Savory Selections
There might be a slightly Balinese theme in the décor but Jam Pa (02-513-8560, 08-1612-7967. Open Mon-Sat 11am-11pm.) is all about traditional Thai dishes. Kaeng som cha-om kung sod (sour soup with shrimp and cha-om omelet, B95), roast meat served in a sizzling hot pan (B150) and somtam with salted egg (B60) are the must-try dishes.
If you want a taste of the south, then Alternative’s Khao Yum (08-1403-2509. Open Mon-Sat 7am-4pm) is the place to head. It serves up a range of healthy dishes with recipes that originated in Trang. The highlight has to be the khao yum samoon prai (rice with savory mixed local herbs and green salad, B45). If that’s not enough to satisfy your craving for authentic southern dishes then you should also sample kaeng tai pla (spicy Southern-style curry, B50), and yum phak roum (B45). We also like the fact that they offer take home in recycled cardboard rather than the normal plastic bags.
Phoon-Ta-Lop (Pa Choo parking, 085-240-3720. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm) is known for its Isaan dishes and particularly its delicious somtam (B35) with fried chicken (B60). Its outdoor location means it does get pretty hot and sweaty but that doesn’t put off the hordes of office workers who descend at lunch time. Call ahead and order to go if you want to try and avoid the heat and the crowds. You can also get a further Isaan food hit at Phoon-Ta-Lop Papaya Salad, situated behind yummy roast banana stall Srisamorn (see below).
Of course, the market is perhaps most famous for its kuay tiew lui suan, freshly rolled noodles, and Khun Tip’s shop (Lung Perm market food center, 08-6603-4727, 08-4005-5420. Open Mon-Sat 7am-3pm) is both the oldest and, judging by the lines of people, also the most popular. We have our doubts about their claim to be the first fresh noodle stall in Thailand but we don’t argue about the great taste. Choose between boxes of these wafer thin noodles filled with either pork, veggies (B30/B60/B120) or shrimp (B50/100).
Sweet Spots
If you want some healthy dessert, then the owner of Soft-Fruit in Fresh Milk (08-1558-0028, 08-6572-5959. Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-2pm) guarantees that his family recipe desserts are made fresh daily and without using any fat, food coloring or artificial stabilizers. Which gives you the perfect excuse to indulge in a range of desserts made from ice, fresh milk, sago and coconut (B30).
If you want sweet and air-con, then head to Miss Mamon (02-938-5529, 08-1372-1544. Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-5pm. www.missmamon.com), which sits opposite the entrance to the market. The cutesy interior is covered in images of the bright yellow, big-eyed character that doubles as the brand logo. Known for their wide range of homemade soft mamon cakes, popular in Hong Kong, they now have five stores around the city. There is an almost bewildering range of choice. Their Original Mamon (B25) comes in vanilla, pandanus or coffee flavors and has a choice of nine different kinds of topping, with foi thong, the most popular. If you want to be a little healthier then go for the no sugar option (vanilla only, B30) with 4 choices of topping. Don’t fancy some Mamon? They also have a range of breads, sandwiches and cookies, which you can wash down with some pearl tea. If you’re bananas for bananas then you really shouldn’t miss picking up some sweet soft roasted gluay from Srisamorn (Pa Choo parking, 08-1612-1760. Open Mon-Sat 9:30am-6pm). What makes this stand out from your normal stalls is the special honey sauce that you can even get in a separate pot (B20), allowing you to keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
