Bangkok 2014 - Street Food Hunting

Besides shopping for clothes and weird snacks, Bangkok is also known for awesome reasonable street food at every nook, canny and corner of its lively city. Once I decided to walk from MBK center to my hotel in Wireless road just so I could see what the streets had to offer. And it was a lot. I ended up eating so much that I was stuffed by the time I reached my hotel. I supposed I did burn off some of the calories I was consuming.

So on my previous trip in Dec 2014, I took to the streets and malls again and went food hunting with a checklist in hand. If you're ever in Bangkok in need of a quick fix of food, here are few quick bites to look out for. 

Banana pancake as Malaysians would call it....Roti Pisang. I found this at the night market opposite MBK Center and unlike the Malaysian kind, this was crispier. There is a banana in every bite and its top is drizzled with condensed milk. It cost about 40baht and can be shared amongst two people while walking around to eat more.

Fried Chicken. Understandably, a sinfully guilty pleasure with its succulent meat hidden beneath deep-fried skin that is practically dripping with oil. Almost every corner near a shopping mall or night market has one stall selling these from between 30baht to 50baht depending on which part you pick. Best to wait for a piping hot batch fresh from the pan for the best chicken-munching experience.

Satay aka meat on a stick. I don't know if these have an official name in Thai but I am calling it satay minus the dipping in sauce part. It's still an awesome quick bite for either breakfast or supper. You can pick from chicken wings, gizzards and three-layered pork meat to name a few. I got my fix from the guy standing in front of my hostel at Lub D and it was superb. 

Kaya and Toast. Before you go 'wait!! what?! This ain't Thai food.', well the franchise owning this, Mont is Thai hence it's Thai since 1964 for a simple meal, it makes a lot of it with a two slices of thick fluffy toast spread with a generous amount of kaya atop. They also have a variety of kaya types but I recommended the original coconut custard. You can find Mont in MBK Center.

If you are too lazy to walk all the way to the famous Sabx2 Wanton noodles and Braised Pork Rice in Pratunam, then just get your porky fix at the food court of Platinum fashion mall. It's almost as good and fast, allowing you to enjoy it in the comforts of an air-conditioned environment. The mini pancakes there are pretty good too!

Next we venture over to Chaktuchak market, the biggest outdoor weekend market in the world. Similar to how everything you need can be found here, the same goes for food. Just straight in from the main entrance 1, there are rows and rows of covered stalls serving freshly made Thai cuisine such as Pad Thai. My friend wanted to try the Pad Thai so we ordered one to share and while it was less oilier than our fried Kuey Teow, there was just too much vegetables and tofu for my liking. Maybe it was just me.

The popular Grilled Honey Roast Pork aka Moo Yang was just a stone's throw away from the ceramic and kitchenware department, near the food stores along Area 22, Soi 4. If you are entering from the food stalls serving the Pad Thai, it's on your left and just two meters from the mouth of Soi 4. By far, the yummiest roast pork I've eat. It's roasted over the good old traditional charcoal, giving it that robust smoky flavour that enhances the sweetness of it altogether. Worth the hunt in Chaktuchak.

 Of course, a hot day in Chaktuchak deserves the famous coconut ice-cream near the clock tower. Which there are numerous other coconut ice-cream vendors in the market, this is by far the nicest. The ice-cream remains the main star of the day with its smooth and coconut-y taste and topped with peanut for an added crunch. The owners even provided their customers with coconut juice while waiting for the dessert. 

Ah....when in Thailand, one must always try their sticky mango rice regardless of where.  I found mine at the row of food stalls outside Chaktuchak on the way to the BTS station. The old auntie served her mango rice with the sweetest mango I've tasted so far with soft rice and even flowers for presentation. Thumbs up for presentation, taste and effort. 

Across the road and still outside the morning market are various standalone food vendors, serving all sorts of snacks and food. I stumbled across this lady offering sweet potato balls. We ordered 20 pieces to share. It was recommended to just share them and eat them while they were hot.

Thai milk tea is a special breed of its own with a fragrance sweet smell that is further enhanced by the unhealthy amount of condensed milk that is poured into the tea. Fattening yes but all so good....

And finally, this maybe the least unsuspecting dessert yet. Simple yet oh so satisfying, ice Popsicle never go out of flavour in all sense and on a scorching hot day, it makes for a cheap but thirst quenching treat to suck on.. 

So what other food have you tried around and about Bangkok? Do share and hope to hear from you soon!