Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [117]
Krua Noppharat (Map; 0 2281 7578; 130-132 Th Phra Athit; dishes 60-100B; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat; bus 30, 53, 506, river ferry Tha Phra Athit) A few dusty paintings are the only effort at interior design at this family-run standby. Where it concerns flavour, however, Krua Noppharat is willing to expend considerably more energy, and thankfully does not tone down its excellent central- and southern-style Thai fare for foreign diners.
Rachanawi Samosorn (Khun Kung Kitchen; Map; 0 2222 0081; 77 Th Maharat; dishes 70-150B; 10am-6pm; bus 508, 512, bus 32, 53, river ferry Tha Chang) The restaurant of the Royal Navy Association has one of the few coveted riverfront locations along this stretch of the Chao Phraya. Locals come for the combination of riverfront views and cheap and tasty seafood-based eats. The entrance to the restaurant is near the ATM machines at Tha Chang.
Hemlock (Map; 0 2282 7507; 56 Th Phra Athit; dishes 60-220B; 4pm-midnight; bus 30, 53, 506, river ferry Tha Phra Athit) Taking full advantage of its cosy shophouse setting, this white-tablecloth local is an excellent intro to Thai food. The vast menu has the usual suspects, but also includes some dishes you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere, as well as a strong veggie section.
Poj Spa Kar (Map; 0 2222 2686; 443 Th Tanao; dishes 100-200B; lunch & dinner; bus 15, klorng taxi to Tha Phan Fah) Pronounced pôht sà·pah kahn, this is the oldest restaurant in Bangkok, and continues to maintain recipes handed down from a former palace cook. Be sure to order the simple but tasty lemon-grass omelette or the deliciously sour/sweet gaang sôm, a traditional central Thai soup.
INTERNATIONAL
Shoshana (Map; 0 2282 9948; 88 Th Chakraphong; dishes 30-150B; 10am-11.30pm; bus 30, 53, 506, river ferry Tha Phra Athit) Although prices have gone up slightly since it began back in 1982, Shoshana still puts together a cheap but tasty Israeli meal. Feel safe ordering anything deep-fried – it does an excellent job of it – and don’t miss the eggplant dip.
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VEGGING OUT IN BANGKOK
Vegetarianism is a growing trend among urban Thais, but veggie restaurants are still generally few and far between.
Banglamphu has the greatest concentration of vegetarian-friendly restaurants, thanks to the nonmeat-eating fa·ràng; these are typically low-scale stir-fry shops that do something akin to what your hippie roommates have cooking in their kitchens. Examples include May Kaidee (Map; 0 89137 3173; www.maykaidee.com; 33 Th Samsen; dishes 50B; lunch & dinner; bus 56, 506, river ferry Tha Phra Athit), which also offers a veggie Thai cooking school, and Ranee Guesthouse (Map; 77 Trok Mayom; dishes 70-120B; breakfast, lunch & dinner; bus 56, 506, river ferry Tha Phra Athit).
An indigenous vegetarian movement can be found in the food centres operated by the Santi Asoke community, an ascetic Buddhist sect that practises self-sufficiency through agriculture and strict vegetarian diets. The food centres are operated in conjunction with Bangkok’s former governor Chamlong Srimuang, who popularised both the sect and vegetarianism during his corruption-reducing tenure in the 1980s and ’90s. Baan Suan Pai (Map; 0 2615 2454; Th Phahonyothin; dishes 25B; lunch & dinner; Skytrain Ari), Chamlong’s Asoke Café (Map; 0 2272 4282; 580-592 Th Phahonyothin, Chatuchak; dishes 20-30B; lunch Sat & Sun; Metro Chatuchak Park) and Arawy (Map; 152 Th Din So, Phra Nakhon; dishes 20-30B; 7am-8pm; bus 15, klorng taxi to Tha Phan Fah) are all affiliated centres.
Upscale-ish Thai- and Italian-style veggie eats can be found at Anotai (Map; 0 2641 5366; 976/17 Soi Rama 9 Hospital, Rama 9; dishes 55-150B; 10am-9.30pm Thu-Tue; Metro Phra Ram 9), which also has an organic vegetable market.
Indian restaurants, particularly those featuring southern Indian cuisine such as Chennai Kitchen (opposite), are also largely veggie.
MBK Food Court (Click here) has a delicious vegetarian stall (stall C8) that requires mastery of the Asian queue in order to sneak in an order.