TraveL: Best of Bangkok

Ortorkor market Bangkok
Ortorkor market Bangkok and “Hormuk” the thai version of otah a curry spiced fish paste
Ortorkor market Bangkok – rich and spicy flavours of all kinds.

I’ve several story pitches that have been parked since the world isn’t planning any unnecessary travel in the near future with this virus madness.

I’ve been to Bangkok’s Ortorkor market several times to buy snacks and produce but it was the first time dining at the food centre – their version of Singapore’s hawker centre. And boy, was it delicious! Variety is definitely the spice of life!

bangkok_thailand_boat_noodles

Bangkok is a city I’ve come to know and love and some of my closest friends are Thai. I miss jumping on a plane at short notice and enjoying some street side boat noodles, pad thai and Michelin-starred crab omelette from Jay Fai.

pork boat noodles

I always discover new places to eat and drink every time I go to Bangkok and I’d love to share some favourite local haunts from my last trip in November, including some street side boat noodles at Thongsmith in the comfort of the air-conditioned mall at Emporium Mall. It’s the real deal – a rich complex and meaty broth that’s spicy and satisfying.

And my friends took me to Canvas, one of the new hotspots in town doing modern European cuisine with local produce. Everything down to their caviar is locally sourced and as the name of the restaurant suggests, your plate is the chef’s canvas. An interesting concept.

I’ve been to Bangkok dozen of times but it was the first time I visited Jim Thompson’s house. Known for his beautiful silk, I was less informed of the enigmatic story that he suddenly disappeared one day and was never to be found again. His beautiful abode in traditional Thai architecture is a lush estate with plenty of fascinating regional art, antiques and artefacts.

I’ve also passed the palace many times but never queued up in the scorching heat to go into Queen Sirikit’s texture museum – it’s a real treat if you like textiles and fabrics. Note that you have to dress appropriately covering your arms and legs, otherwise you have to join the queue to borrow a sarong.

We ate at Namh as well as Mandarin Oriental’s Terrace Rim Naam trying the cuisine of their new female chef de cuisine chef Pom, while enjoying the night view of the Chao Phraya river. If i had to pick which one to go to, definitely Rim Naam and enjoy aperatif at the Bamboo bar before adjourning to dinner.

The legendary MO has just undergone renovation and a facelift and the new lobby is stunning with giant wooden lanterns hanging from the tall ceiling.

This self-serve eatery “Someday Everyday” has not closed. Opened by the proteges of chef David Thompson, the concept is simple here, you pick and choose which dishes you want and pay and then bring your tray of food to get a seat. Everything was spot on delicious and wildly satisfying over a steaming bowl of white Thai rice. Waiting on the news for their new location.

Another fabulous spot we checked out is Charmgang, everything made fresh from scratch, celebrating Thai cuisine and local produce. The team worked at Namh previously but their repertoire of dishes is refreshing, simple and honest food.

We passed this little dimsum shop boarding out boat – it’s on the agenda for my next trip.

On the Bangkok grapevine, I was told that Bolan is closing its doors soon to open a more affordable tourist friendly outfit ERR, chef table menus that cost 15000baht.

U Sathorn Bangkok

We stayed at the U Sathorn this time, not the most conveniently located, but they have shuttle services that run to the BTS. It would be perfect for a long weekend without leaving the hotel. Enjoy the resort vibes and hang out by the pool.

Finally Chinatown in Yaorawat definitely worth the trip at night to eat street side

I’ve only been to Yaorawat once previous at night to eat, and once in the day shopping at the fabric market. This time we wandered and snacked our way through the whole street.

Bangkok is always a treat and such an easy short trip out of Hong Kong, it’s mostly kid-friendly. Definitely recommend it as a travel destination for families. We usually stay at the Four Seasons Bangkok that has a huge pool, Chaopraya river views of long and short boats and a kid’s club! They also let the children feed the river fish.

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