ladyironchef » What to eat in Bangkok

Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice —Is Bangkok’s Famous Chicken Rice As Good As Singapore’s?

Melissa Teo — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 21:01:33 +0000

Ask any Singaporean living overseas what Singapore food they miss and we can bet with you that the majority of them would say chicken rice. Chicken rice holds a special place in many of our hearts and it is no mystery why this simple yet flavourful dish has always been a crowd favourite.

We aren’t the only place in the world that has chicken rice though; Bangkok has its own rendition of the dish and while they both may look pretty similar, they do have their differences too.

We tried out Bangkok’s famous Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice on our recent trip to Bangkok and here is how we feel it compared to Singapore’s Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice is a Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee and it started out in 1960 as a simple pushcart stall by a Hainanese immigrant in Bangkok. Today, it is bustling eatery in the middle of Pratunam and it never fails to attract swarms of both tourists and locals alike.

We ordered one large plate of chicken (120baht) to share amongst ourselves as well as some rice (10baht). The serving size is pretty generous and definitely very value-for-money, especially if you come with a big group of people. Aside from the fresh slices of chicken, the dish also came with a cube of blood pudding.

The meat served to us was very lean and some of the slices were covered in slithers of chicken skin which added more flavour and texture to the chicken. While the chicken was fragrant and flavourful, its flesh was not quite as tender and as succulent as the ones you can find in Singapore, which we found a tad bit disappointing.

To enhance the flavour of the chicken, we recommend smothering it in some of their signature chilli sauce which consists of fermented bean paste, ginger and fermented chilli. The chilli added a lovely spicy kick to the chicken and definitely enhanced the flavours of the overall dish. We have to admit that if we had to choose between Singapore’s Chilli and Bangkok’s we would have a pretty hard time!

All in all, we still prefer Singapore’s Hainanese chicken rice over Bangkok’s chicken rice as we prefer our meat to be more on the tender side. However, Bangkok undoubtedly serves up some pretty solid plates of chicken rice as well and we highly recommend that you give it a try if you’re ever in Bangkok!

Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice
960 962 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 252 6325
Daily: 6am – 2pm, 5pm – 2am

The Ultimate Food Bucket List – 23 Must-Try Food In Bangkok And Where To Find Them

Melissa Teo — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 19:58:41 +0000

We will never run out of things to eat in Bangkok. Period.

This gluttons paradise is home to a smorgasbord of scrumptious grub that we wouldn’t mind getting fat for. From cooling husks of coconut ice cream to fiery bowls of Thai green curry, Bangkok hands down has some of the best food that we have ever tasted.

Whether it’s your first time stepping foot into this food heaven or if you’re a frequent traveller to Bangkok, we have here a guide of local food and snacks to give you some ideas on what you need to try on your next trip to the land of smiles.

BOAT NOODLES

There are few things as addictive as boat noodles and we love the satisfying feeling of stacking all those finished bowls up high. The great thing about boat noodles is that because the portions are all so small and cheap, you get to try a variety of different broths and noodles till your heart’s content without feeling a pinch in your wallet.

Where to get it: Lung Prathunam Boat Noodles, Kin Tiew Kan, Baan Kuay Tiew Ruathong, Doy Kuay Teow Reua Boat Noodles

COCONUT ICE CREAM

The Bangkok heat can get pretty unbearable at times and that’s why we love indulging ourselves in some Thai coconut ice-cream to cool ourselves down. We absolutely love the rich coconut cream base and we like to garnish our ice creams a sprinkling of peanuts, fruits, and candies.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Hua Mum Night Market, Natthaphon Coconut Ice Cream

CHARCOAL CREPES

Choose to have your crepes savoury or sweet—we had our charcoal crepe with sliced bananas. You are likely to find crepes in most night markets of Bangkok as it is a common snack you can find even on the streets itself.

Where to get it: Rot Fai Market Ratchada

Photo Credit: erikhasoewito

CRISPY PANCAKES (KHANOM BUANG)

Khanom buang is a must-eat snack when you are in Thailand. It’s a Thai-style crepe that looks like a crunchy taco. It’s made with rice flour and stuffed with sweet meringue or savoury cream. Toppings vary from egg yolk threads to shredded coconut or chopped shrimp.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Rot Fai Market Ratchada

DUCK RICE/NOODLES

If you love duck, we insist that you try the Thai’s rendition of duck noodles and rice. We prefer it over Singapore’s any day and we love how their version features more tender and succulent cuts of duck.

Where to get it: Buay Pochana, Chatuchak Weekend Market, Pondtip Pratunam, Tung Sui Heng Pochana

Photo Credit: feebz9210

FRIED BUGS

This one isn’t for the faint-hearted (and that includes us). If you’re a brave soul who loves trying out new things, we recommend that you have a go at some fried bugs. Bangkok is one of the few places in the world that dishes out these critters like delicacies and you can often get your hands on some at most of the night markets there.

Where to get it: Rot Fai Market Ratchada, Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin, Khao San Road, Soi Cowboy, Klong Toey Market

FRIED QUAIL EGGS

Fried quail eggs are one of our favourite street snacks in Bangkok. They taste great, albeit extremely simple. The special seasoning used is a sauce that elevates the savoury taste. The egg is also usually not fully cooked, so the yolk bursts once you bite into it.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Chinatown, Ramkhamhaeng University Night Market, Hua Mak

LENG SAAP

Leng Saap essentially translates to ‘Spicy Pork Bone Soup’ and it basically consists of giant portions of pork ribs and spine that are generously doused in a rich and addictively spicy broth as well as plenty of lime, coriander and chilli. We’ve tried the one at Golden Mile Tower back in Singapore and were instantly hooked, and we pleased to say that the ones here in Bangkok taste even better.

Where to get it: Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin, Rot Fai Market Ratchada

MANGO STICKY RICE

The vast abundance of street food might be a tad too overwhelming for first-timers to Thailand, but one will never go wrong with this classic Thai dessert. Made with coconut milk, fresh mangoes and sticky glutinous rice, this dessert is a delightful contrast of sweet and saltiness.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Talad Neon Night Market, Rot Fai Market Ratchada, Mae Varee Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango, Boonsap Thai Desserts, Muhammad Roddee, Je Meaw Sukhumvit 38

OLIVE RICE

If you’re tired of plain white rice, why not try some of Thailands olive rice? We love how the rice has an aromatic olive flavour that pairs well with whatever dish it is served with it. It also tastes great eaten on its own!

Where to get it: Street outside Union Mall, Sanguan Sri Restaurant

PAD THAI

It would be a crime to come to Bangkok and not have tried the pad Thai here. This classic stir-fried noodle dish is chock full of different flavours from all its various components such as the nuttiness from the peanuts to the sweetness of the prawns and chilli. It isn’t hard to see why it’s so popular amongst both locals and tourists alike!

Where to get it: Thipsamai, Baan Phad Thai, Pad Thai Mae Am

PAN-FRIED SQUID EGGS

Squid eggs do sound a little intimidating to people who have never tried them before but we promise you that they taste way better than they sound! Most places serve them in two ways: deep-fried or pan-fried. We prefer the deep-fried version which is first coated with batter for a crispy outer layer, before being deep-fried in hot oil and then drizzled with a tangy green chilli sauce for extra oomph.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Rot Fai Market Ratchada

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE (KHAO OP SAPPAROT)

Nothing beats an iconic plate of pineapple fried rice and this well-loved Thai dish features fluffy Jasmine rice cooked with juicy pineapple chunks. Some places even serve up the dish in a hollowed-out pineapple which makes for a great photo opportunity for the gram.

Where to get it: Ko Eay Ko Kafaa, Tealicious Cafe

PORK TROTTERS RICE (KHAO KAA MOO)

Whenever we are in Bangkok, we love to indulge ourselves in a sinful plate of pork trotters rice. Here, outrageously tender chunks of braised pork trotters lie atop a bed of white rice and then doused in a generous amount of braising gravy. We honestly wouldn’t mind getting a heart attack for this dish.

Where to get it: Bamee Sawang, Khao Kha Moo Truk Sung

Photo Credit: linhlengkeng

SALTED GRILLED FISH

The Thai’s prepare their salted fish very differently from the Chinese. Here, they coat the entire fish in a layer of salt while discarding the skin. This interesting technique helps to preserve the moisture of the fishes flesh during the grilling process, keeping it nice, moist and chock full of flavour.

Where to get it: Rot Fai Market Ratchada, Pa Porn Pla Phao, Talad Neon

SOM TUM

For the uninitiated, som tum is essentially Thai-style green papaya salad. There are many roadside stalls selling fresh som tum that is prepared to order. Unripened green papaya is shredded and mixed with chilli, sugar, garlic, lime, fish sauce, tomatoes and several other ingredients to produce a spicy-sour taste that will have you lingering for more.

Where to get it: B-Story Cafe, MBK Mall, Chatuchak Weekend Market

THAI CHICKEN RICE

While Thai-style chicken rice is somewhat similar to Singapore’s, the chicken is much drier and the rice is a little less oily. Many stalls specialise in both fried and steamed chicken rice and we sometimes have a hard time choosing between the two. We love the chilli sauce that accompanies the dish and it provides anything that is dunked into it with a savoury and fiery touch that packs a punch.

Where to get it: Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice, Kuang Heng, Kaiton Pratunam Chicken Rice

THAI ICED MILK TEA

To combat the sweltering heat, we love to get ourselves a cup of satisfyingly cooling Thai iced milk tea. Renditions of this popular drink can be found in many places around the world but nothing beats going back to the original. While the drink may get too cloyingly sweet at times, we still can’t help but slurp it down because it’s just so addictive.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Khao San Road, Rot Fai Market Ratchada, Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin

THAI GREEN CURRY

We love how creamy yet fiery a good bowl of Thai green curry is. The green chillies used give the dish its murky green colour and this is further enhanced with basil leaves and lemongrass. If you can’t take spicy food, be warned that this dish might be a bit too much for you.

Where to get it: Krua Apsorn, Methavalai Sorndaeng, The Sixth

THAI FISH CAKE

Thai fish cakes are one of our favourite snacks in Bangkok and we love how they are easily available. If you are lucky, these fish cakes will be freshly deep-fried in front of you, so you can have it piping hot with a generous drizzle of Thai sweet chilli sauce.

Where to get it: Pratunam Market, Chatuchak Weekend Market

THAI-STYLE OMELETTE

There is something very addictive about Thai-style omelettes that make us prefer it to any other omelette out there. For some unbeknownst reason, the omelettes in Bangkok are the fluffiest and sweetest. Pair it with some rice and Thai green chilli sauce and you’ve got yourself a simple yet satisfying meal that’ll substantially fill you up.

Where to get it: Chatuchak Weekend Market, The Sixth, Raan Jay Fai, Nhong Rim Klong

TOM YUM KOONG

Common but oh-so-addictive, a hearty bowl of tom yum koong is an ideal centrepiece for meals with large groups of people. The dish is creamy, spicy and tangy all at once and we could easily just eat it doused over a plate of rice without anything else.

Where to get it: The Sixth, The Place 168, Pee Aor

WANTON NOODLES

If you love Singapore’s wanton noodles, you may wanna give the Thai version a try. Here, springy egg noodles are tossed in oil, soya sauce and chilli, accompanied with greens, small dumplings and slices of honeyed pork. We admittedly can’t decide if we prefer the Thai or Singapore rendition!

Where to get it: Sukhumvit Soi 38, Bamee Sawang, Nai Meng Ba Mee Poo, Odean Noodle

Tee Yen Ta Fo — Skip The Queues At Thipsamai And Try Out This Thai Style Yong Tau Foo Instead

Melissa Teo — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 21:36:48 +0000

If you travelled all the way down to Thipsamai just to be disheartened by the snaking long queues, why not try a Thai style yong tau foo instead?

Located around 100 metres away from popular Thipsamai and Raan Jay Fai is Tee Yen Ta Fo, a humble street stall that specialises in an underrated Thai dish called yen ta fo.

And here’s what we love about it.

Yen ta fo is essentially a noodle dish which features springy noodles and an assortment of ingredients doused in a pink-hued soup that gets its colour from fermented soybean paste. It may not be a plate of Bib Gourmand pad Thai but this simple yet flavourful dish makes up for it in its own comforting way.

While the store sells a variety of soup and noodle dishes, we went straight ahead and ordered their original dish, the Tee’s Yen-Ta-Fo Red Soup Noodle (80 baht). Upon ordering, you get to choose between 3 spice levels and we chose the moderate spice level.

Served to us in a pretty porcelain-printed bowl, the dish was brimming with ingredients such as rice noodles, fishcakes, fishballs, dumplings and leafy greens. All these varying components added a myriad of varying texture to the dish and it tasted nostalgically similar to the yong tau foo back home in Singapore.

However, what truly differentiates the two is the dishes striking pink-hued broth. Not only does it look interesting, but it also tastes special too. The broth was sweet, tangy and spicy all at once and we love how it injected flavour into all the other ingredients in the bowl.

We also had a go at their Egg Noodle with Red Roasted Pork, Minced Pork and Boiled Egg (80 baht). The noodles here were springy and well-cooked with a decent bite to it. It paired well with the minced pork and sliced red roast pork which added bursts of umami into every bite.

Tee Yen Ta Fo
256 Maha Chai Road
Khwaeng Samran Rat, Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 92 817 4200
Tue to Sun: 6pm – 2am
Mon: 6pm – 12am

Pratunam Guide Bangkok — What To See, Eat And Do For First Timers

Melissa Teo — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 16:39:16 +0000

It is no secret that Bangkok is a food and shopping paradise that is full of dirt-cheap deals, and we always make it a point to come here at least once a year to get our fill on affordable food, shopping and massages.

For those of you who are visiting Bangkok for the first time and you need some ideas for your itinerary, we recommend you pay the Pratunam area a visit. The place is chock full of endless shopping, food and even more shopping and once you’re done with all that, you can give your body a break by heading over to one of the many massage parlours that are scattered around the area.

If you want to visit Pratunam but you are absolutely clueless about what you should do there, here’s our guide to give you some ideas.

WAKE UP EARLY FOR CHEAP WHOLESALE DEALS AT PRATUNAM MORNING MARKET

You can forget about scrolling through Taobao for the next few months after visiting this gargantuan wholesale paradise. The market is filled with hundreds of vendors selling trendy pieces for dirt cheap prices. We recommend coming here with a group of friends because you can get even cheaper prices when you bulk buy!

Ratchaprarop 1 Alley
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 5am – 6pm

HAVE BREAKFAST AT LUNG PRATHUNAM BOAT NOODLES

There are multiple places in Bangkok that serve up decent bowls of boat noodles but one of our absolute favourites is Lung Prathunam Boat Noodle. Here, they have 6 different broths and 8 different types of noodles to choose from. Each bowl costs a mere 30 baht and an upsized version would be 40 baht. For those of you who are in a rush, you can also do a take away for 50 baht.

960/14 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 85 919 1994
Daily: 8am – 5pm

GO SHOPPING AT PLATINUM FASHION MALL OR PANDTIP IT MALL

It is impossible to not have heard of Platinum Fashion Mall and this shopping paradise is home to a plethora of stalls that sell cheap and trendy clothes, accessories and shoes. With 6 floors housing over 2000 stalls, the place will keep you busy for hours! If you aren’t keen in fashion, you can also head on over to Pandtip IT Mall to check out some of the tech stuff that they have available.

GET A MASSAGE ALONG PETCHABURI SOI 15

While shopping may be fun, it can also be pretty exhausting. To ease those muscles and give yourself a break, we recommend heading over to the row of massage parlours at Petchaburi Soi 15 to treat yourself to a good session of kneading and back cracking. While all the parlours there are pretty decent, our favourite is Number One Massage!

Number One Massage
1/7-8 Pratunam
Phetchaburi soi 15
Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewei
Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +65 +66 2 653 9967
Daily: 9.30am – 12am

HAVE LUNCH AT GONG TONG CAFE

Gong Tong is a charming and quirky cafe that dishes out themed homemade dishes revolving around different historical periods of Thailand. They serve up both sets and à la carte options and each and every dish here will take you to a completely different era. While the prices here are on the steeper end, we can assure you that it is well worth every cent.

Thanon Phaya Thai
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 879 0149
Daily: 10am – 8.30pm

PAY A VISIT TO BRAND NEW MALL ‘THE MARKET’

The shopping scene in Bangkok just keeps getting better and joining the slew of malls is The Market. Located just across the road from Central World, The Market is home to plenty of stalls like boutiques, blogshops, cafes and massage parlours. The prices here are a little on the steeper end as compared to the markets but we feel like the things sold here are of better quality.

111 Ratchadamri Road
Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 121 8888
Daily: 10am – 10pm

HAVE TEA AT BOYY AND SON CAFE

Located conveniently at the recently renovated Gaysorn Village, BOYY & Son is a chic, stylish and incredibly Instagram-worthy cafe that sells coffee, tea and an interesting array of pastries. We absolutely love their croissants which are flaky, buttery and fragrant all at once!

BOYY 127 Unit L00-01 GAYSORN Tower2 Lumphini
Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 253 8300
Daily: 8am – 8pm

VISIT CENTRAL WORLD SHOPPING MALL

Like we said, the shopping never ends at Pratunam! Another mall to check out is the famous Central World Shopping Mall. While it is similar to many Singapore malls and the stuff here isn’t as cheap as the markets, it’s still a great place to do some window shopping and enjoy the air-con!

999/9 Rama I Road
Khwaeng Pathum Wan
Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Daily 10am – 10pm

HAVE DINNER AT GO-ANG PRATUNAM CHICKEN RICE

If you want to try a different variation of chicken rice aside from Singapore’s Hainanese chicken rice, we recommend that you pop by Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice. These plates of Michelin Bib Gourmand chicken rice certainly live up to its name and we can see why it’s so popular with both the locals and tourists. Brace yourself for some really long queues!

960 962 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 252 6325
Daily: 6am – 2pm, 5pm – 2am

CHECK OUT PALLADIUM NIGHT MARKET

As the sun sets for the day, all the night markets come out to play. Pratunam has its own share of night markets that come alive when the sky turns dark and one of the more popular ones is Palladium Night Market. Here, you can find rows of stalls selling things like clothes, accessories and random knick-knacks.

487 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 6pm – 12am

END THE NIGHT WITH TALAD NEON NIGHT MARKET

If you still have time, you can also hop on over to Talad Neon Night Market for even more shopping and feasting. We prefer this place to Palladium Night Market as we feel that the things sold here are catered more to the youths. They also have a larger array of stalls that sell food so it’s a great supper spot!

1087, 167 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 5pm – 12am

4D3N Bangkok Itinerary — What To See, Do And Eat At This Food And Shopping Paradise

Melissa Teo — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 01:00:29 +0000

It is no secret that Singaporeans love Bangkok for being such an affordable travel destination; who can resist cheap shopping, food and massages all conveniently situated in one place?

If you’re visiting Bangkok for the first time or you just want some new ideas to add to your itinerary, we have here a 4D3N Bangkok itinerary that you can use as a guide to plan your next Bangkok trip!

DAY 1

HAVE LUNCH AT INTER RESTAURANT AFTER CHECKING INTO YOUR HOTEL

If you’re feeling a little peckish after your flight and you want to find some hearty Thai grub to dig into, we recommend popping by Inter Restaurant at Siam. This place is one of our perennial favourites in Bangkok and they serve up unpretentious and authentic local dishes at affordable prices.

9 Rama I Road
Pathum Wan District
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 251 4689
Daily: 11am – 9pm

INDULGE YOURSELVES IN SOME DECADENT DESSERTS AT AFTER YOU

If you’ve been to Bangkok before, this dessert cafe should be no stranger to you by now. After You first started in 2007, and it has been synonymous with Shibuya Toasts ever since. The Shibuya Honey Toast is what After You got famous for, and fast forward many years, queues still form outside its various outlets every day for their amazing desserts. They have multiple outlets across Bangkok but the biggest and prettiest one is at Siam Square one.

Siam Square One
991 Rama 1 Road
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 02 115 1949
Daily: 11am – 12midnight
Nearest BTS: Siam

SHOP TILL YOU DROP AT SIAM CENTER, SIAM PARAGON, SIAM DISCOVERY AND MBK CENTRE

The Siam area is the heart of Bangkok’s shopping district and the place is packed with popular malls such as Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery and MBK Centre. As the area is conveniently linked to a BTS station, this shopping paradise is easily accessible and not hard to locate.

PET A RACOON AT LITTLE ZOO CAFE

While Bangkok is famous for having plenty of animal cafes, our absolute favourite out of the lot is Little Zoo Cafe. The place features all sorts of animals such as dogs, cats and birds of different breeds. To top it all off, there are also exotic animals such as an Arctic fox, Fennec foxes and a massive raccoon. Rest assured, all the animals here are tame and docile when they play with humans.

Entrance to the cafe is free, but all visitors are expected to purchase a main and drink each in order to maintain the welfare of the animals.

424/7 Siam Square
Rama I Road, Pathum Wan District
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Daily: 11am – 8pm

HAVE DINNER AT NUER KOO

Located on level four of Siam Paragon in Bangkok, Nuer Koo is known for its premium beef noodles, with prices ranging from THB170 for the sirloin to a whopping THB950 for a bowl of Kobe beef noodles. The beef noodles may be pricey by Bangkok’s standard, but by its quality and taste, it is still considerably reasonable, especially when we are talking about premium beef cuts such as wagyu and Kobe.

Rama I Road
Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 610 9773
Daily: 11am – 10pm

TAKE SOME INSTAGRAM-WORTHY SHOTS AT CHANG CHUI PLANE MARKET

If you’re looking for a more unique and artsy night market to explore, we recommend that you pay Chang Chui Plane Market a visit. Located in the Thonburi district, this massive lifestyle space is a one-stop destination for everything art-related.

Think fashion apparel stalls, concept cafes, food trucks and a vintage cinema for the film buffs. The creative co-working space looks more like a page from a fairy tale book than the usual boisterous Thai night markets you are used to seeing in Bangkok. Also, remember to get a picture with their iconic plane that’s right smack in the middle of the place!

460/8 Sirindhorn Road
Khwaeng Bang Phlat, Khet Bang Phlat
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10700, Thailand
Tel: +66 81 817 2888
Thu to Tue: 11am – 11pm

DAY 2

WAKE UP EARLY FOR CHEAP WHOLESALE DEALS AT PRATUNAM MORNING MARKET

Ratchaprarop 1 Alley
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 5am – 6pm

HAVE BREAKFAST AT LUNG PRATHUNAM BOAT NOODLES

960/14 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 85 919 1994
Daily: 8am – 5pm

GO SHOPPING AT PLATINUM FASHION MALL AND PANDTIP IT MALL

GET A MASSAGE ALONG PETCHABURI SOI 15

If you want more recommendations for other massage spots worth checking out, you can read our article about them here.

Number One Massage
1/7-8 Pratunam
Phetchaburi soi 15
Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewei
Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +65 +66 2 653 9967
Daily: 9.30am – 12am

HAVE LUNCH AT THE PLACE 168

If you’re on a tom yum hunt with a group of ravenous friends, we recommend that you pop by The Place 168 to share their massive Tom Yum Koong Soup. The Place 168 is a humble Thai restaurant tucked away at a rundown building near Pratunam Market. While the small shop has a pretty extensive menu filled with authentic Thai dishes, most people go there for their gargantuan bowls of Tom Yum Koong Soup.

1/49 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 657 0880
Daily: 10.30am – 9.30pm

VISIT THE NEW MALL, ‘THE MARKET’

The shopping scene in Bangkok just gets better and joining the slew of malls is The Market. Located just across the road from Central World, The Market is home to plenty of stalls like boutiques, blogshops, cafes and massage parlours. The prices here are a little on the steeper end but we feel like the things sold here are of better quality.

111 Ratchadamri Road
Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 121 8888
Daily: 10am – 10pm

HAVE TEA AT BOYY & SON CAFE

BOYY 127 Unit L00-01 GAYSORN Tower2 Lumphini
Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 253 8300
Daily: 8am – 8pm

SHOP EVEN MORE AT CENTRAL WORLD SHOPPING MALL

999/9 Rama I Road
Khwaeng Pathum Wan
Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Daily 10am – 10pm

HAVE DINNER AT GO-ANG PRATUNAM CHICKEN RICE

960 962 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 252 6325
Daily: 6am – 2pm, 5pm – 2am

END THE NIGHT WITH TALAD NEON NIGHT MARKET

1087, 167 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 5pm – 12am

DAY 3

VISIT THE MAJESTIC GRAND PALACE

If you’re into culture, history and art, one place you definitely need to check out is the majestic Grand Palace. Located in the old city of Bangkok on the banks of the famous Chao Phraya river, this majestic, sacred landmark is nothing short of breathtaking.

Na Phra Lan Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 623 5500
Daily: 8.30am – 3.30pm

ADMIRE THE GORGEOUS STRUCTURES AT WAT PHO

After the Grand Palace, you can head on over to the gorgeous Wat Pho, home of the famous reclining Buddha. The breathtaking structures and statues make for the perfect backdrop for a nice photo for the gram!

2 Sanam Chai Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 226 0335

HAVE LUNCH AT THE SIXTH

If you’re feeling a little peckish after exploring the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, you can have your lunch at The Sixth. located just a short walk away from the famous landmarks, The Sixth is a cosy and hip little cafe that is run by a young couple. They specialise in wholesome and soulful Thai food which include the likes of Tom Yum Koong, Phad Thai and Thai Green Curry.

Maha Rat Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 316 6890
Mon to Sat: 10.30am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)

TAKE A TUK TUK TO CHINATOWN

Travel in style to your next destination by hopping onto a Tuk Tuk. These adorable little open-air taxis are a fun way to get around Bangkok while you enjoy the sights along the way. However, do be careful as some of the Tuk Tuk drivers tend to overcharge customers to earn a quick buck.

GRAB SOME DIM SUM AT LHONG TOU CAFE

Situated right smack in the middle of Chinatown is Lhong Tou Cafe. This eclectic, cosy eatery is popular for their dim sum as well as their very interesting interior; both of which are incredibly Instagram-worthy. Our favourite menu item here is the Shitake Mushroom Bun!

538 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 935 6499
Daily: 8am – 10pm

EXPLORE THE STREETS OF YAOWARAT

The streets of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, are filled with a plethora of things to eat see and do. We recommend coming here during the evening or at night as that’s when the place comes alive with people, street vendors and lights.

SLURP SOME NOODLES AT NAI EK ROLL NOODLE

Situated at the heart of Chinatown, Nai Ek Roll Noodle is a humble stall that specialises in —you guessed it — roll noodles, as well as some of the crispiest deep-fried pork we’ve ever tried. The food here is so good that they’ve even earned themselves a place in the Michelin Guide

442 Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
+66 2 226 4651
Daily: 7.30am – 1.30am

EXPLORE THE MASSIVE TALAD ROD FAI SRINAKARIN

If you don’t have much time to go night market hopping in Bangkok, the one market you need to head to to get the full experience is the famous Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin, also known as Rot Fai Train Market. There are a number of similar train markets across Bangkok but this is one of the bigger ones.

What we love about this place is how it feels like there are multiple night markets packed into one area. Just when you think that you’ve finished walking the whole stretch, you find yourself in another completely different area filled with more rows of exciting things to explore.

Soi Srinagarindra 51
Khwaeng Nong Bon, Khet Prawet
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand
Thu to Sun: 5pm – 1pm
(Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays

EAT LENG SAAP FOR SUPPER

Soi Srinagarindra 51
Khwaeng Nong Bon, Khet Prawet
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand
Thu to Sun: 5pm – 1pm
(Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

DAY 4

DO SOME LAST MINUTE SHOPPING AT UNION MALL

One mall that has slowly but surely gained some popularity over the years is Union Mall. Located near Chatuchak Weekend Market, this mall has 8 levels full of shopping, food and services. Girlfriends, your boyfriends will love this place as much as you do as there is a whole level just dedicated to men’s fashion. Do take note that as this is a mall that is more frequented by locals, some of the stall owners here may not be fluent in English.

1 Khwaeng Chom Phon
Khet Chatuchak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 512 5000
Daily: 11am – 10pm

EAT BOAT NOODLES AT KIN TIEW KAN

One hot spot to try out boat noodles is Kin Tiew Kan at Union Mall. The stall is perpetually packed with patrons but don’t let the queues discourage you; the place is completely worth a try!

Lat Phrao, Khwaeng Chom Phon
Khet Chatuchak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 81 849 9292
Daily: 11am – 9pm

STROLL THROUGH CHATUCHAK PARK

Walk off the food coma after lunch at Kin Tiew Kan by taking a stroll in Chatuchak Park. This scenic spot is full of lush greenery and is one of the oldest parks in Bangkok. The place is also well-connected to Chatuchak MRT Station and Mo Chit BTS station, making it a convenient pitstop for a nice walk

Kamphaeng Phet Road
Khet Chatuchak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Daily: 4.30am – 9pm

VISIT THE BANGKOK BUTTERFLY GARDEN AND INSECTARIUM

If you’re not afraid of little critters and creepy crawlies, you can check out Bangkok’s very own Butterfly Garden and Insectarium to admire some gorgeous butterflies. The lofty enclosure is home to a few species of butterflies which flutter around the various rockeries, flowers and shady ferns.

Kamphaeng Phet 3 Road
Lat Yao, Khet Chatuchak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 272 4359
Tue to Sun: 8.30am – 4.30pm

POP BY CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET

Chatuchak Weekend Market is no doubt one of the most well-known markets in Bangkok and for many good reasons too—the sheer size of this outdoor market makes it impossible for you to cover the entire place in a day. Covering 27 acres of land in total, this is one of the largest markets in Bangkok and it is home to over 8,000 stalls featuring Thai street food, fashion, homeware, flowers and so much more.

Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Sat to Mon: 9am – 6pm
Wed & Thu: 7am – 6pm
Fri: 6pm – 12am
(Closed on Tuesdays)

GRAB SOME COOL VINTAGE WEAR AT THE CAMP VINTAGE FLEA MARKET

If you want to pop some tags but you only have 20 dollars in your pocket, you can head on over to Camp Vintage Flea Market to go thrift shopping. Not only is this place a vintage paradise, but it is also a very artsy spot to snap some great photos for the gram. We also love how they decorate the place with repurposed planes and other air crafts to go with the vintage theme.

The Camp Vintage Flea Market
482 Kamphaeng Phet Soi 1, Bangkok, Thailand
Tue to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 11am – 11.45pm

7 Tom Yum Goong In Bangkok – Where To Satisfy Your Cravings For Legit Tom Yum

Melissa Teo — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 22:03:22 +0000

Sour, tangy and packed full of heat, there are few things out there as satisfying as a bowl of spicy tom yum goong.

This classic Thai dish is a hot favourite amongst both locals and tourists alike and it is a must-try item whenever you visit the land of smiles. We love how the dish can be eaten on its own or be used as a centrepiece for meals with a group of friend, making it a versatile option for any occasion.

While tom yum goong can commonly be found in most parts of Bangkok, some places do the dish better than others. With that, here is a guide to some of our favourite tom yum spots in Bangkok.

INTER THAI FOOD

Inter Thai Food is a humble, unpretentious restaurant that specialises in dishing out homely and authentic Thai dishes at very affordable prices. Their tom yum soup is some of the best that we have ever had in Bangkok and it has just the right amount of spice to it without being too overwhelming. We also like how despite the price point, they are very generous with their serving sizes.

9 Rama I Road
Pathum Wan District
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +65 +66 2 251 4689
Daily: 11am – 9pm

MBK FOOD COURT

We went straight for the classic Tom Yum Kung (THB90, S$3.60) at MBK food court. ‘Kung’ means prawns, and we were sure delighted to see so many huge and plump river prawns in the soup, alongside mushrooms and lemongrass. Have it with a bowl of steamed white rice and you are set.

PEE AOR TOM YUM

Pee Aor Tom Yum is famous for their 999 baht Lobster Tom Yum Goong Noodles. This massive bowl of goodness is enough to feed two to three ravenous people and each serving comes with a generous amount of premium ingredients such as lobsters and crabs. We also love the tangy and spicy broth which is packed full of flavour and incredibly addictive.

68, Soi Phetchaburi 5
Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi
Bangkok 10400
Daily: 10am – 9pm

THE SIXTH

Located just a short walk away from the famous Wat Arun and the Grand Palace, The Sixth is a cosy and hip little cafe that is run by a young couple. They specialise in wholesome and soulful Thai food which includes bowls of hearty tom yum goong. The tom yum here is tangy, sweet, creamy and spicy all at once and just a small spoonful of this packs a mighty punch; just the way we like it!

Maha Rat Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 316 6890
Mon to Sat: 10.30am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)

THE PLACE 168

The Place 168 is a humble Thai restaurant tucked away at a rundown building near Pratunam Market. The small shop has a pretty extensive menu filled with authentic Thai dishes but they are most famous for their gargantuan bowls of Tom Yum Koong Soup. At just 195 baht, each colossal bowl of this piping hot goodness comes brimming with ingredients such as pork belly, squid, prawns, meatballs, spring onions, two runny eggs and lime slices atop a bed of instant noodles.

1/49 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 657 0880
Daily: 10.30am – 9.30pm

SANSAB BANGKOK

Sansab is a comfortable restaurant that sits on level 4 of Siam Paragon and it is popular for its Instagram-worthy Tom Yum UFO. The dish is essentially a steamboat that features a giant pot of tom yum surrounded by four separate pockets of ingredients such as cheese, corn, quail eggs and seaweed soup. The tom yum itself is decently spicy and has a nice amount of sweetness to it from the seafood.

Terminal 21 Sukhumvit Road
Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 108 0821

Photo Credit: c.y.c_

JEH O CHULA

Jeh O Chula is a popular supper spot in Bangkok that became a social media hit with their instagrammable pots of Tom Yum Mama. The queues for this can be as long as 2 hours but we promise you that it is well worth the wait. Each Tom Yum Mama features instant noodles, shrimp, squid, pork balls, ground pork and two eggs doused in a spicy, tangy tom yum soup.

Banthat Thong Road
113 Charat Muang Road, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 64 118 5888
Daily: 5:30pm – 2am

T&K SEAFOOD

Located in the heart of Yaowarat is T&K Seafood, a humble eatery that has an extensive menu filled with seafood dishes prepared Thai-style. Their tom yum goong is sweet, spicy and tangy all at once and we love how the seafood adds an extra depth of flavour to the dish. Do expect long queues for this popular seafood spot!

49 51 Phadung Dao Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 223 4519
Daily: 4pm – 2am

B-Story Cafe — Botanical Paradise In Bangkok That Serves Up Great Cafe & Local Nosh

Melissa Teo — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:41:52 +0000

Nestled away in a crevice near Ratchathewi BTS station is B-Story Cafe, a botanical wonderland that not only looks picturesque but serves up fantastic food too.

You’ll feel like you’ve walked into a fairytale upon stepping into this magical French bistro-style restaurant. Brick walls and metal finishings are adorned with luscious green plants and pretty dried flowers that fit in perfectly with the mismatched chairs and tables. Every corner of this quaint, elegant cafe is Instagram-worthy and the place is a short respite away from Bangkok’s bustling city life.

Aside from the enchanting get-up, the cafes extensive menu is something else to get excited about. From local delights to your usual cafe nosh, B-Story dishes out scrumptious dishes that are as stellar as their interior.

We had to wait a fair bit for our food to be prepared but that was no problem at all because it gave us time to be mesmerised by their gorgeous interior.

We started off our meal with a bowl of their Som Tum Thai which for the uninitiated, is spicy Thai papaya salad.

We have to warn you in advance that the papaya salad here is really very spicy and we actually got a shock when we took our first bite. However, the fiery spice did not outshine the refreshing flavours of the papaya and we feel that this is a great appetiser and palate cleanser, especially if you’re about to have a very heavy meal ahead of you.

The dish that surprised us the most was this unassuming plate of Stir-Fried Cabbage with Thai Fish Sauce. We honestly weren’t very impressed when the server placed this on our table but we were proven wrong after taking our first bite.

The amount of wok hei in this dish was off the charts and we were shellshocked by how much flavour was packed into this otherwise sad-looking plate of vegetables. A serving of this goes amazingly well with rice and other dishes but honestly, we could eat it all by itself.

For something a little more filling and substantial, we ordered ourselves a plate of Basil Fried Pork Rice with Fried Egg. Each plate features a generous helping of your choice of basil fried pork or chicken, cucumber, a dollop of white rice and a fried egg.

The basil fried pork was chock full of umami and its juices provided a nice meaty flavour to the rest of the components of the dish. Overall, it wasn’t the best plate of basil pork rice that we’ve ever had but we like how it had an authentic and homely touch to it.

B-Story Cafe
89, 70 Phayathai Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phetchaburi
Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand

Kin Tiew Kan Noodle — Hearty Bowls Of 15 Baht Boat Noodles At Union Mall

Melissa Teo — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:12:48 +0000

Bangkok is no short of places that dish out scrumptious bowls of boat noodles and one of our favourite haunts whenever we are there is Kin Tiew Kan Noodle.

Located conveniently at the bustling Union Mall, Kin Tiew Kan Noodle is a great place to check out after a hectic day of shopping and getting your nails done.

The cosy eatery is always packed with people which is a testament to how good their boat noodles are!

Each bowl here costs an affordable 15 baht each which gives you even more reason to build yourselves a tower of boat noodle bowls after you’ve polished everything off.

There are 5 broths available for you to choose from, namely Thicken Soup Noodle With Beef, Dried Noodle with Pork or Beef, Brewed Bean Curd Noodle, Hot and Sour Noodle ‘Tom Yum’ and their signature broth, Thicken Soup Noodle with Pork.

We can see why the Thicken Soup Noodle with Pork is their bestseller as it was our favourite too. Chock full of umami with a strong, porky flavour, we feel that this full-bodied concoction goes best with rice noodles.

We also really enjoyed the Brewed Bean Curd Noodle which features a tangy and slightly sour fermented tasting soup that comes with some fishcake, crackers and minced meat.

To spice up your boat noodles, you can always opt to add some ingredients such as Boiled Morning Glory (15 baht), Boiled Pork Balls (15 baht), Stewed Beef (20 baht) and Bounced-Boiled Pork (20 baht).

Kin Tiew Kan
Lat Phrao, Khwaeng Chom Phon
Khet Chatuchak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 81 849 9292
Daily: 11am – 9pm

Yaowarat Food Guide — What To Eat At Bangkok’s Bustling Chinatown

Melissa Teo — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 16:22:11 +0000

Aside from cheap shopping and shiok massages, another thing that keeps people coming back to Bangkok is their diverse food scene. The streets and malls here are packed with a smorgasbord of scrumptious eats and we easily find ourselves spoilt for choice every single time we come to this glutton’s paradise.

If you don’t know where to begin the feasting, we suggest that you start at Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food options here but fret not, we have created this short guide to help you narrow down your choices.

Photo Credit: 1996_summer.bk

KWAY CHAP AUON POCHANA

Thai kway chap is very different from Singapore’s rendition of the dish. The dish here features rice roll noodles and different parts of the pig that are doused in a peppery, full-bodied broth that pulls all the different components of the dish together. Guay Jub Ouan Pochana serves up some pretty mean bowls of this goodness and the only gripe that we have with it is that we wish that the portion sizes were a little larger.

408 Yaowarat Road
Khwaeng Chakkrawat, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 86 508 9979

LHONG TOU CAFE

This eclectic, cosy eatery is popular for their dim sum as well as their very interesting interior; both of which are incredibly Instagram-worthy. The common thing about quirkily designed eateries is that they usually have pretty subpar food. This isn’t the case for Lhong Tou Cafe; we never thought that we would ever have some of the best dim sum of our lives in Bangkok and the dim sum here puts some of the ones we’ve tried in Hong Kong to shame!

538 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 935 6499
Daily: 8am – 10pm

Photo Credit: tl.sia

MUNG KORN KHAO NOODLE

While we love our Singapore-style wanton mee, we have to admit that the Thai’s do up a pretty solid rendition of the dish. Mung Korn Khao Noodle serves up just that and despite the portion size being rather small, the wanton mee here is so good that we wouldn’t mind ordering a few bowls of it at one go.

395 Yaowarat Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Daily: 6pm – 11.45pm

NAI EK ROLLED NOODLES

Nai Ek Roll Noodle is a humble stall that specialises in — you guessed it — roll noodles, as well as some of the crispiest deep-fried pork we’ve ever tried. The food here is so good that they’ve even earned themselves a place in the Michelin Guide. Be prepared for some snaking long queues that can last up to 30 to 45 minutes during peak hours!

442 Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
+66 2 226 4651
Daily: 7.30am – 1.30am

Photo Credit: pimpimmu

NAI MAO DUCK NOODLES

Fans of anything duck related will absolutely love Nai Mao Duck Noodles. Here, they dish out hearty bowls of duck soup and duck noodles which feature a homemade Chinese herbal soup that is sweet, full-bodied and packed with plenty of duck essence. If noodles aren’t your thing, you can also opt to have a plate of duck rice with a side of that ambrosial soup.

768/6 Mangkon Road
Khwaeng Pom Prap
Khet Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100
Tel: +66 2 222 3172
Daily: 9am – 4pm

Photo Credit: yv_wong

PLAENG NAM SHARK FIN-BIRD’S NEST

If you’re a fan of birds nest soup, Yaowarat is the perfect place for you to check out as the place is home to plenty of stalls that serve up soothing bowls of birds nest soup. We recommend getting your fix at Plaeng Nam Shark Fin-Bird’s Nest where they dish out hearty bowls of Shark Fin Bird’s Nest Soup at very affordable prices. Aside from that, they also sell other scrumptious Thai dishes such as oyster omelette and crab.

45 Plaeng Nam Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 222 8716
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm

Photo Credit: tkseafood

T & K SEAFOOD

If you’re hankering for some solid seafood, a great place to check out is T&K Seafood, one of Yaowarat’s most popular seafood spots. They have both indoor and outdoor seating but if you don’t like waiting, we recommend that you grab a spot outside. The seafood here is fresh and they are very generous with their portion sizes. Best of all, everything here is incredibly affordably priced!

49 51 Phadung Dao Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 223 4519
Daily: 4pm – 2am

YAOWARAT TOASTED BREAD

Yaowarat Toasted Bread sees perpetual long queues on the daily made up of both locals and tourists. What makes the bread here stand out from anywhere else is its filling; each perfectly toasted and buttered bun comes generously chock full of a filling of your choice and they have sinfully good options such as condensed milk and sankaya.

Yaowarat Road
Khwaeng Samphanthawong, Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 224 0677
Sun, Tue to Fri: 6.30pm – 12am
Sat: 6pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)

Pratunam Food Guide — 9 Of The Best Eats To Check Out After A Hectic Day Of Shopping

Melissa Teo — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 16:01:26 +0000

While Pratunam is known to be a shoppers paradise filled with an endless array of stalls, it is also a gluttons idea of heaven.

The streets and malls of Pratunam are packed with a smorgasbord of stalls that serve up a tantalising selection of food that ranges from hearty local bites to delectable cafe nosh. Each and every nook and cranny of this area is crammed with surprises and we can promise you that you will never run out of new things to try here.

If you are overwhelmed by the wide selection of goodies to tuck into, here is a quick guide to 9 of our favourite places to get some great grub after a tiring day of shopping in Pratunam.

BAMEE SAWANG

While people hear more of the famous Sabx2 Wanton Mee, there are better places in Bangkok to get a scrumptious bowl of roast pork noodles and one of them is Bamee Sawang. We love the wanton mee here and we also recommend that you give their Stewed Pork Leg Over Rice a try too.

982 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 056 0663
Daily: 9.30am – 11pm

BOYY & SON

BOYY 127 Unit L00-01 GAYSORN Tower2 Lumphini
Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 253 8300
Daily: 8am – 8pm

GO-ANG PRATUNAM CHICKEN RICE

960 962 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 252 6325
Daily: 6am – 2pm, 5pm – 2am

GONG TONG CAFE

Gong Tong is a charming and quirky cafe that dishes out themed homemade dishes that revolve around different historical periods of Thailand. They serve up both sets and à la carte options and each and every dish here will take you to a completely different era. While the prices here are on the steeper end, we can assure you that it is well worth every cent.

Thanon Phaya Thai
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 879 0149
Daily: 10am – 8.30pm

Photo Credit: seeintear

KHAO KHA MOO TRUK SUNG (PORK KNUCKLES)

For those of you who love anything and everything pork-related, you’ll absolutely love Khao Kha Moo Truk Sung. This humble stall specialises in outrageously tender pork leg over rice that simply melts in your mouth. Aside from that, they also serve up other dishes such as rice with crispy pork and bowls of hearty soups.

1 Khwaeng Lumphini
Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Mon to Sat: 8am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)

LUNG PRATHUNAM BOAT NOODLES

960/14 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 85 919 1994
Daily: 8am – 5pm

Photo Credit: midnightkaiton_pratunam

MIDNIGHT KAITON CHICKEN RICE

If the queues at Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice are way too long, you can check Midnight Kaiton Chicken Rice out instead. Here, they serve up hearty plates of chicken rice as well as crispy fried chicken which is perfect for supper. The only gripe we have is that they only open after 7pm.

986 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Mon to Sat: 7pm – 4am
Sun: 7pm – 12pm

PONDTIP PRATUNAM

There aren’t as many stalls in Bangkok that sell duck rice as there are that sell chicken rice but if we had to recommend one, it would be Pondtip Pratunam. This humble stall sells an array of scrumptious Thai food but they’re famous for their duck dishes. We recommend the Soya Duck Rice and the Stewed Duck Rice!

922, 924 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 650 4023
Daily: 6am – 8pm

THE PLACE 168

The Place 168 is a little Thai restaurant tucked away at a rundown building near Pratunam Market. The small shop has a pretty extensive menu filled with authentic Thai dishes but they are most famous for their gargantuan bowls of Tom Yum Koong Soup which are great for sharing.

1/49 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 657 0880
Daily: 10.30am – 9.30pm

Caturday Cat Café —A Pur-fect Cat Paradise Right Smack In The Heart Of Bangkok

Melissa Teo — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 21:06:46 +0000

Bangkok is home to a plethora of animal cafes which house all kinds of animals; from massive human-sized dogs to exotic fennec foxes, this place is an absolute animal paradise for animal lovers.

Feline lovers will be glad to know that Bangkok has a really solid cat cafe called Caturday Cat Café that is brimming with adorable, fluffy kitties of all shapes and sizes. With its convenient location near BTS station Ratchathewi, cat lovers have no excuse to not visit this cat heaven.

Caturday Cat Café is not just filled with fluffy feline friends; it is also a pretty aesthetic café with many great Instagram-worthy spots for photos.

Here, the café walls are lined with paintings of cats, murals of cats as well as cat memorabilia. A massive climbing post also sits in the middle of the café and here you can see cats either scooting up or down it or taking a nap.

For the entrance fee, all you need to do is purchase a drink or food item (per pax) from them and you can stay there for as long as you want. We really appreciate this flexibility as a number of animal cafés in Bangkok usually set time limits for their visitors.

We ordered ourselves a Thai-Tea Crepe Cake with Thai Tea Sauce (138 baht) and a Hot Chocolate (118 baht) for the entrance fee.

We honestly were not expecting much from the Thai-Tea Crepe Cake with Thai Tea Sauce and were pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. Here, delicate crepes are carefully layered with a creamy and concentrated Thai tea filling that tasted as good as the actual drink. While the Thai tea flavour was incredibly rich, we like how the flavours were not cloying and did not go too heavy on the palate.

The hot chocolate, on the other hand, was a tad bit too milky for our liking as we prefer ours to be more on the chocolatey side. Nonetheless, it still was a satisfying cup of hot chocolate and it was nice to sip on it as we watched the cats play.

Caturday has cats of all shapes, colours and breeds and we found ourselves cooing over each and every one of them.

We ended up staying here for a solid 2-hours but how long you want to stay is entirely up to you. Some visitors even brought their laptops to do their work amongst the cats which we thought was a pretty good idea too.

All in all, a highly-recommended spot to visit in Bangkok the next time you are there, especially if you love cats!

Caturday Cat Cafe
89/70 Phayathai Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phetchaburi, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 656 5247
Tue to Fri: 12pm – 9pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 9pm
(Closed on Mondays)

Bamee Sawang — How Does This Other Popular Wanton Mee Place Compare To The Famous Sabx2?

Melissa Teo — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:16:28 +0000

Just like how Bangkok has its own rendition of chicken rice, they also have their own version of what we Singaporeans call roast pork noodles. The Thai’s call theirs bak mee moo dang and while it looks pretty similar to Singapore’s roast pork noodles, it has a few differences as well.

Bak mee moo dang consists of Chinese-style egg noodles that are tossed in a savoury sauce and accompanied with ingredients such as leafy greens, pork slices and dumplings. The dish also isn’t hard to find in Bangkok and you can easily get your hands on a bowl of this goodness at any market, street or mall.

While people hear more of the famous Sabx2 Wanton Mee, there are other places in Bangkok that are quite popular for their roast pork noodles too. One of them is Bamee Sawang and for our recent trip to Bangkok, we decided to try it to see how it compared to both Sabx2 Wanton Mee and Singapore’s roast pork noodles.

Bamee Sawang has a pretty extensive menu that consists mostly of noodle and pork dishes that are all very reasonably priced.

We went straight ahead and ordered ourselves a bowl of Egg Noodle With Barbequed Pork (50 baht).

We like how the noodles were al dente and incredibly springy with a good bite to it. The sauce it was tossed in was also not too oily and overpowering and it added a nice savoury touch to the overall dish. The pork slices, on the other hand, were a tad too dry for our liking despite being thinly sliced, which was slightly disappointing.

The portion size of the dish is also pretty small so if you’re a big eater, you may need to get two bowls.

We also had a go at their Stewed Pork Leg Over Rice (40baht) which featured chunky strips of pork leg paired with white rice and doused in a rich, full-bodied gravy.

The pork leg was outrageously tender and the layer of fat on each piece of meat provided it with an additional amount of umami. We also like how the pork had been stewed long enough to soak up the juices and goodness of the gravy.

All in all, Bamee Sawang may not have the best roast pork noodles out there but in terms of quality and service, we still prefer it over Sabx2. However, at the end of the day, we still feel that nothing so far is as good as what we can get from our Singapore hawkers.

If you’re popping by Bamee Sawang, we recommend getting the Stewed Pork Leg Over Rice instead of their noodle dishes but if you are more of a noodle person, there’s no harm in giving theirs a shot either.

Bamee Sawang
982 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 056 0663
Daily: 9.30am – 11pm

Leng Saap — Towering Plates Of Outrageously Spicy Pork Spine At Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin

Melissa Teo — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 16:38:58 +0000

Just recently, news has been going around about a stall at Golden Mile Tower that specialises in a popular Thai dish called Leng Saap. Since then, the internet has been splattered with pictures of a gargantuan mountain of pork and everyone has been scrambling to try this Instagram-worthy pile of meat.

We’ve tried the one at Golden Mile Tower and were instantly hooked, so naturally, when we were in Bangkok, we HAD to try the original to see how it measured up. And boy, were we impressed.

Leng Saap can be found in a number of places in Bangkok but the more popular spots are at the Rot Fai Train Markets. We had ours at the Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin Night Market but if it is too far for you, you can always hop on over to Ratchada Rot Fai Train Night Market instead.

With Leng Saap, you either go big or go home, so we went straight ahead and ordered ourselves an XL (290 baht). If you are aren’t a picky eater, they have smaller portions available in M (150 baht) and L (220 baht) and if you’re coming with a big group of friends, go ahead and order yourselves an XXL for just 599 baht. For the amount of meat you’re getting, it is a complete steal.

If you can’t handle spice very well, we recommend that you tell them to go gently on the amount of chilli because Leng Saap can get unbearably spicy at times.

Skip the forks and spoons and just dig right in with your hand; the great thing about this place is that they provide plastic gloves for those of you who don’t like to get your hands all nitty-gritty.

We were blown away by how tender and lip-smackingly good the pork was; it was the literal definition of fall-off-the-bone. We didn’t need to do too much with our hands to get all that succulent meat out and we love how the fat to meat ratio on each piece was just right.

What truly elevated the dish was the pork bone soup which consists of crushed green chillis, a generous scattering of cilantro as well as plenty of zesty lime. Each mouthful of this ambrosial soup was tangy, savoury and spicy all at once and despite it being so spicy, we couldn’t help but gulp it down with tears in our eyes and dripping noses (no exaggeration here, the broth is REALLY very spicy).

While Singapore’s Leng Saap is phenomenal, trying the original is absolutely life-changing and if you don’t have this while you’re in Bangkok, you are completely missing out. Plus, this towering sight makes for a great picture for the gram!

Leng Saap
Soi Srinagarindra 51
Khwaeng Nong Bon, Khet Prawet
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand
Thu to Sun: 5pm – 1pm
(Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

The Sixth — Wholesome And Authentic Thai Dishes In A Cosy Cafe With Only Five Tables

Melissa Teo — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 05:01:11 +0000

There are no short of eateries that sell authentic Thai food in Bangkok but we feel that few can measure up to what The Sixth has to offer.

Located just a short walk away from the famous Wat Arun and the Grand Palace, The Sixth is a cosy and hip little cafe that is run by a young couple. They specialise in wholesome and soulful Thai food which include the likes of Tom Yum Koong, Phad Thai and Thai Green Curry.

The Sixth’s quirky and homely decor gives the entire place a very relaxed and chill atmosphere. While the place only has five tables and is perpetually crowded, we promise you that the experience here is well worth the wait.

One of their most popular menu items is the Tom Yum Koong (120 baht) and we can easily see why. Tangy, sweet, creamy and spicy all at once, just a small spoonful of this packs a mighty punch.

Each bowl of Tom Yum Koong also comes with an outrageously generous amount of ingredients such as prawns and mushrooms. The prawns were very fresh and added a touch of sweetness to the already wholesome gravy

Another recommended menu item that we just had to try was their Chicken Green Curry (90 baht). The dish came with juicy chunks of chicken that soaked up all the goodness of the creamy, fiery green curry. Once again, they were incredibly generous with the amount of ingredients and the bowl came brimming with chicken.

If you can’t take too much spice, we recommend pairing this with a plate of Jasmine Rice (20 baht) to neutralise the heat.

For those of you who are looking for something less soupy, we suggest that you get the Chicken Cashew Nut with Rice, which is also another recommended menu item. The dish looks pretty simple and unassuming but you won’t get the hype until you taste it!

Here, succulent bits of chicken are stir-fried with a generous heap of crunchy cashews in a rich and mildly spicy sauce. Each bite comes chock full of umami and we love how the tender texture of the chicken melded so well with that of the cashews. The cashews also added an addictive nutty taste to the overall mix that pulled the whole dish together.

The Sixth
Maha Rat Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 316 6890
Mon to Sat: 10.30am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)

Sabx2 Wanton Mee — Overhyped, Subpar Wanton Noodles You Shouldn’t Waste Your Calories On

Melissa Teo — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 01:00:55 +0000

Sabx2 Wanton Mee isn’t an unfamiliar name and if it’s your first trip to Bangkok, you probably would have been recommended to try their Thai-style wanton mee and pork trotter rice.

This majorly hyped-up wanton noodle store in the heart of Pratunam is famous for their Thai-style wanton mee and many claim it to be one of the best in Bangkok.

We used to be big fans of Sabx2 Wanton Mee but unfortunately, the standards have dropped drastically and it is no longer worth a visit.

Some customers have confused this place with another popular stall in Singapore called Soi 19 Wanton Mee and hence, when you walk into Sabx2 Wanton Mee, you’d notice that the walls of the eatery are lined with signs saying “NO BRANCH IN SINGAPORE”.

The stall is a rather spacious one and the fact that it is air-conditioned does make it an attractive lunch pitstop for hungry shoppers who have spent their morning at the nearby Pratunam Market and Platinum Mall.

Their wanton noodles are sold at a fixed price of 100 baht per serving and they do not allow sharing, so you will be expected to order at least one bowl per person. This price has been doubled and in the past, bowls of these used to cost just 50 baht per serving.

The first thing that came to mind when we received our noodles was that the portion size was shockingly small. Just based on the serving size, 100 baht was definitely not worth it. The bowl was not even halfway filled and its contents could easily be polished off in 2-3 bites.

Each bowl comes with thinly sliced roast pork, some dumplings, leafy greens and a light scatter of crab meat atop a bed of egg noodles. The pork, in our opinion, was too dry and hard to chew. The dumplings, on the other hand, were decent and had a good skin to meat ratio but other than that, there was nothing particularly special about them.

While the noodles were springy, they were a tad bit too oily and bland for our liking. The greasiness overwhelmed our palates and made the noodles rather unappetising.

The service did not make up for the subpar food and the staff who attended to us were pretty rude and sloppy as well.

We are not sure if the quality of service and food at Sabx2 Wanton mee has been this bad for a while due to complacency (of its popularity) but we won’t be coming back.

Sabx2 Wanton Mee
4 32-33 Soi Phetchaburi 19
Phayathai Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand
Daily: 9am – 3pm

Thipsamai Restaurant - Is This The Best Pad Thai In Bangkok?

Melissa Teo — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 03:00:16 +0000

A classic favourite for many in Thailand is pad thai. Sweet, nutty and full of varying texture, this stir-fried noodle dish is a must-try when you visit the land of smiles.

Of course, some places do up the dish better than others and one place that is dubbed to have the best pad thai in Bangkok is the legendary Thipsamai. The pad thai here is so famous that they have even earned themselves a Bib Gourmand award by the Michelin Guide.

Located on the outskirts of Chinatown, Thipsamai has been around since 1966 and the store is constantly flooded with both tourists and locals. However, like every other hyped up establishment, the real question is, are the insanely long queues really worth it?

Thipsamai has recently been renovated and the spanking new space now looks fresh and more spacious. It is now even air-conditioned!

We recommend coming about 15 minutes before the store’s actual opening hours before the massive queue builds up.

Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll be greeted by the kitchen which is located right in front of the restaurant, just like how it was before the renovation. Here, you can watch the chefs at work while they cook up plates after plates of scrumptious pad thai.

We tried the Pad Thai with Dried Shrimp and Egg (75 Baht), which is essentially their most basic rendition of the dish. Each plate of this comes full of springy noodles that are tossed together with chives, dried shrimp, beansprouts, tofu and egg.

The noodles had soaked up all that deliciously fragrant sauce while maintaining its chewy, springy texture. We also love how the different components added varying textures to the dish — the crunch from the beansprouts and chives, the chewiness of the tofu and the softness of the egg — which all came together to create an interesting mouthfeel.

Our only gripe was that the portion size was a tad too small. Our bottomless pits would have appreciated a much larger serving!

Next, we had the Pad Thai with Shrimp Oil and Fresh Deep-sea Prawns Wrapped with Egg (120 Baht).

What we love about this dish is how the pad thai comes enveloped in a thin, fragrant layer of egg. Break apart the egg to reveal its enticing contents and give the lot a good mix for maximum enjoyment.

The pad thai here is essentially the same as the Padthai with Dried Shrimp and Egg that we had previously, but we have to admit that the simple addition of the egg wrap was genius and it completely elevated the entire dish. We love how the egg provided the pad thai with a decent amount of sweetness without it being too overwhelming as well as a satisfying added texture and bite.

All in all, we can see why Thipsamai is so popular amongst both locals and tourists. However, we feel that it isn’t as great as what many people have hyped it up to be. We do recommend you popping by to give it a try but we doubt that it will be on the top of our must-do lists for any future trips to Bangkok.

Thipsamai
313 315 Maha Chai Road
Khwaeng Samran Rat, Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 226 6666
Daily: 5pm – 2am

Lhong Tou Cafe — Quirky Dim Sum Spot In Yaowarat Bangkok With A Double-Decker Interior

Melissa Teo — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 16:12:15 +0000

If you’re in Bangkok and are on the hunt for eateries that not only have a smorgasbord of delicious food but also a unique layout, this is one place that you should add to your list.

Situated right smack in the middle of Yaowarat—Bangkok’s Chinatown—is Lhong Tou Cafe. This eclectic, cosy eatery is popular for their dim sum as well as their very interesting interior; both of which are incredibly Instagram-worthy.

The common thing about quirkily designed eateries is that they usually have pretty subpar food. This isn’t the case for Lhong Tou Cafe; we never thought that we would ever have some of the best dim sum of our lives in Bangkok and the dim sum here puts some of the ones we’ve tried in Hong Kong to shame!

We’ve attempted to come to Lhong Tou Cafe twice and the very first time we did, we found ourselves stuck in the middle of a 2-hour queue which we left within 10-minutes. This time around, we went at an odd hour of 4pm and it had been raining as well, so we managed to skip the crowds and snag ourselves a table pretty quick.

What we absolutely love about this place is the design of the seating area. Here, wooden panels and metal pipes are strategically placed to form a double-decker structure where people can choose to either sit on the top level or at the cubbies at the bottom when they take their queue ticket.

We also love how the entire place was also filled with plenty of lush greenery, giving the entire space a lovely botanical touch.

We started off with a plate of Lhong Tou Shumai where 3 very plump dumplings were doused in a delightfully sweet and savoury sauce. The dumplings were filled with a generous amount of meat that was chock full of umami and the meat to skin ratio was perfect.

Next up, we had the Thai Tea Bun (which features a fluffy, fragrant bun that comes chock full of satisfyingly good Thai tea custard. Tear open the bun to reveal its rich, creamy contents and watch in satisfaction as it slowly oozes out of the bun. The custard here tastes remarkably like actual Thai tea and we highly recommend this dish to anyone who is a huge fan of the drink.

Salted egg lovers will be happy to know that Lhong Tou Cafe has a menu item that resembles the popular salted egg yolk buns that we have here in Singapore. What makes Lhong Tou Cafe’s Egg Lava Bun so different (and better) is its exterior. Instead of a soft, pillowy bun, the lava is encased in a flaky, crispy pastry that provides the dish with plenty more bite and flavour.

Break open the bun to let out all its sinfully good contents; the egg lava here is both salty and sweet at the same time with a distinctive salted egg taste. Coupled with its pastry exterior, we can safely say that this is one of the best salted egg items that we have ever eaten in our lives and we will undoubtedly be back for it the next time we are in Bangkok.

The most adorable and unique item out of the lot was the Shitake Mushroom Bun. This bun looks like a carbon copy of an actual mushroom and what makes it even better is its earthy shitake mushroom filling. Our only gripe with this one is that we wish that there had been more filling because it was so good!

All in all, we highly recommend this place and you definitely need to check it out the next time you’re in Bangkok.

Lhong Tou Cafe
538 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 935 6499
Daily: 8am – 10pm

7 Instagrammable Street Food In Bangkok – Cheese Toastie, Watermelon Ice & More

Julee Ooi — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 01:00:56 +0000

There are few places in the world that can match up to Bangkok when it comes to cheap and delicious street food.

As Thailand’s tourism industry flourishes, we are definitely not surprised to find out about emerging food fads and trends that have gone viral on social media.

While it is easy to brush them off as something gimmicky, we applaud the creativity and effort that went behind creating these ‘Instagrammable’ food. If you are curious about where you can find them, here is our list of 7 Street Food In Bangkok That Will Spice Up Your Instagram Feed.

#1 CHEESE TOASTIE

One of the best finds in Bangkok when it comes to Instagram-worthy food is probably cheese toasties. That cheese pull is enough to garner all those likes on social media for you. Besides, who can say no to cheese right?

Where To Get It: ChangChui, JJ Green Night Market

#2 CHEESE FRIES

Anything with cheese and we are game for it. While cheese fries are nothing new, it sure makes a delicious snack when you are looking for something to keep your tummy satisfied at the night market.

Where To Get It: Talad Neon

#3 TAIYAKI

You get to choose which flavours you fancy (there is also durian) and the fillings are usually extremely generous. Pull your taiyaki apart for that photogenic cheese pull which does not lose out to the cheese toastie.

Where To Get It: Talad Neon

#4 WATERMELON ICE

Even if you have not been to Bangkok before, we are sure you have seen this dessert at pasar malams in Singapore. Nothing feels better than an icy watermelon dessert to cool off from Bangkok’s humid weather.

Where To Get It: The New Rot Fai Ratchada

#5 CHARCOAL CREPES

Where To Get It: JJ Green Night Market, The New Rot Fai Ratchada

#6 BLOOD BAG DRINK

This blood bag drink got us feeling like vampires sucking on real blood (it is actually just fruit punch)—eat your heart out Edward Cullen!

The taste is nothing amazing as it is just your regular syrup water but the beverage definitely helps to quench your thirst.

Where To Get It: Talad Neon, Artbox

#7 THAI MILK TEA

You have to film down the process of locals making traditional Thai milk tea. We were staring in awe as we watched the tea being pulled from one jug to the other. The end result is a delicious, frothy drink that is served at the right temperature for consumption.

Where To Get It: Chatuchak Weekend Market, Talad Neon

For more recommendations, read our guide on 18 Must-Try Street Food in Bangkok.

16 Reasons to Love Bangkok – Beyond All The Shopping, Food & Night Markets

Editorial — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 06:39:00 +0000

We know for a fact that we absolutely do not have to sell Bangkok, because it already is a top tourist destination for Singaporeans, especially. The airfares are affordable, food and shopping are similarly low-priced and everything about Bangkok just boasts an aura of awesomeness.

However, we also know that some people have their qualms about Bangkok and we are here to change that. Bangkok is so beautiful, we want you to see it too. Besides the shopping, food and all the well-known night markets, Bangkok has ancient temples, rich culture & heritage, and more!

Here are 16 Reasons to Love Bangkok, Thailand. You will definitely be booking your next trip by the end of this!

#1 AFFORDABLE MASSAGE & SPA

This is our favourite past-time in Bangkok and we do it almost everyday! Foot or full body massages are so affordable there (approx. S$10 or 250 baht) that we will never skip it when we visit this beautiful city. The masseuses are also very well-trained to really give you the best massages to relax your muscles and make you rid of any tension in your body.

#2 AFFORDABLE SEAFOOD MEALS

Seafood is generally pricey in Singapore. However in Bangkok, we can have a very big and satisfying full seafood dinner for about S$10 or so each. You can never find seafood prices like these in Singapore.

#3 AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION

We all love Bangkok for this reason. Whether you’re grabbing a taxi or tuk tuk, they’re all extremely inexpensive. However, remember to insist on them turning on the meter to not get conned!

#4 AMAZING STREET FOOD

We don’t know about you, but the street food in Bangkok is to-die-for to us! Everything is so tasty and flavoured so well that we sometimes skip meals just to eat a variety of street food (so much so that it fills our tummy up!). Quail eggs, deep-fried squid, roadside Phad Thai – we are hungry just thinking about it.

#5 BEST NIGHTLIFE VIBES

Bangkok boasts one of the richest nightlife in South East Asia. Besides pubs and clubs, the overall feel strolling down places like Khao San, taking in the vibes, is the perfect feeling to end your long night of shopping and activities. Grab a drink or beer here and just party the night away!

#6 BREATHTAKING ROOFTOP BARS IN BANGKOK

We love the fact that Bangkok has many breathtaking rooftop bars and they are all extremely beautiful. Some of our favourites include – Vertigo & Moon Bar at Banyan Tree (always packed, but you should still go anyway), Red Sky Rooftop at Centara Grand and Baiyoke Sky Rooftop Bar (highest point in the city).

#7 CONVENIENCE STORES

Strangely enough, we visit the 7/11 in Bangkok, more often than we would admit. Do you know a delicious pre-made and packed Thai Basil Chicken Rice is only barely S$1 there? And it’s really good too, trust us on that! Everything else from bottled drinks to snack are all generally much cheaper than in Singapore.

#8 COOL CAFES & COFFEE HOUSES IN BANGKOK

Bangkok is also no stranger to the cafe scene with popular destinations such as Karmakamet and its iconic candy floss desserts, and others such as After You and Mr. Jones’ Orphanage, offering affordable and delicious cafe fare.

#9 EVERYWHERE IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE

We like that it is easy to get to anywhere in Bangkok. Not once, were we ever lost. The roads might look messy but all the cab and tuk tuk drivers we’ve had, never had a problem.

#10 FRIENDLY LOCALS

Of course we will bump into rude and uncouth people any where in the world, but we are sure that Bangkok has some of the nicest and most polite locals around who will take the time to chat with you, even if they are not proficient in English – something that really warms our heart.

#11 INCREDIBLY GOOD SHOPPING DEALS

We know of friends who do their entire year’s worth of shopping on one trip to Bangkok—that’s how good the shopping deals are. With so many great night markets, weekend markets and shopping centres in the city, it is every shopaholic’s heaven.

#12 MELTING POT OF INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

Other than amazing Thai food, Bangkok offers great food from around the world. We’ve had authentic American diner fare in Khao San Road and Japanese food in the shopping centres that were more than up to standard.

#13 SKIN CARE & MAKEUP

This is for the ladies out there. Brand such as Snail White and Cathy Doll, are so much cheaper in their home country, of course! Grab all these amazing skin care and make up while you’re there and you’ll save a ton!

#14 WAT PHO & OTHER GORGEOUS TEMPLES

After the hustle and bustle of city life, take a break by visiting Wat Pho, home of the famous reclining Buddha. This temple is gorgeous and so tranquil inside, it is the perfect vacation ending you need to have.

#15 WELL-CONNECTED TRAINS

Whenever we spot a traffic jam, we would definitely head on down to their train. It is both affordable and very well-connected to all the major places in Bangkok. It served us really well when we want to get to somewhere fast when there is horrible traffic during peak hours!

#16 THE BEST NIGHT MARKETS IN BANGKOK

Ask any Singaporean which Asian city is their favourite for shopping and most would tell you Bangkok.

For the Thais, night markets are a way of life. The congregation of local vendors is a common sight and for many natives, their livelihoods depend on these bustling night bazaars.

Dexter Cafe & Bar – Rustic Cafe In Bangkok That Transforms Into A Bar By Night

Julee Ooi — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 01:00:25 +0000

A cafe by day and bar by night, Dexter Cafe & Bar along Sathon road is an aesthetically pleasing dining establishment in Bangkok. Their innovative coffee menu, calm ambiance and availability of free WIFI are great for those who are looking for a place to do some work.

We were pleasantly surprised at the wide range of drinks, brunch items and other Western mains which come in beautiful presentations that make perfect #foodporn pictures on social media platforms.

Swing by the place with your friends for a casual meet up, a birthday celebration or a chill drinking session at night.

Running a rustic theme with Scandinavian touches, Dexter Cafe & Bar boasts only three primary colours—black, white and brown. Every spot at the cafe is perfect for photo taking but keep a lookout for the vintage marquee sign which makes the best OOTD backdrop.

Although we dropped by in the day, we could imagine how chill it is to relax by the bar at night with a couple of drought beers, cocktails and wines. Of course, they also have a curated list of spirits and whiskeys for the serious drinkers as well.

When you are at Dexter Cafe & Bar, you cannot skip their coffee beverages inspired by international flavours around the world.

If you are up for something more adventurous, try their Brazilian Iced Coffee (THB130) which is an interesting blend of espresso double shots, cacao powder and Coca-Cola. Yes, this is a fizzy caffeine drink!

For a safer choice, we recommend the Iced Australian which is more like your usual iced coffee with espresso double shots, cold milk, vanilla syrup and vanilla ice cream on top.

The Æggekage (THB400) came with Danish-style omelette and it is a wholesome dish with plenty of cucumber, tomato, savoury bacon and crispy pork belly. While we were very impressed with the presentation of this dish, the same could not be said for its taste.

We found the pork belly to be slightly overdone and too tough for our liking. That being said, we still enjoyed the light and fluffy egg omelette which was well seasoned.

For the ultimate breakfast platter, get their Brunch Plate (THB500) which has all the breakfast items you can ever dream of.

This enormous plate features bacon, sausage, ham, parma ham, salami, cheese, fruits, bread, homemade pancakes, yogurt with muesli and eggs of your choice (scrambled/fried/omelette).

Dexter Bar & Cafe
56 Sathorn Soi 8
North Sathorn Road
Silom, Bangrak
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 02 636 6222
Mon to Fri: 9am – 11pm
Sat & Sun: 8am – 10pm
Nearest BTS: Chong Nonsi