Foodprints woke up once again! This is my show on the Metro Channel where I go to a city (here and abroad) and feature food that viewers can get tips from. It’s basically telling people where to find delicious food. The show was on vacation for a few years until I got a call from Gie Interior of Metro informing me that we were doing a show in Bangkok. Of course, I was excited. I’ve been to Bangkok dozens of times and always go to the same places. This time, I knew it was going to be different because Thailand Tourism was going to be our guide. That meant new dining discoveries.
On our list were Michelin-rated, as well as Michelin-starred, restaurants. Out of the four we visited, Chef Pam impressed me the most. She just happens to be the Best Female Chef of Asia for 2024. Her dishes were very creative, and it’s hard to imagine how she can think of these creations. I enjoyed her food the most. Her restaurant is located on a busy side street in a building the family has owned for decades. Funny enough, after cooking and preparing all those gourmet dishes, I caught Chef Pam at a tiny street stall near her restaurant feasting on some piping hot Thai noodles. Simple joys of comfort food.
Bangkok has many popular dishes. You have papaya salad, mango sticky rice, boiled pig's knuckles, crab fried rice, pad Thai, tom yum, and many more.
I love Thai food. But I prefer tiny dining places over fine dining, by far. We were taken to three dining places that served three of the most popular items in Thai cuisine: mango sticky rice, crab fried rice, and boiled pork pata. But the major difference was all three are Michelin-rated, so these are the best of the best. I was so happy after.
First stop: Mango sticky rice at Kor Panich. This is a takeout place where you just pick up your order and find a place to eat it. I was lucky to find a stall in front of the place and feasted right there. Outstanding! No wonder it was Michelin-rated. The rice was a bit firm, the coconut sauce was sweet and salty, and the mango was sweet. They also had crispy mung beans to sprinkle on top of the dessert. Sarap!
Then came the crab fried rice. The place is called Here Hai. This place had a line. They serve fried rice topped with chunks of whole crab meat. The rice had a smoky flavor—I can imagine they heat the wok until it smokes, then drop in the rice to season it. They then top that with loads of crab. Alone, I could have this as my meal, but they serve it with a green sauce that’s sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. With this sauce, the crab fried rice is taken to another level. Grabe ang sarap!
Then we went to this pata place called Charoen Saeng Silom. Google it. We arrived at 9:30 in the morning, and there was already a line. I love going to places like these. There were a few photos on the menu—all parts of the pork leg. These are pork pata simmered for hours until super tender. The fat that floats on top is then removed. The pata is then rested, the skin opened, the fat between the skin and meat removed, and it is then closed again. The result: guilt-free—or less guilty—pata. The sauce is a bit sweet with soy flavor and anise. The skin is spoon-tender, and there’s a yellow sauce you pour over. With white rice, this is heaven on earth. Grabe!
Also, as soon as you arrive or leave the Bangkok airport, go to the first floor and dine at the food mall there. Get the fried chicken with the light brown sauce. Heavenly, too.
This Bangkok experience was a surprise, and I couldn’t wait to tell my readers about my new discoveries. I’ve just added these new discoveries to my Bangkok list. Now, I am excited to go back. I love Bangkok!
Happy eating!
Fukuoka Food Tour - Oct. 20 to 25. Message Melody at 0917-624-2819 or email at [email protected].