Golden Falcon Way: Food in Bangkok

This is my first time back in Bangkok after a good 6 years. When we are talking about Bangkok, the plethora of food comes into mind and it is not surprising that my whole itinerary in Bangkok is about food. In fact, in the countless times that I have been here, I don’t think I have done much sightseeing. It is always eating this, eating that. I would like to share some of the places that I dine at in Bangkok this time around, including one place that I have visited since I was a child.

Jeh O Chula 

First up, Jeh O Chula! Who doesn’t know about this place? This is one of the most famous spots in town and it comes with a matching queue to show for. Be prepared to wait if you would like to dine here although a tip would be to get the package with fast track access via Klook. That allows you to skip the queue and have a reservation. Prices are higher for the set but I would think that it is worth it. Even this, the packages fly off the racks. Do get them early if you want to dine at a specific time and date.

I got Set C since only that comes with the date and time that I wanted. Do come on time as you won’t want them to cancel your reservation. The place is famous for its Mama tom yum noodles and crispy pork belly. You can get a simple bowl of noodles or one that is lavishly decorated with crab legs. The Set C comes with a Thai-style Shrimp Omelet, a Large pot of Jeh O’s Famous Mama Tom Yum – Mama Noodles with Mixed Seafood (Prawn, Squid, Crab Legs, Eggs, and Pork Meatballs), a Large plate of Jeh O’s Signature Crispy Pork Belly, Large plate of Yum Salmon, Large plate of Signature Fried Pork Shoulder with Sour Dip and Stir-fried Morning Glory.

We also got some extra dishes from their ala carte menu. Everything was so delicious and we finished everything besides some noodles.

They gave us a refund of 300 THB on the spot as the fried pork shoulder is out of stock. You can also supplement the set menu with items from their ala carte menu. They have a huge selection of items and the prices are affordable. Think of it like a Thai Tzi Char. Portions are huge. I love the shrimp omelette and morning glory. This is a popular place for both dinner and supper. They are open from 4.30pm to midnight. I would recommend this place but only if I do not have to queue.

Rung Rueang Pork Noodles

I will totally recommend this place to everyone that is in Bangkok. It is my first time trying and I can’t stop thinking about it. Rung Rueang Pork Noodles is even a holder of a Michelin star. They are open from 8am to 5pm and these are good for any time of the day. Breakfast, lunch or an early dinner. It is located in Sukhumvit 26 and the nearest BTS station is Phrom Phong and if you are staying at the DoubleTree, it is right opposite it.

I love that the menu is well designed and they make it easy for tourists or eaters who can’t communicate in Thai. You can easily choose your preferred base, type of noodles and ingredients. All of them are excellent. I love both the dry and soup version. The price goes from 60, 70 and 80 THB for small, medium and large. The noodles portions are small. I would recommend just getting a small size but more bowls since you can try the different flavours and bases.

This place turns out to be one of the highlights of my trip. It is my first time checking it out after hearing so much about it. It was surprisingly very good and you certainly should not mix. Just a kind reminder, you are never going to stop at one bowl.

Mui Leng Chinese Restaurant 

This is a family favourite and a store that I have visited since I was a child. You are probably not going to find this elsewhere or on any other sites. I will at least visit it once whenever I am in town. They are open from around noon till late at night. It might look ordinary but the food is extremely good. Here is a link to its location on google map just in case you have trouble locating it. It is on the main stretch in Yaowarat, the Chinatown of Bangkok.

The food is cooked by the Thai Chinese families and they have been doing it for a decade. This is my spot to go for seafood, birds nest and shark fin. Get them with their homemade chrysanthemum drink. It is a classic. The oyster omelette and shark fin is my usual order. Prices might not be cheap by Bangkok standards but it is very affordable in Singapore or the western world gauge. 12 bucks for bird nest?

Nai Mong Hoi Tod

This Michelin Bib Gourmand winning stall is famous for doing eggs. Hoi Tod meant fried oysters and this place is the expert in town in cooking them. You have to dine here. They do both the soft omelette style and the crispy one. I love both of them. If you prefer, they also do a mussels version rather than oysters. Prices start from 100 THB.

I also gave the crab-fried rice a try and it was good. Nicely fried and packed with crab meat. They are not famous for the crab-fried rice but do a decent rendition. This cost 100 THB too. Perfect for pairing with the oyster omelettes.

Nai Ek Roll Noodles

When in Bangkok, you can’t skip out on having the renowned Thai Kway Chap or Roll Noodles. These rolled rice noodles are like bit size and in a peppery broth with all sorts of ingredients, usually, there would be pork slices and crispy roasted meat. They are the perfect food for the soul, especially after a drinking session or during a cold night. There are a couple of famous outlets in town from Mr Jo as well as this, Nai Ek which is located in Yaowarat. They are open from 8am to 12am.

Be prepared to wait for a while when you come as this is a crowd favourite among locals. They sell all sorts of other stuff as well. I love their braised duck too. Good choice in the late evening.

Famous Yaowarat Toasted Buns 

This is a surprise addition. I have long heard about this place and how good they are. It does get me wondering how good can buns be. They are recognised by their striking yellow boxes and you can find their stand on the main stretch of Yaowarat opposite T&K Seafood and slightly above. Follow the crowd and you will not go wrong. While there might be a queue, it goes super fast. Just get one of the slips and mark your orders.

The famous flavours are milk and egg custard. They cost 25 THB each. These are great for a snack, the buns are warm and slightly crispy. They also come filled to the brim, they are not stingy with the filling. They are a good snack and worth trying but I won’t be going out of my way to get them. Just get what you can finish on the spot as they are nice fresh. After a while, the buns are no longer hot and crispy.

Conclusion

This is only the tip of the iceberg, there are many more food places in Bangkok than you can visit. I wish that I have many more stomachs when I am in town. There is so much more that I would like to visit and have. Food and Bangkok go hand in hand and most of the time this is all I do or “sightsee” when here. Chinatown or Yaowarat is my personal favourite. Most of the food places that I shared above are light on the wallet except the seafood place and even that is very affordable by Singapore and the Western world standard.