🇹🇭 dinner diary bangkok
discussing delayed delights 🇹🇭
Hi loves.
As I write this to you…which is also to me…and also, to you, I’m already contemplating my next few days in Bangkok in the rather near future.
That visa run life. It won’t last forever. My intention is a 2 year work permit. This next run? An early birthday present and brief getaway, for myself. I secured my next required E-Visa in advance for the first time, which is technically cost-saving, so the budget does even out. Hence the thoughts in my head. Including curry.
Looking back, this recent five-day foray to Bangkok checked the boxes for what I was calmly looking to do:
Curry ⭐ Mall Food ⭐ Somewhere(s) New ⭐ Something Different ⭐ & Somewhere(s) Favorite
I’ll get to the points. The foods. A look back at these delayed delights after a month of the new normal of work, life, coffee hangs, and d’oh, now pushing through a cold.
Let’s go. Every meal I ate for five days in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s personal.
The Dishes
in no particular order + 💫 🌠 💫 All-Stars with Bonus Stars below
💫 🌠 💫 Sukhothai Tom Yum, Chamlong’s Chatuchak
I hold my visits here so dear that the current iteration of jess is almost surprised that she still shares the name + location.
It’s a journey out to Chatuchak Market, down an alley behind what’s now a giant new Best Western, and walking into an almost cavernous yet open-air, “old school” Buddhist vegetarian food hall.
Paper tickets, plastic trays, the occasional lowkey, curious backpacker, and for sure, authentic dishes that make me cry out in delight inside for such culinary and cultural honesty, accessibility, community pricing and colorssss. It’s so, real. I’m getting emotional here.
Revisiting Chamlong’s - as I get older & wiser & way more comfortable with myself - it’s my eat / pray / love.
[er, eat / read / cope, for those who remember the last messy year-ish on this substack-ery.]
💫 🌠 💫 Mama Moosup (Pork) Tom Yum, Kaek Kao Kua
I had time for one final meal on my last day. This was it.
The eatery was located near my “hotel points” hotel and made sense to check out. I tried one day, and it was closed. Okay, okay, it happens.
I tried again, and phew, it was open and the meal was totally satisfying.
Tons of flavor, texture, and the ambiance of an interesting ‘homey’ environment in an older house, with shelves of dusty board games, located down a row of newer condos, and sunny, beckoning felines.
I ordered a “pork” Tom Yum and those noodles - that’s Mama - the Thai instant ramen. Spicy, sour, yum. I get down with Tom Yum, though it’s never a go-to order for me. So, this was fun and had the bonus of the Mama ramen noodles. So jess.
✔️ 🇹🇭 Tofu Pad Kra Prao, JJ’s Kitchen
So, I’ve fallen into a pleasant pattern. I fly into Bangkok, and spend the night in the Don Mueng neighborhood, where I can seriously WALK from the airport to my lodging. That’s fantastic. I’ve now tried a quartet of vegetarian and veg-friendly eateries over the past year plus in the area, and JJ’s is my chill go-to. It’s open for lunch and dinner, has a few vegetarian/vegan tofu entrees, smoothies, beer, and the prices are decent. The food? Satisfying. Nothing wildly good, howev, I arrive tired, hungry, and it all works. It stays in rotation.
This Tofu Pad Kra Prao reminded me how I’d missed holy basil. How different & utterly floral it is vs. “Thai basil”. My mango smoothie here was also fab, and the halved mango sitting on top was a bonus dessert round for my first meal back. Check that golden hue.
✔️ 🇮🇳 Masala Dosa, Dosa King
3 Quick Facts:
1) It had been far too long since I’d had a dosa.
2) It had also been over a decade since I first visited Dosa King in Bangkok.
3) I had promised myself I would go out for a South Indian and/or Ethiopian dinner while in Bangkok.
Spoonfuls of each tableside chutney. Sambar. Savoring the crisp.
Checked off “something different” I had been foodie daydreaming about.
Dosa. Done-zo. <3
💫 🌠 💫 Spicy Spaghetti w/ Crispy Soy Protein, Chili and Thai Basil, Talalaks - Emporium
Hi. This was my third time enjoying this particular dish at Talalak’s, which is a spin on Pad Kee Mao with Italian spaghetti noodles, which was a spin on the hot (in more ways than one) Thai / Chinese stir-fries that predate it. Ah, the histories in food & noodles.
This spicy spaghetti speaks to me and my own tastebuds on a deep level. Italian meets Thai meets herbs meets chiles meets pasta meets meets affordability meets a fast, delicious meal for an easygoing price. In a mall food court, to boot.
I like it, a lot.
💫 🌠 💫 Stir-Fried Crispy Pork Belly, Basil and Veg, Talalaks - Siam Paragon
My first meal once I was in moreso in the city.
It hit the dang spot. I realized I was 2 for 2 with “spicy” + “basil” + rice and I could totally keep going. And this “crispy” fake meat pork belly that’s sold & used in Thailand is so freaking good. A little smokey, salty, textured. I wanted it every other day. I cooked through a bag of it last year in during my Chiang Mai period. I get “pork belly” now. Ish. ; )
💫 🌠 💫 Fried Tofu + Springrolls, Silom Square Market
Hmmm, did I use the phrase “hit the spot” yet? Wait, I just did. Aw, shucks.
No matter, these did.
I headed to this food market for a sensibly early meal at Chalawan’s jay vegetarian stand - which I wrote back in December was “exactly the type of meal that I had wanted all week long” - and, alas, it was closed for a Buddhist holiday.
I looked to the left, and saw the yellow jay flags by hot spring rolls, fried tofu, and other snacks. Moments later, I had my lunch, dipping into a sweet, sticky, tamarind peanut sauce. Silly crisis averted.
✔️ 🇹🇭 Som Tum takeaway, BannDerm Vegetarian
That first night I flew in, I picked up this just–in-case takeaway bag of green papaya salad from a new-to-me vegetarian eatery in the DMK area which is SO not like me.
Boo, I’m SO glad I did with the heavy storms that came in.
I had THAI GREEN PAPAPYA SALAD ! IN BANGKOK! in my “TUSCANY” named, converted container-style hotel room during an intense downpour. Gosh.
✔️ 🇮🇳 + 🇹🇭 + 🇮🇹 Red Curry Tofu, Mushrooms & Green Beans, Nee’s Kitchen
Real talk, this one gets a pass. No hard feelings.
It had the moves to pull a bookmark on my map: Sweetly reviewed Thai-Italian vegetarian spot located on the top floor food court of an Indian fabric mall in Bangkok’s Chinatown area - I mean, come on - I was nearby, I was hungry, I rode a series of escalators up. The place was empty, though the staff was encouraging. I mentioned I was vegan, and I was told to skip the Italian options and go Thai. Okay, I’m in Thailand. The curry sauce was legit, I’ll give it that. The rest was underwhelming. Bits of tofu, overcooked green beans, soft unappealing mushrooms, not great rice. I ate a bit, and saved the rest of my appetite. It wasn’t worth it.
I moved on with my life.
✔️ 🇹🇭 Coconut Mango “Viral” Smoothie, Auntie Mhoo’s Juice + Smoothies
In short, I went to a viral smoothie spot and lived to tell the pleasant enough tale. No qualms. I waited out a brief downpour. I’ve missed smoothies. I drank more in Thailand vs. Vietnam. Fruit in SE Asia is….wondrous.
This smoothie was very good. There were a few customers taking photos. No lines. Nothing too viral. Therefore, I drank my smoothie, satisfied with my fruit and the 50 baht price, and once more, I moved on with my life and towards another potential food memory.
✔️ 🇨🇳 Mixed Boiled Dumplings - Sweet Corn, Shiitake, Homemade Pickled and Traditional Chinese Dumplings, Gyofu Dumplings
Case in point: I moved on that night for dinner at a traditional Chinese vegetarian dumpling spot I’d saved back in December. It had a welcoming vibe and the menu intrigued me. I asked for a recommendation - not my typical way to start things, mind you - and was offered an off-menu mix of the boiled variety to try things out. I did, and it was lovely.
I spiced up my black vinegar + soy dipping sauce with chili oil, and spent the first half of dumpling time listening to a nearby British couple ask each other if their dumpling soups were “too spicy”, which I put together was a ::gasp:: growing concern in Thailand. Cute.
My only mild lament was that I was not able to sit solo at the dumpling bar downstairs, which would have been more my vibe vs. the quiet dining room of couples upstairs. Shrug.
✔️ 🇹🇭 Khanom Jeen + Savory Fritter, Rabiengboon - MBK
My seriously grand-last-morning breakfast after a spa pedicure. What a start to the day. Hot & sour & tomato-tinged curry & fermented rice noodles & from a mall! & with a savory fritter that DARLINGS, was the best thing on that tasty plate. I hadn’t eaten that before. Hey, I will one day, again. : )
✔️ 🇹🇭 Khanom Tom, Lower Floor Traditional Sweets vendor - Lotus’ Eatery - On Nut
Oh my gosh, I puffy heart these caramelized palm sugar+ coconut filled rice flour dumplings.
Dig into at least one pronto. No, Two.
Better for sharing, howev, you do what you must.
And I swooned even more over Khanom Tuay from the same vendor [not pictured].
{Pssst, in a surprise to no one who might know me, I found these treats while seeking out elusive jay instant ramens and taking a productive grocery shopping “break” at Tops/Lotus on my way to + fro a nearby Japanese second-hand warehouse I’m fond of perusing.}
✔️ 🍦 Cranberry Cookie & Passionfruit Oat Ice Cream, Molly Ally
Yo. Tell my friends I got “fancy” vegan ice cream! Oh, I did.
Logically with respect to my time/budget/tastebuds/vegan history, I sampled a few flavors of the oat and soy-based at this plant-based ice cream vendor and my preference had such a whimsical title. The name and creamy, tangy flavor components were something to note and I even paid a small upcharge for an “elite” flavor, or something like that. Yes, I also messaged another friend immediately that I did that. Yes, it already cost more than my food court dinner. Technically, my third priciest meal of the trip.
Well, duh, I had this for dessert after a spicy Thai spaghetti dinner at Talalak’s in the same mall. 😎
✔️ 🇹🇭 Pandan Coconut Ice Cream, Mueng Krung Coconut Ice Cream - Terminal 21
Technically, I got my envisioned Thai coconut ice cream on. Yay, yay.
Bonus points for the pandan inclusion, which I adore. Triple yay. Another mall, not quite another ‘yay’ there…more of a deep breath. 😎
Wrapping things up:
The All-Stars =
Mugshot Coffee DMK - Shaken Vanilla Oat Espresso, ėtė Boran Ice Cream Bars, Fried Tofu + Springroll from Silom Square Market, Spicy Spaghetti w/ Crispy Soy Protein, Chili and Thai Basil via Talalaks - Emporium, Stir-Fried Crispy Pork Belly, Basil and Veg also at Talalaks - Siam Paragon, Mama Moosup (pork) Tom Yum at Kaek Kao Kua and Sukhothai Tom Yum at Chamlong’s Chatuchak.
Rewind to 2001 or 2002.
The first time I tried Thai red curry during my college years, it held my freaking attention. My tastebuds, moved.
This was from a Thai/Chinese takeaway spot in Somerville, MA.
Now, I get to eat THAI FOOD in THAILAND. Entrancing, that’s the phrase in my head and heart.
Do you remember the first time *you* had Thai food?
What dish caught your eye above?
References + Relevant Links for today’s missive:
Where / The Breakdown / The Links:
🇹🇭 The Thai Food: Kaek Kao Kua, Chamlong’s Chatuchak, JJ’s Kitchen, BannDerm Vegetarian, Silom Square Market, Lotus’ Eatery - On Nut,
The Thai Mall Food: Rabiengboon - MBK, Talalaks - Siam Paragon and Talalaks - Emporium, Nee’s Kitchen
🖤 The Other Food: Dosa King, Gyofu Dumplings, ėtė boran ice cream bars, Molly Ally, Mueng Krung Coconut Ice Cream - Terminal 21
☕ The Drinks: Auntie Mhoo’s Juice + Smoothies, stof coffee - Siam Square, Mugshot Coffee DMK, Coffee Room
🖊️ what’s the one dish I cook the most in SE Asia?, scone-land May 28, 2025 [spoiler = PAD MAMA]
I love Dosa King! I need to try that dumpling place the next time I'm in Bangkok.
Amazing, Jess! When is your birthday?