Where to eat in Bangkok for simple, inexpensive, and unusual food

After four days in Chiang Mai, we took an hour flight to Bangkok. We were all ready for another food adventure.

Our first stop was Or Tor Kor Market, where you will find tiny stalls specializing in various Thai dishes. My routine is I walk around the whole food area and with a lot of hesitation, holding back my desire to purchase anything. Then I think of what jumped out to me. Others in our group of 34 were buying all sorts of food. I ended up getting chicken in green curry sauce, crispy fried chicken wings with a chili sauce, stuffed crab, a super tender beef shank with herbs and wansoy, kangkong, and some steamed rice. The “palpak” items were the chicken curry, which I discovered were made with chicken ball and the stuffed crab. Ang tigas. But I was happy with the wings and beef. We tried a most delicious durian called Monthong, creamy, mildly sweet, and just a winner. This will give Malaysia’s Musang King or Māo Shān Wáng a good run for its money. I love simple, inexpensive, and unusual food. To me, it is like looking for treasure. This game makes me smile.

That evening, we all went to Thipsamai, a must-visit. It specializes in pad thai of all sorts. A must also is the chilled orange juice loaded with pulp bits. I ordered the pad thai with chicken. Sweet, sour, salty, and—with an addition of chili flakes—spicy too, it is perfect with the sweet, salty, and chilled orange juice. I simply love the pad thai here! When we arrived, there was a line but the wait was so worth it.

Right beside is the Michelin-rated and Netflix-popular Jay Fai. Named after the nickname of its chef, owner, and Bangkok street food icon Supinya Junsuta, it specializes in crab omelet. The old lady makes the perfect crab omelet roll that she is also revered as the “omelette lady.” But there is a minimum wait of three hours. It is close to impossible to get a table. We featured Jay Fai in Foodprints when it was not that popular yet. The omelet has huge chunks of crab. I also loved the crab curry and fish cakes.

But, it’s hard to get into Jay Fai, I had a back up plan. The diner Nhong Rim Klong, located just outside Bangkok, also specializes in crab. We hired a van to get there, but when we arrived, we were met with a queue, including some foodie Pinoys awaiting their turn. It took us about 45 minutes to wait, to sit down, and to order. This place will make you think of your loved ones. Each item was outstanding. We ordered the crab omelet.

Jay Fai has nicer interiors but, to me, Nhong Rim Klong, tasted better. The shrimps with garlic were such a winner. The shrimps were huge and fresh, and so simply stir fried you can taste its freshness. We had chunks of crab over sauteed cabbage, which were also delicious. The crab curry was just as good. But to me, apart from the omelet, the crab fried rice was to die for. Just that and the omelet, solve! I put a little chili sauce on the rice. Grabe! Our drink? Chilled buko juice. This restaurant was the highlight of our food trip.

ghlight of our food trip. On the road, we visited a grocery called Big C. It has so many interesting food items on offers that I ended up buying much like tom yum chips and chili sampalok. We also went to MKB where were found crispy pork sheets, which were oily but delicious— a must-try.

It was so good I kept on telling myself to put my diet on hold until I got back to Manila. But I would go back to Nhong Rim Klong at the drop of a hat. I dream about its food.

Join my Japan Food Tour from March 20 to 25. Call Melody- +63 917 624 2819 or e-mail melody_a.ph@jtbap.com.