Peek into this crock-pot, see anything you want?

This beef brisket has been bubbling for hours and it’s time to slice it up and put it on my sandwich!

If you’re not familiar with a French dip sandwich, it’s basically a sammy served ‘au jus‘ or with the juice from the meat. Meaning they ALSO dipped the juice out of the crock pot for you to enjoy by dipping the sandwich in.

Imagine thick, crunchy French bread soggy from brisket juice!

The beef brisket and blue cheese sandwich with all the pickled banh mi toppings is the special right now at Vietnamese & More.

P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ) – A restaurant you don’t want to miss!

Petchaburi Soi 5 is one of the best Bangkok street food streets.

Each day and even more so in the evening, you’ll find a bedazzling amount of restaurants and Thai street food carts serving delicious and ready to be devoured cuisine.

And among the mess of culinary delights, there’s one famous establishment known as P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ), that serves what I think could be the best tom yum goong noodles (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น) in all of Bangkok.

The dining room

P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ) has become a little fashion trendy restaurant, they would be what I call just one step above a normal shophouse restaurant.

Their awards and trophies are decorated throughout the dining room, and rather than the customary stainless steel tables, they interior designed themselves with antique looking wooden tables and benches.

Starting off with a cha manao

Before our dishes arrived, we started off with a refreshing cha manao (ice lime tea).

Khao Goong Rad Sauce Man Boo (ข้าวกุ้งราดซอสมันปู)

And then the food arrived, one by one, the first being Khao Goong Rad Sauce Man Boo (ข้าวกุ้งราดซอสมันปู).

Now let me explain to you what this is…

It starts with a plate of rice. A shrimp, and I’m talking a jumbo prawn, is sliced in half and laid upon the bed of rice. From there, a heaping pile of “man boo,” known in English as the buttery oil and goop from the head of the crab is piled on top.

A few light seasonings and a sprig of cilantro, and the creative dish is complete.

A thing of beauty

It was reminiscent of boo pad pongali, but different. The shrimp was firm and flavorful and the crab fat was creamy like a cross between scrambled eggs and straight margarine.

It definitely was oily, but sure was tasty.

Price – 60 THB

Ba Mee Yok Neau Ob (บะหมี่หยกเนื้ออบ)

Then came a dish known as Ba Mee Yok Neau Ob (บะหมี่หยกเนื้ออบ).

You’ve probably seen the Thai yellow egg noodles, and green noodles are also widely available throughout Bangkok, especially served at places like MK Restaurant.

The egg noodles are supposedly flavored with green kale, but I think they use some food coloring too.

Green noodles and tender beef

The Ba Mee Yok Neau Ob (บะหมี่หยกเนื้ออบ) included bean sprouts, greens, a nice pile of noodles, and tender slices of slow braised beef similar to what would be included in Thai beef noodles.

The entire bowl was then drizzled in a salty oyster sauce that bursted with an unforgettable flavor of beef and crispy garlic and shallots.

Price – 40 THB

Kuay Teow Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น)

No, our meal at P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ) was not over yet, in fact, after consuming both other rich Thai dishes mentioned above, it was then time to move in to the main event: Kuay Teow Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น).

Now in Bangkok, it’s rare to find the creamy version of tom yum goong soup served with noodles, so P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ) is a specialty spot for it.

Jumbo Prawns!

And look at the size of the luscious jumbo shrimp that come loaded into the soup!

At most street food stalls, tom yum nam khon is made creamy by condensed milk, but at P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ), while they do use some condensed milk I’m sure, they also add a ton of the oily fat and custardy goop from the giant shrimp heads – that’s right!

At Pad Thai Thip Samai you can get pad Thai fried in shrimp head oil, but tom yum goong, in my opinion, is just so much better!

Packed with cholesterol, check, unparalleled flavor, check too!

Kuay Teow Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น)

The Kuay Teow Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น) was nearly unbelievable, almost too good to be true – had I not tasted with my very own tongue.

Along with being outrageously rich and creamy, it was also packed with sawtooth herb and the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves came through with gusto.

Price – 100 THB (this is for the special large size)

P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ)

The Bottom Line

There are no but’s about it, P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ) is the place in Bangkok for a bowl of Kuay Teow Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น) that may change your life (for the better), forever.

P’Aor Restaurant (ร้านพี่อ้อ)

Address: 68/51 Soi Petchaburi 5, Between Soi 5 – 7, Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok
Phone: 02-6129013
Open hours: Monday – Sunday 10 – 10 pm

Prices: We paid 220 THB for the entire meal

68/51 ซอยเพชรบุรี 5 อาคาร อยู่ระหว่างซอยเพชรบุรี 5 – ซอยเพชรบุรี 7 ถนนเพชรบุรี แขวงทุ่งพญาไท เขตราชเทวี กรุงเทพฯ
โทร. 02-6129013
เปิดจันทร์ – อาทิตย์ เวลา 10.00 – 22.00 น.

How to get there:

You can take the BTS to Ratchathewi station. Once you get off, walk over to Petchaburi Soi 5 and make a right turn onto the soi. Walk down the street about 300 meters and you’ll probably see a durian or mango vendor – that’s where you turn right onto a small quieter street. Walk down about 50 meters or so, and P’Aor (ร้านพี่อ้อ) is on your left hand side.

View Bangkok Eating Thai Food Map in a larger map

“No sir, you can’t actually purchase this entire plate…”

Anyone else hate waiting in lines?

I DO! (Well, unless it’s something like street style tum yum noodles.)

I also find that there’s things I’m just unwilling to wait long for — especially at dinner time when I’m more in hunter mode than any other time of the day.

Gyoza at Tong Jing Kang on Sukhumvit 22

Even the mini-bowl is packed with chashu pork and a load of rice.

Now that list of things gets longer and longer everyday, and recently came to include Japanese ramen.

Which is unfortunate because there’s some tasty places that I can’t be bothered with when I’m in strike-to-kill mode and need to inhale a place of something delicious. That includes Ramen Bankara, which I’ll only go to during non-peak times and even the Japanese chain Ramen Tei. Hell, there’s a whole list of places in the Thonglor area I’m happy to avoid just because of the crowds.

But the Japanese diaspora in Thailand is huge and so is the selection of restaurants, with a myriad of hole-in-the-wall ramen, sushi, and izakaya joints.

A bit of yolk porn for ya, these were eventually dunked into my ramen.

Nice sized portion of shio (“salt”) ramen.

Here’s one rad little ramen joint called Tong Jing Kang (ทง จิง คัง 豚珍館) located on Sukhumvit 22.

There’s confusion about Tong Jing Kang (or Tong Jing Kung) because as it was becoming popular they switched locations and are no longer located on Sukhumvit 24. Now they’re even closer to my house on soi 22 with hardly any signage outside the restaurant, only Japanese flags.

But despite the new location and lack of signage they have a faithful following which hasn’t yet outgrown the venue.

Hidden menu item? Fruit smoothies served in a tall glass.

Also worth noting that a while ago, CNN Travel mentioned Tong Jing Kang at it’s former location as a great place to grab ramen.

A plate of plain chashu and chashu covered with green onions in a chili sauce.

Was gonna write my biggest complaint is no Japanese beer, but it’s back in stock!

The restaurant’s specialty, which you’ve probably guessed by now, is their chashu pork, seen delightfully stacked above.

Chashu may sound familiar to you because it’s the Japanese version of char sui, the famous Chinese red pork which Thais call kao moo daeng.

Strongest flavors on this small menu? Pork and green onions!

With a pork pile like that, it’s easy not to have noticed the Thai guy pouring up the bowls. He’s a humble guy who’s formerly a sugarcane farmer from the north.

Somehow he’s made the leap from Thai farm countryside to serving ramen to Bangkok’s urbanites, mostly being frequented by Japanese and Thai customers.

You will notice him leaning on the bar to make sure all the customers have everything they need when he’s not making flames reach the ceiling for his stir fried dishes.

Thick and porky tantan ramen, you’ll be tempted to lick the bowl (if you can finish it).

“Honey, aliens hatched on your tofu again!”

If you like the chashu you’ll like most of the things that include it, including their rich and porkly tantan mein. Which tastes like you could plant it in a field somewhere and actually grow bacon.

I haven’t found a side item with the famed pork that I loved, but it’s a small menu so you can explore around. The tantan broth was so good, once I finished the noodles, I poured it all over this tofu and century egg.

We can’t seem to agree on what exactly the name of this place in English should be…

The Bottom Line

Confusing name and great ramen.

This restaurant can’t compete with the bigger chains as far as meat options. toppings, or types of ramen, but they make up for that by doing the few menu items they have well. The menu is printed back and forth on one page with pictures of most everything they offer, a rarity in Bangkok.

Pork and green onion flavors dominate, which is great with Asahi. If you’re not a fan of either though, this isn’t the place for you.

The restaurant appears on the google map as Tonchinkan Ramen and you’ll find the name on their sign different from google, foursquare, and everyone else. We suggest grabbing the Eating Thai Food map below to help you find it.

Finally, the price is reasonable. Expect to spend 200-300 baht per person for generous servings and sides to go along.

Pro tip: They have some giant sugary smoothies which are great on a hot day that don’t seem to be featured on the menu.

Tong Jing Kang ทง จิง คัง 豚珍館

Address: 551 Sukhumvit Soi 22, Khet Khlong Toei, Krungthep Mahanakorn 10110, Bangkok
Phone: 02 204 2366
Hours: Daily 11:30am – 2pm, 5pm-11pm, Closed Mondays
Prices: 200-300 baht for ramen and sides

How to get there:

Closest to MRT Queen Sirikit and BTS at Asoke, but not a comfortable walk from either. We suggest motorbiking or taxing down Sukhumvit 22 and get out of the taxi right after you cross We Love the King Road. On the opposite side of the street is a salon and 7-Eleven. (Note: the restaurant does not currently appear in the google street view).

View Bangkok Eating Thai Food Map in a larger map

World’s Strangest Looking Tandoori Chicken at Bangkok’s Gaggan

Green eggs and ham I know…

But green tandoori chicken with suspicious foam?

DE-LICIOUS! Some yummy varieties of tandoori are marinated in green herbs, yogurt, and spices but rarely do you see the dish presented this way.

This tandoori plate at Gaggan Restaurant in Bangkok’s Langsuan was not only tasty, but juicy just like all the tandoori you learn to crave in the middle of night when it’s miles and miles of continents away!

Let’s hope this foam will help it float onto another plate of mine soon!

Moo Dad Deaw (หมูแดดเดียว)

Frequently in Bangkok you stumble into a street food cart that’s so deliciously attractive you simply can’t pass without stopping.

Along the Bangkok street food haven of Petchaburi Soi 5 is a man who sells moo dad deaw (หมูแดดเดียว), a Thai street meat that any carnivore will appreciate.

His cart looks like it’s been rolled straight out of the slaughterhouse and onto the streets of Bangkok – loaded with hanging slivers of pork.

Bangkok street style Moo Dad Deaw (หมูแดดเดียว)

Moo Dad Deaw (หมูแดดเดียว) is sun dried pork, or what can basically be called Thai pork jerky.

The pork it normally sliced into little pieces and marinated in soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and sugar before being laid in the scorching Thailand sun for a day. If you’ve explored Bangkok much, you’ve probably seen flat baskets of moo dad deaw drying out in the sun.

The sun dehydrates the pork and turns it into that oh-s0 attractive jerky texture.

Hanging on the clothesline and ready to be ordered

After being dried, the moo dad deaw (หมูแดดเดียว) is then either deep fried or grilled. Both ways can be delicious, but I’m always a little fonder of grilling meat over deep frying.

This man’s cart is packed with pork and being located along the busy Petchaburi Soi 5, he gets plenty of customers who are looking for a tasty afternoon snack.

Grilling the pork jerky

On the streets, the vendors normally tie three or four pieces of the dried pork together using little slivers of bamboo string. They are then grilled until fully cooked.

After being grilled the moo dad deaw (หมูแดดเดียว) is fully ready to be consumed. Each strand of pork costs 10 Thai Baht, and you can either just eat them as is, or accompany them with some sticky rice.

Thailand’s finest pork jerky

Some pieces of moo dad deaw (หมูแดดเดียว) can be on the fatty side, but I prefer the leaner pieces.

It’s really just like Thai pork jerky, nicely marinated in soy sauce and sugar so it’s both salty and sweet, a little tough from the dehydration, and fragrant with smoke from the grill. A couple strands of moo dad deaw (หมูแดดเดียว) sure makes a tasty Bangkok street food snack.

And when the cart is that neatly decorated, it’s simply impossible not to be attracted.

Now that’s a cart worth stopping at!

You’ll find moo dad deaw (หมูแดดเดียว) street food carts all over Bangkok, and you’ll even find the dish at many Isan restaurants like Isan Rod Ded (normally just the deep fried version though).

But if you’d like to go to this same street food cart, he normally positions himself somewhere along Petchaburi Soi 5 starting in the evening at about 5 pm. Sometimes he parks his cart across the street from P’Aor tom yum goong noodles.

View Bangkok Eating Thai Food Map in a larger map

A Lazy Afternoon Started with Twilight Summer Ale, recently launched in Bangkok.

Oyster Bar’s Scallop Ceviche with Pickled Shallots and Mango Puree

Doesn’t it always seem that when you’re invited to comment in depth on something or ponder some existential quandary — that you’re always asked while you’re shoving food into your face?

Maybe that’s just me, but I think it’s kinda rude.

Nope, no sir, I’ll never get used to it.

Baked Rockefeller Oysters

Glasses of Shrimp Cocktail at Oyster Bar

So whilst I was double-fisting over the weekend, my left hand catapulting crabby patties spongebob style and doing constant craft beer bicep curls with my right hand, I was abruptly asked, “So are you here for the beer?”

Mouth full, eyes squinting I turned desperately to friends nearby hoping they’d recognize my immobilized expression.

Crabby patties! Crab cakes at Oyster Bar, drizzled in aioli sauce.

An Oyster with Chipotle Sauce

Luckily, the telepathic distress signals worked and someone in the group chimed in, “Both.”

Close call. Who’d ask such a thing, anyway?

Delicious Clam Chowder

Baked Casino Oysters

Was it ironic and I should be immediately engage the man in an oyster shoveling death-duel to defend my honor?

Or was it friendly and I needed to let my guard down for the man overly curious about four friends so focused on ‘the mission’, that we hadn’t noticed the silence?

I don’t know, but thank the stars I wasn’t forced to stop chewing, nor decide on a favorite limb.

Rapidly disappearing Black Butte Porter

No. It was Saturday and no difficult decisions should be made.

Which is precisely why I spent the afternoon at Oyster Bar where Beervana was hosting the launch of a well known Oregon craft beer brand, Deschutes.

Profound since, it seemed only yesterday that craft beer had arrived and because these beers aren’t yet widely available yet.

Gary Fish Founder of Deschutes serving up tastes of four new ales available in Bangkok.

So believe it or not, Bangkok is a few steps ahead of other cities outside North America and even some places like New York.

Note: Deschutes is a well known in the craft brew world, especially after bringing home the 2012 Best Beer Award for their Northwest Pale Ale (not available here yet, but fingers crossed).

Seafood Ravioli

Penn Cove mussels poached in beer with sai oua (Chiang Mai Sausage)

For now, their leap into Bangkok includes four beers: Chainbreaker White IPA, Twilight Summer Ale, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, & Black Butte Porter

They’re all incredibly easy to drink and I think in addition to seafood they’ll make a good match with all kinds of Thai food, including the spicier stuff.

They’re all light ales, not overly carbonated and even the Black Butte Porter which you would assume to be a bit heavier went down quite smooth.

For starters though, I’d recommend grabbing the blonde (Chainbreaker White IPA) and the redhead (Twilight Summer Ale) on a chill day with something spicy you love to eat. These were great with the casino baked oysters and the spice from the sai oua at the bottom of the Penn Cove mussels.

But before you get too comfortable, be sure you’ve found a place to munch where you’ll be safe from any rigorous questioning.

This ice cream with this rich, chocolate fondant was blah, but desserts here are normally tasty.

The Bottom Line

Tasty sustainable seafood and beer that’s way too easy to drink. If you’re a craft beer lover and love the mid build to heftier beers like Dead Guy Ale, these are normally on the menu at Oyster Bar anyway.

Oyster bar is great for their seafood platters and fish dishes. They used to have another location nearer to my neighborhood called Seafood Bar which was recently closed. The fish is high quality and more expensive than what you’d expect to pay at an average seafood place (no farmed fish is sold here) so keep that in mind and check out the sample menu on their website.

I prefer their fresh clams to the baked ones, but admit the baked casino and Rockefeller oysters went well with the beer (didn’t care much for the chipotle ones). The ice cream with the fondant I was served was pretty lame, but I’ll overlook that since I’ve been here before and had great desserts.

Beervana & Deschutes

Check out the Beervana site to find a full list of restaurants where you can try the new beers or to join their Craft Beer Club. For Oyster Bar, we’ve provided the details below. 

Oyster Bar

Address: 395 Narwathiwas Soi 24, Chongnonsi, Yannawa, Bangkok 10120
Phone: 02 212 4809
Website: http://www.theoysterbarbangkok.com/
Hours: Daily, 6pm – 11pm, 5pm-11pm, Sundays Noon – 10pm
Prices: 500 – 1500 baht per person. Menu changes daily and with such a wide range of seafood it’s hard to say how much you’ll spend. Exotic fish dishes in the 400 baht range up to a double stacked Seafood Platter to share with 2-4 people is around 2000 baht.

How to Get to Oyster Bar:

Oyster Bar is located in Narathiwat Soi 24 (also commonly known as Satu Pradit Soi 19) past the Chatrium Hotel, across from Bangkok Gardens Condominium. You can BTS to Chong Nonsi and taxi over to Narathiwas 24. Avoid the high traffic times though or this it’s a pain. You can also take the BRT bus to get you closer if you want to come by public transportation. Because it out of the way I normally take a taxi the entire way. Find the map below and have the restaurant’s phone number ready incase you get turned around.

View Bangkok Eating Thai Food Map in a larger map

Kimchi jiggae (soup)

The other day I was taking care of some business in Silom and needed to grab lunch.

Right in the area I was in I saw Rice Bar, a restaurant Dwight had mentioned to me a while back but I had never found time to eat there.

So I stopped in for a bite to eat.

Rice Bar Bangkok is a healthy Korean kitchen that serves South Korean food classics like kimchi jiggae (kimchi soup), bibimbap (hot rice salad mixture), and other favorites like kimchi ramen.

We started our meal off with kimchi jiggae, a kimchi based soup that’s packed with spicy and sour flavor and pork, onions, and mushrooms in our case (you could also order it with tofu).

It was really good, but perhaps just a tad too sweet.

Really good brown rice options

What I really liked was that they serve delicious Korean brown and black rice. I eat way too much white rice in my life, and I’m trying eat less white rice and more complex grains – so it was nice to be able to order brown rice.

Adding the sauce to the bibimbap

Then came the bibimbap dolsot, a Korean dish that’s composed of rice at the bottom topped with a variety of vegetables, fried chicken (in this case), and finally a raw egg on top.

You dump in the Korean chili sauce and then stir it all up as it continues to cook in the scorching earthenware pot. The result is like a rice salad that’s super hot in temperature, and you get a little crunchy rice from the scorch. When I was traveling in Seoul, this was one of my favorite quick meals.

Mixing up the bibimbap

Bibimbap gets gooey and delicious and it remains piping hot the entire time you’re eating it!

The bibimbap at Rice Bar was pretty good, but comparing it to the ones I had in Korea, it wasn’t quite there yet.

Rice Bar – Korean Healthy Kitchen

The Bottom Line

It’s a cozy little restaurant, and though the portion sizes are kind of small, I thought the food was decent. Another bonus is the brown rice that’s really good.

If you’re in Silom and looking for a soothing bowl of kimchi soup, Korean ramen or even some Korean street food classics like tteokbokki rice cakes, check out Rice Bar.

They don’t have Korean barbecue, if you’re looking for that, check this place out.

Rice Bar Restaurant – Silom

Prices: About 150 – 200 THB per dish
Address: Sala Daeng Soi 1, Silom Road, Bangkok, Thailand 10 150
Open Hours: Mon – Sat from 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Phone: 086 625 3776

1/3 ถนนสีลม แขวงสีลม เขตบางรัก บางรัก Bangkok 10150, Thailand

How to get there:

It’s very conveniently located just about 50 meters down Saladaeng Soi 1. You can take the BTS skytrain to Sala Daeng station, exit towards Saladaeng Soi 1 and you’ll see Rice Bar on your left hand side.

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Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV

It’s kind of like a home-country dining room, it’s peaceful, slightly elegant, like a cross between a Denny’s and an Irish pub… that is in ambiance, and ambiance alone.

The food is of pilgrimage worthy status.

At Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV, they make a selection of curries and prepared Thai dishes known as Khao Gaeng, and among the selection are a number of royal Thai dishes on the menu.

The assembly line

Just like the masses of Bangkok street food stalls that fill the sidewalks around town, this restaurant has a typical glass cabinet filled with tantalizing curries.

They also occasionally serve kanom jeen noodles, have  a menu selection with a few more dishes like the popular royal Thai dish of Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่), and a fridge full of traditional Thai desserts and sweets.

Curries and prepared dishes

I couldn’t wait to get started eating!

Gaeng Garee Gai (แกงกะหรี่ไก่)

How could anyone resist getting an order of their Gaeng Garee Gai (แกงกะหรี่ไก่), a chicken curry that’s similar to massaman, but a little stronger with spices?

Pla Duk Foo Pad Prik King (ปลาดุกฟูผัดพริกขิง)

One of the well known dishes at Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV, is Pla Duk Foo Pad Prik King (ปลาดุกฟูผัดพริกขิง).

Now I’m sure you’ve eaten yam pla duk foo many times, and this dish is similar, yet quite different. The crispy catfish was crunchy, sweet, and nicely flavored with ginger. On top of all the crispies were fried basil leaves, adding a superb extra crunch and fragrance to the dish.

Price: 60 THB

Kai Paloe (ไข่พะโล้)

They’re also particularly praised for their version of Kai Paloe (ไข่พะโล้).

Thick chunks of pork belly, fried tofu, and boiled eggs sit in a rich porky gravy nicely spiced with Chinese five spice.

It’s not the world’s prettiest dish, and while it’s a little on the sweet side for me, they did make it extremely well. The pieces of tofu were juicy and fluffy.

Price: 60 THB

Gaeng Garee Gai (แกงกะหรี่ไก่)

Gaeng Garee Gai (แกงกะหรี่ไก่) was every bit as good as it looks, slightly oily, rich from coconut milk, sweet but not overly so, and nicely seasoned with a curry paste that contains a mix of popular Persian spices.

At first I thought it was topped with an egg yolk… but it’s actually a tomato!

Price: 50 THB

Having lunch at Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV

The combination of all these dishes on my plate conjoined with rice was quite a delicious treat!

Royal Thai Food – Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่)

Finally on to the authentic Royal Thai food dish that’s so popular at Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV: Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่).

It’s a summer dish, delicately designed to be eaten when it’s hot outside as a cooling and refreshing dish, and that’s exactly what it is.

There are a few components to Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่). First of all the rice, which is prepared using the finest jasmine rice soaked in water and jasmine flowers to give it a floral tinge. The rice is served with actual cubes of ice in it.

Delicate side dishes

The other more beautiful part of any Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่) are the little dainty sides, most of which are rich and deep fried in lots of oil.

Shrimp kapi balls, shredded pork, and my favorite, the green chili stuffed with pork, wrapped in an egg net and deep fried, were among the selection.

Most of the little sides are sweet and oily in order to go exceptionally well with the icy jasmine rice water.

Elegant and artful

Khao Chae (ข้าวแช่) is an elegant and authentic example of a royal Thai food that was adapted and invented in the Thai royal courts.

It’s a very unique dish, there’s no other Thai dishes that really can be compared to it, and it really is refreshing and cooling.

That chili was amazing!

Some say you’re supposed to take little nibbles of the sides dishes and then chase each bite with a spoonful of icy jasmine rice. However, perhaps not proper, but I quite like a little bite paired at the same time with the fragrant water.

The chili stuffed with pork was by far my favorite item.

Price: 150 THB

Khao Neow Dam Nam Kati (ข้าวหนียวดำน้ำกะทิ) for dessert

Lastly, an opportunity for dessert is hard to pass up.

We got a small dish of Khao Neow Dam Nam Kati (ข้าวหนียวดำน้ำกะทิ), and it was by far the best version I’ve ever had. The sticky rice was almost pudding like, slightly warm, and not too sweet. It was contrasted by thick creamy coconut milk, a true sweet treat.

Price: 20 THB

Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV

Video:

Here’s a video of the entire meal of royal Thai food!

The Bottom Line

Sitting in an old-style dining room with tables draped in dark green table clothes, a glass cabinet full of delicious things to choose from, and a feel of royal elegance, yet still with very reasonable prices… there’s nothing bad to say about this place!

The food speaks for itself. If you’re looking for a unique restaurant that serves Thai food and dishes up some recipes that have been cooked for Thai royalty, this is a top choice.

Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV

Address: 199 Thanon Pichai, Kwang, Nakhon Chaisi, Kate Dusit, Bangkok
Phone: 0-22431980
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ov.catering
Prices: You’ll pay around 100 – 200 THB per person for a fabulous feast

199 ถนน.พิชัย แขวง ถนนนครไชยศรี เขตดุสิต กรุงเทพ
เปิด จันทร์ – เสาร์
โทร. 0-22431980

How to Get There

It’s a little tricky, but Krua OV (OV Kitchen) ครัว OV, is located in the royal government area of Dusit, right across the street from the Bangkok zoo. The closest BTS Station is Victory Monument, but from there you need to either take a taxi or a bus down Ratchawithi Road towards Dusit until you get to Thanon Phichai (right across from the zoo).

Just a little ways down Thanon Phichai, enter a gate and pass the guard and you’ll see the Irish pub like entrance of the restaurant (see photo above).

It’s a very unlikely place for a restaurant, but very worth a visit!

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Jok (โจ๊ก) vendor

Jok (โจ๊ก, pronounced joke), or the Thai version of congee also known as rice porridge, is about as comforting as a Thai breakfast can come.

While it’s available at some famous sit down restaurants like Jok Samyan, it’s more of a dish that people prefer to grab for takeaway. It’s a dish that makes one want to curl into a fetal position while watching a movie and drinking a cup of tea (maybe that’s why it’s often taken away?).

I didn’t first care for jok that much, I thought it was a little on the wimpy side and preferred to eat something more filling and spicy, but after eating it a number of times for breakfast recently, I can honestly say that I’m quite a converted fan now.

The cart that produces it all!

Within just about every morning market in Bangkok you’ll find at least one jok (โจ๊ก) vendor.

Still cooking jok over charcoal for a lovely smoky flavor

Jok (โจ๊ก) can be cooked on a stove, but I prefer when it’s cooked over charcoal, giving the rice a slight grilled smoky flavor. Here are a few pots of jok on the fires in different thickness stages.

Assembling jok for takeaway

Morning jok vendors can get quite busy, it being a very popular Thai breakfast dish to eat in the morning.

Pork and pig parts

While you could order it meatless, pork normally plays a significant part in any bowl.

Minced pork meatballs and slices of liver are the two most common pork additions. The vendor normally pre-cooks the meat and then adds them to each order.

Jok to-go

Plastic bags are of course used for takeaway, and since jok is piping hot when it’s served, the bags are placed into metal cans before being tied with a rubberband, placed in another plastic bag, and handed to you.

About to dig into my morning jok

Upon arriving home, the next step is to find a bowl, empty the contents of the plastic bag into the bowl, garnish with a few pieces of fresh ginger and onions and season with a little vinegar (however much desired), and dig in!

Morning (or even evening) Jok (โจ๊ก) is available throughout Bangkok, often from street stalls.

If you’d like to come to this spot, it’s located in the Talat Mahasin Market on Sukhumvit 101/1. On Soi 26 make a right, and then make a first left and the stall is right on the corner in the morning from about 6 am – 8 am.

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Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่)

While Terminal 21 food court offers some decent food for great prices in Bangkok, there are many other dining options in the Asoke area.

Just a 10 minute walk from Terminal 21, and across the street is Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่), a Thai restaurant that serves both khao gaeng (ข้าวแกง) and chicken soup noodles.

At lunch, Ran Krua Tong Mai is always packed with customers, giving hope and energy to all the office workers!

There’s inside and outside seating at Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่)

The khao gaeng (ข้าวแกง) is similar in quality to the dishes served at Krua OV, but a little less specialized – meaning the curries are all very good!

My plate of rice and khao gaeng

Given a choice between rice and noodles, I’ll have noodles 19 times out of 20, that’s just me (but don’t get me wrong, I do love noodles too, just not as much as rice).

I love khao gaeng (ข้าวแกง) so much because it’s such a joy to choose exactly what I want from the pans of prepared dishes.

This time I ordered yam pla too, panang moo, and a scoop of mixed vegetables on the side.

Yam pla too, or  mackerel salad, was deboned mackerel mixed with red onions, chilies, basil and garlic, and nicely seasoned with lots of lime juice. It was wonderful.

The panang pork curry was marvelous, not sweet like it sometimes is, but rather more spicy with both chili and spices. It was one of the better panang curries I’ve had at any Bangkok street food khao gaeng (ข้าวแกง) stall.

Price – 40 THB

kuay teow gai (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวไก่)

My wife on the other hand often prefers noodles over rice, so it works out well for us to sample more dishes that way. She had their famous kuay teow gai (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวไก่), or chicken noodles.

It came fully loaded!

Chicken feet, chicken blood jelly, an insanely tender drumstick, and the wonderful melt in your mouth chunks of bitter melon and turnip cooked in the soup broth.

I’m always a fan of garnishing my noodles, and even my rice in this case, with fresh slivers of bitter melon!

Price – 40 THB

Here’s what you’ll see outside of Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่)

The Bottom Line

Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่) serves delicious simple Thai dishes, with a setting somewhere in the middle of street food and sit-down dining; It’s like a food court, but a single restaurant.

I particularly loved the panang moo curry and the chicken noodles were also excellent, and portion size was large.

Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่)

Address: 44/33 Thanon Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke), Khlong Toey Neua Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Phone: 02-6643098
Open hours: Monday – Friday from 6 am – 7 pm

ร้านครัวทองใหม่
44/33 ถนนสุขุมวิท 21(อโศก) แขวงคลองเตยเหนือ เขตวัฒนา กรุงเทพฯ 10110
โทร : 02-6643098
เปิด วันจันทร์ – ศุกร์
เวลา 6.00 – 19.00 น.

How to get there:

Ran Krua Tong Mai (ร้านครัวทองใหม่) is located about a 10 minute walk from the Asoke and Sukhumvit intersection. From Sukhumvit, walk north on Asoke road until you see the restaurant on the right side. It’s directly across the street from “Pro Point.”

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This past Sunday we hosted the biggest Big Bite yet!

Big thank you to all of the sponsors, vendors, volunteers and of course all 300+ food lovers who crowded in for an indulgent Sunday afternoon at Maduzi Hotel.

If you missed all the announcements or you’re not living in Bangkok, Big Bite Bangkok is the market series we’ve been putting on since last year.

You can read more about the event on our Big Bite Page, but basically the event is part food festival, part tasting party, and part charity fundraiser.

Bottoms up on this cinnamon Thai tea, yum!

Food, fun, and charity!

Enjoying Sunday afternoon American craft beer from Beervana

People show up mid sunday because they hungry, hungover, hunting hard to find foods or all of the above!

Here’s the full list of awesome food and drink makers who participated:

Everyone expects to be fed well and after having their fill of beer, wine, and cocktails at the event, to have friendly encounters with other mustard stained and crump covered gourmands.

What people don’t expect is a laid back, pop up market that raises more than $1000 for charity with each brief, three hour occurrence.

Anyone recognize this street vendor? All the profit from the sales of these Thai dishes were donated to charity.

Handing with friends and a big group of our kids whose families will receive support from funds raised at the event!

Southern Thai food was represented, so how about some southernfied American food? Urban Pantry hooked it up with these garlic grits!

In the latest incarnation we had well over 300 foodies in place and raised double what we normally raise for my volunteer charity In Search of Sanuk (with the extra help of our sponsors and vendors).

You can’t pack more WIN into a smaller space! Now here’s some photos for you to gawk at!

For the first time ever we had a stand for Eating Thai Food with Mark and his wife serving some awesome dishes and helping raise money!

Social business and specialty coffee maker Jakjai was on board serving freshly brewed coffee and letting people taste their cold brew.

Newcomer Jenny’s Delicious Whipping Cream Cakes making new fans!

Mess Hall’s croquettes and pork belly buns generously raised the most for charity, donating over $300!

Artisan bread and pastries from Maison Jean Philippe who showed up with one giant, almost 8kg loaf to hack into pieces for people.

Olives & More had their olives ready for tasters and some fun options like their stuffed peppers and slow roasted plum tomatoes.

Sloane’s grill is fired up and artisan sausages were being thrown in buns. There was also some great smoked ham that I hope you didn’t miss!

Cucumber water, spicy romaine lettuce wraps that disappeared and a ton of fresh veggies from Adam’s Organic.

Limited edition Lamai Thai Rum was mixing cocktails like their Lamai-hito and giving samples of Thai white rum.

Expat traffic jam of people waiting in line for Tribeca’s freshly made chicken and waffles.

Diving head first into a bowl of Vietnamese & More’s vermicelli noodle salad.

Twist’s cooling fresh juices were had the extra option of being paired with Skyline’s spirulina for an extra green health boost.

New York Style hotdogs by Superbdog made some people crazy when they sold out early!

The Alchemist bar showed up and dished out over 600 shots and plenty of full sized cocktails!

Also souled-out and sold out for obvious reasons were Urban Pantry’s garlic cheese grits topped with blackened shrimp, jalapeño corn bread, and biscuits and gravy!

Get in line! Back with reinforcements and was the rotisserie roasted, Roman style porchetta from Appia who also made a generous donation from what they sold!

Another super big thanks goes to our sponsor Monsoon Valley Wines who were only hand doing a tasting with of their award winning wines and answering people’s questions about pairing their wines with food.

Monsoon Valley booth and enjoying the wines while relaxing afterwards!

I didn’t get to try enough of their wines during the event so I purchased a bottle of their sparkling Rosé wine and enjoyed it while I was recovering from the event.

Finally, big props to my volunteer photographers Lillian Suwanrumpha and Ramon Toralba for these awesome photos and thanks to everyone who came!

A very happy Mark!

While oftentimes Thai street food comes at very affordable prices, other rare times it can be expensive (relatively).

But let me tell you, if you’re paying top prices for Thai street food, your money isn’t going towards the nice ambiance or the perfect service, you’re paying for high quality ingredients.

People begin to wait in line

Located just a 5 minute walk from Bangkok’s Wong Wian Yai, on Charoen Rat Soi 1, is a street stall that lives up to its reputation of having the BEST goong (shrimp) and pu (crab) ob woon sen (with vermicelle, baked in a small pan) in the city (at least by far the best I’ve ever had).

The master and his kitchen

Starting at 5 pm each evening Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ) takes position along the sidewalk.

This is the type of Bangkok street food stall where Mercedes driving CEO’s share the same tables with those like myself who scraped up our final 1 Baht coins to claim a seat.

Reaching out their claws and begging to be devoured!

The recipes used at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ) are simple, but it’s the superb quality of ingredients and the pinpoint timing of the cooking that makes it so extraordinary.

Working the pots like a wizard

Unlike places like Pad Thai Thip Samai where the fame of their pad Thai made them expand into hiring 10 chefs to produce quantity, one thing I admire is at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ) it’s just a single chef, and he only cooks four pans of goong ob woon sen (กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น) at a time – keeping quality and precision at its highest.

Part of the cooking process

The shrimp, or crab, are first added to the skillet along with a few seasonings, and placed over the flames which are so hot they could probably be used as a welding torch.

Goong Ob Woon Sen (กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น)

A mixture of glass noodles and soy sauce is then added to the top of the shrimp before a handful of green onions is placed on top.

I’ve had goong ob woon sen before, at places like Kuang Seafood, but after eating this goong ob woon sen, I can tell you that I’ll never be ordering this dish again anywhere but here. I would probably be disappointed with any other version.

Our irresistible meal at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ)

Depending on how many orders are before yours, which can be quite a few, will determine how long it takes for you to get your food. And while Thai street food often comes within 5 minutes, you can easily wait 10 – 20 minutes, or even much longer (sometimes to even get a seat) at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ).

Quality won’t be sacrificed.

Just begging to be devoured!

Within the Goong Ob Woon Sen (กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น) were four jumbo prawns (even larger than those beauties in P’Aor’s tom yum goong), a handful of glass noodles, and green onions.

The prawns were so meaty and had a brilliant muscular texture; They were also cooked perfectly so they weren’t rubbery and remained juicy. The glass noodles were spectacular, coated in a little pork oil and flavored with just the right amount of soy sauce, black pepper, and fresh coriander root.

Price – 220 THB

Hoy Kraeng (หอยแครงลวก) – blood cockles

They may be notorious for their potential diarrhea causing properties (like any street food shellfish), but if you love shellfish, you’ll enjoy Hoy Kraeng (หอยแครงลวก), or blood cockles. I’ve had some that are fully cooked, others that taste almost raw, and these were somewhere in between.

The key to eating hoy kraeng (หอยแครงลวก) is the dipping sauce, and at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ) they make no mistakes; It’s perfectly spicy and sour.

Price – 50 THB

Pu Ob Woon Sen (ปูเนื้ออบวุ้นเส้น)

The crab version, Pu Ob Woon Sen (ปูเนื้ออบวุ้นเส้น), also arrived to our table, looking like pure glory.

The noodles were a little drier, so I think there wasn’t as much pork fat used in the preparation, but they were still unbelievably flavorful. The chunks of crab were sweet and I loved the smoky flavor embedded within them from the high fire torture they received.

Price – 250 THB

The sign of a satisfying meal

The Bottom Line

If you love juicy jumbo prawns and sweet crab claws, there’s nothing negative about this place, you’re going to love it. I personally found everything we ordered extremely delicious, and worth the cost!

Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ)

Address: Thanon Charoen Rat Soi 1, Khlong San, Bangkok
Open hours: Monday – Saturday from 5 pm – 10 pm, Sunday from 4 pm – 10 pm (but they often sell out early)
Prices – 300 – 500 THB per person

เจริญรัถ เขตคลองสาน ถ.เจริญรัูถ ซอย1 กรุงเ่ทพ
โทร. 081-823-9706
จันทร์ – เสาร์ เปิด. 17.00 – 22.00
อาทิตย์ เปิด 16.00 – 22.00

How to get there:

You can take the BTS to Wongwian Yai station. Exit towards Saraphi 3, walk straight up the road and once you get to the Charoen Rat intersection, you’ll see Charoen Rat Soi 1. It’s very close to the Wong Wian Yai roundabout.

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tom saap kraduk moo on (ต้มแซบกระดูกหมูอ่อน)

Having received plenty of praise, including a “best som tam” in Bangkok award from CNNGo.com, Som Tam Nua is a very famous Thai Isaan restaurant in Siam, Bangkok.

I had never eaten there until a few weeks ago, I was on assignment to make a video about some of the top things to do in Siam, and wanted to includ Som Tam Nua in that video.

Som Tam Nua is a restaurant where people line up outside, waiting their turn for seats. Luckily the day we went, we waited just five minutes before entering.

First up (pictured above) was a bowl of tom saap kraduk moo on (ต้มแซบกระดูกหมูอ่อน), sour Isaan soup filled with meaty pork bones. It was nice and sour as it should be, quite spicy, and the bones had plenty of tender pork still on them. Very good tom saap!

Price – 90 THB

som tam Thai (ส้มตำไทย)

For our first dish of som tam, we ordered their normal som tam Thai (ส้มตำไทย).

So does Som Tam Nua have the best in Bangkok?

It was mildly spicy, nicely sour, but a little too sweet. It was alright, but not the best som tam I’ve had. The latter dish, som tam muah, which you’ll see below, was excellent. The ingredients in the som tam though, were very fresh and the papaya was crisp.

larb pla tod (ลาบปลาทอด)

Seeing larb pla tod (ลาบปลาทอด) on the menu, I couldn’t resist.

It was a little tilapia deep fried to a crisp and topped with a good selection of larb ingredients like red onions, herbs, chilies, and mint leaves. The dressing included lime juice and fish sauce, chili flakes and toasted rice.

It was pretty good, nicely sour from lime juice, but perhaps a bit too salty. Good, but not compared to the nam tok pla tod at Som Tam Boo Maa.

Price - 95 THB

larb moo (ลาบหมู)

I also sampled their normal larb moo (ลาบหมู).

It was a nice mixture including some lovely chunks of liver and nice chunks of red onions. I also love the whole dry chilies.

Price – 89 THB

tam muah (ตำมั่ว)

Last, but not least was tam muah (ตำมั่ว), a mix salad including a bit of everything. This was the winning dish for me, the dish I would come back to again for!

Kanom jeen noodles, green papaya, tomatoes, eggplant, and fried pork skins were the main ingredients. The dressing included fish sauce, lime juice, and a perfect amount of fermented fish sauce (pla raa). It was quite spicy and had some wonderful flavor to it.

Price – 69 THB

Waiting outside Som Tam Nua

The Bottom Line

Well, I’ve definitely had better normal som tam at other restaurants, but overall the food at Som Tam Nua (ส้มตำนัว สยามสแควร์) was very decent.

I’ve read about a few others that said the flavors were toned down to cater to foreigner tastes, but that was not the case for our meal. Everything, apart from the som tam Thai, was very sour and quite spicy – on the spicier and more sour side of average Thai. I was very pleased.

By far my favorite dish was tam muah (ตำมั่ว), the mixed salad (but only order this if you enjoy fermented fish).

If you’re in Siam and looking for good Isaan food, Som Tam Nua is a good choice. It’s always packed full of Thais. Also, if I went back, I’d order their fried chicken, it looks amazing!

Som Tam Nua (ส้มตำนัว สยามสแควร์)

Address: 392/14 Siam Square Soi 5
Phone: 08-1257-5384 , 02-2514880
Open hours: 10:45 am – 9:30 am

ที่อยู่ : 392/14 ซอยสยามสแควร์ 5 ถนนพระราม 1 แขวงปทุมวัน เขตปทุมวัน กรุงเทพฯ
โทร. 08-1257-5384 , 02-2514880
เปิดทุกวัน เวลา 10.45 – 21.30 น

How To Get There

Som Tam Nua (ส้มตำนัว สยามสแควร์) is on Siam Square Soi 5. Across the street from Siam Paragon, find Siam Square Soi 5, walk down (there might be some construction taking place), and you’ll see the yellow and brown sign with a crowd normally standing outside.

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Chinese food in Bangkok

You don’t have to worry, these mini steamed soup dumplings won’t poke you (like the menu may suggest)!

But rather they will explode with delicious porky juices and the prefect ratio of ingredients. When you’re looking for delicious Chinese soup dumplings (xiao long bao) in Bangkok, there’s one place to come: Yong He Dou Jiang.

The Silom restaurant serves quite authentic Taiwanese style Chinese cuisine, and if you’re craving some Chinese food, this is a good place in Bangkok to dine.

Steamer of delight!

It’s (almost) a requirement to order the pork filled soup dumplings (xiao long bao). They are served piping hot, and I mean smoldering on the inside like hot oil.

Chinese soup dumplings (xiao long bao) in Bangkok

As soon as you pick up a dumpling you can feel the soup sloshing around the interior, it’s a wonderful sound.

Be careful eating these dumpling, a wrong bite and hot pork soup could splatter across the table – for real –  I shot pork juice out of my dumpling on my first attempt!

The key is to bite off the top, suck out the juice, and then go for the bulk of the dumpling.

They are amazing! I’d really be happy to walk into Yong He Dou Jiang by myself and devour a few steamers solo.

Price – 170 THB

Mapo tofu

We also tried the mapo tofu, usually one of my favorite dishes, but it was surprisingly not very good. It was much too soupy and not spicy enough.

Normally mapo tofu comes with that signature layer of red chili oil on the bottom, but this was more of a gravy. It wasn’t bad, but not what I was expecting as mapo tofu.

Pad yord mara (ผัดยอดมะระ)

The stir fried melon leaves (ผัดยอดมะระ) was excellent, fried to perfection, and including a generous amount of lightly cooked garlic.

Fried fresh noodles

The last dish we ordered was a plate of stir fried hand made noodles. The noodles were marvelous and reminded me of those incredibly tasty hand pulled lamien noodles I feasted upon in China.

The noodles were also vegetarian, including hard tofu and cabbage in the fry. The menu includes quite a few vegetarian options.

Along with fried noodles, you’ll also find a number of soups utilizing the same noodles and some that include beef. I highly recommend the noodles!

Price – 90 THB

Eating at Yong He Dou Jiang

Chinese soup dumplings, a plate of fried fresh noodles, and many scoops of roasted chili suace and its oil, and I was very happy at Yong He Dou Jiang!

Yong He Dou Jiang – Bangkok

The Bottom Line

For soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and fresh noodle soup and fried noodles, Yong He Dou Jiang serves marvelous food! I didn’t have a chance to try their house made soy milk, but that seemed to be the standard beverage that everyone else was drinking when I was there. Next time I go, I’ll be drinking a soy milk as well.

Yong He Dou Jiang

Address: Naradhiwat Rajanagarindra Rd. (near BTS Chong Nonsi) Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500
Open Hours: 11 am – 10 pm daily
Prices: 100 – 200 THB per person
Phone: 02 635 0003

How to get there:

Go to Chong Nonsi BTS station, take Exit #3, walk down the steps, go straight for just a minute and the restaurant is on your left hand side in the shophouse. It’s just a 1 minute walk from Chong Nonsi BTS station, and on your way to or from, you can conveniently grab a coffee at HelpLive coffee kiosk!

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Peeking into the kitchen at 55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา)

55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา), located just a short distance from Thong Lo BTS station, is a long standing Thai Chinese restaurant with a great reputation.

Similar to Yong Lee, one of the best Thai restaurants we chose for 2012, 55 Pochana serves rich and dangerously flavorful dishes – and I’m quite sure there’s a lot of pork oil in the cooking – not quite the healthiest, but wow is it tasty!

Menu

One of the signature dishes at 55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา) are the little cowslip creeper flowers fried with egg and clear vermicelli noodles (dok kajon pad kai ดอกขจรนผัดไข่).

Heading back in the kitchen, I observed them using monster flames to cook, just like the high pressure cooking at many Thai Chinese restaurants such as Somsak Pu Ob; it’s like cooking over a welding torch.

dok kajon pad kai ดอกขจรนผัดไข่

The stir fried cowslip creeper flowers (dok kajon pad kai ดอกขจรนผัดไข่) were outstanding, smoky flavored and the egg was nicely charred in the hot oil.

Apparently eating a large dose of these flowers can work as a laxative, but I downed the entire plate and didn’t suffer any consequences (just to let you know) – but this dish would be worth consequences!

Price – 80 THB

pad kuey chai dtao hoo (ผัดกุยช่ายขาวเต้าหู้)

We also ordered pad kuey chai dtao hoo (ผัดกุยช่ายขาวเต้าหู้), which is stir fried garlic chives with tofu. It was delicious, and again, I could nearly taste the flame it was cooked on.

Price – 80 THB

Seafood salad

I wasn’t all that impressed with the yam talay (ยำทะเล), seafood salad. The seafood was a little on the rubbery side and the flavor wasn’t quite there.

Perhaps it’s best to stick with the stir fried hot dishes and leave the cold salads to Isaan restaurants like Rod Ded.

Price – 120 THB

bpet krob pad kra pao (เป็ดกรอบผัดกระเพรา)

One of the greatest hits to order at 55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา) is the bpet krob pad kra pao (เป็ดกรอบผัดกระเพรา).

The photo doesn’t at all do justice to this spectacularly greasy signature dish, but I can assure you it was marvelous.

Bite sized pieces of crispy (likely deep fried) duck were stir fried with tons of crushed garlic, chilies, and sweet chili sauce and then topped with a heaping mound of deep fried holy basil leaves.

The duck literally melted in my mouth with a slight crunch from the skin and exploded with sweet garlicky basil flavor. It was leaking grease, but dangerously tasty!

Price – 120 THB

pla pad prik tai dam (ปลาผัดพริกไทยดำ)

Our final dish at 55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา) was pla pad prik tai dam (ปลาผัดพริกไทยดำ), a sizzling skillet full of fish, green bell peppers, onions, and carrots. The fish was first fried and then sizzled into the thick peppery gravy.

The sauce was a little sweet, but still very good.

Price – 150 THB

55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา)

The Bottom Line

The food at 55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา) is a little on the greasy side, but it’s dangerously tasty.

Definitely try the dok kajon pad kai (ดอกขจรนผัดไข่) and the bpet krob pad kra pao (เป็ดกรอบผัดกระเพรา), and other than that, I’m sure the majority of the dishes on the menu are delicious.

Also 55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา) is open until 4 am, catering particularly to the nightlife crowd, so if you happen to be awake late at night and need a salty delicious meal, they’ve got you covered.

55 Pochana (ห้าสิบห้าโภชนา)

Address: 1089 Sukhumvit Soi 55
Phone: 023912021
Open hours: 18:30 – 4 am daily
Price: Expect to pay around 200 – 300 THB per person for food

ที่อยู่ : 1089 ซอยสุขุมวิท 55 (ทองหล่อ) อาคาร ปากซอยทองหล่อ ถนนสุขุมวิท แขวงคลองตันเหนือ เขตวัฒนา กรุงเทพฯ
โทร. 023912021
เปิดทุกวัน เวลา 18.30 – 04.00 น

How to get there

The restaurant is located very near Thong Lo BTS Skytrain station. Exit # 3, and walk across Thong Lo road, and in just a few meters you’ll come to the restaurant on your left hand side.

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Marvelous plate of Khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ)

Khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) is one of the finest and freshest single plate Thai dishes available.

But unlike khao moo daeng or khao man gai that are available at countless restaurants throughout Bangkok, khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) remains a little harder to find, often being sold in markets for takeaway consumption (rather than at sit down street stalls).

Glistening with beauty!

A plate of khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) begins with rice, and it’s not just steamed rice, but the rice is stir fried with shrimp paste to give it a slightly, yet not overpowering, shrimp aroma – that’s what gives the dish its signature flavor.

On top of the shrimp flavored rice are a variety of toppings which normally includes green mango, omelet, red onions, dried shrimp, sweet pork, Chinese sausage, chillies, cucumbers, long beans, and some cilantro and green onions on top. The diversity of the ingredients gives khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) an incredible spectrum of flavors that all work harmoniously together.

khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) – such an incredible mixture!

Now like I mentioned above, khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) is not easy to find at street stalls where you can sit down. But after seeing this street stall on a Thai TV show and then reading about it on Austin Bush’s food blog, I went to check out Khao Kluk Kapi Niyngow (ข้าวคลุกกะปินายหง่าว) for myself.

Just like the amazing khao mok gai that’s near Khao San Road yet hidden from tourism, this street stall is located extremely close to the tourist backpacker street, yet it serves very local and very wonderful Bangkok street food.

Getting a bite that includes a bit of everything

Their khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) was one of the best I’ve ever had in Bangkok, the rice was just the right shrimpi-ness and it was a perfect mixture of ingredients.

While some places that serve this dish skimp on the ingredients, or they somehow use wilted, not fresh ingredients, all the components of khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ)  here were flawless.

It was fresh, contrasting, flavorful, and exceptionally wonderful!

Khao Kluk Kapi Niyngow (ข้าวคลุกกะปินายหง่าว)

The Bottom Line

If you want to have an awesome plate of khao kluk kapi (ข้าวคลุกกะปิ) that will excite your taste buds every single time, Khao Kluk Kapi Niyngow (ข้าวคลุกกะปินายหง่าว) is a wonderful little stall.

Khao Kluk Kapi Niyngow (ข้าวคลุกกะปินายหง่าว)

Open – 8 am – 2 pm daily, except Sunday and Monday
Price – 40 THB

ข้าวคลุกกะปินายหง่าว
ถ.พระอาทิตย์ เยื้องสวนสาธารณะสันติชัยปราการ
โทร. 08-4696-8797,08-7021-0213
เปิด อังคาร – เสาร์ 8.00 – 14.00 น.
ข้าวคลุกกะปิ 40 บาท

How to get there

The street stalls runs in the morning right along Phra Athit road, and I didn’t notice until finishing my meal, but they set up right outside Escapade Burgers and Shakes. It’s right across the street from Santichai Prakan park.

Here’s the map:

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Lung Ja Seafood Restaurant (ร้านลุงจ่า) – Hua Hin, Thailand

Have you ever been walking around with absolutely no intention to eat whatever you walked past, and the next thing you knew, you found yourself about to dig into something you weren’t planning on eating?

For myself, when it comes to Bangkok street food, it happens more than frequently…

But usually it doesn’t hurt the wallet too much… like it did in Hua Hin!

I was in Hua Hin a few weekends ago, walking through the night market just before dark, when I saw the seafood trophies being advertised.

We first walked through the market, amazed, but I knew I couldn’t afford it…

Yup, the next thing you know, my wife and I were sitting down to a 1.1 kg lobster!

At the night market in Hua Hin, Thailand, you’ll find about 10 different restaurants all serving fresh seafood.

My wife had already researched that the most recommended stall was Lung Ja Seafood (ร้านลุงจ่า), so that’s the one we decided on. Plus the vendor was extremely friendly and he’s the one that sold me on the lobster (กุ้งมังกรเผา) when I was at my weakest… and I caved in, unable to resist.

I picked our trophy, a 1.1 kg. beauty!

He sliced it open like a block of butter, the flesh oozing out and ready to be cooked.

Lung Ja Seafood Restaurant (ร้านลุงจ่า)

At Lung Ja Seafood Restaurant (ร้านลุงจ่า), they first steam the lobster, and then grill for the last few minutes. This makes the lobster tender and non-chewy, said the cook.

crab fried rice (khao pad boo ข้าวผัดปู)

Along with our beautiful lobster, they threw in a complimentary plate of crab fried rice (khao pad boo ข้าวผัดปู) and stir fried morning glory (pad pak bung fai daeng ผัดผักบุ้งไฟแดง).

Both of the side dishes were actually superb on their own, though they were dwarfed by the anticipation of my main event of the meal.

Lobster (กุ้งมังกรเผา)

She was delivered in glorious fashion, garnished with a few raw veggies and lathered in a collection of different sauces.

Black pepper sauce, garlic sauce, buttery sauce, and some kind of barbecue sauce were all placed on top of our lobster (กุ้งมังกรเผา). They were all good, but in actuality, if I were to order it again, I’d ask for all the sauces on the side.

Digging in to our lobster!

At Lung Ja Seafood Restaurant (ร้านลุงจ่า) they make a pretty awesome lobster. It was pure heaven, juicy and tender, not chewy, but cooked just right.

The sauces were even quite good, but I would have preferred them on the side. Out 1.1 kg. lobster was insanely good and as I took bites of huge pieces of flesh, I couldn’t help from closing my eyes and thoroughly enjoying every bite.

A mouthwatering bite of lobster

Here’s a little close up of a bite from the tail end, but the lobster meat from the head section was even more juicy and tender and amazing!

This meal was not cheap, they charge 1,500 THB per kilo for the king lobster. Ours weighed in at 1.1 kg, but luckily he gave it to us for just 1,500 THB. Two sides dishes come complimentary if you order a lobster.

This is the place you’re looking for!

The Bottom Line

The food at Lung Ja Seafood (ร้านลุงจ่า) is fantastic. The lobster was amazing and even the crab fried rice (khao pad boo ข้าวผัดปู) and stir fried morning glory (pad pak bung fai daeng ผัดผักบุ้งไฟแดง) were excellent.

If you’re in Hua Hin and looking for a splurge meal of seafood, head over to Lung Ja Seafood (ร้านลุงจ่า).

Lung Ja Seafood (ร้านลุงจ่า)

Address: 103/4-5 Hua Hin Night Market Soi. Hua Hin Prachuap Khiri Khan
Open hours: Monday – Sunday 6.00 pm – 3.00 am
Phone: 082-975-9905 , 086-764-1678

103/4-5 ตลาดโต้รุ่ง ต.หัวหิน จ.ประจวบคีรีขันธ์
เปิด จันทร์ – อาทิตย์ 18.00 – 03.00 น.

How to Get There

Lung Ja Seafood (ร้านลุงจ่า) is right in the middle of the Hua Hin night market main soi. Just wander around and you’ll find it!

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Musical performances, dinner theatre, art shows and even a scene from the X-Files.

That’s it, no more dining and partying in bed!

I was recently interviewed about Bangkok’s most bizarre restaurants and it reminded me that one of the city’s original bizarre dining institutions, Bed Supperclub, closed it’s doors this past weekend.

Amuse bouches and sparkling wine to prepare the palate for dining in bed.

Gourmet Italian honey and test dishes for the Savour the Honey dinner theme.

For over 10 years the club was an infamous partying destination, mostly known for it’s spaceship like design, elaborate shows and bashes enjoyed from giant beds.

From the raw food theme: red grapefruit, avocado, and fennel salad.

A swipe of the grapefruit salad on a plate.

I spent some time there over the past year and realized I had accumulated a ton of photos from tastings and special events.

So here’s some eye candy for you to give you an idea of what eating at Bed Supperclub was like if you had never visited.

Raw quinoa tabulee, which was later plated in the jar container used for the grapefruit salad above.

Now it wasn’t in my regular duties, but I had a few chances to pop behind the scenes for food tastings. This usually happened before a new menu was released. The menu changed monthly to cover different dinner themes and dining phenomenons, for example, raw food or their interpretation of the French verrine trend of presenting food in a glass.

Since their dinner shows also changed each month, depending on when you visited you could have had very different experiences in the same place.

Guilty Sidenote: One constant was the Wat Po trained masseurs in karate outfits whose job was to crawl up into the beds and give you an awesome massage before or during dinner. I enjoyed those massages so much, I usually felt guilty afterwards.

Erotic looking honey drizzles in warm carrot ginger soup with lime.

Tastings usually happened with a few of the staff and the chef would take the feedback on the taste, presentation, and concept and tweak the dishes before the special menus launched.

I only had a chance to join a handful of these, but glad I got a seat at the table when I did.

A rich raw chocolate ganache tart with vanilla cream that’s been splashed with honey.

Dessert threesome and a collection of other smartphone snaps from the past year.

I was impressed at how much effort and experimentation went into creating new dishes which were changing all the time.

And it was fascinating to be in briefly to experience their regular, ritual process of critiquing a dish until it’s as close to perfection as possible before guests had a chance to taste.

Some of the dishes I’ve included photos of here, may have never made it to dinner tables.

The last wine dinner at Bed Supperclub.

As a rule, management was super strict about sharing photos and usually hired a professional photographer for their teaser posters and advertisements.

Still, I showed up to tastings with my camera.

It came in handy too, especially after I was scolded once for face diving into a bowl of mango gazpacho haha— so I guess carrying the camera and shooting the food helped me to (momentarily) pace myself and gave the others a chance to taste the food too.

Dinner starts with chicken giblets fricassée with roasted bread and the first glass of wine.

In hindsight, I’m glad I did because you won’t find many blogs with good photos from Bed Supperclub. I think that’s largely because during dinner there’s was always a performance where the middle of the room became the stage.

While lighting was fixed center stage, your table in the middle of the bed was usually only illuminated by candles.

Pasta filled with spinach and ricotta and covered in a rich meat ragout and a final course of braised, stuffed free range rabbit served au jus with white polenta.

Of course, since the normal price of dinner is more than my typical meal out on the city, I definitely wouldn’t have tasted so many things on my own.

For example, the last dinner I had there was a special wine event with Tuscan food and a series of Fattoria di Felsina wines (tasty and expensive Italian wines) and cost about $100 including everything.

I know some people will hear that and quip, “Dude you’re nuts.”

And others will go, “Ooh, that’s a deal.”

For your sweet sipping tooth.

Merengue cake in 1950′s Florentine style

To me those responses typify people’s polarized experiences of Bed Supperclub.

People I spoke with also usually, for better or worse, had a tough time differentiating their dinner and their nightclub experiences here.

I won’t try here, but it’s worth evoking that narrow island between WTF and AWESOME, right?

Well, that once lonely strip was Bed Supperclub territory. And ten years on, that narrow island has expanded and ceased to be so scarcely populated. From plush to gimmicky, minimalist and outlandish, the Bangkok restaurant scene is anything, but boring. And for that, I’m appreciative of my time in Bed.

Hai Som Tam Convent (ไฮส้มตำคอนแวนต์)

Lately I’ve been running around central Bangkok, so I’ve had a chance to eat at some of the more well-known Thai restaurants in Bangkok.

Hai Som Tam Convent (ไฮส้มตำคอนแวนต์) is a long standing Isaan restaurant located on the famous Thanon Convent in the heart of Silom.

Throughout years of walking through Silom, I just had never gotten around to eating there, kind of like Som Tam Nua in Siam.

som tam (ส้มตำไทย)

There’s no way to visit an Isaan restaurant without ordering a dish of som tam, green papaya salad.

The version at Hai Som Tam Convent (ไฮส้มตำคอนแวนต์) was definitely good, not the best I’ve ever had, but the ingredients were fresh and of good quality.

Asking for my som tam (ส้มตำไทย) very spicy, I at first thought it wasn’t going to make the cut, but it was decently spicy, but they used mostly green chilies instead of red.

Price – 40 THB

tom saap seekong moo (ต้มแซบซี่โครงหมู)

The tom saap seekong moo (ต้มแซบซี่โครงหมู), sour Isaan soup with pork ribs, was great.

The soup was sour and hot and the meat was nice and tender. You can see all those chili flakes and the green onions floating on top – that’s what made it so flavorful!

Price – 65 THB

gai yang (ไก่ย่าง)

We also ordered the half gai yang (ไก่ย่าง).

Their grilled chicken is excellent, not overcooked, but juicy. The skin could have been a little crispier, but the meat was succulent and meaty.

Price – big plate 120 THB

yam woon sen (ยำวุ้นเส้น)

To wrap up our meal at Hai Som Tam Convent (ไฮส้มตำคอนแวนต์) restaurant we ordered a plate of yam woon sen (ยำวุ้นเส้น).

Unfortunately, it wasn’t great. It was the type that includes rubbery seafood and a pile of glass noodles that were all lumped together. It was soured nicely by lime juice, but overall, I wasn’t impressed at all by the yam woon sen. I’ll stick to the version at Rod Ded Isaan restaurant.

Price – 70 THB

Hai Som Tam Convent (ไฮส้มตำคอนแวนต์) in Silom

The Bottom Line

Hai Som Tam Convent is all about location, and they have a great central location in the heart of Silom. The food is decent, and if you’re in Silom and looking for a good local Isaan feast, Hai Som Tam Convent will satisfactorily deliver.

Hai Som Tam Convent (ไฮส้มตำคอนแวนต์)

Address: 2/4-5 Soi Convent, Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok
Phone: 02-6310216
Open Hours: 10 am – 9 pm on Monday through Saturday

ที่อยู่ : 2/4-5 ซอยคอนแวนต์ อาคาร ติดกับศูนย์ฟิตเนตสีลม ถนนสีลม แขวงสีลม เขตบางรัก กรุงเทพ
โทร. 02-6310216
เปิดทุกวัน เวลา 10.00 – 21.00 น. หยุดทุกวันอาทิตย์

How to get there:

You can get to Silom either by MRT or by BTS, then navigate your way to Thanon Convent, walk down just a short distance and you’ll see the restaurant on your right hand side.

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Gyoza

From the reviews and from the photos I had seen before eating at ISAO Fusion Japanese Sushi Bar, I had high expectations.

Too high of expectations going into any restaurant is not a great thing, because sometimes we are let down. But at ISAO Japanese restaurant in Bangkok, I was not disappointed at all.

ISAO is a fusion Japanese California sushi bar and restaurant in Bangkok. It’s a trendy mid-ranged kind of place that attracts a young and stylish crowd.

We sat in the upstairs section, beginning our meal with the gyoza, which were as excellent as gyoza can be. They were crispy on the outside and warm in inside.

Jackie roll at ISAO

One of ISAO’s most signature rolls is named the Jackie.

This caterpillar  shaped beauty is for those that enjoy shrimp, such as myself. Filled with tempura, flying fish roe, a slice of avocado, and wrapped with rice, seaweed, and finally a layer of shrimp, Jackie was more than delightful.

Inside of the delicious roll

Here’s an interior shot of Jackie herself so you can see the ingredients that she included. Every bite of this roll included a contrast of crunchy and an explosion of flavor.

Price – 350 THB

Sushi sandwich

Another highly praised specialty at ISAO restaurant in Bangkok is their sushi sandwich, molded into the shape of a half of a grilled cheese.

One of the best things to eat at ISAO restaurant, Bangkok, Thailand

We ordered the sushi sandwich, mainly because of all the great reviews of it, and again, it proved amazing. Chunks of raw spicy tuna and salmon mingled with the extra tempura crunchies and filled between two slices of rice bread, then sprinkled with flying fish roe… in any shape is delicious.

Dipped into my dish of strong wasabi watered down with soy sauce, I was rejoicing!

Price - 300 THB

Spicy tuna roll

Every time I walk into a sushi bar, no matter if I’m in Hawaii or in Bangkok, I’m tempted by the spicy tuna roll, one of my personal favorites.

The spicy tuna roll at ISAO restaurant wasn’t quite as glamourous in appearance as some of the other signature rolls, but it was wonderfully flavorful and the spicy tuna was done just right.

Mourning my last bite

I savored every single bite, until it disappeared into my stomach.

Price – 220 THB

California crab roll

Finally, the last roll we tried was the California crab roll. This roll was good, but perhaps could have been a little better. Maybe it was because the others were all so exciting that my tongue needed something with a little more flavor.

Don’t get me wrong, this crab filled roll was good, but overall, I liked the others better.

Katsu don

In order to fill my stomach, I decided to order a side of katsu don, a fillet of deep fried breaded pork over rice with an egg spilled on top. A sprinkle of soy sauce, and it was marvelous too.

Unlike a sushi buffet, such as Oishi Grand, ISAO serves a la carte, so each sushi roll is crafted to perfection – ultimate care is put into the details of each order.

ISAO Japanese Restaurant, Bangkok, Thailand

The Bottom Line

ISAO serves amazing fusion Japanese rolls and dishes, both my tongue and stomach were impressed. It’s the type of restaurant that, as I was walking out the door, I was already dreaming about my next visit.

For those that enjoy neatly decorated food thats highly fresh, and finest quality, don’t miss ISAO Bangkok.

ISAO Japanese Restaurant Bangkok

Address: 5 Sukhymvit 31 Klongtoey-nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Open hours: Monday – Sunday from 11 am – 2:30 pm, and 5:30 pm – 10 pm
Phone: 0-2258-0645-6
Website: http://www.isaotaste.com/

Prices – It all depends on how much you eat here. Simple rolls are around 200 THB, while more complex rolls are 300 – 400 THB. They also have a selection of larger main dishes (like the katsu don and teriyaki chicken) which run around 200 – 300 THB. You’re likely to spend anywhere from 500 – 1000 THB per person at ISAO, and it’s well worth it!

How to get there:

ISAO is located about 150 meters down Sukhumvit Soi 31 on your left hand side. If you take the BTS, get off at Phrom Phong station, walk to Soi 31, make a right, and you’ll see the small restaurant on your left hand side.

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