The Filipino “Pinoy” restaurant near the Hotel Esplanada appears to have changed hands and is now a Thai restaurant. Nothing much has changed decor-wise except the staff and the menu. A pad thai chicken can be had for US$4. Not bad but still not up to the Beach Cafe standard.

The Beach Cafe remains closed and I have been told that this is unlikely to change. But I have also been told that the Shanghai restaurant next door (currently undergoing massive renovations) will be taking on the Burmese cook (or cooks ?) from the Beach Cafe. It still looks like it is weeks if not months away and looks like accommodation will be part of the new premises.

Tiger Fuels (ie a petrol/gas station) now is doing pizzas and is also doing western-style bread making. Its all looking good so far. But large pizzas are still US$12, the going rate at Tiger, Dili Club and Castaways. Tiger is also selling Mrs Macs (imported OZ) pies which are sold from a dedicated freezer. They get a gourmet tick of approval from me.

Its probably time I went back to the Filipino burger joint south of the UN barracks. Its still there but I have tended to avoid that area given trouble around the barracks in recent weeks.

The coffee cooperative “Cooperativa Cafe Timor” is selling coffee beans and ground coffee at their premises near the ANZ bank. If you know where to go, you can also get Ensul coffee from deep in the recesses of their compound not far from Hotel Timor. It looks like you are buying from a garden shed but this is no problem. I prefer CCT coffee myself and the price tends to reflect this.

No sign of the resumption of the 2 breweries Buffalo and Lion who once brewed some very interesting beer.