Rabiengta-le

415
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Beauty and the breeze

Bangpoo in Samut Prakarn is about 20 km, or an hour's drive, from Bangkok city center in the Southeast, stretching to the Gulf of Thailand where the river meets the sea. In the 70's Bangpoo was so popular where Bangkokians fond of spending their weekends at the seaside, went to Samut Prakarn especially in the Bangpoo area; thus the area has a handful of seafood restaurants to serve the tourists. Though the glory faded away with time, Bangpoo's restaurants serve local residents, and Bangkokians seeking a deja vu experience.

Rabiengta-le is the established one in the area. Seafood is very fresh while most of them are live in the fish tank, with some rare shellfish choices; but chefs didn't cook them to expectations. For the three stars rating, one and a half goes to the ambiance and the sea breeze.


raw shrimp in light fish sauce, THB 100 (goong chae nam-pla)
raw local oysters, small size, served with condiments, THB 90

baked ma-prao clams topped with condiments, THB 150 (hoy ma-prao phad cha)
stir-fired local watercress, THB 90 (phad pak waan)

char-grilled local white sea bass, THB 290 (pla kapong yang kleua)

tamarind curry w/ jumbo fresh water fish roe, THB 220 (gaeng-som kai pla)

grilled ocean squid, THB 150 (pla-meuk yang)
curry souffle w/ seafood in young coconut, THB 220 (hor-mok talay maprao-on)

Rabiengta-le Seafood Restaurant ***
72 1/71 Moo.14 Thai Ban, Bangsaen 2
Sukhumvit Road (old line)
Bangpu Mai, Samutprakarn 10270
Tel.: 02.709.1825

Open daily : 11 am - 11 pm
Pay (seafood dining for two): around THB 900

Yum & Tum

414
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Healthy salad and fierce pok-pok

I love Issan (Thailand northeastern provinces) food, just like most of the expats living in Bangkok do. Whether it is sidewalk somtum (spicy raw papaya pok-pok salad), gai yang (grilled chicken), or to higher-end Issan restaurants, I couldn't wait to leave my foot print there if it is a good one.

Yum & Tum, with its first debut at the Life Center Sathorn three years ago, has climbed to be a popular Issan delicacies joint with comfy interior and an eclectic menu to offer. Recently I went to her branch at K-Village with two visiting friends, the food was decent though not as good as those at Life Center and Central Festival Pattaya.


1. Thai rice roll with stuffing; 2. spicy raw papaya salad with carrot

3. Thai eggplant salad with grilled pork Issan nam-tok sauce

4. Southern style spicy khao-yum tossed rice

5. gai yang Issan grilled chicken

6. soup noodle with river prawn in tomyum broth; 7. Thai desserts

Yum & Tum Issan Restaurant ***1/2
2/F K-Village
93-95 Sukhumvit Soi 26
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.665.6546

Open daily : 11 am - 9:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 700

Kiang-uan

413
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Cuisine of prosperity

Founded in Mahachai (Samut Sakhon) six decades ago, the renowned seafood eatery Kiang-uan Mahachai Seafood Restaurant somehow withdrew itself from the seaside province of Samut Sakhon and has been re-established in Bangkok. Today all Kiang-uan's branches still serve fresh catches and seafood sourced directly from Samut Sakhon (formerly Mahachai) that may dance on our table. Its fourth branch, the latest addition in the Kiang-uan's family, just opened at the newly opened Central Plaza Grand Rama 9.

Recently I visited her new branch at Central Plaza Grand Rama 9, though the seafood was very fresh, sadly they were spoiled on the chefs hand; perhaps the kitchen team needs more practice to make those quality ingredients dance with my taste buds.


yum wunsen talay spicy glass noodle salad with seafood, THB 130++
steamed curry souffle with seafood hor-mok talay, THB 150++

fried tiger prawn goong-lai-seua in curry sauce, THB 750++

deep-fried sea bass pla kapong in nam-pla fish sauce, THB 380++

spicy & sour soup tomyum pla tu fish with ma-tan fruit, THB 180++

Kiang-uan Mahachai Seafood Restaurant ***
7/F Central Plaza Grand Rama 9
Ratchadapisek Road
Huaykwang, Bangkok 10310
Tel.: 02.160.2424

Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (seafood dining for two): around THB 1,500

yumcha @ Fei Ya

412
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Dim-sums for dragons

In just a short two years after its debut, Fei Ya Chinese Restaurant has already earned a reputation for its lychee wood roasted Peking duck and baked beggar chicken in lotus leaf; and its authentic Hong Kong style (not Thai-Chinese) yum-cha (drinking tea, eating dim-sum, bite-sized food in small portions, usually served in a small bamboo steamer basket) is arguably one of the best served in Bangkok. Let's have some dim-sums to start the year of the Golden Dragon.

Cantonese yum-cha lunch ****
Fei Ya Chinese Restaurant
Renaissance Rajprasong Bangkok Hotel
518/8 Ploenchit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.125.5000
Fei Ya

Open daily : lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, dinner 6 - 10 pm
Pay (a la carte yum-cha for two): around THB 1,500
* weekdays all-you-can-eat dim-sum THB 680++ per person

Hai Somtam Convent

411
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Convent's pok-pok

Hai Somtam Convent Pochana stands on Soi Convent for decades, used to serve good quality som-tum (spicy raw papaya pok-pok salad) and gai-yang (grilled chicken); still serves these Thai Issan delicacies, but not as good as before. In my recent revisit to Hai, I found that its grilled chicken is of cheap quality while the papaya pok-pok salad and other yum (spicy salad) dishes are still delightful to eat.



Hai Somtam Convent Pochana ***
2/4-5 Soi Convert
off Silom Road
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Tel.: 02. 631.0216

Open daily : 10 am - 8:30 pm (Sat 10 am - 5 pm)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400

Est. 33

410
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An edutainment microbrewery

Est. 33, the name coming from the Kingdom's oldest brewery debut in 1933, is a serious microbrewery, restaurant and mini beer museum in Bangkok. Though most of my friends are fans of beer gardens and wine bars, yes people love beer, but I am not particularly excited about this fermented malted wheat beverage; so when Est.33 opened at the posh CDC (Crystal Design Center), I didn't immediately share the joy. Later I found out that Est. 33 teamed up with one of my most favorite bistros (to handle the kitchen) to offer New York style Parisian minibar cuisine and fusion Thai fare; I now join my friends at the Est. 33 and have become a regular.

Of course Est. 33 serves (maybe the Kingdom's best) fresh home brewed beer (larger, copper, and dark) from its microbrewery, and other selections in a bottle; with the help of her kitchen partner, it also serves 'real' food and enticing mocktails.










Est. 33 ****
Crystal Design Center, Building E
1420/1 Praditmanutham Road
(Ekamai - Ramintra Highway)
Bangkapi, Bangkok 10240
Tel.: 02.102.2096

Open daily : 4 pm - midnight (Fri-Sun from 11 am)
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,000

* Est. 33 also has a branch at the Nine, Rama IX Road