What's it like to eat at one of North Korea's overseas restaurants? 海外的北韓餐廳都吃些什麼？
Bangkok (CNN)-In Bangkok, there's a restaurant where North Korean women strip diners of their freedom to take photographs. The same women cheerfully scissor noodles at tables, but seem subject to sudden mood swings.
Meanwhile, armed troops and gleeful singers
perform in the background, navigating the fine line between entertainment and
brainwashing.
同時，背景會有武裝部隊及愉悅的歌者在表演，游移在娛樂及洗腦的界線之間。
This is the Pyongyang Okryu Restaurant, one
of a chain of eateries operated around the world by the North Korean regime
that offer a weird glimpse of life inside the hermetic Stalinist nation.
The chain was recently cast into the
spotlight when a group of North Korean restaurant workers reportedly
defected to South Korea.
據報導，這間連鎖店近期因為一群北韓餐廳員工投奔南韓，而受到關注。
據報導，這間連鎖店近期因為一群北韓餐廳員工投奔南韓，而受到關注。
Upon entering the restaurant, polka dot-clad waitresses greet customers with shy smiles and tender hand waves.
當踏進餐廳時，穿著圓點衣服的女服務生會帶著靦腆的微笑且溫柔的揮手招呼客人。
However, as observed during a recent visit, they may suddenly appear panic-stricken, drained of emotions or severely displeased when guests stray from the menu.
然而，在最近的拜訪中觀察到，當顧客們的心不在菜單上時，她們可能會突然表現得驚慌失措、面無表情或是極度不悅。
The food?
那食物如何呢？
Diners can enjoy a tasty but somewhat oily
and salty meal at a plastic-covered table amid the restaurant's permanent
Christmas decorations.
用餐者可以在不變的聖誕節裝潢中的塑膠桌上，享用一道美味的餐點，但是有點油又有點鹹。
'No photos!'「禁止攝影！」
Those aware of life in North Korea may feel
like they've passed through an invisible membrane into the country upon
entering this restaurant, located on Bangkok's trendy, upmarket Ekamai Road.
一旦踏入這間位於曼谷時尚且高檔Ekamai街道上的餐廳，那些北韓的生活意識就猶如穿過無形結界般地進入到這個國家。
That's because this clean, modern eatery
offers a window onto the tense and rarefied life of those near the top of North
Korea's brutal hierarchy.
那是因為這間乾淨、現代的餐館提供了一個接近北韓冷酷體系高層，緊繃且高冷的生活的窗口。
For example, while most citizens in the
northeast Asian nation reportedly suffer in an Orwellian dystopia, here inside
Pyongyang Okryu Restaurant the workers are not suffering in poverty.
舉例來說，雖然據報導，大部分在東北亞洲國家的居民都深受歐威爾反烏托邦主義影響，但是在這間平壤玉流餐館的員工們並不深受窮困影響。
舉例來說，雖然據報導，大部分在東北亞洲國家的居民都深受歐威爾反烏托邦主義影響，但是在這間平壤玉流餐館的員工們並不深受窮困影響。
Instead, their problem appears to be how not to die of boredom while a big digital screen blares DVDs of North Koreans singing robust patriotic songs amid troops marching, weapons rolling in parades and regime officials applauding.
反而他們顯現出的問題是，當大型數位螢幕播放著北韓人民唱著強力的愛國歌曲、武裝部隊在遊行中行軍及耍搶和其政府官員掌聲喝采的DVD時，如何免死於這樣的枯燥乏味。
During our visit, three servers near the front door watched the DVDs, slowly swaying and softly singing the lyrics.
在我們拜訪時，有三個在前門附近的服務生盯著DVD看，緩緩的跟著搖擺且輕聲的唱個歌詞。
The restaurant was empty during the recent mid-week evening when this writer -- posing as a tourist -- was the only customer in the 100-seat restaurant.
這間餐廳最近的平日下午沒什麼人，而作者(佯裝成旅客)是這100席餐廳裡的唯一顧客。
The staff speaks modestly good English, but inquiries about the restaurant or North Korea were met with a chorus of "I don't know."
員工們端莊地說著不錯的英文，但是關於北韓或是餐廳的提問，總會得到一致的回應：「我不知道。」
Photographing the food was OK for a while, but that freedom was abruptly
withdrawn, with strident "no photos!" commands.
暫時拍一下食物是可以的，但是因為逼人的「禁止攝影」告示，會突然收回拍照自由。
Writing on a blank sheet of paper also raised the alarm.
在空白紙上寫字也會拉警報。
"What are you doing? What are you
doing?," a waitress demanded, requiring a full explanation.
女服務生會詢問：「你在幹嘛？你在幹嘛？」要求完整的解釋。
Pyongyang Okryu's cold noodle tray. Highly
recommended.
強力推薦平壤玉流餐館的冷麵。
The menu菜單介紹
So, what's on the menu?
那，菜單上有什麼呢？
There's the 150 baht ($4.25) fried mackerel
and scallions, wrapped in aluminum foil, graciously deboned by a waitress at
your table.
一份用鋁箔紙包著的炸鯖魚和青蔥要價150泰銖（4.25美元），女服務生會在你桌邊殷勤地幫你去刺。
Even better is the 350 baht "Pyongyang
tray cold noodle."
但是一份350泰銖的平壤冷麵更勝一籌。
Large enough for two people, it includes
slices of chicken, cucumber, a hard-boiled egg, red chilies, vinegar and
mustard -- all topping spaghetti-like rice noodles, which a waitress will cut
with big pink scissors.
很大一份足夠兩個人吃，裡面有數塊雞肉、小黃瓜、熟蛋、紅辣椒、醋和芥末，全覆蓋在像是義大利麵的米線上，女服務生會用粉紅色大剪刀幫你剪麵。
Mung Bean Jijim comes in the form of four flat, thin, green, circular pancakes wet with oil, adorned with parsley and tasting like potatoes.
綠豆煎餅是四片淋了油的扁平、綠色、薄薄的圓煎餅，用西洋芹裝飾，然後吃起來像馬鈴薯。
Beer and other drinks are also available along with fish, pork, beef, chicken, vegetable, noodle and soup dishes.
也有提供啤酒及其他飲料，搭配魚啊、豬肉、牛肉、蔬菜、麵食和湯品等餐點。
Lunch specials are 99 baht a plate and
include dumplings, noodles, Kimchi Udong, Bibimbab Haeju and fried rice with
chicken.
特色午餐一盤99泰銖，包含了水餃、麵、浦東泡菜、石鍋拌飯和雞肉炒飯。
Several miles away, a flashier Pyongyang A Ri
Rang Restaurant on soi (alley) 26 of Bangkok's Sukhumvit Road also offers food,
but with the added fun of karaoke and a live floor show.
在離這幾哩處，有間位在曼谷蘇坤蔚路26巷上，浮誇的平壤阿里郎餐廳，他也供餐，但還多了卡拉ok及現場表演的樂趣。
However, during a recent visit, a sign said it was closed for renovations.
然而，最近去拜訪時，有公告其因為整修而休息.
Beyond Bangkok, Pyongyang's regime also operates restaurants in Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Nepal and across China, plus the Middle East and Africa.
除了曼谷以外，平壤政府也在馬來西亞、寮國、柬埔寨、尼泊爾及中國經營餐廳，甚至還有中東跟非洲。
在離這幾哩處，有間位在曼谷蘇坤蔚路26巷上，浮誇的平壤阿里郎餐廳，他也供餐，但還多了卡拉ok及現場表演的樂趣。
However, during a recent visit, a sign said it was closed for renovations.
然而，最近去拜訪時，有公告其因為整修而休息.
Beyond Bangkok, Pyongyang's regime also operates restaurants in Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Nepal and across China, plus the Middle East and Africa.
除了曼谷以外，平壤政府也在馬來西亞、寮國、柬埔寨、尼泊爾及中國經營餐廳，甚至還有中東跟非洲。
