Southern Thai Food In Bangkok

[dantilley]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a good Southern Thai restaurant in Bangkok? I used to go to Malika a lot on Soi Rang Nam, Victory Monument area, but I went down the soi recently and saw that it's now closed down. Has Malika moved elsewhere? If not, where's good to go for a good, spicy, southern Thai feast?

[dantilley]

Sounds good - I work right near there so can check it out easily. Thanks!

[sbk]

Next time I am in Bangkok I will give it a try and let you know what I think. If its not spicy its not aroi!

[sabaijai]

I don't remember the name, but there is a good one directly under Rachatevee BTS station, across the street from the Asia Hotel. If coming on the BTS, get off at Rachatevee and use the exit opposite the Asia Hotel entrance. Walk down the stairs and look for a restaurant with greenish/gold paint and a sign in thai script. There is a motorcycle taxi stand next to it.

I know the one you mean, it's good. Will try and note the name next time I'm in the area, which is pretty much every other Wed for the shows at the Tube. If it's like most southern Thai restos in Bkk it's only open in the morning and afternoon.

One of the most well known southern Thai spots is Dao Tai, on Th Phran Nok in Thonburi. near the Wang Lang Pier. Unlike other S Thai eateries it's open 7am-8.30pm. Excellent kai tom khamin, kaeng lueang and kaeng khee lek. Diagonally across from Dao Tai is a nearly identical place called Ruam Tai that is also quite good, open roughly the same hours.

There's a pretty good southern Thai khao kaeng shop on Nang Linchee Rd in the Sathon area, just south of the Soi Amorn/Chan Kao intersection of the east side of the street. Open 7am-3pm Mon-Sa. I used to eat their frequently when I lived in that neighbourhood. I Forget the name, something like Chao Tai.

I'm going to move this thread to the Bangkok Forum, where I think you'll get more input.

[MickeyM]

I don't remember the name, but there is a good one directly under Rachatevee BTS station, across the street from the Asia Hotel. If coming on the BTS, get off at Rachatevee and use the exit opposite the Asia Hotel entrance. Walk down the stairs and look for a restaurant with greenish/gold paint and a sign in thai script. There is a motorcycle taxi stand next to it.

The name is 'TS Southern Thai'; they recently moved due to the block they were in being demolished, but only 50 meters away inside the 'Coco Walk' Complex (Walk down the center aisle of Coco Walk and it is the 2nd or 3rd business on the left). Excellent food.

[dantilley]

I don't remember the name, but there is a good one directly under Rachatevee BTS station, across the street from the Asia Hotel. If coming on the BTS, get off at Rachatevee and use the exit opposite the Asia Hotel entrance. Walk down the stairs and look for a restaurant with greenish/gold paint and a sign in thai script. There is a motorcycle taxi stand next to it.

Had a very brief look for this place today and couldn't find it - is it adjacent to the Coco Walk complex? If so, is it on the left or the right, as you face Coco Walk? Anyway, as I said it was only a very brief look as I was ascending the BTS steps so will have a proper look later this week.

Edit: Just seen the reply from MickeyM - thanks a lot, sounds like I was slightly off the mark today, will make my way inside Coco Walk next time.

Edited January 27, 2010 by dantilley

[dantilley]

One of the most well known southern Thai spots is Dao Tai, on Th Phran Nok in Thonburi. near the Wang Lang Pier Unlike other S Thai eateries it's open 7am-8.30pm. Excellent kai tom khamin, kaeng lueang and kaeng khee lek. Diagonally across from Dao Tai is a nearly identical place called Ruam Tai that is also quite good, open roughly the same hours.

There's a pretty good southern Thai khao kaeng shop on Nang Linchee Rd in the Sathon area, just south of the Soi Amorn/Chan Kao intersection of the east side of the street. Open 7am-3pm Mon-Sa. I used to eat their frequently when I lived in that neighbourhood. I Forget the name, something like Chao Tai.

Thanks for these - I'm rarely in Thonburi but the Nang Linchee place sounds do-able.

I'm going to move this thread to the Bangkok Forum, where I think you'll get more input.

Thanks again

[Tingnongnoi]

loads up on Ramkhamhaeng, which probably has one of the biggest concentrations of southerners in BKK

[sbk]

If its what I call one of those curry places, where the curry is made in the morning and displayed in big steel tubs until sold out, ask if they have blah kwuah (?) its a salted fish curry.

Get a big fish, like a barracuda, salt and dry it. Then, make a red curry and cook the fish until its re-hydrated (hence the kwuah, which means, I am told, boiled a long time). The curry should be very thick, even better if the oil is floating on top, with big meaty pieces of fish. The combination of salty from the fish, spicy from the curry and sweet from the coconut makes for an outstanding dish. My MIL makes it on special occasions as she knows its my favorite.

[dantilley]

blah kwuah (?) its a salted fish curry.

Could be "pla klua" perhaps? (pla = fish, klua = salt). Sounds very nice though whatever it is! Will try and order it at whichever southern Thai place I try...

[sbk]

Nope, not salt. sounds more like bottle but without the t sound at the end. I checked.

I always call it blah, because well, I am married to a fisherman and after a while of eating fish fish fish, it becomes blah blah blah.

[bkkjames]

Next time I am in Bangkok I will give it a try and let you know what I think. If its not spicy its not aroi!

We do agree on something.

[dantilley]

The name is 'TS Southern Thai'; they recently moved due to the block they were in being demolished, but only 50 meters away inside the 'Coco Walk' Complex (Walk down the center aisle of Coco Walk and it is the 2nd or 3rd business on the left). Excellent food.

Tried this place for lunch today, I thought it was excellent. We had a gaeng som pla which was nice and pungent, and a lot more yellowey than I've often seen it, not the deep orange colour that you often see in Thai restaurants in Bangkok. Another dish called something like kaw gring was one I've seen in southern Thai restaurants before but could never remember the name, looks liks this anyway:

It was very good too, spicy and pungent as I was hoping for.

The third dish was a shrimp salad and was very tasty too, kind of like a cross between a laab and a yam wun sen.

Good stuff all round, I'll be back for sure. And none of the dreaded sa-tor ("stink beans") in site, thankfully!

Oh, and it's open until 10pm every day, the manager told us.

Edited January 29, 2010 by dantilley

[dantilley]

They may have had sa-tor on the premises but it didn't appear in any of the dishes we ordered, much to my relief!

[SpoliaOpima]

The name is 'TS Southern Thai'; they recently moved due to the block they were in being demolished, but only 50 meters away inside the 'Coco Walk' Complex (Walk down the center aisle of Coco Walk and it is the 2nd or 3rd business on the left). Excellent food.

Tried this place for lunch today, I thought it was excellent. We had a gaeng som pla which was nice and pungent, and a lot more yellowey than I've often seen it, not the deep orange colour that you often see in Thai restaurants in Bangkok. Another dish called something like kaw gring was one I've seen in southern Thai restaurants before but could never remember the name, looks liks this anyway:

That's khua kring (คั่วกริ้ง), usually made with chicken, very spicy, I love it.

[sbk]

Glad to hear it is still around. I had no idea it had moved, I have not been in Bangkok for 6 months.

It's one of the few places in BKK where you can get south-style gaeng som. They always had sa-tor when I went there (I love the stuff), but I think it's seasonal.

it is and now is not the season, you will need to wait a few more months.

Gotta say, don't like gaeng som and don't like sator. But there is more to Southern food than those two things, thank goodness, or else I'd starve

[sbk]

Glad to hear it is still around. I had no idea it had moved, I have not been in Bangkok for 6 months.

It's one of the few places in BKK where you can get south-style gaeng som. They always had sa-tor when I went there (I love the stuff), but I think it's seasonal.

it is and now is not the season, you will need to wait a few more months.

Gotta say, don't like gaeng som and don't like sator. But there is more to Southern food than those two things, thank goodness, or else I'd be in trouble:D

I do love me a nice and spicy pat phet (fried curry) tho

[joebob987]

There is a stall that is hard to find, but the food is great and blistering hot.

Its on a small soi across the street from the front entrance of MBK. The area is roughly inside Sois Siam Square 7 and Siam Square 1. Its a curved soi and the stall is close to the Siam Square 1 soi where the soi straightens out. There is a small stand with a yellow or red sign in Thai script that says Ahahn Phak Dtai if I remember right, its been 2 years. I remember that area being open early morning to midday but closing after lunch.

[dekestone]

The name is 'TS Southern Thai'; they recently moved due to the block they were in being demolished, but only 50 meters away inside the 'Coco Walk' Complex (Walk down the center aisle of Coco Walk and it is the 2nd or 3rd business on the left). Excellent food.

Thanks for that MickeyM! haven't had a decent kaeng som since I left Songkhla four years ago!

[sabaijai]

Big fan of sator/sataw! Kaeng som is actually a central Thai dish, but of course the southerners have their own take on it, often adding green papaya chunks. I love both styles, but prefer central Thai, esp with cha-om (acacia) cooked in egg.

I haven't found any good southern-style kaeng som in Bangkok yet, including at TS. Aside: There's a resto in Chiang Mai called Phuket Laikhram, on Suthep Rd, that does pretty good southern-style kaeng som.

Another pak tai dish that they can't seem to get right here in Bangkok is khao yam. Narathiwat has the best but it doesn't seem to make it up here. Doesn't really make it even as far as Nakhon Si Thammarat