Thai Food (Southern) [Engine by iGetWeb.com]

1. Phuket Town Restaurant @ Thonglor 6, Bangkok

Phuket Town is surely a Hidden Diamond of Thonglor, in which many of restaurants in Thonglor area are either European food or Japanese/Korean food. This tiny restaurant, accommodates ~ 40 guests, serves variety of fantastic Southern Style Thai authentic food. It is located conveniently at the corner of Soi Thonglor 6 Entrance. Parking along the road is permitted. The nearest BTS station is surely Thonglor Station, which is within the walking distance; ~ 5 minutes walk. Though the place is small, it is still easily spotted with Southern Thai-Chinese decor at the entrance with triangular arch gate and wooden doors and windows. Inside restaurant is furbished to give atmosphere as though you are eating in Phuket: retro style wooden tables, chairs, and floors, wall painted of Phuket Town. Many of Phuket food are in Hokkien (Fujian) Chinese style, which have been adapted and blended with local food. Hence, it would contain both richness of taste while some is also spicy.

Phuket Town @ Thonglor 6

Retro Southern Thai Decor

We started with Pork Belly Stew in Chinese Phuket Style (หมูฮ้องภูเก็ต - Moo Hong Phuket). This may look similarly to typical Chinese pork stew with soy sauce. Here, it tasted a little sweet while maintaining its saltiness. Delicious though not so tender: good with a nice bowl of boiled rice (6/10).

Deep-fried Belly Pork with Salt and Garlic (หมูคั่วเกลือ - Moo Kua Gleua) was crisp on the outside and had some thickness. Some may prefer it to be thin rather than thick though. It tasted little salty (7/10).

Pork Belly Stew in Chinese Phuket Style

Deep-fried Belly Pork with Salt and Garlic

Pak Miang in Coconut Milk with Fresh Prawn (ผักเหมียงต้มกะทิกุ้งสด - Pak Miang Tom Gung Gati Sot) is one of the well-known Phuket dish. Sweet scent came from coconut milk, which was really fresh. Prawn had big size and Pak Miang (Local Southern Vegetable Green Leave) was splendid. A must try dish indeed (8/10).

Next was Stir-fried Pak Miang with Egg (ผักเหมียงผัดไข่ - Pak Miang Pad Kai). This dish may not earn creative point but delightful surely. The highlight was super crisp dry prawn. Personally, I would prefer to have more egg (7/10).

Pak Miang in Coconut Milk with Fresh Prawn

Stir-fried Pak Miang with Egg

Coming along was Stir-fried Sa-Tor with Shrimp with Curry Paste (สะตอผัดเครื่องแกงใต้ - Sa-Tor Pad Kreuang Gaeng Tai). Sa-Tor is Stink Bean, which grows in the South of Thailand. Another of my favourite dish though it was a little spicy. It also had hint of sweetness from shrimp paste (กะปิ - Ga Pi). I think this dish here may not be spicy enough for those from local Southern (6/10).

Stir-fried Pork with Lemon-grass Slice (หมูผัดตะไคร้ - Moo Pad Ta Krai) was not really a Southern dish from my opinion. However, this dish was full of pleasant. Freshness from lemon-grass with a hint of coconut milk. If pork was more tender, it would be more enjoyable (6/10).

Stir-fried Sa-Tor with Shrimp in Curry Paste

Stir-fried Pork with Lemon-grass Slice

Next was another famous traditional Thai dish: Red Curry Pla-Mong Fish Suffle Served in Banana Leaf (ห่อหมก - Hor Mok). It had strong scent of curry paste. It was not spicy but rich in taste. The texture was soft, however, the traditional Hor Mok in Southern style is more watery (7/10).

Red Curry Pla-Mong Fish Suffle Served in Banana Leaf

Egg Noodle Stir-fried with Seafood in Oyster Sauce (ผัดหมี่ฮกเกี้ยนซีฟู้ด - Pad Mee Hokkien Seafood) was a disappointment here. Too sweet and had no consistency in the texture of noodle: some was too soft while some was undercooked (3/10).

Egg Noodle Stir-fried with Seafood in Oyster Sauce

Last was Rice Noodles with Steamed Crab Meat in Spicy Curry (ขนมจีนน้ำยาปู - Ka Nom Jeen Naam Yaa Bpoo). Another all time famous dish from Phuket.Soft rice noodle combined with thick crab paste curry and condiments was really tasty. At Phuket Town, the curry was thick but the taste of curry was not rich enough (6/10).

Rice Noodles with Steamed Crab Meat in Spicy Curry

Condiments

Crab Meat Curry

I personally appreciate with this tiny restaurant "Phuket Town". A rare gem in the modern era of Thonglor. While many places are European food and Japanese/Korean food, this authentic restaurant brings back charm and fascination of Thai food back to Thonglor area. Overall taste may not be as strong as those in Southern Thailand, but it does suit both local Bangkok and Foreigner from my point of view.

2. Pak Nam Seafood Phuket

Pak Nam Seafood in Phuket Town is a great restaurant located outside the tourist roads. It is very well know from locals and residents who like to host parties and even bring friends for a casual business lunch, or just a dinner for two if you are in a mood for good seafood.

You can sit in the main open air room, at the terrace or in one of the air-con rooms. The menu is vast and in English, staff can speak also enough English to take your order.

We have been to Pak Nam many times and here if you need some recommendations, here is what we like to order as you can see on the photos:

'Pla Sai Tok Kamin' - small deep fried fishes with turmeric.

'Pad Pak Miang Koong Seab' - green leaves with dry shrimps.

'Pla Ka-Pong Nung' - a large steamed fish.

'Yum Toa Poo' - green beans salad with squid.

'Kaeng Poo' with 'Bee Hoon' - Crab curry with rice vermicelli.

'Tom Yum Talay' which we don't need to introduce anymore.

One of their specialty is 'Pla Jalamed' - white Pomfret fish with mushroom and soya sauce.

'Taow Toey' - the same dish but with grey Pomfret fish, more expensive and of course it tastes even better.

Pak Nam Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and can be busy on some days in which case it can take some time to be served. Price is very affordable and if you are more than four guests, you should really consider booking in advance.

It's not really easy to find Pak Nam so better print the map. You will have to turn right at the traffic lights just past the Mission Hospital located just at the city limit, on the way from town to airport.

Pak Nam Seafood, 52/220 Ratsadanuson Rd,

Tel: 076 240240