Pad Thai @ Noodle Shop Jae Kiang, Bang Rak, Bangkok

 

Due to some random series of events, I somehow ended up in Thailand! Well, not exactly random but rather there were some work-related corporate events that brought me to the bustling city of Bangkok. It has been many many years since I entered Thailand. The last time that I was here was back in 2017 when the blog initially started. Having said that I am back now so its time for some good eating!

Time for some eating

There was a particular afternoon where food was not provided so me and a few friends decided to explore what is around our hotel. After a lengthy Thai massage session, we ended up in this humble food court in the center of Bang Rak called Noodle Shop Jae Kiang (ก๋วยเตี๋ยว(เจ๊เกียง)บางรัก). It reminds me of the Chinese diners and food courts back home, so it does have that hit of nostalgia. And after trying to track down a powerful scent of fried alliums, I ended up getting the most typical representative of Thai food. You guess it, it was pad thai. 

Glorious

I had many pad thais in my life outside Thailand and I had visited Thailand a few times, but never had this famous noodle dish. So it is just fitting for my most recent visit to right this wrong. And standing at a mere 80 bhat, this was a decent bargain. It should be noted that the weak yen did provide me with a little pinch where now 100 bhat is 505 yen. Still, a meal below 1000 yen is still a good price for my take. 

Glossy

Loaded with pork and veggies, my rice noodle dish soon arrived with great gusto. Everything looked just right. While being in a humble food court, do no expect any elaborate plating skills. Rather just a mountain of great food waiting for you to chow down. The noodles were soft and chewy, but charred enough to give off a nice smoky taste. 

A bit of acid will make things go kablam

The protein consists of fried tofu and pork, a double combo in terms of texture. The veggies consist of bean sprouts and spring onions. A bit humble but they do stretch out the meal and is not too bad to be honest.  On the side is a portion of crushed nuts and a wedge of lime which I really liked. It provided a vibrant aftertaste and the nuts added another dimension to the texture to the overall dish. Of course, I squeezed a bit between servings to try what is the difference before and after the acid punch. Personally they are both fine and I have no favourite between the two. It will be up to your personal preference. 

Front of the house. 

Despite being so simple, I enjoyed this very much and finished it within minutes. Granted, I was not some mind blowing experience, because it does not need to. It was tasty, quick, filling and cheap. And this is what fills the masses. It should be noted that this will be the only meal that I am able to write about due to scheduling issues and the fact that other meals have been provided. Despite that, it was nice to find something like this during my travels and I hope I can visit Thailand again to properly explore the country even more. In the meantime, if you would like to try the banging noodles I had just now, the address is as follows:

1385 ถ. เจริญกรุง Si Lom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand