Bangkok Restaurant Tips by yen_2

Favorite Dish: "Have you eaten yet?" is a common enough phrase in Thailand meaning little more than "Hello" or "How do you do?" yet this preoccupation with food is evident everywhere in the city. Food stalls serving cheap, tasty food line every street and the pungent smoke from numerous charcoal grills fills the air. The huge number of spices a Thai chef uses would baffle your average western chef, but here are integral parts of even the simplest dish. Chili, garlic, coriander, fish sauce, lemon grass, ginger and many more, all serve to give Thai food its unique taste.

Thais take eating as seriously as cooking, and consequently, mealtime is almost always a social occasion, ideally including a dish of every kind of food. For example, on the table might be Kai jio moo sab (pork stuffed omelet) which has a savory taste. To counter this, a slightly sweet dish like Gai pat ma muang (chicken and cashew nuts in a sweet sauce) could also be ordered. Soup is very popular in Thailand, so why not one of my favorites? Car Tom Gai (coconut soup with chicken). Finally every meal should include fish and Pla duk foo (spicy mango salad with cat fish) is a delicious choice. Depending, obviously, on where you eat, the above meal with rice and drinks should cost you anything between 200 and 2000 Baht.

Good cheap eating is everywhere in Bangkok and below is a short list of common Thai foods and their English Translations. For a more comprehensive list of good eateries, including international restaurants, check Metro magazine, available at most bookshops.

Types of Food

Cow pat gai/moo: fried rice with Chicken/pork
Pat kupow gai/moo: Spicy chicken with Basil and rice
Tom yam gung: Prawn and lemon grass soup
Pad pak ruammit: Mixed fried vegetables
Bar mee moo dang: Egg noodles with red pork
Koy teo: Rice noodles
Som tam: Papaya salad
Yam pla muk: Spicy salad with squid
Lad cow: On rice

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Theme: Street Vendor
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Street Vendors!

Restaurant Name: Food Loft

Food Loft is located in the 7th floor of Central Chidlom. This Restaurant is full of different cuisines from Thai foods, Italian, Vietnam, Japanese and Chinese, All you have to do is when you enter get your 1000 baht credit card and then when ordering the cashier will get it and hand it back to you. After eating, you will procced to the exit for the payment. The place is very clean and comfortable.

Favorite Dish: My favorite dish is in Japanese sushi(as usual) and the Chinese Stir fried pork mixed with oyster souce.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Central Chidlom in Chitlom Station
Directions: When you reach the Chitlom Station turn left when your from On Nut.

Restaurant Name: Summo

Summo offers a variety of Japanese foods in the ground floor of MBK Center. After a long day of shopping this restaurant would be the perfect place for fresh tunas with that wasabe in it!

Favorite Dish: Of course, sushi and sashimi, yakesoba noodles and other Japanese foods.

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Theme: Japanese/Sushi
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Ground floor in MBK Center
Directions: Photo will be next time!

Restaurant Name: Peguin Cafe and Cocco Pazzo'

After along day of walking around for your shopping in MBK Center this caffe would probably will help you freshen' up with their fantastic shakes in your favorite fresh fruit in it. While Cocco Pazzo is an Italian cafe offers a delicious pasta in your own choice. This cafes' is located in the ground floor of MBK Center they have a clean and friendly staff.

Favorite Dish: Shakes and Pastas'.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Groundfloor in MBK Center

Restaurant Name: S&P Restaurant

When we went to Chao Phraya river today we stop @ the Maharaj Pier and there is a small restaurant right next to the pier. They have a fabulous seafoods and so with their refreshing sundae's! The place is great specialy when you will be here for a very hot day!

Favorite Dish: My fave was their big fried fish!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Maharaj Pier, Chao Phraya River
Directions: Take the BTS Train and have a stop in Sapan Taksin Station exit in the exit 2. Take the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat, from there taka a stop at the 4th station which is the Maharaj.

Restaurant Name: Phatumwan Princess Lobby Lounge

They have one of the great buffet specially they have their good Filipino singers that will entertain you!

Favorite Dish: You can have Japanese, Thai, Chinese and European cuisines!

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Theme: Buffet
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Rama Road next to MBK Center
Directions: Next to the MBK Center is the Phatumwan Princess Hotel

Restaurant Name: UCC Cafe'

The place is located in the ground floor of Siam Center. We met here with Vigi and Jim(Jim_Eliason) a VT members just visited Bangkok. I like the place because they have a free internet, you just have to order a drink or any then you can surf the world! This place is always full specially at lunch time. Students also love to standby here.

Favorite Dish: I only like their milk shake and their American breakfast, it's cheap and very reasonable!

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Theme: Other
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Siam Center, Ground floor
Directions: Ground floor, infront of Esprit Store!

When you get to stay in Starry Place you surely will check out this cafe, Starry Place Cafe', you will have a discount of 20% off for the total amount of food you ordered excluding the beverages in it! The place is clean, friendly staff and quite a great foods. You can either chose, a Western and a Thai foods.


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Theme: Other
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Rangnam Road

Restaurant Name: Sabaii Restaurant

This place is along Rangnam Road and across the WaterBar. The first time, I thought its expensive but wow, they have reasonable prices and even very friendly staff but some of them can't understand a simple English but still it's okay as other staff will help you out. Clean and there are few people around as what I like best and they have great Thai foods. The best one is the Steamed Seabass and Spicy chicken in coconut soup!

Favorite Dish: The best one is the Steamed Seabass and Spicy chicken in coconut soup!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Rangnam Road, Ayuttaya 2, Bangkok, Thailand
Directions: Near in the Victory Monument Station, a 5 to 10 minutes walk.

Restaurant Name: Oishi-Dicovery Suite Siam Center

What makes this place the best of sushi is that they have all Japanese foods, anything you can think of Japanese style foods, here you can tell the staff and they will serve it to you. Cheap and buffet..hmmm..nam..nam..nam..

Favorite Dish: Sushi and sashimi and tereyaki! Buffet is only 500 baht/person including softdrinks!

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Theme: Japanese/Sushi
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Siam Center-Discovery Suite,3rd floor
Directions: Stop at Siam Station about 5 to 10 min. to be in Discovery Suite.