Bkk Eats - Thai - Silom/Sathorn

At some point in time, writing down my favourite restaurants and recommending the same dishes to visiting friends on little scraps of paper (with my illegible handwriting), searching through old emails for my Bkk Must Eat list gets a little tiresome. I figure I might as well put it all in one place, with the phone number and addresses and my fave to-die-for dishes and hope that I can just say - "darling,if you are in Bkk and need some resto tips, have a look at Bkk Eats and you can find where I actually go to eat and drink" Maybe I will add to this with drinking holes, shops and galleries but for now - let's start with Bkk and food . . . :)

There are some restaurants here that are not to be missed. Full Stop.

Bkk Eats my faves (not in any particular order of preference - although I did post my top five about a year ago) listed by area as Bkk traffic can be such a pain, it is good to know at least where you are going, type of food as everything is available here and in a way what you will be eating dictates the kind of look and feel of the resto, this is especially so with Thai food. Also whether they are open fo rlunch or dinner. I'm starting with Silom/Sathorn - close to the The Oriental and the grand river hotles as well as The Sukhothai and The Metropolitan. The area is kind of the spine and connects new Bkk with Thonburi as well as old bkk, is the commercial district as well as business district also

Taling Pling

A two story garden house on the same soi as the Indian Temple on Pan road which connects Sathorn and Silom. Colourfully decorated, feels rather bijoux with little wooden tables, nothing too fancy, air con is super cold. Been around for ages, is always full, lunch and dinner and has the most fantastic food, booking recommended as it is always full. The menu is HUGE, little pics for you to look at too. Luckily the portions are small so you can try loooads of things, I have gone when famished and end up over ordering - thank goodness for doggy bags! Save room for dessert.

My faves:

Mieng Taling Pling - old school Thai hors d'oeuvre of betel leaf with shalots, garlic, ginger chilli, dried shrimp, there is a special coconut paste which is different from other places. Delicious and a must-try especially to master the art of creating a betel leaf cup.

Yum Taling Pling - a Thai salad of crispy fish with lemongrass with lime, chili dressing. Very fresh.

Yum Dok krajon with shrimp - flower salad with shrimp - always love to eat flowers, just the idea. This flower is supposed to be good for the eyes.

Kuaytiow Bok - a bastardished jumbo version of the Vietnamese fresh spring roll - rocks.

Deep fried garlic, chilli and pepper squid - to-die-for

Beef green curry with roti - beef is braised and tender and the curry rich and aromatic, served with fried roti.

Gaeng ped ped yang - Red curry with roast duck - the way it should be made. Sweet and rich.

Yod mara pad cha - marrow shoot stir fried with chilli - lovely texture and smell.

Deepfried pomfret with fish sauch - aamazing. Or go for the steamed sea bass with chilli and lime.

Kai jieow kab moo - heart attack city with thai omelet and pork crackling but so good, served here with chilli, lime and shallots, perhaps to cut the fat.

Dessert:

Mango Sticky Rice - esp if mango is in season

Tub tim grob - water chestnut wrapped in pink fragrant sweet jelly in syrup and young coconut ice ans shavings.

Flourless chocolate - yes, not only have the mastered the thai food but the pastry chef is not one to mess with

Open: Daily for lunch through to dinner. Last order 10:30 if you sit around and chill, they will stay open but don't be surprised if they close everything around you and leave you in the dark!

Address: 60 Thanon Pan

Phone number:02 236 4830

N.B. Avoid the other branches in town, they are a poor shade of what the original Pan Road branch is best. If you are there in the day time, stroll down the road and check out Kathmandu gallery or have a chai tea in one of the little Indian tea shops.

Le Lys

Lovely garden restaurant owned by a Thai lady and her French hubby, been around for ages though has moved to this location since a couple years ago. Cozy terrace and a patanque area - nice selection of french wine and to accompany what feels and tastes like home cooked Thai food. What is great is you can choose level of Thainess and they serve brown rice! Le Lys serve some very local southern dishes that you don't get in central bkk, very strong and pungent flavours here.

I only book when we are a big group - super fun place when there is a big group

My faves:

Mieng kap moo - Betel leaf hor d'oeuvre with pork crackling. Or try the tuna version with Kale

Larb woonsen - vermicelli larb chhose from chicken, seafood, port - Thai salad which is unique for its roasted rice, mint and chilli mix

Jungle curry - pungent, rich but without coconut. A local and strong flavour, worth trying

Gaeng Lieng - a very fragrant herbal soup

Duck Krapow - duck fillet with crispy basil thai style

Tamarind prawns - delicious

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Address: 148/11 Nang Linchi Soi 6

Outdoor terrace - lots of mozzies but they have spray and anti mozzy stuff.

Phone number: 02 287 1898

website

Baan Klang Nam

Rather large seafood restaurant in a compound of connecting wooden houses on the river with a view of the port. Busy and outdoors, lots of Thai families, big tables, oddly serves sushi as well. Huge menu, nothing fancy at all, you go there for the seafood and the hustle and bustle - it is delicious. They also have funny cocktails, makes it a bit kitsch, mai tais etc.

My faves:

fresh oysters - served Thai style - deep fried shallots and pak krajed and thai spicy seafood dip. The pak krajed causes the oysters to turn sweet, some chemical reaction happens and it's like sucking on sugar - bizarre and at the same time, delicious

pad thai without noodles - fresh juicy shrimps with all the ingredients of phad thai without the noodles.

steamed seabass with lime, chilli and garlic (pla krapong nueng manao) - I love this dish here.

bbq tiger prawns - to die for, esp with thai seafood dip

steamed mussels with herbs - delicious

The menu is totally humongous . . . anything goes really. I remember I used to order california rolls here too, why I am not so sure.

Open daily for lunch and dinner (I like it for dinner)

Address: Rama 3 soi 14 (this is the original, they have another branch which is Baan Klang Nam 2 - never been there)

Phone number: 02 292 0175