Dinner in Huay Kwang, Bangkok

Here are a few pics from our dinner in Huay Kwang last night.  This area is an excellent place to walk around and enjoy delicious Thai food.  Highlights from last night were the pad kra prow and the mango with sticky rice.

Mon Nom Sod, Bangkok

This famous kanom (dessert) place absolutely blew my mind.  Located in the Banglampu area and famous for decades, Mon Nom Sod is (nom sod means fresh milk in Thai) a gem in a city that perhaps has more opportunities to eat well than any place on the planet.  The specialty here is grilled toast with different toppings.  The setting is simple elegance with great air conditioning.  We had toast topped with butter and condensed milk.  Simple but utterly profound.  I'm going back to try the chocolate topping.  This is a can't miss spot in Bangkok.

Bangkok Day 3

Another busy day out in the Big Mango.  We visited a few new things near the Banglampu area including a nice temple and the Royal Mount.  Lunch was at Chote Chitr at long last.  I certainly enjoyed it although it wasn't worth all the hassle I went through to find it.  The food was very good although I was somewhat turned off by how focused the restaurant is on tourists.  I'm fairly certain that no Bangkok residents would ever eat at Chote Chitr due to the relatively high prices.  I guess I've become a total snob for local, local places although the cooking was certainly good at Chote Chitr.    

After lunch we visited a famous Thai dessert place that was other worldly, Nom Mod Sod.  I will definitely visit this place again before I depart for LA.

After our dessert we visited the Golden Mount.  This is very nice temple with great views of Bangkok.  I really enjoyed visiting the Golden Mount and would definitely return again.

In the late afternoon the sky opened up and it absolutely poured for awhile.  

Dinner was at an old favorite of mine near Soi Nana - Took Lae Dae inside the Foodland Market on Soi 5.  I ordered the pad kee mao noodles.  They were decent but I've had much better.  I asked for it spicy and my dish came 'farang spicy'. 

Some pics from Chote Chitr:

Boat Noodles at Victory Monument

Lunch today was something that I have been waiting to do since I discovered boat noodles at Sapp in Hollywood, California.  There is an area near Victory Monument that has several boat noodle restaurants next to each other right on the side of a canal.  This is supposed to be the best place in Bangkok to sample this famous Thai noodle dish.  I can't tell you how very happy I was to be there.

We walked around looking at the different shops and ultimately settled on the one that was the most crowded.  My original thought was to sample the noodles at a few different places but that idea was quickly scratched after my first slurp.  The flavors were just incredible!  The broth is so thick and rich.  Sorry Sapp Hollywood, I love you but you have been trumped.  I dig how the noodles are served in little bowls that you stack up.  Prices are a lofty 9 baht per bowl. 

Bangkok Day 1

The first day of my trip was quite busy (and seemed to last forever).  I got the welcome Thai massage for an hour.  It felt great and only cost $5 for an hour.  Lilly and I drove around the city for part of the day.  Traffic everywhere.   We ditched the car and rode the public transportation later (the better bet).  Food is everywhere and we ate throughout the day.  We had dinner in Silom on the street.  The highlight was fresh red snapper in chili lime sauce.  Amazing flavors.  I was utterly exhausted by last night.  I slept great and woke up early this morning.  Just had a very good western breakfast at my hotel.  Plans for today are getting my visa for Laos and getting lunch at Chote Chitr.  Boat noodles later in the day at Victory Monument.

Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas

I enjoyed a very nice meal here on a recent trip to Las Vegas.  The menu is enormous!  With so many tasty choices it is wise to engage your server for advice.  The prices are completely reasonable.  A stark contrast to what is being charged on the strip at the big hotels.  Standouts on our visit were the crispy pork with Chinese broccoli and the northern ginger curry.  The flavors are entirely authentic.  Without hesitation the kitchen will bring the heat, if you give them the green light of course. 

The wine list is voluminous and surprisingly affordable.  There are plenty of good German Rieslings that match perfectly with the Thai cuisine.  Take your pick of new releases or bottles with age.  We enjoyed at beautiful bottle of 2009 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett.  If you are a fan of minerality in your Riesling, look no further than St. Urbans-Hof.  One of my favorite German producers.  

The best buys on the wine list are actually the big reds; Chateauneuf du Papes in particular.  2006 Clos des Papes for $125?  YES! 

Lotus of Siam is justifiably famous.  On my next trip to Vegas, I will definitely be back.   

Sapp Coffee Shop, Hollywood California

The best boat noodle soup that I have tried to date is at Sapp Coffee Shop in Thai Town.  I make a point to visit almost every time I come home to LA.  The boat noodles here are consistently aroi mak mak!  (Delicious in Thai).  The service is fast and friendly.  The prices are super low!  A bowl of boat noodles is only $5.50!  I love the rich flavor of the broth in this dish.  I look forward to trying boat noodles at Victory Monument next time I'm in BKK.  In the meantime I'll keep coming back to Sapp to enjoy its awesome 'blood noodles'.