Thailand is known for its food, but while the local fare is awesome, even the foreign cuisine is divine! Somehow, the Thais just get food right every time — whether you’re eating at a roadside restaurant or one of the world’s best dining establishments.
Suffice to say, there’s never a disappointing meal to be had in Bangkok. And if this team member’s recent food pictures are anything to go by, you know we’re telling the truth.
Eat all the Thai food
This journalist specifically picked the hotel she’d be staying at just so that she could stay connected to Central Embassy (one of Bangkok’s more bougie malls) at all times. Why? So she could mosey on over to Eathai anytime she felt like it!
Think of this as the Bangkok equivalent to Lot 10 Hutong in Kuala Lumpur — you get the best of local food all in one place! The highlight here is definitely the soupy duck noodles. You won’t find anything better.
X marks the spot
We’ve always thought that kra pow is to Thai food what nasi lemak is to Malaysian food. Essentially minced meat stir-fried with chillis, basil, and simple seasoning, then served with rice and a beautifully-cooked duck egg sunny side up, it’s a simple dish you can have at just about any time of day.
We really enjoy the one at Phed Mark located just along Sukhumvit. It’s among one of the best we’ve had, and they offer quite a few meat options — chicken, beef, pork, and even buffalo! Our favourite is definitely the beef.
Let’s maki this meal special
Japanese food in Thailand? Eh, why not? We needed a breather from all that spicy goodness. Plus, the kid requested for ikura (salmon roe). We chanced upon this lovely Japanese restaurant called Honmono in Central Embassy which one can liken to being a cross between Rakuzen and Sushi Ori.
Not quite cheap and cheerful, but not the kind of price point that’ll make you want to cry blood. The ingredients, not the finest in the land, but much better and fresher than your standard fare. Overall, a great option!
Let’s Le Du this!
This was certainly a meal to remember. Coming in at No 4 on Asia’s 50 Best list and at No 65 on the World’s 50 Best list, this fine dining establishment cooks traditional Thai food with French flair and technique. And they achieve it to dazzling effect! Although, the service did leave us wanting. But that’s a story for another day — let’s talk food.
If there’s reimagining the wheel, this meal is like reimagining green curry. It’s a degustation of local produce prepared and presented in experimental new ways. Be sure to have the wine pairing too, if you do imbibe. While Chef Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn trained at the Culinary Institute of America, he also trained at the Court of Master Sommeliers in New York, becoming a certified sommelier.
A huge Plu point
Michelin-starred hearty local fare in a beautiful ambience. There’s nothing to not like about Plu. The food was exceptional, the colonial setting was beautiful, the price was reasonable.
Standout dishes for us were the steamed fish cakes (like our otak-otak but softer and more flavourful), the crab curry noodles, and the prawn curry. A tip, though — be sure to ask for everything to be made less spicy unless you’re the sort whose tastebuds have no sensation left in them.
The supermarket of dreams
‘You hunt, we cook’ — this is the ethos and mantra by which Bangkok’s Gourmet Market runs. It’s basically like Isetan’s food hall or BIG supermarket’s food hall but on steroids. It is the stuff of every foodie’s dreams.
You’ll find Gourmet Markets at Emquartier and Siam Paragon, but we tend to frequent the former since it’s along the Sukhumvit stretch. The idea here is simple — ‘hunt’ for the raw foods you want in the supermarket and for a paltry fee of THB100 (approximately RM12), they’ll cook it up for you and serve it with myriad sides and sauces of your choice.
A meal here of two Japanese A5 Wagyu steaks, three sides, and a bottle of wine came up to less than RM400. Which is the price of a single steak at Le Meridien’s Prime. So, it’s a steal if you ask us!
Besides these fine beefy cuts, indulge yourself in freshly-flown-in uni (sea urchin), legit caviar (served complete with pearl spoon and finery), gourmet cheeses, and pata negra ham sliced fresh off the hoof!
Hogs and kisses
You’ll find Tuscany right in the heart of Bangkok when you dine at Lenzi Tuscan Kitchen. Known for their exquisite ham boards, if you’re a fan of pork, then this is a must-visit! Another Michelin destination, Lenzi serves meats and cheeses sourced from Chef Francesco Lenzi’s family farm in Pisa. So if you can’t go to Italy, you’ll find it right here.
Our favourite dishes of the night were of course the ham and cheese boards (Lardo is amazing — like meat flavoured butter that melts in your mouth), the foie gras ravioli served in a cheesy truffle sauce and a drizzle of strawberry, and an off-menu uni pasta (which we ordered with extra uni because why not?).
Turning an iconic bevvy into a majestic dessert
Who here loves Thai iced milk tea? Raise your hands! Turning this iconic local beverage into a heaping and delectable mountain of shaved ice was a stroke of genius for Pang Cha that’s landed them in the Michelin Guide many times over! There are many outlets, so visit them anywhere — including just before your flight home from Don Mueang International Airport.
There isn’t much to be said, really. Just look at the photos and let them do the talking. But it needs to be said that the beauty of it all is how iced milk tea is frozen into blocks and then shaved, rather than being poured over a heap of shaved ice. So, even once your majestic dessert melts, it never gets watered down and you can just drink it up. Delish!
*All images courtesy of the author.
