Recession Bites
Recession Bites
June 16th, 2009The top 21 spots for delicious, pocket-friendly eats.
During the current gloom of skyrocketing fuel prices and salary cuts, we’re all trying to weather the recession either by cutting back on holidays or on our shopping budget. But recessions doesn’t necessarily mean depression, at least when it comes to food. And thankfully, Bangkok is blessed with a multitude of cheap eats you can indulge in without breaking the bank. We’ve rummaged through the streets to find 21 places to keep your stomach and your wallet happy. This selection is new and fresh, meaning that the hopelessly popular Khao Mun Gai Pratunam, Joke Samyan or Mon Nomsod didn’t make the cut. (You can still visit bkmagazine.com for those places, though.) Have more cheap eats to recommend? Email us at food@asia-city.co.th, because, after all, everyone loves bargains, especially when they taste so good!
Morning snacks
1.Streetside cart, Sawalee (Bangkhunnont Rd., near Kuay Tiew Pla Nai Ngiab, 089-202-3992. Open Tue-Sun 9am-4:30pm), whips up sakoo sai moo (bite-sized steamed pork dumplings) and khao krieb pak mor (minced pork wrapped in rice flour) on the premises. This is one place where they don’t skimp on the fillings and they don’t make the dough too thick.
2.The deep-fried pies at Curry Puff Phaholyothin (near Phaholyothin Place Building, Phaholyothin Rd., 081-381-9818. Open Mon-Fri 8am-2pm) make fabulous snacks at just B10 a piece. There are five fillings available: mushroom, chicken, ham, tuna and black bean. Call in advance to avoid the queues.
3.Tucked in a soi next to Bangkok Bank headquarters, this nameless salted beef stall (Lalaisap Market, Silom Soi 5, 089-533-5658. Open Mon-Fri 10:30am-4pm) deep fries finger-licking beef strips and liver at B35/gram. Get it with sticky rice (B5) and you have a filling meal.
Lunch time
4. At Kuay Jub Mr. Joe (313/7ChanRd.,02-213-3007. Open daily 8am-5pm), hordes of hungry diners line up daily for a comforting bowl of rice noodles with clear peppery broth, perfectly-cooked entrails and moo krob (B35) which is so addictive that you want to pay another B35 for a separate dish of this crispy pork.
5. While the well-off crowds enjoy fine-dining Italian at Gianni’s, famished office workers in-the-know head further into Soi Tonson for budget home-style Italian fare at Jo Joe Pasta (Soi Tonson, near To-Sit restaurant, 086-009-3176. Open Mon-Sat 10:30am-9pm). The food might not be as authentic—it’s definitely tweaked for the Thai palate—but the portions are generous, the service welcoming and, most importantly, the prices are good-value (around B80 for appetizers and B95 for pastas). This small eatery is hectic during lunchtime so it’s better to drop by for a late lunch (after 2:30pm) when the crowds start to die down.
6. Despite claiming to be a Vietnamese restaurant, Moo Yaw Jampa Thong’s (Nakorn Chaisri Rd., Sam Yaek Pichai, 02-669-3751. Open daily 8:30am-5pm) Vietnamese staples like fresh spring rolls (B30) and nam neung (B50) are only decent at best. What keeps us coming back to this shophouse eatery, however, is its dependably delicious moo yaw noodles( B30-40), which impresses with its pleasant soup and toothsome slices of Northern pork sausage.
7. Din Pao (Section 4, Soi 1, Chatuchak Market, 084-098-3083. Open Sat-Sun 10:30am-7pm) has been feeding Chatuchak’s shoppers for over 10 years. With numerous tables scattered along the back alley of the weekend market, the eatery raises the heat with a variety of spicy Isaan dishes. Try the scrumptious deep-fried chicken (B60), somtam poo (B40) and grilled Korae-style chicken (B15/stick).
8. Next door to Plaza Atheenee Hotel is Sa-Nguan Sri (59/1 Wireless Rd., 02-252-7637, 02-251-9378. Open Mon-Sat 10am-3pm). Despite its location in the heart of the business district, this humble restaurant serves up various time-tested Thai recipes at surprisingly low prices (B40-100). You can even find rare dishes like phra ram long song (pork in peanut sauce) and kaeng jeut luuk rok (clear soup with egg dumplings). That’s why it’s so popular among foodies and savvy young professionals in the neighborhood. You have to show up 11am if you want a table, but it’s well worth the effort.
9. Don’t be intimidated by Coconut Palm’s (395/3-5 Maharat Rd., 02-622-2246. www.coconutpalmrestaurant.com. Open daily 10am-6pm) bigwig regulars. Most dishes here are around B30-50—very cheap considering you’re dining in a pleasant air-con room with good service and good food. The Sukhothai-style noodles (B30) and kanom jeen sao nam (B50) are must-tries. If you are there on Monday, do order kanom intanin (B25), bite-sized, pandanus tapioca balls in aromatic coconut milk. Coconut Palm is one of a very few places that still serves this rare treat.
10. Pop by Maprao Hom (opposite Phufa shop, Chatuchak Market, 086-510-1060. Open Sat-Sun 11am-6:30pm) for its refreshing kati ice cream with young coconut flesh served in a young coconut husk (B25). The friendly staff also give out cups of coconut juice for free.
11. Now run by the third generation, the aptly-named Larb Langsuan (Soi Langsuan, 02-252-1862. Open Mon-Sat 11am-8:30pm) whips up pungent larb moo, along with other Isaan favorites. The fiery hot tom yam with pork ribs and suea rong hai (grilled beef drizzled with chili) are sweat-worthy dishes. But if you can’t take the heat, the pork satay and sun-dried beef are also yummy. Prices are around B40 per dish. Despite its name, the eatery is easier accessed from Soi Mahatlekluang 1, near the Four Seasons Hotel.
Dinner
12. The juicy koh moo yang (grilled pork neck) coupled with a fiery jaew dip is reason enough to visit Pa Som (Damrongrak Rd., in front of 7-Eleven, near Phan Fah Bridge, 089-056-7909. Open daily 5pm-midnight). But other dishes (around B30-50) at this street-side stall, from the somtam poo plara to larb ped, are equally tasty, making Pa Som one of our favorite go-to spots for a spontaneous Isaan dinner. The jim joom (Isaan hotpot) is another highlight so make sure you get yourself a bubbling hotpot to dip and swish your meat and seafood in.
13. Suan Maili and Plabplachai neighborhoods have countless kuay tiew kua kai (stir-fried chicken noodle) stalls tucked in almost every nook and cranny. One of the longest-standing ones is Kuay Tiew Kua Kai Nai Hong (02-222-4047. Open daily 5-11pm). Hidden in the middle of a non-descript alley, first timers might have a hard time finding it. First, head to Ha Yaek Plabplachai, then look for a small soi next to Nong Ann, another popular kua kai shop. You’re getting close. Venture into that soi, turn left and voila! Manning the charcoal stove, the old uncle at Nai Hong has been serving up oily-yet-delicious bowls of chicken noodles (B30) for over three decades. Get the kuay tiew ob (B30), which is topped with a half-boiled egg. On busy nights, you might have to wait for over an hour for your order to arrive, but the fish cakes (B20-30) from the nearby stall make a decent stop-gap snack.
14. Don’t expect much from the service at the ever-bustling Suki Maverick (Soi Yodsae, Chalermkhat Rd., 081-005-2526. Open daily 5-11pm) since the staff, especially the owner’s pretty daughters, seem to be constantly annoyed at their clients. But fortunately, the stir-fried “dry”suki (B50) served with zesty sauce is so delicious it really makes up for the grumpy servers. You can have your suki with chicken, pork, or seafood. But we prefer ours with beef, marinated until it’s tender and flavorful.
15. Opposite Suki Maverick is Moo Satay Yodsae (083-251-5959. Open daily 5-10:30pm), where pork satay is served on a paper plate and the nutty dip comes in a plastic cup. But who cares, when the pork is this juicy, tender and cheap? B46 for 12 sticks.
16. Daeng Kuay Jub Yuan (32 Phra Athit Rd., 085-246-0111. Open daily 11am-10pm) brings in the rice noodles and black-peppered moo yaw for their kuay jub yuan (Vietnamese-style noodles, B30) all the way from Ubon Ratchathani province. Hungry? Order a “special” (B40) and you’ll get a hearty bowl of savory noodles brimming with slowly-braised pork ribs, pork balls, Chinese mushrooms and quail eggs. The auntie owner only makes her kuay jub yuan when you place an order to make sure every bowl is served fresh and hot.
17. They say location is everything, but that doesn’t apply to Peng Peng (Sip Sam Hang Rd., Banglampoo. Open daily 4-9pm. Closed on the 19th and 20th of each month). Hidden in a small soi opposite Hachi-ban Ramen, this grungy, hole-in-the-wall khaotom stall attracts many regulars who are willing to sacrifice atmosphere for delicious down-to-earth recipes. We especially like the stir-fried pork knuckle with basil leaves (B50) and the mixed palo (slowly-braised pork knuckle, entrails, tofu and egg, B60).
Late night munchies
18. With over 80 years in the business, Heng Kee (441 Mahachai Rd., near Samranrat Intersection, 02-621-0153, 081-6155785. Open daily 6pm-1am) is an establishment famous for its homemade, flat egg noodles. Here, the best-seller is “Super Special” (B60), al dente noodles with fish balls, crab meat, crab sticks, BBQ pork and ba teng (sweetened diced pork) served with an appetizing shrimp wonton soup. Feeling a bit adventurous? Get your noodles khee mao (drunken style, B50) or have them topped with khai palo (boiled egg in sweet gravy, B50).
19. We love Chai Pochana (362 Soi Samakkee, 02-573-2921. Open daily 4pm-2am) for its huge portions and cheap prices. The menu covers all the khaotom staples along with some seafood dishes. Don’t miss the tom kha kai super (B60). Slowly-braised chicken feet in spicy hot clear soup, it’s a perfect hangover cure.
20. It takes some guts to name your restaurant “Yod Yiam” (excellent) as you wouldn’t want to fall on your face by serving just OK food. But fortunately Nuea Wua Super Yod Yiam (Soi Suan Mali 1, opposite Klang Hospital. Open daily 5-11pm) does live up to its moniker. The streetside cart serves up superb soup (B40) with tender slowly-braised, melt-in-the-mouth beef and meat balls.
21. At Jae Koy (Petchburi Soi 12, 081-818-3625. Open daily 5pm-3am), it seems almost insulting to pay so little for such big-portioned, tasty food. Popular among university students and night crawlers, this roadside restaurant is our favorite spot for after-hours somtam. What this drab shophouse lacks in style, it more than makes up for what’s on the plate. Try the yum pla duk foo (deep-fried minced catfish served with spicy mango salad B80), juicy grilled pork neck (B50) and jim joom (B120). n
Craving for more?
Visit http://bkmagazine.com/ feature/100-dishes-die.
