Thai [Thailand] Foodglorious food!

[Naka]

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai

419 Luang Road, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok,
419 ถนนหลวง แขวงวัดเทพสิรินทร์ Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 621 5199
Opening Hours: 4pm – 1am Daily

Chicken Fried Noodles With Runny Egg In Bangkok, With Michelin Bib Gourmand.

[Bangkok] Talking about Thai fried noodles, it is usually about the Pad Thai, Pad Khi Mao (Drunken Noodles) or Pad See Ew (stir fried rice noodles) that people (I mean tourists) generally go for.

Okay. Guay Tiew Kua Gai is basically fried rice noodles added with ingredients such as chicken and cuttlefish, have minimal sauces and is therefore dry.

The entire flavour comes from being cooked at high heat in pork fat, with just that little bit of soy sauce, eggs and spring onion.

Then you may wonder: What is so special about it then?

The trick is to fry this such that the noodles are actually kind of crispy on the outside, yet smooth and soft on the inside, especially when you mix everything up.

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai, located near Chinatown in Bangkok is one of the best-known places to get this dish. It was also awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand. (The other awarded similar tall is Guay Tiew Kuai Gai Sunmali at Khlang Hospital Intersection. Seems like the inspectors do like their Kway Teow.)

The good thing about this eatery is that it is air-conditioned, but the food is cooked outside in the lanes, so you still get that bit of ‘street-side’ taste.

Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai is located on Luang Road which is situated just a 15 minutes’ walk from the main parts of Bangkok including Charoen Krung Road, Chinatown, and Yaowarat.

 

[Naka]

Doong Aroi Ded ดุ๋งอร่อยเด็ด
7F The Helix Quartier, The Emquartier
EmQuartier The Helix Quartier #7A-10, 651, Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand (BTS Phrom Phong)

Thai Style Wagyu Beef Noodle Soup At The Emquartier.

[Bangkok] It is always fascinating to see street food being brought to a higher-end restaurants, then topped up with premium ingredients.

My question is: Would the Thais pay that much more to eat something in a fancy restaurant that they can find in the streets. The answer is apparently “Yes”.

Doong Aroi Ded located on the 7th floor of The Helix Quartier at The Emquartier, serves up beef noodles, Tom Yum noodles and sliced beef sets.

The rich and tasty broth with depth is said to be cooked using a special traditional recipe which is ‘Aroi Ded Noodle Shop’s’ well-kept secret for over half a century.

The bowl was an agreeable marriage of quality thinly sliced beef and meat balls in robust full-bodied soup base.

Typically the beef served in street stalls tend to be on the tougher side, and the superiority of the meat used by Doong

 

[Naka]

Yusup Pochana (ยูซุปโภชนา)

Address: 531/12 Kaset Nawamin Road (Tawmaw 97), Lat Yao Chatuchak, Bangkok | 531/12 อาคาร บริเวณสี่แยกเกษตร ถนนเกษตร-นวมินทร์ (ตอหม้อ 97) แขวงลาดยาว เขตจตุจักร กรุงเทพฯ
Phone: 08-1659-6588
Open Hours: 8:30 am – 3 pm daily (closed on Monday and Tuesday of the 3rd week of every month)

How to get there:

There’s no real easy way to get to Yusup Pochana (ยูซุปโภชนา) other than taking a taxi or personal vehicle. If you go by taxi, it’s sometimes even hard, so I would recommend printing off the address and name of the restaurant to show the driver. The restaurant is located on the side of Prasert Manukitch Road, in the northern part of Bangkok, about 10 or 15 minutes north of Chatuchak.

Note: There are 2 restaurants next to each other, make sure you veer right on the little bridge.

My mouth is beginning to water even as I write this post about Yusup Pochana (ยูซุปโภชนา).

You better believe it… the food was that good!

This famous northern Bangkok Thai Muslim restaurant will serve you a meal you won’t forget, and a few of their dishes left me in tears of joy.

The restaurant is in sort of a big garage like dining room, with big iron rafters covered in cobwebs and shiny metal tables and chairs.

After checking out the menu, I’m not ashamed to admit we went a little crazy by ordering all out – mostly because I was so excited to try everything!

They have a few different house-made juices available which were sweet and refreshing.

All good Thai Muslim meals should begin with a roti mataba, a kind of stuffed roti that’s fried in lots of oil.

I really have nothing else to say other than the food at Yusup Pochana (ยูซุปโภชนา) is insanely delicious. You will not ever regret eating here.

 

[Naka]

Thang Long
82/5 Soi Lang Suan, Phloen Chit Road, Bangkok, Thailand (Long walk from Chidlom BTS. A cab could be easier)
ซอย หลังสวน เพลินจิต
Tel: 02 251 3504, 02 251 4491
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm, 5pm – 11pm

Stylish Vietnamese Restaurant Near Bangkok’s Wireless Road.

Bangkok, Thailand] Many of Bangkok’s restaurants score in terms of style. The same could be said for Thang Long (which is the former name for Hanoi in Vietnam).

Thang Long is located at the Bangkok Wireless Road Neighbourhood, along Soi Lang Suan. While this seems like a quieter stretch of road away from the usual buzz, its hip neighbours include Asia’s Best Restaurant Gaggan (5 min walk down the road) and Wine Bridge Plus (just opposite). Refer to map below

Dark wooden furnishing, water features, an outdoor seating area like a bar by the beach and loungy music would appeal to the chic and stylish crowd in Bangkok.

The modern Vietnamese restaurant serves food tapas style, so expect dishes from the predictable such as pho, Viet spring rolls and vermicelli, to steam ravioli and deep fried frog legs (!).

Its menu was rather confusing though, despite being artistically photographed. The food photos were on one side, while prices were printed in sections somewhere in the menu. Not intuitive enough.

 

[Naka]

Lukkaithong Royal Cooking @ Siam Paragon

Room No. 432-434A 4th floor Siam Paragon Shopping Center, No. 911, Rama 1 Rd., Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm

Gigantic Thai Tea Shaved Ice Is The IN Bangkok Dessert.

Bangkok] It was not yet 12 noon and there was already a long queue to get into Luk Kai Thong at Level 4 of Siam Paragon.

Speaking of which, how come I have never realised there is this level of Siam Paragon where there are so many restaurants?

Groups of families and Thai tai-tais (quite a mouthful) were seating outside this posh looking Lukkaithong designed to look like a bird cage.

Yes, complete with hanging plants, and a buzzer that emitted sounds of chirping when I called for a waiter.

“Kai Thong” means “golden chicken” in Thai, while “Luk” represents “baby”.

Singaporeans will call this the ”zhi char” restaurant, and it essentially serves Chinese home-style food with some Thai dishes. The hor fun and the likes.

Popular items include the Hong Kong Fried Rice Noodle with Pork and Prawn, Crispy Noodle with Australian Beef, Stew Pork Belly and Vegetables with Baked Rice, Steamed Minced Pork with Thai Salted Fish and Baked Rice, Hong Kong Egg Noodles with Deep-Fried Pork Fillet or Wontons.

The price of the food is not cheap at all, considering that this is Bangkok where 50 baht can get you a filling meal.

It was 255 baht (SGD$10, USD$7.20) for a plate of Rice Noodles with Pork and Prawn.

The first time I had this Hor Fun, the experience was life changing. So much so that I came for seconds and thirds during a single trip.

It could be this branch, or that the standard was in consistent. The signature dish somehow lacked of wok hei, which would mean ‘wok heat’.

This time, I had the Stew Pork Belly with Pickled Vegetables and Grilled Steamed Buns (590 baht, SGD23.20, USD$17).

It was 590 freaking-expensive baht, but crazy good.

Just so you know, Lukkaithong has a Fucheer concept a few steps away which serves dessert.

Almost every other table was having their Pang Cha Royal Thai Tea (295 baht, SGD$11.60, USD$8.40) aka the Thai version of bingsu or ice kachang.

When it arrived, I knew immediately that I had to go to the gym somehow. Two of us shared the guilt, but we wished four other friends would be here to take the calories away.

Talking about that, this was so weird, watching slim Thai ladies just gobble the whole thing down.

This was not just ordinary shaved ice, because when things started melting halfway, the bottom became a pool of Thai Iced Milk Tea with pieces of tea bread that absorbed all of that ‘drink’. Said to be created by 5 different types of tea.

Have it first, diet later.

 

[Naka]

Jeib Rod Dee Det
236/3-4 Siam Square Soi 2, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 92 654 4654
Opening Hours: 9am – 10pm Daily

Famous Classic Beef Noodle Soup At Siam Square Bangkok, Most Dishes At 50 Baht.

[Bangkok] In the shopping district of Siam in central Bangkok, it is rather difficult to find cheap authentic Thai food.

Small independent shophouse restaurants have been slowly closing down and relocating due to increasing rent costs and the emergence of shopping mall food courts and chain restaurants.

One place, however, that has stood the test of time and is still serving the same classic Thai dishes they have for decades is Rod Dee Det.

Ok, so they too have shut their original shop but have opened a new branch just around the corner on Siam Square Soi 2 selling all of their classic dishes. I thought it was about time to check out the new restaurant.

The original Rot Dee Det was a no-frills Thai shophouse without air conditioning.

The new Jeib Rot Dee Det is set in a more modern, industrial space, with everything painted in black.

Although there is still no air con downstairs but there are lots of big fans inside to keep the Bangkok heat at bay.

The bottom line is that if you are in the Siam area, want something authentic and local and don’t want to pay over inflated prices, then you could do far worse than checking out Jeib Rod Dee Det.

 

[Naka]

Soi Polo Fried Chicken ไก่ทอดเจ๊กี (โปโล)

Address: 137/1-2 Soi Sanam Khli
Open hours: 7 am – 10 pm daily
Phone: 0-2252-2252, 0-2251-2772
Price: Everything you see cost just under 450 THB

ที่อยู่137/1-2 ซ. โปโล แขวงลุมพินี เขตปทุมวัน กทม. (ใกล้สถานนีตำรวจลุมพินี)
เปิดบริการทุกวัน เวลา 07.00 – 22.00 น.
โทร. 0-2252-2252, 0-2251-2772

Soi Polo Fried Chicken ไก่ทอดเจ๊กี (โปโล) is a legendary name for fried chicken in Bangkok.

But just like Hai Som Tam Convent, for some reason throughout my many years in Bangkok, I just never got around to eating there.

Anyway, the day came when I had an opportunity to eat at Soi Polo Fried Chicken along with my friends from Nomad is Beautiful.

It’s an extremely famous restaurant, and they are always busy, especially during mealtimes. The day I went, bus loads of Thais were unloading, ready to get some fried chicken for themselves. It’s also quite a famous lunch restaurant in the area, catering to all the office workers.

You don’t really need me to tell you this, but Soi Polo Fried Chicken specializes in…. fried chicken (ไก่ทอด)!

The chickens are deep fried whole (similar to how a grilled chicken would be cooked in Thailand), and they are pre-fried before the meal rushes.

When someone orders, they pull a crispy bird out of the metal pot and hack it into pieces on the giant cutting board.

They have both a Thai and English menu, so if you don’t speak Thai, you should have no trouble making your order. Staff the day I went were all nice and friendly.

We got a whole chicken, and if you’re eating with 2 or more people, you should definitely go for the whole thing!

The gai tod (fried chicken ไก่ทอด) was sliced up into manageable pieces, and then quite a generous amount of deep fried crispy garlic was sprinkled on top – a big bonus in my books.

Beside fried chicken, here are some of the must call menu there like somtam,
larb moo, larb gai and larb bpet as well as sticky rice.

To be honest, I’m not totally sure.

I don’t actually eat fried chicken all that much in Bangkok, and if I do, it’s normally from street stand takeaway stalls. At restaurants I would tend to go with grilled chicken over fried chicken.

Other than the white meat pieces of chicken being a little on the dry side, the fried chicken at Polo was pretty tasty – but best in Bangkok? – I guess I need some more fried chicken experience.

 

[Naka]

MUNG KORN KHAO NOODLE

Address; 395 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Operating Hour: 6.15am to 11.45pm daily, close on Monday.
Phone: +66 97 236 1368

Yaowarat (Chinatown) is full of good food and usually I don’t come here for Ba Mee. But for this post, I tried it and found it to be pretty decent too. The wanton here is very filling as compared to others and as again, the overall dish is well balanced.

If you ask, how do we know where to eat in Bangkok? Honestly, most of the time we are as clueless. Of course I do my own research, and I get recommendations. But whenever we eat in an eatery, we get recommendations from the stall owners themselves what else is good to eat in the area. That’s how we eat in Thailand. After having a delicious bowl of bird’s nest in Yaowarat, the stall owner recommended us to eat wanton mee at the junction of Yaowarat Road and Yaowa Phanit. She says,”Nothing beats this stall’s wanton mee, but very little, I need to eat at least 3 bowls.”

She is so right. This bowl of wanton mee is only about one huge tablespoon, with little crab meat, we finished like 3 bowls of it? Never mind about the portion, at least they are very friendly owners unlike SabX2 which is totally not worth the hype and too expensive (read my complaint about SabX2 here).

At Mung Korn Khao Noodle, it is her HK style thin egg noodles that won the hearts of many. She tosses the noodles in hot boiling water, put it in ice water and returns for final toss in the hot water. What you get is reall QQ baa mee. And that lonely wanton, mixture of prawns and minced pork, juicy juicy lah! It’s quite easy to find that stall because they are the one with a huge crowd and long queue.

 

[Naka]

Bamee Slow (The more official name is Bamee Giew Moo Song Krueang).

Food: Egg noodles and wontons in differnet variations, plus barbequed (red) pork
Price: A bowl of noodles here comes for 60 Baht.
Open: Daily around 8 p.m – 3 a.m
Address: Corner of Ekkamai soi 19

How to get there: The easiest way is to take the BTS to Ekkamai and then take a motorbike taxi from there if the traffic inside Soi 63 is to bussy. If traffic is ok, yo take a meter taxi. You can also cross over from the Thong Lor area if you are there, and again that will be by taxi or motorbike taxi

Bamee Slow on the corner of Ekkamai Soi 19 has some of the best Chinese style egg noodles in town. Getting there more than an hour after the opening means you most likely are in for some cueing. But don’t worry, the food is absolutely worth the ten to fifteen minutes in line. They doesn’t open before 8 to 8.30 pm, but the good news is that they stay open long into the night.

Noodles can be a rather dull experience, or it can be just amazing and an eye-opener to tastes and textures as you will experience at Bamee Slow. The shop actually opened up in the frame of a small street cart many years ago. But due to it’s popularity, which points to it’s quality, they did well enough to be able to open a shop house resto. Not bad if you ask me, and also a classic story behind some of the best shop house vendors in town. If you’re in for some variations and testing, or need another reason to travel deep into Soi 19, be aware that Wattana Panich serves delicious beef noodles and goat stew just 100 meters away – on the other side of Ekkamai road, just above the entrance to Soi 18. A combination of the two spots is a good way of spending an hour.

But back to Bamee Slow, where Ba Mee means egg noodles, and Slow is pointing to the wait for your food due to it’s popularity. In other words, Slow has to be understood positively.

The menu has a few variations to choose from, including the choice between the soup version and the dry version. Other options are noodles or (pork) wontons, the double noodle portion, the double noodle with wonton, with or without an egg, with a double egg, and they have barbecued pork. Personally I go for the noodle with wonton and an egg version, topped with minced pork. Sometimes I order a second bowl.

I prefer to do it this way, instead of doubling up in one portion, to avoid the noodles and wontons to become soggy in the hot broth, especially if you go there with some company and enjoy the conversation, as I normally do.

No noodle dish can get away with a mediocre broth. It’s like pizza can’t get away with excellent toppings if the crust and the sauce isn’t well made. The broth at Bamee Slow has good depth and is rich in flavor. The noodles are freshly made, cooked to perfection, tender and with a slight resistance (al-dente). The wontons with pork are tasty and juicy, with the wrappers made very thin, just as they should be. The minced pork and the red pork pieces are good toppings and adds to the texture. And the egg is perfectly cooked, with a slightly floating egg yolk. And it’s like that every time you go here. I can’t highlight it enough; order the egg. It really adds to the taste and the finishing touch, completing the dish. Quality hopefully never gets out of style, even when it comes to simple Chinese-style egg noodles and wontons. It’s addictive and heavenly good stuff.

Most residents in the area knows about the Bamme Slow, and that’s also how I learned about it, by the word of mouth. And that’s how others learn about it as well.

They have tables inside, but most people sit outside. And most tables inside seem to be used for storing anyway. As always when sitting street side there is some traffic. That has never been a problem for me. Be aware that the location is rather deep into Soi 63 (Ekkamai), but it’s really worth a visit. And they are open late. If you’re in for some food on the way back from Thong Lo later in the evening, there is no burger or kebab or any other fast food in traveling distance that will beat the Chinese style egg noodles as Bamee Slow.

 

[Naka]

Tuang Dim Sum
Address: 2029/9 Charoen Krung Rd, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120
Business Hours: Everyday 8.00AM - 3PM Daily
Phone: +66 89 603 0908

This discreet dim sum eatery looks nothing different from the other shophouse restaurants on Chanroenkrung. But once you see its walls pasted with food certificates and awards, you’ll know this is not your typical dimsum peddler. Praised as one of the best—and most affordable —dim sum restaurants in Bangkok, Tuang is run by Hong Kong-born chef Yip, who was behind the success of Shangri-La Bangkok’s Shang Palace restaurant.

The perk of going to Charoenkrung street is that there are so many hidden gems of street food along the whole street. This particular street connects China town through a few parts of the city, displaying the the old town Chinese vibe in Bangkok remarkably. The busy street has its flaw. There is no parking area provided! Luckily, I went there on the weekend and street parking was not as challenging.

Tuang - by Chef Yip, has set its standard as one of the best affordable dim sum in Bangkok. The casual setting is the place where you see people coming in and out, lining up ordering food home throughout the day. Famous for its Lava Bun that has so many variety for such a tiny restaurant. On the inside, the wall is filled with certificates and awards of the restaurant itself and the infamous Chef Yip Yun Keong, a Hong Kong-born, the person behind the success of Chinese restaurant in the 5-Star, Shangri La hotel.

 

[Naka]

Si Morakot Restaurant (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต)

Address: 80-82 Soi Sukon 1, Bangkok, Thailand
Open hours: 11 am – 7 pm daily
Phone number: 081-567-9006
Prices: The special plate of khao moo daeng costs 50 THB

ที่อยู่ 80-82 ซอย สุกร 1 มิตรภาพไทย -จีน ตลาดน้อย สัมพันธวงศ์ กรุงเทพมหานคร 10100
โทร. 081-567-9006
เปิดบริการทุกวัน 11.00 – 19.00 น.

How to get there: Si Morakot Restaurant (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) is located near Hua Lamphong MRT station, just up the road from Wat Traimit. Turn onto Sukon Alley 1 and the restaurant is along that small connecting road.

Khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) is an extremely popular Thai Chinese dish.

You’ll find it at all food courts and abundantly at street food stalls throughout Bangkok. But the only problem is, there are a lot of bad versions of it.

Sometimes it kind of tastes just like slices of barely marinated pieces of pork over rice with some ketchup-y tasting sauce poured all over it.

But luckily, there are still some street food stalls and shops that make great versions of the dish, and one of them is Si Morakot Restaurant (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต), located on the edge of Chinatown, near Hua Lamphong.

When it comes to eating khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) in Bangkok Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) is one of the legendary restaurants, having served the dish for well over 50 years now.

And it’s one of those shops that probably looks exactly the same as it did when it opened 50 years ago – I don’t think much has changed – and the wooden glass meat cabinet is a beautiful antique.

One of the things that makes Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) so good is that they still make all the components of their khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) themselves – the bbq pork, the pork belly, the Chinese sausage, and the sauce. And they still use charcoal to grill and roast all their meats – including the crispy pork belly which they actually grill, instead of fry.

The restaurant is located just a short walk from Hua Lamphong (MRT and train station), and sits on the edge of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown.

The area is home to a lot of metal workshops and small industrial shops, and sitting between some metal welding shops is Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต).

Khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) is a Thai Chinese dish that includes rice topped with red bbq pork, sometimes crispy pork belly, and topped in a thick sauce.

There are a lot of street food stalls that take shortcuts making this dish, and so it’s often (in my opinion), even though it’s a simple dish, it’s a dish that’s hard to get right.

There are a couple classic restaurants, like one of my favorites in southern Bangkok, and Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต), that still make all their own ingredients with care, and serve excellent khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง).

Si Morakot Restaurant (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) is one of Bangkok’s legendary places to eat khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง), and it’s well worth seeking out

 

[Naka]

Guay Jub Mr. Jo ก๋วยจั๊บมิสเตอร์โจ

86 Soi Chan 44, Wat Phraya Krai, Bangkok, 10120, Thailand
Opening Hours: 8am – 4:30pm (Mon – Sun)

A famous name that I have never been – until now, is Guay Jub Mr. Jo ก๋วยจั๊บมิสเตอร์โจ (Or Kway Chap Mr. Joe) as it is more of a morning breakfast place rather than supper shop.

Guay Jub Mr. Jo is located in a spacious shophouse on Chan Road, and is also awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

There are no nearby BTS stations so now, so your best bet is to get here by car.

It has plenty of metal tables and chairs taking up the interior, and good for quite a number of customers (including delivery orders) at once.

Unlike the Singaporean Kway Chap, which uses dark soy sauce as its base, the style of Guay Jub at Mr. Jo’s is clear and peppery.

The best comparison is the peppery Bak Kut Teh commonly found in Singapore.

They have been making Guay Jub for decades, and people cannot pinpoint when exactly they started their business.

Guay Jub Mr. Jo is opened from early morning but only until late afternoon: like they say, the early bird gets the worm – or in this case – the guay jub.

 

[Naka]

Sunee Red Pork Rice Talad Plu

Address: 854/8 Soi Thoet Thai 25, Talat Phlu, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600
Opening hours: 6am-8:30pm, Daily

Contact: +66 8 9892 7857

Historic market ambience with trains while eating. Ambience is an important part of the eating experience and you can’t do much better than eating in one of Bangkok’s oldest markets.

Another humble but extremely busy stall is Sunee Red Pork. This stall has been operating for over 50 years.

Sunee Red Pork Rice sits inside Talad Plu which is one of the oldest Chinese markets in the country. In fact, Talad Plu is where the first Chinese migrants in Thailand originally settled before moving to Sam Peng. Today, Talad Plu is well-known for its bustling street food stalls.

The food on offer is simple but what’s not so simple is the recipe for the delicious sauce. When serving the juicy red pork and crispy pork, the secret is not only in how the meat is prepared but also in the thick red sauce that covers the plate. This secret recipe sauce is passed on in the family and it still keeps people coming back for more.

So you could say this is one of the best locations to enjoy a Thai-style Chinese dish.

 

[Naka]

Sara - Jane’s Bangkok
Address: 18 Narathiwat Rajanakarin
(Between Soi 6 and 4) Yannawa, Bangkok, Thailand 10120
Phone : +66 (0) 2 676 3338
Mobile : +66 (0) 99 363 6654
Line: [MENTION=573521]SaraJ[/MENTION]anes
Operating hour:
Monday to Friday
Lunch 11am to 2pm
Dinner 5:30pm to 10pm

Saturday to Sunday
Lunch 11am to 3pm
Dinner 5:30pm to 10pm

Sathorn's legendary Isaan restaurant is still going strong.

Since 1986 Sara-Jane's has been serving authentic Thai and Isaan food, a cuisine from Northeastern region of Thailand. Revolutionising the Thai version of fast-food, Sara-Jane's was the first to bring Isaan cuisine off the street and into an indoor air-conditioned and clean environment. Further, taking founder Sara-Jane's expertise in home-styled cooking with recipes passed down from generations, the restaurant bravely pioneered the fusing of two cuisines with completely opposite flavours and preparation styles, Isaan and Italian. One of the first restaurants to offer these two totally different culinary cuisines under one roof, the East meets West concept was born.

We don’t remember as far back as 1986, but we’re told from people who do that this restaurant was one of Bangkok’s first places to serve Isaan food indoors. In an age of Somtum Der and the Paradise Molam band, Sara-Jane’s garden, with its luk tung blaring and chunky wooden furnishings, feels weirdly on trend. The aircon indoor space, however, wasn’t given the memo about Isaan cliches being cool, and forges ahead with a look that’s more weekend in Hua Hin (white-washed walls and patio furniture) than adventure in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Still, the grilled chicken (B140) here is more rustic, more charred with real coal, more succulent and juicy, than any hipster joint we’ve come across—and beats many on the sidewalks, too. The restaurant’s efficiently ever-present staff say it’s still cooked up by the same lady who Sara-Jane’s began with 30 years ago. The somtam (B75-165) isn’t in quite the same league, lacking a chili kick and with flavors that taste a bit too clean—like a refurbished country cabin that lost its personality in the process. It also suffers from being right across the street from the awesomely punchy offerings of Tom Plapao.

This is not the case with all the dishes, here. The namtok moo (pork and herb salad, B125) smacks of minty, crunchy, herbaceous high notes, as do the laab moo tod (B135)—deep-fried flavor bombs of meaty spice, made to be had with an after-work beer (big Singha, B130). That’s what most of the crowd at Sara-Jane’s seem to come for, though our last two evenings here could have done with more buzz in the dining room. Another reason to visit: the lunchtime khaosoy (noodles in Northern-style soup, B70), which they ladle out in the garden from 9:30am until they run out (usually before 1pm)—a big hit with the Chong Nonsi office crowd.
Over time, Sara-Jane’s hasn’t really stayed true to its Isaan roots, adding more and more central-region classics, from green curries (B180) to pad krapao (B140). Both are fine, though no reason to go here alone. The menu even tries its hand at Italian. In the case of the salami pizza (B290), with miles-from-authentic results. In 2017, there are upscale Isaan restaurants whose somtam’s better Sara-Jane’s, but as a place to drop by on a not-too-scorching afternoon, chow down on the best grilled chicken around, or slurp up a bowl of noodles, it takes some beating.

 

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Baan Yai Pad Thai
Address: 110 Soi Inthamara 47, แขวงรัชดาภิเษก Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Hours: 10 AM to 6PM daily
Phone: +66 89 681 5838

This is one of the best places for Phad Thai – piping hot noodles cooked to perfection, boldly flavoured and with a distinctive smokiness from the charcoal stove. Expect to wait in line. Come with a local since you have to write in Thai to make an order.

Deliciousness renders you speechless with every bite of Phad Thai served up, tasty and affordable, at Baan Yai Pad Thai or, as it is known around Inthamara 47, Silent Pad Thai. Almost every cook and server is hearing impaired, but that hasn’t stopped foodies from following the enticing savoury aromas from the charcoal-fired kitchen. The queue has only gotten longer now that the street food joint received a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2020. But a one- to three-hour wait hasn’t discouraged anyone.

This restaurant wasn’t established to hire only the disabled. I’m just the only non-disabled person working at a restaurant owned by a disabled person.”

Kittichai “On” Chuenyam begins the story before his older brother, Somjet “Ae” Chuenyam, opened the famous Phad Thai shop in Inthamara 47 in Bangkok. Ae has a congenital hearing defect since birth, but he never lets his impairment handicap him. Instead, Ae did the opposite, making a living like everyone else. One of the main lines of work for the handicapped in Thailand is selling lottery tickets. But when the policy for lottery sales changed, the disabled population was the most affected.

“About seven or eight years ago, the government lowered lottery ticket prices to 80 baht each, but the cost to sell them was more than that. Ae had to look for a new job because he had a family to support. He couldn’t give up. So, he thought about what he could do, and cooking came to mind. At the time he was already making meals at home, so he decided to open a shop and prepare dishes to order. Unfortunately, that didn’t go so well, but he didn’t want to give up. He had to figure out a way to make this work.”

On continued, “Ae loves Phad Thai, but the Phad Thai today wasn’t like what he knew as a kid. It all comes ready-made or pre-packaged. Thus, he tried to make Phad Thai that tasted like what he remembered. It took Ae months to get the flavours right, with friends and relatives to taste test, to help out. Finally, he changed over to only selling Phad Thai.”

“Silent Pad Thai” didn’t start off in a shophouse similar to where it is now. Ae began with a small push cart that had one stove, one wok, and his wife, who is also hearing impaired, helping him. Ae distinguishes his dishes by reintroducing flavours from his childhood to people to enjoy. He uses a charcoal-fired stove to carefully stir-fry each order as well as to slow cook his sauce from fresh tamarind juice. The tantalising aromas from the rendered pork fat hints at his signature touch -- a pork crackling topping. That crispiness perfectly complements the tender noodles. Diners must be as patient as the cook as it takes some time to delicately create each serving of Phad Thai.

 

[Naka]

Guay Tiew Kua Gai Suanmali

Address: 261/1 Soi Thevi Worayat, just off Luang road
Open: 4 pm – 10:30 pm daily
Phone: +66 2-222-4047

Located in Suan Mali Alley off Soi Thewi Worayat, the stall is reachable from Sua Pa Road.

This little stall has been serving roasted chicken noodles in the same location for over 60 years. Originally known as roasted chicken Nai Hong, the humble stall nestled in the intersected sois next to Ann roasted chicken noodles.

Guay Tiew Kua Gai or roasted chicken noodes is easy to make on the paper. Few ingredients, clear instructions, but still so difficult to get it right. Have you heard big chefs speaking about the importance of controlling the heat and time? Thats exactly what we are talking about here. A small mistake and you’re in the mediocre territory immediately. Suanmali does everything right. And they do it every time. It has been a favorite of mine for years.

Choose from one of three types of noodles; the chicken is roasted until almost cooked then the noodles and egg are added to the mix with some seasonings and served hot. The roasted chicken and noodles are crispy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. Making for a very delicious yet simple meal during the day priced 40-50 baht.

Suanmali is a true institution in Bangkok’s Chinatown. They have delivered quality day inn and day out. And I do find them a notch better than Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai 30 meters away that also is an excellent spot for Guay Tiew Kua Gai. The reason for positioning Suanmali first is that the noodles are slightly more crispier at Suanmali. Ann Guay Tiew Kua Gai have the advantage of air-condition, but again, if taste and texture really matter Suanmali is a slightly better spot.

 

[Naka]

Gu Long Bao

Address: 660, 662 Charoen Krung Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
Opening hours: 9am-5pm, closed Sundays
Nearest train station: MRT Wat Mangkon
Contact: +66 9 5797 5747

Bangkok’s Chinatown is home to many legendary food stalls, but few can boast 100 years of living up to the high standards of hungry Thais. Gu Long Bao has been serving artisan handmade Teochew-style buns for over four generations.

Gu Long Bao’s owners are descendants of Chinese migrants who made buns in China. After immigrating to Thailand, they settled down and continued to hone their craftsmanship.

The family has been maintaining their inherited Teochew recipes and techniques for over four generations, which has resulted in unique tasting buns, commonly called salapao in Thai.

The buns made by Gu Long Bao have a yellow tinge. This is because they mix sweet potato into the dough to give it a smoother and softer texture, as well as imparts the potato’s natural sweetness into the dough.

The shop only sells three types of fillings for their buns: a sweet sesame filling, a taro filling, and a minced pork filling. Each of these fillings are meticulously prepared entirely by hand, with no machines used, which gives the buns that handmade taste.

In the same way that Gu Long Bao’s owners have preserved their family’s recipes, they have also preserved their cooking techniques.

They make and cook their buns in the exact same way that their parents and their parents before them did. They even use the same steamer.

However, Gu Long Bao transformed their original steamer from being wood powered to being gas powered.

As the shop enters its fourth generation of owners, it has introduced new baked buns as well as an online delivery service. You can check out how to order online here.

What hasn’t changed is that Gu Long Bao still delivers some of the best buns in Thailand.

You can get one in Chinatown for only ฿22 (US$0.63) per piece.

 

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Si Morakot
Address: 80-82 Sukon 1 Alley, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
Opening hours: 9:30am-4pm, Daily
Contact: +66 81 567 9006

When it comes to eating khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) in Bangkok Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) is one of the legendary restaurants, having served the dish for well over 50 years now.

And it’s one of those shops that probably looks exactly the same as it did when it opened 50 years ago – I don’t think much has changed – and the wooden glass meat cabinet is a beautiful antique.

Si Morakot (สีมรกต), meaning emerald colour in Thai, is a char siu hawker that has gone from being a simple food cart, to starting a stall in a market. Now they have their own property next to the street.

Over the course of serving char siu for 70 years, they have developed a well-earned reputation of being one of the char siu hawkers that Thais must make the pilgrimage to eat at least once in their lives.

The quality of their food makes it easy to see why.

One of the things that makes Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) so good is that they still make all the components of their khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) themselves – the bbq pork, the pork belly, the Chinese sausage, and the sauce. And they still use charcoal to grill and roast all their meats – including the crispy pork belly which they actually grill, instead of fry.

The restaurant is located just a short walk from Hua Lamphong (MRT and train station), and sits on the edge of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown.

The area is home to a lot of metal workshops and small industrial shops, and sitting between some metal welding shops is Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต).

Khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง) is a Thai Chinese dish that includes rice topped with red bbq pork, sometimes crispy pork belly, and topped in a thick sauce.

There are a lot of street food stalls that take shortcuts making this dish, and so it’s often (in my opinion), even though it’s a simple dish, it’s a dish that’s hard to get right.

There are a couple classic restaurants, like one of my favorites in southern Bangkok, and Khao Moo Daeng Si Morakot (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต), that still make all their own ingredients with care, and serve excellent khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง).

Si Morakot Restaurant (ร้านข้าวหมูแดงสีมรกต) is one of Bangkok’s legendary places to eat khao moo daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง), and it’s well worth seeking out – it goes on the list of best in Bangkok.

 

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Tek Heng (aka Mee Krob Jeen Lee, Mee Krob Ror Ha)
Address: 326-330 Soi Toedthai, Talad Plu
Tel: +662-466-9170, +662-466-9037
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, 4:30-10pm (daily)

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1400x932.

Tek Heng crispy noodles first established in the reign of King Rama V.

This 130-year-old restaurant offers more than the crispy noodles but the signature dishes include the traditional crispy noodles and the crispy noodles served in a soup at 120 baht per plate. Equally delicious and quite inexpensive, is another must-try menu for both locals and visitors alike. Unlike the commonly seen orange or pink crispy noodles seen today at souvenir shops, the crispy noodles here are crunchier and finer with a tinge of sourness that creeps in like a pleasant surprise in every bite.

Tek Heng has been run by the same Thai-Taechiu family for more than 130 years now, offering an eclectic mix of Bangkok-style local cuisine, and incorporating quite a bit of Chinese-Taechiu dishes in their menu. Its current location near Talad Plu market takes up 3 shophouse lots, though the place still fills up pretty quickly at lunch-time when we were there.

Run by the grandchildren, the restaurant is still very popular today. Located near Talad Plu pier, this blue shophouse is hard to miss. The restaurant is modestly decorated with air conditioning and plenty of tables and seats.

The other dishes we ordered were wholly Taechiu dishes. The Taechiu-style oyster omelette, containing the characteristic lumps of stretchy, jelly-like tapioca bits, was well executed. But the local oysters used were smaller than the ones we’re used to. Still, the requisite flavours and textures were there. Sriracha sauce served on the side adds a spike of spiciness to the omelette, but not quite enough - if you’re native Thai or Singaporean looking for more assertive flavours. The Taechiu prefer their food lighter and plainer in flavours.

 

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Khanom Jeen HaiLam KoLun

Phone: +66 089 010 2123
Location: 49 Thanon Mahannop, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Opening Hours: 7:30AM - 3:00PM | Tue - Sun

Hidden Traditional Stewed Pork Hainanese Rice Noodles.

KoLun is well known among its loyal customers for serving up an old family recipe of Hainan style Khanom Jeen (rice noodles) with a thick and rich stewed pork soup. While the restaurant has only been established for just over 20 years, it’s still undeniably popular.

Owned by a Hainanese couple, they sell homemade rice flour noodles with either clear soup with sio bak or braised pork with salted vegetables (40 baht each). I personally love the clear soup one very much. Pair it with the spicy chilli sauce, it has the fragrant prawn sauce added into it. The wife wakes up at 2am everyday to make the noodles and starts business at 7am. As a Hainanese myself, I enjoyed their herbal mutton stew (150 baht) very much. There was much finesse in it. All the spices and herbs were so delicately balanced, the mutton wasn’t outrageously gamey.


We went during the early hours so there wasn’t much of a line, but if you happen to be a bit late then expect to wait a while to try these delicious Hainanese rice noodles.

It doesn’t help that there are little seating options too.

KoLun is famous for their clear or thick broth Hiananese rice noodles. We’ve tried both versions and I’ll discuss all the delicious deets later.

HaiLam KoLun actually has a pretty extensive menu but it all boils down what type of meats you want with your noodles. The main proteins are:

Stewed Pork Meat
Stewed Pork Leg/Trotters (also known as “Kaki”)
Crispy Pork (must eat)
So it’s up to you to decide what proteins and what type of broth you want with your traditional bowl of hainanese rice noodles.

The other section of the menu has some rice dishes, mainly rice with stewed pork, so if noodles aren’t your deal then go for the rice.

They also have a special stewed herbal mutton soup which goes for 200 or 300 THB depending on the portion you order.

The pricing is very affordable, coming in at around 60THB for their signature bowl of Hainanese rice noodles, if you wish to add more meats, and I highly recommend you do, the price will be around 80THB which is still a great deal.

Pros

Affordable pricing
KoLun does their meats well, their stewed pork/mutton are incredible
A lot of choices on their menu, don’t like noodles? They also have rice dishes
Their shrimp paste, Kapi, is real special and complements the khanom jeen noodles and the meats really well
Cons

Portions can be bigger, I wasn’t full from just one bowl.
Overall I recommend you check out Khanom Jeen HaiLam KoLun, not only do they serve a traditional classic Hainanese rice noodle recipe, they also serve it at an affordable price. If you are a meat lover, you’ll savor the tenderness of the stewed pork, and the richness of the noodle soup broth. Their shrimp paste, the kapi, is also something truly special that you’ll only find at KoLun. If you are not a big fan of rice noodles, then KoLun also has some rice dishes for you as well.

There isn’t really anything bad to say about KoLun, perhaps that the portions are a bit small, but that is minor nitpick compared to everything else.