a cheeky piece of broccoli hiding in the back. Everything (including the pickles) made in house. Recommended b**r pairing: Paulaner Hell. Promotion ends October 4 (or whenever they run out of knuckles). Guten Appetit!

Price: 529 baht

Some tourists and expats seem appalled by the idea of flying halfway around the world and eating Western junk food, whil...
09/23/2026

Some tourists and expats seem appalled by the idea of flying halfway around the world and eating Western junk food, while others like well-traveled influencer Drew Binsky sing the praises of Mickey D's and other Farang fast food chains in Thailand for their cleanliness and excellent service compared to their home countries. What do you think?

09/23/2026

Check out Lucky Suki, Ubon's trendiest new Sukiyaki spot. The buffet is a steal at ฿220 per person, and they're open 'til 2:00am. Go get Lucky!

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