There are Thai restaurants aplenty in every town and city in the UK and with good reason too. Thai food is consistently among the top dogs on world cuisine bucket lists but to really experience the essence of Thai food, you need to make your way to the mean streets of Bangkok.
ating street food doesn’t mean playing Russian roulette with your digestive system. In the cut throat world of Bangkok dining, only the very best places survive. That said, the city does throws up some weird and wonderful concoctions – anyone for deep fried grasshopper or roasted bat in banana leaf? [quote align=”center” color=”#b64736″]If you have the stomach for it, there is no shortage of extreme cuisine in the city.[/quote]
To begin, follow your nose (or the never-ending wave of hungry locals) to Saochingcha, widely regarded as a Bangkok foodie Mecca and the perfect place to indulge every conceivable palate – be it sweet, savoury and spicy. Along with infinite varieties of the staple noodle dish Pad Thai, you can chow down to Goong Pao BBQ shrimp, grilled beef curry, deep fried oysters, salmon, sticky rice mango, sickly sweet fried bananas and a whole lot more. This is the king among Bangkok hawker food, with a mix of open air kitchens and trendy little cafes and lots of loud, animated chatter.
For something a little different, check out the adjacent districts of Yaowarat (Chinatown) and Little India which serve up a cornucopia of fusion bites from every corner of Asia. An honourable mention must go to Boat Noodle Alley, located near to the Victory Monument. This is a tightly packed warren of steaming noodle houses that offers up a colourful glimpse of vibrant local life.
When it’s time to glam it up a little, there is only one place to go; The Dome at LeBua (Silom Road Tel: 02624-9555) boasts no less than six Thai and international restaurants huddled around a 360° rooftop terrace, 65 storeys above the heaving masses. You get to sample top notch Thai style fusion with a view to die for.
By Ray Montgomery
