Gai Tod, or Fried Chicken
by Polo Fried Chicken, Bangkok, Thailand
The legendary Soi Polo Fried Chicken (ไก่ทอดเจ๊กี โปโล) has been claimed by many to be the absolute best fried chicken in all of Bangkok. For three generations and for over half a century, the same family has been serving up delicious fried chicken at their extremely famous restaurant just down the road from Bangkok's Lumpini Park.
A winner of Michelin's highly sought-after Bib Gourmand Award since 2019, Polo Fried Chicken can get very busy at the lunch rush. I arrived early just after they had opened to try this world-famous fried chicken for myself and see if it was worth the hype.
 |
| Polo Fried Chicken with crispy fried garlic in Bangkok, Thailand |
After you order, the chicken is cut into pieces and served fresh on your plate. Despite being fried, there was very little excess oil, which can ruin a piece of chicken in my opinion. This was really well made!
 |
| Thai fried chicken with fried garlic and dipping sauce |
What really makes Polo's fried chicken so special is the crazy generous serving of crispy fried garlic that is spooned over the plate of chicken. The fried garlic is from a southern Thai-style recipe that was made by the first-generation owner and has been kept a family secret to this day. The powerful garlicky flavors mix so well with the crispy marinaded skin and soft, juicy chicken meat.
The chicken is served with two dipping sauces:
One bowl contained a sweet chili sauce and the other contained nam prik jaew, a smoky Issan (northeastern Thai) sauce made from chilies. While I like both sauces, I found that the chicken was so juicy and delicious on its own that it didn't really need them.
 |
| nam prik jaew, or Thai Issan-style chicken dipping sauce |
There are actually two Polo Fried Chicken locations on the same road just a few doors down from each other. Don't be confused. It's not a copycat, and both shops are in fact part of the same restaurant. The only difference is that the original location is a typical old-style Thai open-air restaurant and the other has a newer air-conditioned area for seating.
Polo Fried Chicken only takes cash. There's a 7-11 with an ATM just a few meters away at the corner of the road.
 |
| a half order of Thailand's most famous fried chicken, Soi Polo Fried Chicken, Bangkok |
Price
I ordered Polo's signature dish: a half order of fried chicken (130 baht) with sticky rice (20 baht).
A full fried chicken costs 260 baht and is good for sharing.
 |
| Polo Fried Chicken, Bangkok, Thailand |
Location
Polo Fried Chicken is located on Soi Polo, itself named for the Royal Bangkok Sports Club (AKA the "Polo Club"). This super exclusive sports club is located further down the soi (narrow alley).
The restaurant is just outside of the world-famous Lumpini Park, and is easily accessible by foot from MRT Lumpini station.
You can find the restaurant at 137/1-3 Sanam Khli Alley, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330.
Comments
Post a Comment