khao-chae @ Kalpapruek CWP

433
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Comfort food in Thai summer

Every year during the hottest month in Thailand I anticipate the coming of Songkran (Thai New Year) Festival, or Splash-water Festival in the eyes of foreign visitors, and eating of khao-chae or literally rice soaked (in icy water).

As the fuel cost increases are skyrocketing, the best way to fight electricity bills is to eat khao-chae to lower our body temperature. Khao-chae consists of rice soaked in iced-cold jasmine-scented water served with elaborately prepared side dishes.

Khao-chae chao-Mon was originated from the Mon ethnic people resident in Thailand two centuries ago, cooked to sacrifice to the God, the dish is rather simple compare to the Royal Thai version. Khao-chae chao wang (the Royal Thai khao-chae) which had been brought to the royal court of King Rama II as a dish to comfort the King (Rama II) and royal people during the hot season. The rice and water of Royal Thai khao-chae is pretty complicated and requires a long process. Half cooked rice repeatedly rinsed to get rid of the starch before further being cooked, next put in cold water to avoid a premature process, drain the water; later steaming the half-dry rice in a cloth wrapper over a volcano-hot boiler until it is fully cooked in order for the scented water to look clear with the rice, earning a firm texture. The jasmine-scented water is not prepared with less effort. Jasmine blossoms are soaked in water in a clay pot with a jasmine-scented candle carefully floating on it for the water to absorb the fragrance with the pot covered for a while; repeat the process until satisfaction is met, then pour the scented water into an earthenware pot and store them overnight. When served, add the rice in the scented water followed by mini ice cubes, accompanied by tidbits.

The tidbits or side dishes, are, luk kapi (deep-fried fermented shrimp paste balls), hom daeng yud sai (deep-fried shallots stuffed with minced fish), prik yuak sord sai (banana chili pepper stuffed with minced pork wrapped in egg netting), moo foi (shredded sweet pork), chai pow phad wan (stir-fried sweet dry turnip with egg) and carved vegetables (usually consist of green mango, cucumber, krachai, red chili and green onion).

To ensure our palate enjoys the most pleasure from the jasmine-scented khao-chae and tidbits, we eat the rice and the tidbits separately, one at a time. Never put the tidbits in the rice and water as it will cloud the scented water.

Khao-chae is another original delicacy from Thailand, it is unique and it is chic. Summer time is coming, my favorite khao-chae treat is here, though Kalpapruek is not my favorite choice.





khao-chae
at Kalpapruek Restaurant ***
CWP branch:
7/F Central World Plaza
4 Rajdamri Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.613.1359

Open daily : 10 am - 10 pm
Pay (khao-chae only for tw0): around THB 650 (THB 290+ per set)
* khao-chae is available from mid-March until end of April

Klang Soi

432
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Gem in the soi

Last week I met a friend at Thonglo; we looked for normal food without any gimmick, an owner who put more attention on the food than on fancy decoration, and priced in an affordable range; we opted for a family restaurant whose reputation preceded it. For thirty-two years of service, Klang Soi serves simple but delicious home-style Thai food with the Central accent. It is another old-school fare that is a hidden gem to Bangkokians.


fried minced catfish & shredded raw mango salad (yum pla dukfoo), THB 130+

herbal spicy & sour soup with pork spare ribs (tom klong si-kon moo), THB 90+
red curry with roasted duck meat (gaeng phet ped yang), THB 120+

steamed mixed seafood curry (hor-mok talay), THB 180+

stir-fried ivy gourd leaves (phad pak dtam lung), THB 85+; sala fruit, THB 60+

deep-fried curried fish patties (tord mun pla), THB 105+

Klang Soi Thai Restaurant ****
2 Sukhumvit Soi 49
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02.391.4988

Open daily : lunch 11 am - 3 pm, dinner 5 -10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 650

E-sarn Loom Yen

431
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Hard to feel cool

With more new hotels and luxury condos built at the Victory Monument area and its vicinity, the nearby Nangnam Road seems to enjoy a blooming restaurant scene; patrons are now not limited to budgeted armed force personnel and university students, but also includes middle-class residents and international tourists.

There is always devil and angel in the restaurant business. For E-sarn Loom Yen, one phase to describe this Issan (Thai Northeastern) restaurant, is mediocre food at best.



E-sarn Loom Yen Restaurant **1/2
Rangnam Road (corner Soi Loet Panyu)
Phayathai, Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 02.248.2295

Open daily : 8 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 500

Kuppa

430

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Rustic roast in the city

Living in Bangkok we (at least us foodies) need a big stomach and a good appetite; every month there are new restaurants opening in almost every soi (lane) in Bangkok's downtown, leaving us to try to follow all of them and keeping the restaurant business in extensive competition. One of them is not afraid of severe competition, and worth it for foodies to keep returning to, is Kuppa.

Established in 1996, Kuppa is Bangkok's first restaurant serving house-roasted coffee as well as Thai and Western cuisine with a Pacific Rim twist. Since then, Kuppa has been on the radar of major local and foreign media, and I agree that this is a one-of-a-kind eatery that shouldn't be pocketed exclusively for expats and high-so(ciety) foodies only.

Though the food there is decently good, what makes Kuppa really shine are their cakes, a must-try for every visit even though I am not a dessert lover. And if you are a coffee lover, don't leave Kuppa without a sip of their house roasted blend.

Kuppa ****

39 Sukhumvit Soi 16

Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110

Tel.: 02.259.1954

Kuppa

Open daily : 10 am - 10:30 pm

Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,500

phad Thai Rajthevee

429
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Delis on the sidewalk

A good cook doesn't need any powdered title; this sidewalk phad Thai noodle hawker in Rajthevee area, which is highly recommended by one of my foodie friends, has gourmet phad Thai and hoy tord (fried mussels in batter and egg) to offer.


phad Thai goong sod, THB 45


hoy tord, THB 40

Phad Thai Rajthevee ****
484 Phayathai Road (sidewalk)
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400

Open daily (except Monday) : 5 pm - 12 am (midnight)
Pay (food only for one): around THB 50



* To follow Bangkok closely, please 'friend' Thaisclub in Facebook!

Lee Cafe

428
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Chef that is lacking of iron

Japan's most talked about cooking contest and television show, the Iron Chef has come to Thailand; last week (March 14) the contestant (or the challenger in Iron Chef's term), a Thai-northeastern native chef who works in a Bangna district Chinese Restaurant, that leans on group tours and event clientele, easily beat the program's permanent Iron Chef of Chinese cuisine - Khun Chaithe a.k.a. Mr. Lee (owner of Lee Kitchen and Lee Cafe) by a fairly big margin. I went to Mr. Lee's restaurants a few times, no matter if they are the Lee Kitchen or Lee Cafe, the food was far from cheerful.

* Iron Chef Thailand, every Wednesday 11 pm on Channel 7.



Lee Cafe **1/4
3/F Central World Plaza
4 Rajdamri Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.646.1838
.. more branches at major shopping centers

Open daily : 10 am - 9:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 450

Canton House

427
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Quality cheap eat

Among the locals, Canton House is a very popular Chinese Cantonese dimsum specialty eatery with a Thai-Teochew twist; with several branches across Thailand, they now have a new branch at Terminal 21 where shoppers can now get a fix of dimsum at sixteen baht a dish just like other Canton House branches offer.



Canton House Restaurant ***
Terminal 21 branch:
4/F, the Terminal 21
288 Sukhumvit Road
North Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 081.821.8755

Open daily : 10 am - 9:30 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 400

Fai Sor Kam

426
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When aroma not aromatic

Fai Sor Kam refers to a Lanna style home textiles, scented candles and fragrant products manufacturer, with showrooms at Siam Paragon and Siam Discovery Center for over a decade. They recently extended their business ambitions to a culinary business, with the debut of Fai Sor Kam Thai Restaurant, adjacent to the original Fai Sor Kam Home Collection Store at the Siam Paragon.

The food, however, is not as commendable as their home collection products. I find that her Northern specialty dish - khao soi (Northern curried noodle) is ranked top, counted from the bottom, from my list. All dishes at Fai Sor Kam are mono-taste, pungent hot, and lacking of the essential balanced taste of the famous Thai cuisine. Maybe the existence of Fai Sor Kam Thai Restaurant is only to help those restaurants which serve mediocre food look smarter!



khao soi gai (fried & soup noodle with chicken in curry broth), THB 160++

khanom-jeen nam ngeow (rice noodle with pork in fermented soy bean curry), THB 160++


Fai Sor Kam Thai Restaurant **3/4
Food Passage on 4th, the Siam Paragon
991 Rama I Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02.415.6605

Open daily : 11 am - 10 pm
Pay (food only for two): around THB 1,100