BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
.Dine at White houseFeuang Nara - the most recent addition to Silom already bland Thai restaurant scene, turns out to be the kind of unnecessary to exist.
The house painted in white is beautiful. The interior is smart. The owners are friendly. The vibe is comforting. But, not the food! Does mom always says - don't judge someone by his/her/its appearance (and the "it" applies to Feuang Nara), that will save some disappointment.
1. larb moo (spicy Issan ground pork salad) THB 120+
(the first dish, not impressive, neither bad, it is average)
2. yum wunsen (spicy glass noodle salad with seafood) THB 85+
(my nightmare of the night begins, the salad, normal bad though not extra bad)
3. one of Feuang Nara specialty, deep-fried prawn in tamarind sauce, THB 350+
(prawn over-cooked, sauce sweet but no aromatic, one of my most favorite sauce -
ma-kam tamarind sauce, totally spoiled in the hand of Feuang Nara's chef)
4. stir-fried baby corn in oyster sauce, THB 75+
(cheap oyster sauce, one taste, salty; baby corn were rotten, high-so place use of garbage-grade ingredients; no anti-diarrhea pills provided as amuse-bouche)
5. hor-mok NZ mussels (steam curry souffle with minced fish), THB 250+
(sorry to say that, any roadside hor-mok vendors serve better minced fish curry souffle)
6. another house specialty (OMG), deep-fried sea bass with herbal dressing, THB 350+
(too small fish fillet dice for my big mouth; taste? bland, so bland, too bland, very bland)
7. tom-kha-gai (Thai galangal and coconut cream soup with chicken), THB 120+
(ready-made tom-kha-gai pack found in supermarket tastes more authentic than this)
8. tom-yum-goong (Thai spicy sour and spicy soup with prawn), THB 150+
(arguably best shot of the night, didn't kill my palate, thanks Feuang Nara has mercy)
On my second visit, the restaurant even over-charged approx. THB 500 (found out after I checked the bill at home) out of THB 1,804. I sent my personal aide to hear for a reason. The answer is - lack of experience and a workable billing system. My aide therefore was benefited from a glass of very delicious (he said) icy cold mango smoothie and a 15% discount VIP card (and the refund, of course). To me, not convincing enough since the restaurant is already in full (charged) operation.
Since Feuang Nara has a charming interior, friendly owners, and pleasant wait-staffs, I will revisit them later the year, to see if there is any improvement. My opinion is, Feuang Nara shall get rid of the current chef (with so-called prior hotel working experience; what hotel? love hotel perhaps!) before this charming restaurant vanished from the Silom restaurant scene.
I like this restaurant, but just couldn't stand for her food. Sad!
Feuang Nara Thai Restaurant **3/4
69 Narathiwas Rachanakarin Road, Soi 3
Silom, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02.233.2410
Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,200
BANGKOK AMAZING GOURMET
.Where chefs eatWhenever crave for Chinese Cantonese food, I choose (to eat) from a short list of Bangkok's top five-star hotel's Chinese restaurants due to hygiene measurement and quality of ingredients. Also because of those Chinese chefs (in five-star hotels) are mostly "imported" from Hong Kong while a few from Singapore and Mainland China, to ensure authentication of the cuisine they serve.
One question always wandering in mind, as, where do those Chinese chefs eat after work? I assume they might go to a pub to have a couple of bottles of beer and snack, or sing while they eat at a karaoke, or just eat at their hotels. While I have a chance to chat with (any) Chinese chef, I quest for the answer.
Survey says, Boon Chinese Restaurant on Silom Road near Narathiwas intersection is where they enjoy a late night feast and gathering with fellow chefs after a day of sweat in kitchen.
stir-fried mutton with CN celery; deep-fried and braised tofu in gravy 
steamed eggs Canton style
(silky texture as smooth as silk, best that I ever sampled in Bangkok)
steamed live sand goby (bamboo fish) in warm soy sauce
pot baked live frog in CN wine and house sauce; stir-fried sugar peas
Boon Chinese Restaurant 食得福 ***3/4
152/18 Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Open daily : 11 am - 3 am
Pay (food only for two): around THB 600
314
.Ball that doesn't bounce, but shines
Never left without filling up my stomach when I made a trip to Yaowaraj - Bangkok's Chinatown. Today my little belly opted for fish ball noodle at a six months old noodle house. Yes, only six months!
Although Yoo Fishball is new to Yaowaraj, yet many food critics approve her home-made fishball, the Princess honored the shop a visit during her gourmet trip to Chinatown few weeks ago, and foodies love it.
The fact - owner Lady Yoo is no stranger to the food paradise belt of Bangkok (shabby dirty smelly) Chinatown. Her parents (and grandparents) are renowned fish ball vendors there for almost a century. Lady Yoo inherits the recipe from them. Result in that my bowl of fish ball with (silky texture) rice noodle in hearty broth (not msg water likes most noodle hawkers in Bangkok serve) shines, at THB 30, a steal for such a deli. However, the fish ball soup (no noodle) did come with msg. Strange shop!
Bonus track - this minimal decorated fish ball & noodle house is air-conditioned.
home-made fish ball with rice noodle in hearty soup, THB 30
home-made fish ball in soup (with complimentary msg), THB 40
Yoo Fishball Yaowaraj ****
433 Yaowaraj Road
Samphantawong, Bangkok 10100
Tel.: 089.782.7777
Open daily : 10 am - 9 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 100
