Although Chiang Mai is reputedly Thailand’s food capital, my
top three Thai dishes are actually from Bangkok. That probably says more about
gastronome Ollie – who owns Silvalai Place hotel, than it does about Bangkok,
since she has given me the best insider’s edge imaginable.
The first time I came to Bangkok I wanted to get away from
the Khao San road and experience a little Thai neighbourhood. I found
Silvalai Place and booked an apartment. I met Ollie back
then who kindly took me round the same market she took Elle around, when she stayed there last year. We quickly bonded over
our love of food and she let me in on some of Bangkok’s best-kept secrets. When
I returned for a few days either side of Chiang Mai, I simply had to go and
find these dishes again!
Pad Thai is one of those ubiquitous dishes that one doesn’t
really question but having been so wowed by Thipsamae’s rendering of it, I did
a bit of digging and found it was heavily promoted by Thailand's fascist government in the 40s as part of campaign to promote Thai nationalism and reduce how much rice was eaten so that more could be exported!
Thipsamai’s has to be the best Pad Thai in the world. I
really hate exaggerations like that since I obviously haven’t been all over the
world sampling every Pad Thai but sometimes when you taste perfection you know
that it can’t possibly get better. There
have been long queues of Thai people outside it all 5 times that I have ever
been, both in 2012 and 2014, which surely says a lot.
The menu consists of around 8 different Pad Thais for around
80 baht (£1.50) each, along with incredibly tasty orange juice. The best ones
are the traditional pad thai which comes recommended on the menu, as well as the one
wrapped in an egg womb!
This isn’t all that easy to find but it is definitely worth
the hunt. Wang Lang pier is also relatively near Wat Arun – my favourite Wat in
Bangkok – so if you are out and about in the area, its not much further along
the Phraya river. Wang Lang is a pier with a market
so if you ask a Taxi driver of Tuk Tuk for Wang lane you will be dropped off
opposite an alleyway surrounded by market stalls selling food, clothes and all
sorts, that leads down to the pier. This bit has some good food around it but
the better food stalls are further up, on Wang Lang Thanon. All you need to do
is face the river, turn left up the road, until you meet Wang Lang Thanon, then
turn right down it, until you meet another row of stalls.
There, you should be able to find this man and his divine
Massaman curry. Hunt him down and you most certainly will not regret it. The
curry is one of the best things I have ever eaten, humming with cardamom,
cloves, blade mace, cassia and coconut, it is so finely balanced that its
humble provenance is almost hard to believe. This man is a genius; I want to
know his secret.
There is also a great selection of other snacks and puddings, including
a favourite of mine - thin crispy pancakes with a dollop of meringue mix and a
sprinkling of sweet shrimps – delicious - and not photographed since I ate them so quickly!
 |
| Mmm, crackling! |
 |
| peanut filled sweet dumplings |
Unnamed Seafood Restaurant
This restaurant is of Thanon Arun Amarin, close to Thonburi Hospital. I am afraid you'll have to ask Ollie for better directions since my navigational skills are somewhat lacking. Unlike the last two places, this was new discovery this trip. Ollie took Theo and me there for
dinner. You can get all sorts of seafood to order with an incredibly spicy and
delicious sauce, that I learnt how to make during my cookingclass in Chaing Mai.
 |
| Ollie and Theo |
 |
| Mud crab curry |
My favourite thing however, has to be the mud crab curry. It
isn’t exactly the most beautiful of dishes but the soft flakes of crabmeat in
that delicately flavoured sauce is pure heaven.
