Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [116]
6 Poj Spa Kar
Backtrack to Th Tanao, and cross the street to Poj Spa Kar (; 0 2222 2686; 433 Th Tanao; 11am-9pm), reputedly Bangkok’s oldest restaurant, serving recipes handed down from a former palace cook. This is another good option for a sit-down meal, and be sure to order the simple but tasty lemon-grass omelette.
7 K Phanich
Virtually next door is K Phanich (; 0 2221 3554; 431 Th Tanao; 10am-3pm), the most famous producer of sweet sticky rice in the city. There are no seats, but grab some rice to go, top it with a ripe mango from the vendors in front of the shop, and you’ve got yourself one of Thailand’s most famous desserts.
Now take a moment to focus on dinner plans – after all, it is only a few hours away.
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THEWET & DUSIT
The primary draw to this sleepy neighbourhood is the riverside setting, with restaurants that drink in the cool river breeze and grill whole fish for communal picking.
IN LOVE
Map Thai $$
0 2281 2900; Th Krung Kasem; mains 150-200B; 11am-10pm; air-con 3 & 16, ordinary 3, 15 & 16; Tha Thewet (N15)
This recently remodelled perch straddling Mae Nam Chao Phraya has undergone a transformation from homey to chic, reflecting much of the change in today’s newfangled Bangkok. Slate grey and minimalist decor now define your settings, but the seafood-heavy menu, thankfully, still has its head in the past.
KALOANG HOME KITCHEN
Map Thai $$
0 2281 9228; 2 Th Si Ayuthaya; mains 80-200B; 11am-11pm; air-con 3 & 16, ordinary 3, 15 & 16; Tha Thewet (N15)
Don’t be alarmed by the peeling paint and dilapidated deck. The laid-back atmosphere and seafood-heavy menu will quickly dispel any concerns about sinking into Chao Phraya, and a beer and the breeze will temporarily erase any scarring memories of Bangkok traffic.
KRUA APSORN
Map Thai $$
0 2668 8788; 503-505 Th Samsen; mains 40-250B; 10.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-6pm Sat; air-con 3 & 16, ordinary 3, 15 & 16; Tha Thewet (N15)
This homey dining room has served members of the Thai royal family and, back in 2006, was recognised as Bangkok’s Best Restaurant by the Bangkok Post. Must-eat dishes include mussels fried with fresh herbs, the decadent crab fried in yellow chilli oil and the tortilla Española–like crab omelette. Note the early closing times.
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CHINATOWN
Although Chinatown seems to be dominated by restaurants serving shark fin and bird’s nest soup, significantly less ostentatious dishes, usually prepared by the street vendors that line Th Yaowarat after dark, are the true Chinatown meal. With this in mind, we’ve compiled the area’s best street eats in our food-based walking tour (opposite).
During the annual Vegetarian Festival (see Click here) in October, the neighbourhood embraces meatless meals with yellow-flagged street stalls.
Phahurat, Bangkok’s Little India, has several inconspicuous Indian restaurants and an afternoon samosa vendor near Soi ATM.
SHANGARILA RESTAURANT
Map Chinese $$$
0 2224 5933; 306 Th Yaowarat; mains 220-500B; 11am-10pm; air-con 4, 21, 25, 507 & MB5, ordinary 4, 25, 29, 53 & 159; Tha Ratchawong (N5); Hua Lamphong exit 1 & taxi
This massive, banquet-style restaurant prepares a variety of banquet-sized Cantonese dishes for ravenous families. The dim sum lunches are worth the effort of muscling your way past the outdoor steam tables.
TANG JAI YUU
Map Thai-Chinese $$$
0 2224 2167; 85-89 Th Yaowaphanit; mains 220-500B; 11am-10pm; air-con 4, 21, 25, 507 & MB5, ordinary 4, 25, 29, 53 & 159; Tha Ratchawong (N5); Hua Lamphong exit 1 & taxi
In Thailand, policemen and big-haired women are usually a tip-off for good eats, not suspicious activity, and Tang Jai Yuu is no exception. This place specialises in Teo Chew and Chinese-Thai specialities with an emphasis on seafood, and you can’t go wrong choosing a fresh fish from the tank out the front and letting the boys grill it for you.
HUA SENG HONG
Map Chinese $$
0 2222 0635; 371-373 Th Yaowarat; mains 100-720B; 10am-midnight; air-con 4, 21, 25, 507 & MB5, ordinary