Pad Kaprao Moo, or Basil Pork by Teawkapow

Pad Kaprao Moo, or Basil Pork

by Teawkapow (Tiew Kaprao), Bangkok, Thailand

I could (and often do) eat pad kaprao at least once a week and never get tired of it. After more than a decade of living in Thailand, pad kaprao, or spicy basil stir fry, still my go-to meal.

There are so many amazing places to get kaprao in Bangkok - from the smallest roadside street food stall to the fanciest Michelin-starred restaurant - but one of my favorite spots is Teawkapow, a wonderful local restaurant located near the intersection of Bangkok's Phahonyothin Road and Lat Prao Road specializing almost exclusively in this spicy dish.

pad kaprao moo, or Thai basil pork stir-fry with a fried egg in Bangkok, Thailand

Kaprao moo is a stir fry made from minced pork cooked in a wok with garlic, chili, Thai holy basil (a more savory and peppery type of basil), and lots of herbs and spices served over a scoop of white rice. The dish is traditionally topped with a runny-yolked egg.

The kaprao moo at Teawkapow is cooked with aromatic herbs including chives, which gives the dish a richer, more savory taste. The dish has a unique flavor that I've only ever tasted at Teawkapow, which makes it stand out in a city full of incredible basil pork.

spicy Thai basil pork with a fried egg

Teawkapow Challenge

For those adventurous foodies, the restaurant offers their famous "Teawkapow Challenge".

A massive plate of kaprao complete with a mountain of rice covered and heaps of pork kaprao (or the very special platter featuring pork, squid, pork belly, and beef kaprao) is topped with half a dozen eggs. If you can eat the entire dish within an hour (or if you and two friends can finish it in 20 minutes), you'll get a 500-baht coupon to use at the restaurant, which will cover several future meals. It's an ambitious challenge, and I've yet to witness anyone complete it!

the Teawkapow Challenge involves eating a huge portion of pad kaprao

More of my favorite kaprao restaurants in Bangkok

• Stir-Fried Basil Beef with Carolina Reaper Chili Pepper
• Phed Mark: Super Spicy Pad Kaprao in Bangkok
• Pad Ga Prao Moo, or Thai minced pork with basil by Khiang

Location

Teawkapow (เตี๋ยวกะเพรา of Tiew Kaprao) is located at 1152/19 Phahonyothin Rd, Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 just across the street from Central Ladphrao shopping mall, just down the stairs from BTS 5 Yaek Ladphrao station and a 5-minute walk from MRT Phahonyothin station. It's super convenient and easy to get to.

The restaurant is open daily from 9:30am to 11:30pm, and in my opinion, kaprao is equally delicious as both a breakfast and a late-night meal.