Ostrich meat?

This evening I went to dinner at the Rio Grill Brazillian Restaurant at this unremarkable hotel that I am sure not many people in Bangkok have been to.  Its at the Asia Hotel which is walking distance to the main shopping district of Siam Paragon and Siam Centre.  

I walked in and felt as if I had gone back to another time.  The hotel reminded me of times when big lobbies and large reception areas were the signs of a good hotel.  There were some art nouveau type decorations and stained glass signs.  It has a certain charm to it which I cannot describe.  It is so clean it doesn't have any of the "smell" that usually accompanies old buildings and is so clean and simple.  I suppose I like the simplicity of it all.  It isn't trying to be anything it isn't.  It simply is a hotel that was opened a in another era, when Bangkok didn't have sky trains or subways, when shopping malls didn't exist.  

I ate at this Rio Grill Brazilian Restaurant which reminded me of the Brasilia restaurant in Singapore.  It is basically a buffet of different kind of grilled meats served straight to your table:  sirloin meat, leg of lamb, pork sausages, salmon, spare-ribs, chicken wings, ....etc.. and ostrich meat.  

Ostrich meat? I saw the face of the people around look up in wonder.  We are used to eating beef, pork, chicken and fish in Bangkok, but its not often that we get served ostrich meat.  Is it good for you?  Apparently it is!  

In the past few years, I've heard and read a lot in the news that it was gaining popularity for it being lean and healthy.  According to the British Domesticated Ostrich Association (did you know this existed?) 100g of Ostrich meat has only 3 grams of fat and 142 calories compared to 100g of beef which has 10.5 g of fat and 209 calories.    

I've copied the table below so you can compare the different types of meat :)  I suppose all that running around and sticking their head in the ground makes for a pretty lean meat.  Bon Appetit!

Nutrient Comparison per 100 grams (3.5oz)
SPECIESMEATPROTEINFATCALORIESIRONCHOLEST.
 Description%GramsKCalMGMG
OstrichCut Comp.26.93.01423.281
Beef*Tenderloin (broiled)28.110.52093.083
Veal*Loin Chop (braised)33.99.42251.2124
Pork*Loin Centre Rib Chop29.315.22561.191
ChickenWhole no skin28.97.41901.289
TurkeyWhole no skin29.365.01701.876
Lamb*Loin Chop (broiled)30.49.42151.295




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