Thursday, October 10, 2013

Dining Experiences in Bangkok Part I...



Dining Experiences in Bangkok

There was no better way to spend my birthday and the week thereafter than in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a fascinating place, and the favorite of the three places we visited on our trip for me. I am sure I was influence by my girlfriend as far as Thailand goes, because she had some of her favorite memories from there, so she talked it up to me quite a bit in the 4 years we were together before we finally traveled there. The people are so friendly, there is an incredibly rich history there, the food and culture is phenomenal, not to mention it is incredibly cheap! We had so many amazing experiences again in Bangkok that it is hard to keep it concise, but I will do my best here.




For my birthday the first full day we were in Bangkok, my girlfriend asked her dad to take us to her favorite steakhouse, the New York Steakhouse in the JW Marriot hotel. Funny thing about this meal was it was really one of the only American meals we ate in Thailand, and the morning after was the only time I felt sick the entire trip. Don’t know if it was coincidence, if my body wasn’t used to eating like that anymore or what, but I found it hilarious because my girlfriend’s mom was paranoid that I was going to get sick throughout the entire trip. That meal was pretty wonderful, definitely quite a treat. I had a peppercorn crusted sirloin that was delicious, and I also got to share some of my girlfriend's food as well. 




Obviously in Thailand we ate Thai food quite often, but one place stood out above all the rest. Baan Khanitha is a family owned restaurant that serves up fresh and extremely authentic and delicious Thai cuisine. It was my girlfriend's parents' favorite place for Thai food when they lived there, and after dining there I can see why. The food was absolutely delicious. We had delicious Gai Haw Bai Toei, a type of chicken served wrapped in banana leaves. It was so incredibly tender that it literally fell apart with the touch of my fork.  We also ate some delicious red curry with pork, something I came to indulge in each opportunity that I got. I am not a big fan of coconut, but the thai curry made with coconut milk is one of the most delicious things on the planet. The pork in the curry was super tender, and creaminess and spice of the curry was one of the most addicting flavors I have ever tasted. For dessert I had to indulge in the famous mango sticky rice. It was the best I tasted all trip. The Thai mangos taste very different from the ones that I have had here in the States. They are so incredibly fresh and juicy, and the creamy yet slightly crispy texture of the rice brought a savory element to the dish that was the perfect balance.  





I had so many foodgasms in Thailand that it became second nature after a while. I had heard my girlfriend’s dad and her rave about the best German restaurant they have ever been to. Little did I know that it was in Thailand, and not Munich, Germany where they lived for four years. Bei Otto is an awesome German spot in Bangkok, opened by a German immigrant. There is a store attached that sells imported German products, the likes of which you can only get in Germany. The place radiates authenticity, and I was in heaven the moment we stepped inside. I ordered a nice dark German beer to drink with my meal and I ordered Otto's Wurstplatte, a platter full of 5 different kinds of sausages, sauerkraut, and a side of spaetzel. The sausages were incredibly fresh, clearly recently ground, and had an incredibly fine ground texture. I had a bratwurst, some nurnbergers, and a weisswurst. The sauerkraut was mondo vinegary, and full of flavor. The spaetzel was absolutely to die for. It was potato heaven, in pasta form, with loads of butter, the perfect accompaniment to the deliciously grilled sausages. You absolutely must go here if you travel to Bangkok.

A quick word about a food experience that I thought was pretty cool. In the mall in Bangkok, there is a food court area they refer to as the Food Loft. When you walk in you get handed a plastic card with a barcode on it. You then walk around to all the different areas and pick out what you want and they scan it to your card as your bill. You pay when you walk out and they scan your card at the restaurant. I thought it was really cool, and I loved all of the different options they had. You could choose from Indian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Thai, Vietnamese, Soups and Sandwiches, and Dessert. The food was all delicious as well. We ate here two different times and both times I had great meals. It was definitely a cool concept, so check it out if you take a visit.

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
I am a food lover living in Philadelphia.

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