Category Archives: eating

Nam Kheang Sai

Posted on May 21, 2013 | Comments Off

Nam Kheang Sai means ‘shaved ice’ in Thai. This a traditional Thai desert dating back hundreds of years to the time ice first came to Thailand. That must have been a great moment for Bangkokers as it gets incredibly hot in the city. It is hard to escape the heat when there is no beach nearby.

Originally Nam Kheang Sai was only available to the very rich, but with the introduction of ice making machines to Thailand it became available to the wider population. It is still eaten all over Thailand. It is sold by vendors from hand carts. The recipe remains largely unchanged, although most vendors now use a hand powered machine to cut the ice rather than a knife or mandolin slicer.

The vendor in the pictures was outside Hua Lamphong train Station in Bangkok. This delicacy cost the princely sum of 15 Thai Baht (half an American dollar or 30 English pence).

The first stage of the process is filling the bowl with fruit or sweets. I had longon and nata cubes (a coconut extract). Next the ice is shaved and placed on top. The next stage of the process is to add syrup. There are lots of differently coloured syrups: red, green, orange, purple, blue and yellow. The colours don’t approximate to a particular natural flavour (such as strawberry or raspberry) but the Thai’s seem to like the taste. The final step is to pour condensed milk over the top.

I didn’t think I was going to like it, but it was tasty and refreshing. I recommend giving it a try. It is one of those Thai street food experiences worth giving a go.

Below are photos showing the various stages to make this traditional Thai ice treat.

step 1
Step 1

step 2
Step 2

step 3
Step 3

step 4
Step 4

step 5
Step 5

Nam Kheang Sai
Finished Nam Kheang Sai

If you are interested in street food in Thailand please check out my other blogs on this topic:

1) Bangkok Street Food Part 1

2) Bangkok Street Food Part 2

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Best Fish and Chips

Posted on March 1, 2013 | Comments Off
Offshore Fish and Chips

Offshore Fish and Chips

There are a number of reasons to head down to Sukhumvit on your time off – there’s shopping and bargains to be had; there are temples and parks; there are museums, galleries and performance spaces; there is even a planetarium. And then of course there are all the bars covering a multitude of tastes. The most notorious spot where bars meet sex industry is of course Soi Cowboy. Just around the corner from the right light district is the best fish and chips shop in Bangkok.

The establishment that wins the superlative spot is called ‘Offshore Fish and Chips’. The sign outside hanging over the doorway just says ‘Fish & Chips Shop’. As with some many great eating places in Bangkok from the outside the restaurant doesn’t look anything special. That is because it is the cooking that does the talking and creates the successful business.

You can find Offshore on Sukhumvit Soi 23 just around the corner from Soi Cowboy. No doubt plenty of foreigners pass by the shop feeling an alcohol induced hunger for fast food and stop to give it a go. I’m sure the majority return because they do great food.

You can get local fish in batter as well as the traditional cod in batter. Cod costs 150 Thai Baht ($5), red snapper 100 Thai Baht ($3) and chips are 50 Thai Baht ($1.6). If you are from the UK and like thick chip-shop chips you will be a bit disappointed. Nevertheless, the final result of fish and chips is not bad at all.

You can eat in or take out. The owners also have the Offshore Pub next door. It has a faux brick frontage and bench. A chip shop next to a pub is definitely a plus.

It is after all one of the joys of travelling that things are not the same all over the world. You can’t get better than sushi from Japan and for all its faults and bad weather you can’t beat back home fish and chips. However the Offshore is a good enough approximation to make you happy, especially after having had a naughty night in Soi Cowboy.

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5 Top Dining Experiences in Bangkok

Posted on May 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Got a few days to spend in Bangkok? Wandering where to eat? Well let’s try and steer you in the right direction. Rather than give you 5 specific locations to go to, please allow us to suggest 5 types of dining experience you should indulge in.

Street Food

Street food is the culinary soul of Thailand. If you haven’t eaten street food in Thailand, you haven’t eat Thai food. Street food in Thailand isn’t a gamble with your health, this isn’t India. I have eaten street food in Thailand for almost 15 years and have never had food poisoning. Its safe because they cook it and sell it same day. Thai people eat street food every day.

There are street food stalls everywhere. Some good places to go are: the southern entrance to Lumphini Park at night, near the Khao San post office at the top end of the Soi Rambutri, the noght market on Soi 38 Sukhumvit Road. If you want something halfway between street food and a restaurant go to the Seafood Market on Soi 7 Sukhumvit Road.

Please see my other blogs on street food (Bangkok Street Food Part 1 and Bangkok Street Food Part 2) for some ideas on what to eat.

Rooftop Dining

Bangkok is a beautiful city at night. The skyscraper and the bright lights are romantic when you aren’t in the midst of the traffic and the crowded pavements. What better way to enjoy the view than enoying a wonderful meal and a good bottle of wine. A number of hotels offer very high quality roof top dining experiences. Not as vertiginious as you might imagine. Three good rooftop restaurants to try are Sirocco Restaurant at the Lebua State Tower Hotel (1055/111 Silom Road) famously the setting for Hangover 2 the movie. Secondly, Vertigo at the Banyan Tree Hotel (21/100 South Sathorn Road). And thirdly, Red Sky Restaurants at the Centara Grand (999/99 Rama 1 Rd).

Garden Dining

Dining in a City garden is a popular choice for Thai people. It’s a great break from the stresses of the City to eat outside in a calm leafy setting. Three good options are Cabbages and Condoms on Soi 12 Sukhumvit Road, The Lake House on Soi 39 Sukhumvit Road and Ana Garden on Soi 55 Sukhumvit Road. Cabbages and Condoms raises money money for a family planning charity, hence the unusual name, and we particularly recommend this restuarant for great Thai food.

River Cruises

Great way to see the city and enjoy good food at the same time. If enjoyed doing this in Paris, then you will enjoy doing it in Bangkok. This magical experience will be a highlight of your holiday.

Three companies we would recommend. Manhora Cruises from the Anantara Group (tel +66 (0) 2365 9111 or e-mail: bangkokriverside@anantara.com). Tristar Floating Restaurant Co., Ltd (www.thaicurise.com) runs a number of different boats and routes, times etc. Loy Nava Cruises (www.loynava.com) has been in operation since 1970, which is a good measure of their reliability.

One of the best river dinner cruises is the Grand Pearl Dinner Cruise. If you book the Isango tour online you will picked up from your hotel at 6.30pm and taken by air-con vehicle to a riverside pier to board the Grand Pearl, one of Bangkok’s most luxurious floating restaurants. The cruise boat takes guests on tour of Bangkok by night taking in Wat Arun, the Grand Palace and Wat Pra Kaew. These sites look spectacular at night. The mood is enhanced by a candlelit dinner. The menu offers both Thai and International cuisine.

Find out more about the Grand Pearl Dinner Cruise

Go to the Pub

After a couple of weeks in Thailand you may want to eat some western food. The best place to do this is at one of Bangkok’s western style pubs. Our favourite is Gulliver’s Tavern on Soi 5 Sukhumvit Road, because we like the outside seating area, the great service and the reliably good food menu. You might also try The Australian on Soi 11 Sukhumvit Road for good antipodean food, or Bradman’s Sports Bistro on Soi 23 Sukhumvit Road for a good steak and other items from the grill.

Enjoy!

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Sala Rim Naam Restaurant

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Leave a comment


Sala Rim Naam is run by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is across the river from the restaurant. As arguably the best hotel in Bangkok, and one of the best in the world, diners can be assured that this ‘satellite’ operation of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel will meet up to expectations.

Sala Rim Naam offers two different dining options. There is the inside dining experience (pictured above) known simply as Sala Rim Naam, and an outside dining area known as Terrace Rim Naam for romantic riverside dining. The difference is that the indoor dining includes a classical Thai Dancing show, and dinners are limited (if that is the right to describe an elegant Thai dining menu) to buffet lunches and an extravagant set menu in the evening. At Terrace Rim Naam you can choose from the a la carte menu as well. The indoor dining is a bit more tourist oriented, which may or may not be your thing.

Sala Rim Naam underwent a $3 million dollar renovation in 2007. You can see what they spent the money on as the interior resembles a palace, rather than a restaurant. They hired a specialist weaver for the silk upholstery, cushions and wall panels. The set evening menus are currently priced at 1,800 Thai Baht ($60) per person and worth every penny especially if you factor in the surroundings and the classical Thai dancing show. The dancing show is nightly from 8.15pm to 9.30pm and features a large cast performing a variety of dance styles, including the little performed Khon (masked) dance. If you really want to push the ‘boat out’ you can book in advance for the Chef’s Table. Executive Chef Vichit Mukura will cook you a 6 course meal for 2,900 Thai Baht ($97) or 9 courses for 3,900 Thai Baht ($130).

Terrace Rimm Naam has a great range of Thai food to choose from. Below we have listed some of our favourites:

Naam Prik Makhaam -Deep fried sardines with Thai Chilli Sauce

Gaeng Phed Goong Bai Chapu – Prawn curry with Betel leaves

Nuea Kua Kling – Southern style fried beef with yellow curry paste and herbs

Phed Yaang Naam Makhaam – Roasted duck with tamarind sauce

Sala Rim Naam is open for buffet lunch from 12 noon to 3pm and set dinner from 7pm to 11pm. Terrace Rim Naam is open from 5pm to 11pm. You can book by calling +66 2659 9000 or by e-mail (mobkk-restaurants@mohg.com). To get there go to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and take the hotel’s teak barge across the river, which is pictured above. To get to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel either take a taxi or go to the Saphan Taksin BTS (sky train) station and head to the ferry pier – the hotel runs a frequent shuttle service in another teak barge.

You can make sure you get a table at Sala Rim Naam by booking through Isango. They pick you up at your hotel at 7pm and take you in an air-con vehicle to a ferry where you take a short boat trip out to the restaurant. For $117 you get a seat in the teak and marble main hall, get a full meal consisting of royal Thai cuisine, a dancing show, transfers and an English speaking guide. Click the button below to book or get more information.

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Supatra River House

Posted on May 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

Supatra River House
Supatra River House restaurant is one of the great dining experiences for visitors to Bangkok. There are better places to eat admittedly, but when you factor in river side location, the views of the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, the value for money prices, and the restored teak house, you can see why this restaurant is so popular. Famous people have chosen to eat here, such as Keanu Reeves and Shakira. If you are on holiday come and eat here, you will love it, and ignore the killjoys who talk down this restaurant. We think its great.

The restaurant is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River on the opposite side to the Grand Palace. Getting there is either a ‘pain in the posterior’ or charming depending on your perspective. The restaurant runs a shuttle boat from the Maharaj Pier on the Maharaj Road, which is near the Grand Palace, to take you across the river. If you want to make your own way, you need to take a taxi or be prepared for a substantial walk and a challenging time with maps. The address is 266 Soi Wat Rakhang in Thonburi.

The restaurant is open from 11.30 am to 2.30pm for lunch and 5.30pm to 11pm for dinner. The restaurant is split into three sections. There is the open air terrace, the two storey restored teak house with air-conditioned dining rooms, and a second building with a river view dining room. We suggest booking as you will probably want to sit outside. The telephone number is 0066-2-411-0305 and the e-mail address is reservation_srh@hotmail.com.

This restaurant has some history, and is owned and run by an elite Bangkok family. The original owner of the house is Khun Supatra Singholaga, who is quite a famous figure in Thailand having been instrumental in starting the Chao Phraya Express Boat Company and having been a leading advocate of women’s rights in Thailand. Her youngest daughter is involved in the running of the restaurant and putting on the Classical Thai Dancing shows which happens every saturday night from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. If you go you will see her dancing.

Anyway, onto the food. There are both A La Carte options and set menus. The set menus cost around 750 Thai Baht ($25) to 1,200 Thai Baht ($40). The food is Thai, with a hint of fusion cooking in some of the dishes. We wouldn’t describe the food as ‘authentic’ Thai cooking as it is geared towards the Western palate, but it is good.

The menu is orientated towards seafood and the seafood dishes are the star of the show. Our recommendations are the Steamed Sea Bass in Spicy Lemon Sauce, Deep Fried Garoupa in Chilli Sauce, and Deep Fried Snapper in Sweet & Sour Sauce. To give you a sense of the dishes on offer, and the prices, below we have listed some example dishes:

  • Fried rice with seafood and chinese sausage – 220 Thai Baht
  • Deep fired sea bass – 470 Thai Baht
  • Massaman Beef Curry – 220 Thai Baht
  • Pomelo Salad with Seafood – 220 Thai Baht

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Bangkok Street Food – Part 2 (Khao Kha Moo shops)

Posted on May 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

A great staple Bangkok Street food for Thai people is Khao Kha Moo. You will find this all over Thailand. Every street has a stall. It is great value, at between 30 to 45 baht (1 to 1.5 USD) a plate. If you are hungry you can even ask for a big portion by adding the words ‘Pi Set’ which means special in Thai, to the end of the name of the dish.

You will spot Khao Kha Moo stalls by the whole chicken and pieces of pork hanging up behind a glass container. This puts some foreign visitors off as they think it is unhygienic. However, this is a mistake. The meat is generally cooked in the morning on an industrial scale by catering suppliers and then purchased on the same day by the street vendors. The food is really popular so always gets sold out in a day. The meat isn’t hot when you eat it, but that doesn’t matter as the ambient temperature is warm anyway.

Khao Kha Moo shops actually sell a variety of dishes. We have listed the main ones below:

Khao Kha Moo

Khao Kha Moo
This is stewed pork leg with pickled vegetables over rice. It comes with a broth and a red chilli sauce.

Khao Man Gai

Khao Man Gai
This is boiled chicken with uncooked cucumber over rice. It comes with a broth and a slightly sweet black chilli sauce.

Khao Man Gai Tort

Khao Man Gai Tort
The same as Khao Man Gai, but the chicken is deep fried with breadcrumbs.

Khao Moo Daeng

Khao Moo Dang
Stewed pork leg with crunchy fried pork leg cut into chunks and sliced slightly sweet Chinese sausage. The whole mix of meats comes on rice with a hot red sticky sauce. Yummy!

Khao Moo Grop

Khao Moo Grop
Crunchy fried pork leg cut into chunks served on rice. Sometimes served with a sweet red sticky sauce, although normally accompanied by a bowl of broth, and green chilli sauce.

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Bangkok Street Food Part 1

Posted on April 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Bangkok street food
If you find yourself wandering down the Sukhumvit Road after midnight in need of a good feed then head down to the street stalls between soi 7 and soi 15. There are lots of options such as noodles, curry and rice dishes or barbeque delights. However, what we suggest, especially if you are in a group, is Dim Jum.

Dim Jum is a dish with Chinese origins. You will find it in Bangkok and some parts of Northern Thailand. We tried a search on a Google – but nothing came up. This is a real classic and something only the locals know about.

Dim Jum is a traditional hot pot dish. What you get is a charcoal burner with a pot on top.  The pot is filled with stock which bubbles away. You then order trays of food which you add to the stock and cook for yourself. What you put in is up to you. The selection normally includes noodles, vegetables, offal, fish and chicken. When you think everything is cooked you ladle the soup mixture into individual bowls to eat. The meal can go on as long as you want. You just order more ingredients for the pot if you are still hungry.

An insider’s tip is that they will serve you beer whilst you eat, but only in a plastic cup as it is illegal to sell alcohol after 12 midnight in Thailand without a special license.
Bangkok street food
The process of ordering Dim Jum can be a bit intimidating if you don’t speak Thai. However, with a bit of patience you can do it. Walk along the street and locate the stalls by looking out for someone else eating the same thing. Order by pointing normally works. The vendors won’t speak much English.

Here are a few basic Thai words to help you on your way:

Vegetable = pahk
Morning Glory = pahk bong
Glass noodle = wun sen
Chicken = gai
Shrimp or Prawn = gung
Water for the pot = nam rawn

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