eatBANGKOK: Delicious River Prawns and Crab Claypots @ Jae Piak, Chinatown

If you leave Nai Mong Hoy Tod with a craving for more seafood, Bangkok has a little place beyond the likes of T&K Seafood in Chinatown for you food lovers.  Andrew Weinns from eatingthaifood.com has again introduced something off the beaten track for the adventurous and those who are not inclined towards the common.  Located a good 15 minutes walk from the Wongwai Yian BTS was Jae Piak (or Aunty Piak) with a concept similar to Somsak Poi Od (recommended by Andrew Weinns) where a single chef cooks up delicious hot pots worth of seafood topped with glass noodles.   The menu here is limited but what it does, it does really well.  Note, Jae Piak only open at night when the leather shop is closed.

The map on how to get there:

Unlike Somsak Poi Od that has its fair of online publicity, Jae Piak is something people might considered a copycat and that made us a little worried especially when prices were not displayed which means lost tourists like us might get ripped off! Fortunately, this was not the case at all.

First dish to come to the table was a Prawn and Glass Noodle dish for 220 Baht (RM24/$AUD9).  

The picture shows 2 big prawns on the side but on the underside is another 2 large prawns.  While it was everything you expected, fresh, juicy and tasty, the highlight for me was the cooking.  Generous amount of little peppercorns, and the chef’s special sauce was somehow made into something phenomenal.  Even Yobi who is not a big fan of glass noodles started to think otherwise.  It was that good.  

Looking at how other tables hungrily devour their crab clay pots had us jump onto the bandwagon and ordered one for ourselves too.  This by memory was 240 Baht (RM26/$AUD 9).  

My presentation sucks but I did not want to destroy the whole plate so I only managed to bring half a shell out from the base :P!  Cooked in a  similar way like the prawns, this is an absolute steal for seafood lovers.  The large meaty claw saw little efforts be rewarded with juicy flesh.  Droolworthy~!  The body parts are a little small but still every bit worth the dollars we paid.  Go anywhere else and be prepared to pay more!

Despite not being able to go to Somsak Poi Od, I cannot help but feel glad to part of an accidental discovery.  A truly special one too.  Maybe if you had come to Jae Paik based on my recommendations you would might not be too chuffed but otherwise, damn it was good.  Many thanks to Yobi who  suggested us to try somewhere different.

WenY

About eatBANGKOK

I am no expert in eating but I have no hesitation in claiming Bangkok is easily one of the top cities for eating. In this mini series called eatBANGKOK, I bring you what my homeboys Yobi, ZS and I ate through this bustling city.  Everyone boasts to present the cuisine in this Royal loving city best so the quality of food here can quite easily get diluted.  But are you really eating Bangkok’s best? This is WHAT, WHERE and HOW to eat Bangkok’s  popular and hidden eateries.  Keen on a Bangkok food itinerary?  Look no further.

eatBANGKOK: Sweet Cravings @ Petite Audrey, Mango Tango & Mr Jones, Siam Central

While I am no sweet tooth, it is finally time to kick back and relax after a fill of savoury courses.  3 places frequently mentioned are Petite Audrey, Mr Jones Orphanage & Mango Tango.  All of which are in Siam Central area.  Here we have the famous trio where the hygiene conscious can get their dose of quality desserts in a clean environment away from the Bangkok heat.

Petite Audrey, Siam Central

From the front, Petite Audrey is a French Cafe serving a mix of Thai and Westerns savoury delights but it also seconds as Bangkok’s most popular Mille Crepe or million layer Crepe place.  Their Thai Milk Tea Crepe is to die for and pictures do not lie.

The thickened Milk Tea sauce at Petite Audrey is simply sensational.  It was fragrant, not too sweet, mildly acidic from the potency of the tea and as a whole complemented the fluffy Crepe.  For 130 Baht (RM14.50/$AUD5.50), it is not exactly cheap but its French chic ambience paired with its crowd winning Thai Milk Tea Crepe makes Petite Audrey a great value hangout.

Mango Tango, Siam Square Soi 3

But if English patisserie is not you cue, head on to Mango Tango in Siam Square Soi 3.  If you have not noticed just yet, the streets of Bangkok is laden with quality mango sticky rice desserts but no one serves a more elaborate mango dessert than Mango Tango.  Housed in a small container off Siam Square Soi 3, this mango inspired dessert house in Siam Square specialises in everything mango.  Here I ordered the Mango Sampler for 165 Baht (RM18/$AUD 7).

Ripe mangoes, stick rice, refreshing mango sorbet and a light mango pudding.   What is there not to like?  I tend to go about having the sticky rice first as it is the heavier meal of the lot.  But considering the small amount of stick rice given, it was not all that bad!  The crispy Mung beans at the top gave the fragrant sticky rice some crunch to go with the mango.  Absolutely delicious.

Mr Jones Orphanage

Last but no least is Mr Jones Orphanage situated in the same building like Petite Audrey.  Its venue is build around a child’s playground concept.  The food is decent, and the price you pay is for the uniqueness of its setting rather than amazing dessert.

The cakes at Mr Jones Orphanage is what you would call acceptable but not truly satisfying.  The cakes were a tad dense and the icing was at best mediocre, but thankfully the tea was fine.

Verdict?  My biggest fancy was most definitely Petite Audrey and Mango Tango. Both venues served desserts that brings the flavours of Thailand to the dessert plate in a different way.  Petite Audrey more contemporary than Mango Tango, but both without a doubt are modern in presentation. So why have one when you can have two!?  The serving sizes as both are a lot smaller than what my pictures suggests. So have two!

WenY

About eatBANGKOK

I am no expert in eating but I have no hesitation in claiming Bangkok is easily one of the top cities for eating. In this mini series called eatBANGKOK, I bring you what my homeboys Yobi, ZS and I ate through this bustling city.  Everyone boasts to present the cuisine in this Royal loving city best so the quality of food here can quite easily get diluted.  But are you really eating Bangkok’s best? This is WHAT, WHERE and HOW to eat Bangkok’s  popular and hidden eateries.  Keen on a Bangkok food itinerary?  Look no further.

eatBANGKOK: Crunchy Oyster Omelettes @ Nai Mong Hoy Tod, Chinatown Bangkok

Seafood is a big hit in Thailand and the oyster omelette (more like a pancake) or Hoy Tod is one of the most recognisable form where seafood is presented in a basic but extremely tasty form.  From the starchy Taiwanese version topped with pink sauce or Malaysia’s fluffy egg ones, I find that no one does it better than the Thais.  To find the “best” Hoy Tod in town, I headed to Chinatown. 

If you are a tourist, be warned because Chinatown is a place where massive rip offs happen (we got ripped off by the taxi drive and was dropped of along some remote street!). But determined as ever Yobi, ZS and I made our way to the popular Nai Mong Hoi Tod for some delicious Oyster omelette.  The location is hard as to find but this is a google view.  Its address is probably 540 Phlap Phla Chai Road.

Nai Mong Hoy Tod in Chinatown is small but their fame is unquestionable. Nai Mong Hoy Tod closes at around 3pm daily, and yet they were still busy when we got there around closing time.  After a quick scan of their menu, we picked their two most populars Hoy Tod as well as a plate of crab fried rice.  The owners' kids speak brilliant English with a badass accent so do not be worried of coming to this remote place for a yummy Oyster Omeletre. 

For 80 Baht, this had to be one of the tastiest fried rice I have ever eaten.  Its rice was so well fried that each rice grain was on its own.  Not those gluggy ones or broken ones you get from those half-assed restaurants!  Crab pieces were a mix of little shred and larger chunks of crab meat.  Yummy!

The first Hoy Tod to arrive was the crispy mussel omelette and I reckon it was worth every bit of the walk!

Looking back at this picture, I still recall my mouth drooling at the sight of this beautiful Hoy Tod.  Its was fried till golden brown with its crispy jagged edges teasing me visually.  The first bite was always the best and this was no different.  With a little chilli sauce, this was an oyster fritter on steroids!  So yummy! Salty deep fried goodness with that bursty seafood flavour from the chunks of mussel flesh.  Some people dislike floury omelettes and I am one such person.  I could tell that some flour was added to a certain degree but nowhere near what other places put so it was pretty damn good :D!

The second one we shared was the crispy omelette topped with sautéed oysters with diced scallions in a oyster sauce.  

OMAIGAWD this was so good.  Super plump  oysters graced the top of the crisp omelette.  The oysters used here made the ones used everywhere look like cockles!  Flavours were more balanced in this dish  with the crispy omelette going really well with the saucy oysters.  Great stuff!

Writing this post was probably an awkward experience for me because I never really liked oysters in the first place.  But in Bangkok where oysters are incorporated and made into something amazing, damn it was hard to resist.  Me eating Hoy Tod shows my confidence in the cooking in Thailand.  This place was a clear winner for me.  The crispy Mussel Omelette at Nai Mong Hoi Tod was really nice especially for first timers who are afraid of the taste shell fish might have.  If you happen to be a seafood purist though, my second dish the Hoy Tod with sautéed oysters would be your best as the oysters were still really plump and creamy!

WenY

About eatBANGKOK

I am no expert in eating but I have no hesitation in claiming Bangkok is easily one of the top cities for eating. In this mini series called eatBANGKOK, I bring you what my homeboys Yobi, ZS and I ate through this bustling city.  Everyone boasts to present the cuisine in this Royal loving city best so the quality of food here can quite easily get diluted.  But are you really eating Bangkok’s best? This is WHAT, WHERE and HOW to eat Bangkok’s  popular and hidden eateries.  Keen on a Bangkok food itinerary?  Look no further.