Top must try Bangkok's best food

Shop and eat and shop and eat. That's basically what you do when you go Bangkok and staying near a metro station would makes travelling around convenient. For food, I did some research on the must-try list and here are my reviews:

1) Nara Thai

I have tried Nara Thai and it's not spectacular but maybe I should have tried Nahm Thai instead. I really like Thanying, which is my current best Thai restaurant. I would shout it out if I could: I think that Thanying tastes much better than Nara Thai and I think it's the best Thai restaurant that I have tried. My Thai friends said I have taste buds like Thai because most foreigners would prefer Nara unlike them. Ok to be fair, Nara Thai has yummy curry soft shell crab and tasty fried chicken in shrimp paste. I think their mixed appetizers, called Hors D'oeuvres ruined the meal as it was so dry and cold and horrid. I will try their food again but you can eat them in Singapore anyway.

Coming back to Thanying, it plays host to Goh Chok Tong and other political figures because I saw their pictures there. It serves genuine, royal thai cuisine but is not linked to the Thanying in Singapore. Don't worry, 2 person's bill only came up to 900 Baht (S$36) but it's 1500 Baht (S$60)in Nara. What is so good about Thanying's food is that the taste is more refined, subtle and yet flavourful. I had the pineapple fried rice, which is done just rice and mixed with their famous green curry..... heavenly!

Try it if you have the chance and see if you agree with me. Anyway, Thanying is only a 20 minutes walk away, just follow the google maps to get there.

2) Thip Samai Pad Thai Pratu Pi 

Best Pad Thai from online reviews. Opening hours: 1730 - 0130. Take a taxi from Hua Lamphong MRT station and it will cost you 150 Baht. The taxi drivers should know Thip Samai or you can show them the picture below.

I like Pad Thai. It's cheap, fulfilling and sweet. The version by Thip Samai is sweet without much sourish taste and it is the wet, soggy version. Quite different from what my Thai friends like which is the traditional sour, sweet and dry version. However, at 80 Baht, I think it's worth a try.

Actually I am more impressed with their orange juice. It's the best orange juice that I have tasted! At 120 Baht a bottle, the sweet and lots of pulpy goodness has taken the spotlight from the famous Pad Thai. I know it's ridiculous but I just want to faster finish the noodles and indulge in my orange juice only. Nothing else. It's just damn satisfying.

3) Baan Kanitha

Baan Kanitha is just at the right hand side when you depart from the ferry at Asiatique. It looks kind of high class and the food prices will confirm it. However, it's delicious Thai food so no complaints here. If you like Thai pineapple rice which is not what local Thais eat but is a dish concocted for foreigners, this is one of the rare restaurants that you can find it on the menu.  The food is really quite good.

4) Taling Pling

My Thai friends kept raving about this restaurant and finally bought me here. I have to say the food, drinks and also desserts are really yummy and delicious. They have pretty special drinks like Aloe Vera Lemon grass and many others. For food, I don't really like massaman curry although it has been ranked by CNN as the best food in the world. It is too sweet but you can try the dish here.

5) Mango Tango desserts

This desserts chain is well known in Thailand and always serve sweet mango and its derivatives. I normally just go for the traditional mango sticky rice but you can also try the mango pudding or ice cream. I still prefer mango topped with coconut sauce drizzled in sticky rice giving sweet and salty taste and not too heavy as a dessert.

6) After You desserts

This is a famous dessert store and I had it after eating Nara Thai in Central World. It's located just across Nara Thai and near the cinema. Seems like everyone is raving about it so I have to try this. Prices are really not cheap as it cost more than 150 Baht ($6) for each dessert.

I do not know if I have too high expectations or just too full from my dinner. This sticky toffee toast below doesn't wow me away. It is too sweet. Sure, the toast was crispy on the outside and buttery fragrant on the inside but every bite is so overwhelmingly heavy that I can't eat more than a few mouthful. The ice cream tasted only so-so and just to make us believe that the price is worthwhile. I might come back to try their other desserts to see if there are other redeeming qualities.  

Don't forget to try Thai Iced Tea (Cha Yen) which is available in most restaurants including here. They use coconut milk in it so it's extra fragrant and additive!