Local Thai delights are a dime a dozen in Bangkok and there is always something to eat at every turn. While we love our pad thai and tom yum soup, we thought that it would be interesting to try something that belonged to a completely different era for a change.
Tucked away along a street at Pratunam is Gong Tong, a charming and quirky cafe that dishes out themed homemade dishes that revolve around different historical periods of Thailand.
You can choose either à la carte options or sets. They have a really thick and extensive menu for you to flip through and we were thoroughly spoilt for choice.
While the prices here are on the steeper end, we can assure you that it is well worth every cent.
After much deliberation, we finally settled on the Rattanakosin Niyom set (255 baht) which comes with a bowl of Chicken Mussaman Curry, Stir-fried Sweet Peas, a plate of rice and Toddy Palm Fruit in Scented Syrup.
We absolutely loved the Chicken Mussaman Curry which featured superbly tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken that was doused in a mildly spicy and full-bodied gravy. Slather the provided rice in all that umami-filled gravy and eat it with the chicken for a flavour bomb that’ll keep you hooked to your very last bite.
We initially thought that there would be nothing special about the Stir-fried Sweet Peas but boy, were we wrong!
Despite being stir-fried, the dish was not very oily and the vegetables still remained surprisingly crisp and crunchy. The sweet peas added a subtle sweetness to the overall dish as well as a lightness that was a good contrast to the bold flavours of the curry.
We ended off our sumptuous feast with a bowl of cooling Toddy Palm Fruit in Scented Syrup which certainly helped to combat Bangkok’s sweltering heat.
Gong Tong
Thanon Phaya Thai
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 879 0149
Read: Bangkok food guides on the best places to discover in the city.
Daily: 10am – 8.30pm