Miss Tam ChiakBefore this year, I have never travelled to Bangkok. Partly because everyone comes back from Thailand telling me how much things they have bought from the shopping malls. I wanted to learn more about the country instead. I wanted to explore unique places and eat yummy food.
This year, I travelled to Bangkok twice. And I was really lucky to have met my tour guide, YC, for the two trips. He is actually a Singaporean who moved to Thailand more than 20 years ago. The previous trip to Thailand earlier this April, we travelled out of Bangkok and visited the most amazing places such as Don Kai Dee Benjarong Village, Amphawa Floating Market and many more. It left such a deep impression on me that I told myself I must go back again.
Just a month has passed and I am back in Bangkok again. Yes part of my trip was to shop. But most importantly, my aim was to travel around the city and find good eating places. I have asked YC to bring me around for 2 days. And my only requirement was “Bring me to places where tourists won’t go!”
And he did. We visited Or Tor Kor Market, Baan Silapin Artists’ House and tried some of the famous eating places in Bangkok. Every place we went, every dish we ate was good. To be frank, I have not finished blogging about my Thailand trip in April. But I have many friends who are heading to Bangkok soon, so I decided to prioritise and blog about my experiences during my current Bangkok trip.
This mega blog post didn’t come easy. I spent 6 intense hours consolidating it. They are the food places which we have been to. It may not be the best to some, but they are definitely well known among the Thai. I am sorry if some of the addresses are unclear as for most places, we travelled by cab, and can only recognise some prominent buildings or the street name.
Anyway, here is my list of 5 Must Try Food Places in Bangkok (2012).
1. Phad Thai
It was during the period when Field Marshal P.Pibulsongkram was Thailand’s prime minister. During World War II, he was campaigning for Thai people to “enjoy Thai food, use Thai products”. So Phad Thai was invented using local raw materials and eventually became a national Thai dish.
Thip Samai Phad Thai started in 1966 as a small shop selling Pad Thai at the pavement of Maha Chai Road, near Samranraj cross road, Bangkok. The small stall has instantly become famous because of its quality and flavours. The regular diners called it “Phad Thai Pratu Phi” due to its location near Pratu-Phi Intersection.
According to our tour guide, this is one of the best Phad Thai in Bangkok. Superb Phad Thai (70 baht) is thai style vermicelli wrapped with fried egg and shrimps. It is not too wet and rather sweet.
They used charcoal fire to fry the Pad Thai.
There are two drinks you have to try here. One of them is Coconut Juice (20 baht) which is actually a recipe of King Rama 9′s mother. She gave the secret recipe to this shop to pair it with their Phad Thai. The coconut juice is very very sweet and there is coconut meat in each drink.
Another drink is the freshly squeezed orange juice. Oh my! It is extremely sweet! No preservatives are added, just fresh oranges are used to make the juice.
The price of the orange juice changes 2-3 times a day depending on the oranges they used. On that day, our orange juice costs 150 baht.
Thip Samai Restaurant
Address: Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon Bangkok 10200, Thailand (if you are taking a cab, tell the driver “Pad Thai Pratu Phi”)
Tel: 02-2216280
2. Pork Stew
Right outside Thai Samai Restaurant, along the streets of Samran Rat, you will see a street stall “Tee Yen-Ta-4″ that sells very good yong tau foo and pork stew.
You know what is good food? Good food is when you are already very full, but when you taste it, it is still very delicious.
I was very full from the plate of Phad Thai and two drinks, that I had to share one bowl of pork stew with bee hoon (40 baht) with my boy. When the noodles came, it did not look that appetising and I nearly wanted to give it a pass.
Thank goodness I didn’t! This bowl of pork stew is SUPERB! Once I started eating, I couldn’t stop. The soup was very rich with a thick garlic flavour. And we added some pork’s skin to the soup.
The green chilli dip is very appetising. This is my top favourite stall among all stalls.
Tee Yen-Ta-4
Address: Bamrungmuamg rd. (Samran Rat), Wang Burapha Phirom
3. Papaya salad
As recommended by many foodies, we had dinner at Somtam Nua after a relaxing massage at Lek (Siam Square Soi 6). Somtam serves good isaan food, which is the northeastern region of Thailand. Isaan cuisine borrows heavily from Lao cuisine and is distinctly different from central Thai cooking.
The best-known Isaan dish is som tam (59 baht), a spicy salad prepared from unripe papayas. While Thais prepare this with dried shrimp, in Isaan the preferred style is with preserved crab (puu) or mudfish, an acquired taste.
Fried Chicken (98 baht) is very addictive and is a must try! Some fried garlic is sprinkled on top, and the meat is really fragrant and juicy. The skin was also very crispy and was not oily at all. We even ordered a second serving for this.
Grilled Pork Collar (98 baht) was tender with a milld sweet taste.
Isaan food is known even among Thais for being fiery hot! This is obvious in its North East Style Spicy Soup with Pork Bone (97 baht). It is sour and spicy, so spicy that we we have to order another ice tea (40 baht).
Another must try dish is the Hot and Spicy Crispy Fish (95 baht). The tilapia was fried to perfection and accompanied with garlic chilli dip.
Simple but delicious Fried Thai rice flour noodles (97 baht). Fried with fish sauce and has a lovely wok hei. Topped with fried fish skin and pork floss, two plates are not enough!
Somtam Nua
Address:392/14 Soi Siam Square 5, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok
Address: +66 (0) 22 51 4880
4. Wanton noodles
Along Sukhumvit Soi 38, there is this wanton noodle stall which has been around for over 40 years. They are owned by 2 brothers and they claim they are the first to sell wanton noodles along this night food street. A good supper spot!
Their noodles are homemade which is very Q and crunchy. What makes the soup tasty is the Thai Chai Poh (preserved turnip) and pork lard. You can order the dry or soup version (40 / 50 / 60 baht) and top it with crab meat. When the noodles arrive at your table, add sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and chilli powder.
This is our tour guide’s portion. With loads of pork lard!
Wanton Noodles
Address: Sukhumvit Soi 38 (alight at Thong Lo BTS, cross the road and you will see it)
Opening hours: 8pm – 2am
5. Mango sticky rice
In the same street, just opposite the wanton noodle stall, there is a mango stall owned by two sisters.
Their mango sticky rice is super good and my tour guide was telling us that this is one of the best mango sticky rice he has had in Bangkok. Indeed, the mangoes were really sweet! If you are lucky, they do have good quality durians too!
Mango Sticky Rice
Address: Sukhumvit Soi 38 (alight at Thong Lo BTS, cross the road and you will see it)
Opening hours: 8pm – 2am
Also read: 5 Things to Do in Chiang Mai
Contributed by Miss Tam Chiak.
