Category Archives: Food & drink

Blather on food and drinking opportunities.

Pie market forces

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Demand is meant to somehow influence suppliers desire to supply, but sometimes I just don’t think the market operates in the true free-market sense here. For instance, if I go to buy tomatoes at the local market, a pile will cost me $1. If I want 10 piles, $10 and someone told me once that if you go higher, the per-pile rate actually increases because in the words of the seller, “if you buy them all, then I have nothing more to sell”. Same with eggs – whether you buy 1 or 30, the per-egg price is the same. And if the goods are getting a bit shabby at the end of the day due to a long day in the heat, there is no change in price and no desire to “fire-sale” the lower quality goods.

According to the Timor Post, a Democratic Party MP (ie a member of the coalition government) is lamenting the lack of price-fixing (by the government) to stabilise fluctuating prices caused by sellers “setting prices as they desire”. Price fixing is only used by “non-free market” governments, or as a social stability measure in markets which are not truly free due to monopoly control of key supply sources. Maybe vendors are just not understanding supply and demand or see a hugely distorted view of the economy at work. Maybe I need to re-read a few textbooks.

Even the humble Mrs.Macs pies (an essential dietary requirement) are out of stock wherever I look. The supply chain is failing as it often appears to do when searching for yogurt. I may have to resort to trying the new burger joint across from the ANZ bank called “Eastern Burger Corner”. It sells burgers, chicken wings, spring rolls etc. in a burger jointish environment. Someone told me I must also try the beef rendang at Lili’s which is 30 metres east of there.

It’s amazing just how much the lack of a meat pie (with tomato sauce) at lunchtime steels the mind for the rest of the day.

Shorts – to read not wear

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(1) I noticed another raid on known girlie bars around town has netted another 87 foreign Asian nationals. I understand that people involved in the trafficking of women and associated prostitution regard countries going through internal conflict as good bases for their operations. I suspect the presence of the UN is also a good indicator.

The raids have included Mona Lisa, Moon, Great Wall and Mayflower Bars and (although I am not sure on this one) the Non-Drunking Bar. I have never been to any of these – honest !

(2) A couple of days ago, I read that the Timorese government had asked Australia to allow Timorese workers in to mitigate labour shortages in the fruit picking industry. I was speaking to a Timorese who runs his family’s coffee plantation way up in the highlands and he laughed. He struggles to get Timorese to work for him to pick coffee. He might get a couple of days work then they have had enough. His worker retention rate was less than 10% and he aint giving up those 10%. He knew why OZ had ignored the request.

(3) The Comorro River mouth has broken through to the sea about 300 metres east of the most direct route.  The current channel runs parallel to the seashore and runs right past the Ocean View deck which has been running a big risk of being undermined.  Some of the supports have been strengthened.

(4) There is a bar that is new to me called “Amigos Club” which is upstairs from the New Sanan Rai restaurant a couple of hundred metres east of the ANZ bank.  Cozy with a terrace bar feel, it looks promising for a private function of about 20 but no more.

(5) A friend underwent emergency surgery at Dili National Hospital a couple of days ago.  The preferred option of flying to Darwin simply wasn’t on in this case.  The operation was performed by an OZ doctor and a Dutch anaesthetist and reportedly, the experience was a happy one – at least the bit after the emergency reception area.  The operating bit was done in the new section of hospital opened not so long ago.  No red wine was involved.

Restaurant blather

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The “Atlantic Grill” looks close to opening soon.  It is on the eastern side of “Caz Bar” down in the Christo Rei statue area.

The “Kabayan Bar” (ex Internet Bar) now incorporates the “Manila Restaurant”.

Andy who ran the Paradise Balinese restaurant at Metiaut (now occupied by “Thai Foods”), is now running the restaurant at the “Vila Verde Hotel” – a couple of hundred metres north of Obrigado barracks.  If he keeps the same standards, it should be worth giving a try.  The ambience is highly unlikely to approach what he had down by the beach at Metiaut, however Andy’s service and table manner is equal to the best in town.

“Fat Boys” bar now serves a modest menu in Australian workers bar style.

Food for Christmas

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Its that time of the year when many expats intend to gorge themselves for a day starting tonight.  Pity I am still struggling a bit with some stomach bug that has blown my guts up – blocked them up mainly.  All I need is one more wafer-thin mint and I am nearly exploding.

So I was just reading about the restaurant situation in Kabul where there are now dozens of restaurants (I will assume 50) serving cuisine from all over the world.  Here in Dili, it is possible to get Southern Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, Portuguese, Brazilian, Turkish, Japanese, Macau Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Australian (ie hamburgers, steak sandwiches, 12 inch T-bone steaks !), Malaysian Chinese and Burmese.  I may have missed one but there are definitely no Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Greek, German, Lebanese or Mickey-Ds.

I can’t say there is such a thing as a Timorese restaurant.  Nor could I say that any of them can be categorised as a fine dining experience.  One or two come close.  From time to time, you do come across exquisite dishes – perhaps when the occasional batch of lobsters hits the restaurants at prices that would make you wilt (ie cheap).

A few of the restaurants are offering Christmas lunch feasts and I hear that turkey will definitely be on the menu as it is available in the supermarket freezer.  I notice that supplies of premium beers have fallen and my favourite tipple (for casual not volume consumption) is out of stock.

I believe I have committed to 3 different locations tomorrow so it will be interesting to see how close I get to joining Mr.Creosote in gastronomic oblivion.  May your Christmas Day be stress free.

Some pre-Christmas titbits

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It is raining right now for about the 10th to 15th time this wet season. By this time last year, it had probably only rained about twice and that was in November from memory.

The horrendous power cuts of November appeared to have been solved on about the 27/28 November. Those cuts which started about 20-25 October were due to a mechanical failure in the big new generator installed in early 2007.

The “Sanan Rai Foun” restaurant (or “New Sanan Rai”  sanan=cooking pot, rai=ground) has opened about 100 metres east of the ANZ Bank on Rua Nicolau Lobato. Also 50 metres east of the Roo Bar (Tropical Hotel). I presume this is an up-market version of the original Sanan Rai down the western end of the same street.

Like last year at this time, there appears to be a slight difficulty getting eggs. A tray is costing $7. I seem to recall paying around $4 about 6 months ago.

Beer at bars seems to have increased from the $2-50 mark to the $3 mark. I am mainly talking OZ beer here which has mainly risen due to the change in OZ/US exchange rates. Tiger and Bintang ought to be cheaper. I also notice an increase in Filipino San Miguel beers including the cheaper end “Red Horse” beer. This reflects the increasing influence of Filipinos in the commercial sector, particularly construction. $2 happy hours may become more popular.

I saw my 1st bookshop in Dili in the Audian shopping street towards the eastern end. There may be a small amount of books and magazines in other shops and the odd books sold on the pavement but this is a whole shop with a sign out the front saying “Loja Livru Galeria”. Will go in one day.

If you want Christmas trees, then the strip of shops across from the stadium is chock-a-block with trees of the tinsel and plastic variety.

Nativity scenes are cropping all over the place and seem to be significantly more numerous than last year. There are some quite flashy ones including some quite advanced ones with flashing lights which at first, could be mistaken for a police vehicle attending a security incident (when seen from a distance).

Shopping for the sensitive new age guy

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Its funny how you spend half your working life wishing you earnt US dollars rather than the OZ dollar and now that you do, you would rather be paid the Pacific Peso (a now quaint historic term for the OZ dollar). One side-effect is that western goods sourced from OZ are getting a tad more expensive.

My new pack of 5 dozen Marathon dim sims now costs USD30, up from USD20 last time. Even the $2 Tiger beer is fast disappearing and it is only a matter of time before your typical OZ beer rockets from $2-50 to $3 over the bar. Mrs.Macs pies remain at around the $2-50 mark. For some reason, I don’t seem to notice the price of most other things except maybe breakfast cereal which has broken through my upper ceiling price.

It is worth noting that the general feel of Dili is significantly different when comparing early 2006 to now.  I would think western supermarket turn-over has trebled so goods ought to be fresher and turn-over greater.

For the discerning snag, here is my analysis of price increases from MY sample basket of goods.

Price increase is from March 2006 to October 2007 (close enough to 18 months). During the same period, the US dollar fell by 21% against the aforementioned peso. My sample is based on one selected vendor and as we know, prices can vary significantly between vendors.

Snag Item Price Increase
Melbourne Bitter cans (OZ) 21%
Heineken cans 29%
Tiger beer (Sg.) 17%
Bintang beer (Ind.) 0%
Penfolds Rawsons Retreat wine (OZ) 0%
Wolf Blass Red Label wine (OZ) 0%
Penfolds Koonunga Hill wine (OZ) 0%
Gordons Gin (part NZ) 11%
Johnny Walker Red Label 0%
Coca Cola (OZ) 21%
Coca Cola (Ind.) 20%
Soda water (Ind.) 20%
Heinz Baked Beans 10%

The figures are revealing. Some of your 100% OZ produced goods seem to have increased exactly with the fall in the US dollar. Non-OZ goods do a bit better. However, no matter what prices I looked at, OZ wine has not changed at all. I guess this reflects the production situation in OZ more than anything else.  Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

More eating

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“Jack’s PSE Club” (ie bar/restaurant) now operates from inside the “Palm Springs” estate which is just near the OZ Embassy. If you dream hard enough, you could almost think you are in Bali. It is in the Dili more upmarket decor category and probably a better spot for parties or functions as it is not exactly in a great spot to catch passing trade. Extensive menu.

“Hotel Vila Verde” is now actively advertising its restaurant but have not been yet. “Cafe Brasil” seems to have spun off a new classy restaurant adjacent to the current premises called “Keci Keca” – have not been there either.

“Hotel Dili 2001” down at Metiaut (ie the eating strip towards Christo Rei) has now been re-named the “Nova Horizente” which finally removes any confusion over the Hotel Dili name (ie Hotel Dili, Hotel Dili 2000, Hotel Dili 2001).

“Hotel California” seems to have completed its accommodation area and seems to be fully occupied these days. It has about a dozen rooms and a neat looking garden area. No pool but a 100m to a quiet swimmable beach.

Over the last year, the “Ocean View Hotel” and “Dili Beach Hotel” have completed the fit-out of additional accommodation out the back, including a pool at “Dili Beach Hotel”.

There is no doubt there is a general move towards quality in both eating and accommodation these days – for the well-heeled foreigner.  Check out the “Guide Post” magazine which will give you the idea.

Mrs. Sod’s cake

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When it comes to election analysis, you just can’t beat Mrs. Sod’s electoral chart pie. Informative, digestible, colourful, tasty and you can get your hand round it. Unfortunately, the downside is the calories.

This is not something that has phased a new bar which has opened near the Esplanada Hotel. Not much on the food front, just your simple grip beer can and drink establishment. Although the sign is not up yet, it may well say “Fat Boys”. This could be based on the form of the owner or some of the customers – some who are known to have eaten some of Mrs.Sod’s cake.

Food shortages

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There have been a couple of recent articles citing a World Food Programme (WFP) report on food shortages here.  The June 2007 WFP report was based on the situation as it stood in early April 2007.  At that time, the wet season had been late and brief.  Many rice paddies that should have been wet and soggy were bone dry.

I invite anyone to correct me here, but I understood that unseasonal rains in June kicked off an unseasonal additional planting.  And hence, the local supply situation changed.

I recall an acquaintance arriving fresh off the boat and being gobsmacked at the plentiful supply of food available in the local markets.  He had come expecting that food supplies were critical.  When relatives ask me if I am having trouble obtaining food, you realise it is all about perceptions.  I am OK – the farmer way up in the hills is the one with the problem.

The January rice shortage was related to stuffing up the supply of imported rice which TL requires every year.  For the past few months, I have noted regular large shipments of imported rice coming in.  These rice arrivals are noticeable as they are accompanied by a fleet of over-laden trucks escorted by UN police.

Anyway, I am not sure one can keep quoting the WFP report and its expected 30% shortfall in staple grains.  Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with beefing things up in an attempt to reduce the reliance on imported staples.