Where Are Bangkok'S Best Nachos?

[TravelTeach]

Hey,

Nachos are a perennial favorite of mine, especially while perching at a bar and having a beer. I'm talking north american style tortilla chips covered in mozzarella cheese. So far the best I've had are at Big Mango, though the portion size is ridiculously small for the money.

Who can beat theirs?

[FOODLOVER]

Please use cheddar.

Edited May 30, 2012 by FOODLOVER

[tutsiwarrior]

I useta stay away from nachos as everywhere that I went that offered them produced a disgusting concoction of stale tortilla chips drenched in velveeta processed cheese...then one day I was with an associate in Hanoi at a place called Le Bar and he ordered some and I was amazed; really nice crunchy tortilla chips covered with 'pico de gallo' (finely chopped tomato, onion and fresh chile) with a very light covering of melted mozarella...they were unexpected and delicious and then I would return to Le Bar when on a shopping trip downtown when I lived in Hanoi just to get some...

if anyone sees anything like that when they order nachos in BKK then 'raise the alarm'...

Edited May 30, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[rodentwarrior]

Try the nachos at the Mexican restaurant in Soi Convent. I guess they must be doing something right because they did a big 'do' for the Mexican Ambassador last year.

It's called Coyote on Convent.

[tutsiwarrior]

Try the nachos at the Mexican restaurant in Soi Convent. I guess they must be doing something right because they did a big 'do' for the Mexican Ambassador last year.

It's called Coyote on Convent.

and this raises the question: do they have nachos in Mexico? I think not...they are an 'across the border' gringo invention concocted by off duty bar staff, blond guys named Greg and Steve in California in the bar kitchen while drinking shots of cheap tequila chased by boddles of Corona beer...

but, no matter...it's whatever floats yer boat...to His Excellency the mexican ambassador: 'and how are the nachos, senor?' and then he sez diplomatically: 'excellent...I must try these at home...'...

[smokie36]

Not tried them at La Monita....I am a tacos fan...but I bet they are good.

[FOODLOVER]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachos

[Sayonarax]

Real nachos.. please define what real nachos is, in your eyes.

[rodentwarrior]

Try the nachos at the Mexican restaurant in Soi Convent. I guess they must be doing something right because they did a big 'do' for the Mexican Ambassador last year.

It's called Coyote on Convent.

and this raises the question: do they have nachos in Mexico? I think not...they are an 'across the border' gringo invention concocted by off duty bar staff, blond guys named Greg and Steve in California in the bar kitchen while drinking shots of cheap tequila chased by boddles of Corona beer...

but, no matter...it's whatever floats yer boat...to His Excellency the mexican ambassador: 'and how are the nachos, senor?' and then he sez diplomatically: 'excellent...I must try these at home...'...

Well I used to eat Nachos in Puerta Vallarta many many years ago......maybe they were exported from America. I did read somewhere that they were invented in America though....

[DP25]

I don't know of any good deals on nachos in Bangkok, everywhere seems to be expensive and small portions. They are really easy to make though and you can get good tortilla chips at places like Tops, Foodland, and Villa. Just put some ground beef, refried beans, and cheddar or jack cheese on them and nuke it for a minute. Top with salsa, sour cream, and home made guacamole.

[FOODLOVER]

Real nachos.. please define what real nachos is, in your eyes.

Can not see!

[TravelTeach]

Real nachos.. please define what real nachos is, in your eyes.

I'm not looking for either "real" nachos or "imaginary" nachos. I'm looking for Canadian-style nachos (and I think the states is similar). These are done on a tray or basket with tomatoes, olives, onions, peppers, mozzarella or Monterrey Jack Cheese, and served with a side of sour cream and possibly guacamole.

It's my style of pub food. Many a night has been had with friends fighting over the "key nachos" -- those nachos that lock onto the cheese for a quadrant of the tray. This style can be had in Japan and Taiwan but so far I've not seen it done for good value in BKK.

If Mango's were twice as big I'd say they win my vote.

I'll have to try the Soi Convent ones.

[NanaFoods]

Try the nachos at the Mexican restaurant in Soi Convent. I guess they must be doing something right because they did a big 'do' for the Mexican Ambassador last year.

It's called Coyote on Convent.

and this raises the question: do they have nachos in Mexico? I think not...they are an 'across the border' gringo invention concocted by off duty bar staff, blond guys named Greg and Steve in California in the bar kitchen while drinking shots of cheap tequila chased by boddles of Corona beer...

but, no matter...it's whatever floats yer boat...to His Excellency the mexican ambassador: 'and how are the nachos, senor?' and then he sez diplomatically: 'excellent...I must try these at home...'...

Actually, nachos technically ARE Mexican - originally just corn chips, pickled jalapenos and longhorn (cheddar) cheese (creation attributed to Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya at Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico 1943). But, yes, they very well may be more popular in the States than Mexico.

Nachos with meat, beans, sour cream, etc. ("Nachos Supreme") are considered Tex-Mex.

The Story Goes...

One day in 1943, the wives of ten to twelve U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in nearby Eagle Pass were in Piedras Negras on a shopping trip, and arrived at the restaurant after it had closed for the day. The maître d', Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, invented a new snack for them with what little he had available in the kitchen: tortillas and cheese sauce. Anaya cut the tortillas into triangles, added shredded cheddar cheese, quickly heated them, added sliced jalapeño peppers and served them.

When asked what the dish was called, he answered, "Nacho's especiales." As word of the dish traveled, the apostrophe got lost, and Nacho's "specials" became "special nachos."

[Backwoods]

Only ones I've liked are homeade, not into chili over chips, or chunks of beef with salsa on them! I use Tostinos rounds or Danita's original for chips. I brown a Pound of ground beef in frypan and add Taco seasoning,usually McCormic or Old Elpaso, and a bit of water just to bind seasoning. Placing chips on plate and adding a spoonfull of ground beef on each chip. I then Grate a small block of colby cheese, got a t Villa Mkt, and make sure all the chips and meat covered with small layer of cheese. I pop this in the microwave fro 1.5 min and watch them as when cheese is melted take out. I serve with sour cream, and El Sapo Picante. Takes about 15-20 mins tops and great eating. PS don't froget to pick up a jar of Japaleno slices, and can be added on or served on side!

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I don't like the way microwaves toughen up the chips, plus I like the cheese to get a little browned/crispy in spots.

A decent toaster-oven will do much better if you don't have a proper baking oven.

I also warm up or even stir fry the non-cheese toppings and either spoon/scatter them on top or dip the chips/melted cheese into the warm salsa or chilli in bowls, otherwise you end up with too gloppy a mess.

Talk about first world problems. . .

[Backwoods]

I don't like the way microwaves toughen up the chips, plus I like the cheese to get a little browned/crispy in spots.

A decent toaster-oven will do much better if you don't have a proper baking oven.

I also warm up or even stir fry the non-cheese toppings and either spoon/scatter them on top or dip the chips/melted cheese into the warm salsa or chilli in bowls, otherwise you end up with too gloppy a mess.

Talk about first world problems. . .

If you watch them and take out as soon as cheese melts, I have never had a problem with chips, if anything they seem to soften from the oil in cheese and fat from meat. But If you take out like I said we are only talking about 40 seconds! I do love them better in a real oven, but never brown the same with small convection oven.

[tutsiwarrior]

Only ones I've liked are homeade, not into chili over chips, or chunks of beef with salsa on them! I use Tostinos rounds or Danita's original for chips. I brown a Pound of ground beef in frypan and add Taco seasoning,usually McCormic or Old Elpaso, and a bit of water just to bind seasoning. Placing chips on plate and adding a spoonfull of ground beef on each chip. I then Grate a small block of colby cheese, got a t Villa Mkt, and make sure all the chips and meat covered with small layer of cheese. I pop this in the microwave fro 1.5 min and watch them as when cheese is melted take out. I serve with sour cream, and El Sapo Picante. Takes about 15-20 mins tops and great eating. PS don't froget to pick up a jar of Japaleno slices, and can be added on or served on side!

an interesting observation and as always: 'right on!' to those who can replicate a taste of home in their own kitchens in Thailand...but, to be brutally frank; nachos are 'bar food' and that one could maybe take nachos out of the bar but one cannot take 'the bar' out of the nachos...

now, take them bars on soi nana where most of the food ain't perpared on the premises but in the surrounding hotel kitchens then served up to folks hookin' down the beer and chatting to the ladies; they doan care where the food comes from...there could be a 'nachos syndicate' on soi nana if the right arrangements were made...'nacho wars' and etc...

and then the BiB arrive to restore order and find themselves covered with processed cheese and jalapenos and then they reach for their weapons and withdraw in confusion and disarray...

Edited June 4, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[kyb789]

La Monita's Restaurant near Phoenchit BTS station. Can't be beat anywhere in Thailand. Try the steak nachos. Simply awesome.

[OSU21]

Two places I recommend for nachos:

1. Great American Rib on Sukhimwit Soi 35.

2. Sunrise Taco at Siam Paragon food court. I was quite surprised at this one. I have never tried the original Sunrise Taco on Sukhimwit but had heard stories of the poor quality, etc. The branch at Siam Paragon makes a good nacho. They have a branch at Terminal 21 also, but I have never been there.

In my opinion both of the places have better nachos than the Coyote nachos which I have tried at their Soi Convent branch and their Sukhimiwit branch.

[Backwoods]

Two places I recommend for nachos:

1. Great American Rib on Sukhimwit Soi 35.

2. Sunrise Taco at Siam Paragon food court. I was quite surprised at this one. I have never tried the original Sunrise Taco on Sukhimwit but had heard stories of the poor quality, etc. The branch at Siam Paragon makes a good nacho. They have a branch at Terminal 21 also, but I have never been there.

In my opinion both of the places have better nachos than the Coyote nachos which I have tried at their Soi Convent branch and their Sukhimiwit branch.

I liked the Great American Ribs Nachos, but really didn't care for the Sunrise version I love the El Sapo sauces, but also found a taste from home, Pace Picante and Salsa at the Villa on Sukumvit 33. El Sapo is my staple, but love to alternate for my taste, and colbu cheese is my favorite for Nachos, but add monterey jack sometimes, but I serve Picante and sour cream on the side not as a topping, keeps them from getting soggy in places. I don't go to bars as I quit drinking a few years back, but enjoy a soft drinks!

[thenoilif]

Nachos are one of those snacks that I try out at any restaurant that serves them so I have ate them at the following:

Bourbon Street

La Monitas

Coyote

Sunrise Tacos

Ca Pasa

Great American Rib

Bully's

Ricky's

For me, Nachos must have real cheese first and foremost. I prefer Cheddar or Monterey jack but Mozzarella will suffice. I am also not a big fan of "loaded" nachos where they pile on so many toppings that the chips are soggy after a few minutes. This doesn't seem to be an issue in Bangkok because restaurants do really load up the nachos too much. With this being said, I would only recommend four out of the 8 I listed above and in this order:

1. Ricky's - This little gem of a restaurant located near Khao San has very tasty nachos. They use high quality cheese and they know how to season their meat. They also have the tastiest guac in Thailand, their avocados have a very rich flavor so whoever picks them has a good sense for it. Portions are small but the price is dirt cheap at least compared to every other place the serves Mexican food.

La Monitas - The nachos are almost identical to Ricky's but more expensive. The only upside to La Monita's is you can get Carnitas as a meat option and theirs is the best in Bangkok.

Coyote - Just like everything else on their menu, Coyote's nachos are made with top notch ingredients, come in big portions, loaded with toppings, but they are by far the most expensive.

Sunrise - American style pub nachos to a T. Huge portions, loaded with toppings but the cheese is of low grade quality. Great if you're hungry for nachos only or want to feed a group and have other mexican delights. For whatever reason I found the branch in Paragon to be the best.

[tutsiwarrior]

'La Monitas - The nachos are almost identical to Ricky's but more expensive. The only upside to La Monita's is you can get Carnitas as a meat option and theirs is the best in Bangkok.'

carnitas nachos? an interesting concept and I gotta try some...thanks for the advice...

and I agree that a lot of folks go OTT with the toppings and then the tortilla chips get soggy...maybe that's what it was that put me off nachos in the beginning...the chips have got to maintain 'integrity'...and I useta love tortilla chips; the ones that mexican restaurants made themselves in California before the packaged variety was available...

btw, when I was a kid in southern California in the 50s no one had ever heard of nachos...just like 'fajitas' and other tex-mex gringo concoctions...

[smokie36]

'La Monitas - The nachos are almost identical to Ricky's but more expensive. The only upside to La Monita's is you can get Carnitas as a meat option and theirs is the best in Bangkok.'

carnitas nachos? an interesting concept and I gotta try some...thanks for the advice...

and I agree that a lot of folks go OTT with the toppings and then the tortilla chips get soggy...maybe that's what it was that put me off nachos in the beginning...the chips have got to maintain 'integrity'...and I useta love tortilla chips; the ones that mexican restaurants made themselves in California before the packaged variety was available...

btw, when I was a kid in southern California in the 50s no one had ever heard of nachos...just like 'fajitas' and other tex-mex gringo concoctions...

The carnitas at La Monita are superb tutsi...but mind I am from a land full of identikit eek's.....my judgement might be flawed....would love to read your review....

[tutsiwarrior]

'La Monitas - The nachos are almost identical to Ricky's but more expensive. The only upside to La Monita's is you can get Carnitas as a meat option and theirs is the best in Bangkok.'

carnitas nachos? an interesting concept and I gotta try some...thanks for the advice...

and I agree that a lot of folks go OTT with the toppings and then the tortilla chips get soggy...maybe that's what it was that put me off nachos in the beginning...the chips have got to maintain 'integrity'...and I useta love tortilla chips; the ones that mexican restaurants made themselves in California before the packaged variety was available...

btw, when I was a kid in southern California in the 50s no one had ever heard of nachos...just like 'fajitas' and other tex-mex gringo concoctions...

The carnitas at La Monita are superb tutsi...but mind I am from a land full of identikit eek's.....my judgement might be flawed....would love to read your review....

yeah...I'll look into it as I'll be in BKK soon to see the dentist before I ship out to saudi on a new assignment...

then there was me mate in Sacramento when I visited in 1999 and he was always proud of finding the best local restaurants in LA, SF and elsewhere and he said: 'let's go; they got the best carnitas in town...'

then we arrived in a 'mexican themed' restaurant where the serving girls all had peasant blouses and skirts with elaborate

petticoats and I was immediately suspicious...

and we ordered the carnitas which was massive; a huge pile of succulent roast pork with rice an' beans and about 2 dozen fresh corn tortillas...but strangely the pork was unseasoned and I ordered 2-3- pots of salsa to get things moving...

me mate was ripping up the corn tortillas and digging in and between mouthfuls: 'howzat? pretty good huh?'...he is a mate and I love him to bits and he had good intentions but he had lost the plot...but he is from goddam east coast New Jersey and ye can't expect much from those folks...

(the best carnitas in the world are at Lincoln Blvd and Ocean Park in Venice, CA...perfectly spiced and wrapped in a double layer of soft corn tortillas and you couldn't wait to get home and then rip them open and pig out in the car park dosing with the little container of the excellent homade salsa...and then there were the beggars and the drunks with their arms outstreched 'please sir, please...' and then tutsi would give them a boot with his flip flops and hiss: 'get back ye bastids...' and then someone would yell ' insensitive surfers eat shit!' and then empty liquor bottles were hurled and etc....a carnitas meal was never a simple matter in Venice, CA)

[smokie36]

Tad off topic but for tutsi....

Aye you remind me of walking into my local chippie at home a few years ago. Stood in the long queue on a Saturday evening I couldn't decide between the fish or a pudding supper.

So I orders both....the order of fish sent a ripple of hostility through the battered sausage supper inhabitants and a sea of hostile faces pointed towards me all at once.

That turned to further distaste when they realised I wasn't to be some intimidated "farrener" but that snotty nosed poor kid done good.

Boy...them chips tasted good that day!

Salt and vinegar by the way please....don't let brown sauce anywhere near 'em...or else!

[tutsiwarrior]

nah...brown sauce ain't no good with a fish dinner but quite nice with a bacon sarnie! and I quite disliked those characters with their unfurled newspaper wrapping and diggin' into the chips when walkin' down the street...ye wanted t'see wee jimmy and his pals confrontational with: 'gimme them chips, ye bastid...yew think that yer better than us?' and then wee jimmy whips out the razor and sez: 'I'll rip ye a new one, ye pretentious POS!'

Edited June 8, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[Sateev]

I'm betting the combined weight of the posters on this thread would cause any restaurant serving decent nachos to crumble to the ground...and I'm not excluding myself.

The one thing I don't understand, however, is why it's important where they originated? I've eaten them in Mexico, and in downtown LA, and many points between. El Cholo on Vermont in LA is probably the best I've had...

And don't get me started on whoever it was that suggested mozzarella belongs in the same building with a plate of nachos - jack and cheddar are the only main cheeses possible, although that hard white crumbly stuff from Mexico tastes good as a topper.

[Backwoods]

I'm betting the combined weight of the posters on this thread would cause any restaurant serving decent nachos to crumble to the ground...and I'm not excluding myself.

The one thing I don't understand, however, is why it's important where they originated? I've eaten them in Mexico, and in downtown LA, and many points between. El Cholo on Vermont in LA is probably the best I've had...

And don't get me started on whoever it was that suggested mozzarella belongs in the same building with a plate of nachos - jack and cheddar are the only main cheeses possible, although that hard white crumbly stuff from Mexico tastes good as a topper.

That whie crubly stuff came from his moustache, face dandruff!

[Koratpat]

I would say that if you want to give some feedback, then do so. But leave the boorish comments like "What is a nacho" and "Who invented them" to yourself

I am can only guess what country your hail from.....

[shishafiesta]

The best nachos in Bangkok are Charley Brown's!