Amazing Thailand (Bangkok)

On Lok Yun has truly stood the test of time as this legendary institution has served countless diners over the years. From its American style sandwiches to breakfast plates with eggs, ham, bacon and sausages, my favourite is still their steamed bread with kaya custard that is the perfect pairing with an iced coffee.

Both have their own cult following and I have personally tried both, but my vote still goes to Kor Panich. The warm sticky rice with the slightly savoury coconut cream is the perfect complement to the sweet mango. However, Kor Panich is located in a more inaccessible location as compared to Mae Varee, which is a stone’s throw from the Thong Lor BTS station.

It was a meal fit for kings and queens. Adored by both locals and tourists, Kub Kao Kub Pla is a Thai restaurant chain that serves ala carte dishes from the region. We ordered so much food that I lost count how much we ate, but notable standouts include the Fried Eggs with Tamarind Sauce. Though it might seem a simple dish, the crispy edges paired with the tangy tamarind sauce is such a perfect pairing with rice. The Jungle Curry was super spicy while the Flower Omelette was a masterpiece. The Caramelized Pork Knuckle Stew is something that will make you dream about it thereafter. In fact, the menu is so extensive that you probably need a couple of trips to try most of the dishes.

Set in a traditional restaurant setting with most local patrons coming here for family lunches and dinners, Methavalai Sorndaeng Restaurant might not be that known to tourists to Bangkok. However, if you are a true foodie, you should bookmark this place as the food has been time tested for decades and you will dine in an environment that has never changed after the renovation in the 90s and the restaurant even gets a band to perform during meal times.

After winning a Michelin Star for 5 years in a row, you can be assured that the food will be of a certain quality. We had some recommended dishes such as the restaurant’s signature Spicy Pomelo Salad with Shrimps that was perfectly balanced with the tanginess, sweetness, savouriness and a touch of spiciness, all flavours synonymous with Thai food that tingle your tastebuds. The Gaeng Som with Cha Om Omelette or acacia omelette in spicy tamarind soup was very appetising while the Stir Fried Catfish with Chilli has salted egg in it, making it a very good dish to go with rice. Lastly, for this trip we got hooked on the dish of Stir Fried Thai Eggplant with Minced Pork and Sweet Basil that we tried from several restaurants, and Methavalai Sorndaeng does it the best.

20 courses with more than 20 bites of memories created in this 5-story building originally built by the family of Chef Pam and now she has converted into Restaurant POTONG. The chef tasting menu brings you on a journey starting with a kombucha at the ground level before heading up to the top level for charcuterie and wine. Thereafter, you will be brought to your table where you start the 20-course meal. The dinner pace has been meticulously thought through so it didn’t felt rushed and each dish pays homage to the memories of Chef Pam’s growing up years but executed in a modern manner. The menu will evolve from 1 July onwards so diners will taste a new perspective to the experience.

Located at Level 55 of Empire Tower is the trending % Arabica outlet which overlooks the Bangkok skyline. Grab a coffee and sit by the window to enjoy a picturesque view of the bustling city. The waiting time to get a seat might take a while so have to be patience and rely a little on luck.

One of my all-time favourite restaurants that I will always return whenever I am in Bangkok is KHAO Ekkamai. Coincidentally, I will always celebrate my birthday lunch here and every single time, I will leave the restaurant belly satisfied. It is not only the food that is good, but the company with me that makes this experience a memorable one.

Take a break and rest your feet at Drop by Dough after the shopping for some handcrafted doughnuts and coffee. The cafe has a good selection of unique doughnuts such as the Pecan & Burnt Caramel which was not too cloyingly sweet.

The Shibuya Honey Toast has been synonymous with After You, with throngs of tourists and locals packing their various outlets for a cube of the toast. Over the years, other brands have copied and tried to replicate the same taste and texture, but never been able to replace the original that made it famous here. Save this and this is a must try when you come to Bangkok.

A longstanding brunch and all-day dining cafe in Bangkok, ROAST is a reliable spot for good food and coffee. Other than their popular Truffle Alfredo, they have a good selection of savouries and sweets such as the Bolognese which comes with fresh hand-cut fettuccine cooked in a pork belly and shoulder tomato base. The Blueberry Ricotta Pancake is a favourite for its balance of richness with the lemon zest and earl grey crumble.

We probably went out of our minds to actually order the Corn & Chorizo pizza at Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza at Emsphere. Everything was just a blasphemy to an authentic pizza but we just wanted to try to see how bad it was, and we were not wrong. The sweetcorn puree base was the start of the nightmare, followed by hard and dry pieces of chorizo. There was even pulled chicken (why?) topped with spring onion (why why?) and coriander (why why why?). Though I am a coriander lover but coriander on a pizza is a big no-no for me. Guess we should just stick to the classics in future.

Is with a bowl of kuay jab from Mr. Joe. Though the peppery broth seems to have toned down slightly in terms of the spices, but it is still a delicious bowl to enjoy with a side order of crispy roasted pork. If you are in Bangkok, did you notice that the Grab prices have risen astronomically recently? My Grab from hotel to Mr. Joe is almost the same price as my 2 bowls of kuay jab and the roasted pork.