Very Special Khao Moo Daeng, or Red Pork with Rice
by Texas Red Pork Rice (ข้าวหมูแดงเท็กซัส), Bangkok, Thailand
For the past seventy years, this unpretentious third-generation family-run restaurant tucked away down a small alley in Bangkok's Chinatown has served up huge portions of some of the city's best khao moo daeng, or red pork with rice. What sets Khao Moo Daeng Texas' food apart is their special red sauce which incorporates some unique and non-traditional ingredients and flavors.
This dish has nothing to do with the state, but rather is named after the street it can be found on in Bangkok, Thailand, Soi Texas, a short alleyway in Bangkok's Chinatown neighborhood.
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| a plate of khao moo daeng, or red pork with rice in Bangkok, Thailand |
This hole-in-the-wall family restaurant has been open for over 70 years and is currently run by the third generation of the family.
I discovered Khao Moo Daeng Texas by accident. I was walking through Bangkok's Chinatown when a sign sporting the name of my home state caught my eye. Interested, I wandered down Soi Texas.
It was early in the morning, and nearly none of the local shops were open yet; most of Chinatown's most famous restaurants open up in the evening, and Yaowarat Road is at its most lively after the sun goes down.
On a whim, I sat down on a small plastic stool in an open-air restaurant set up almost haphazardly along a narrow alleyway. They had just one item on their menu - often a sign that the restaurant is going to be fantastic.
I ordered (what else?) the khao moo daeng, or red pork, and took a seat at a cheap metal table covered by a thin vinal tablecloth. The restaurant was already crowded with locals, a good sign that I should expect the food to be excellent.
On a whim, I sat down on a small plastic stool in an open-air restaurant set up almost haphazardly along a narrow alleyway. They had just one item on their menu - often a sign that the restaurant is going to be fantastic.
I ordered (what else?) the khao moo daeng, or red pork, and took a seat at a cheap metal table covered by a thin vinal tablecloth. The restaurant was already crowded with locals, a good sign that I should expect the food to be excellent.
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| Khao Moo Daeng Texas in Yaowarat (Chinagown), Bangkok, Thailand |
The dish arrived quickly. A massive serving of white rice was topped with a meaty medley of sweet Chinese sausage, fried crispy pork belly, and thin slices of Thai barbecued pork. A halved Chinese five spice boiled egg and a few small slices of cucumber were added to the dish to increase the complexity and add a variety of texture and flavor.
Khao moo daeng is a popular Thai dish, but Khao Moo Daeng Texas makes theirs a bit different, adding their own special ingredients to the red Thai barbecue sauce. The red sauce, which is the restaurant's signature, incorporates peanuts and sesame, which gives it a very unique and special taste. The red sauce is rich, mellow, sweet, and super flavorful. I've had a lot of moo daeng in Thailand, but I've never had a dish quite like this one!
Price
A regular-sized serving of moo daeng costs 50 baht. A special, or large-sized serving costs just 10 baht extra! The menu is simple: after all, Khao Moo Daeng Texas specializes in just one incredible dish!
The staff can speak excellent English and are very friendly, so don't be afraid to sit down and order!
Location
Khao Moo Daeng Texas is located in Bangkok's busy Yaowarat Road (Chinatown) neighborhood down a narrow alleyway called "Soi Texas" (hence its name). You can find this small open-air shop at Phadung Dao Rd, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100.
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| Khao Moo Daeng Texas, Bangkok, Thailand |
See the map for the exact location:
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