Bangkok Evening Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk
with Lost Plate Food Tours, Bangkok, Thailand
Recently, my friends at Lost Plate Food Tours invited me to join an evening food tour by tuk-tuk in Bangkok, Thailand.
I attended the tour at my own expense, and this post reflects my personal experiences and opinions. I was not compensated for writing this review. However, if you are interested in booking a street food tour through Lost Plate Food Tours, which operates in China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Portland, USA, you can use my discount code theworldofstreetfood to receive a discount. Please note that at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you choose to use this code.
I had a really great time, and I'm excited to share my experience on the tour with you here today.
 |
| Bangkok Evening Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk - Lost Plate Food Tours |
I met my guide in the evening just outside of the Hua Lampong MRT Station. It was a sweltering early evening in Bangkok, and the cool breeze blowing on us from the back of an open-air tuk-tuk felt great as we zipped through one of the city's oldest neighborhoods.
 |
| we took a tuk-tuk, or auto rickshaw, on our tour of Bangkok's streets |
On the first stop, my guide took me to eat at Trok Rong Moo Noodle, an old-school shophouse restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand's Chinatown, for a bowl of fusion-style tom yum fried wontons.
Tom Yum Wontons - Fusion Chinese-Thai Dumplings in Bangkok, Thailand
I've never had anything like this before! The dish begins with a serving of crispy deep-fried wontons stuffed with pork and lots of herbs and flavorings. They are served in a dish and loaded up with ground pork, roasted peanuts, and lots and lots of tom yum spices, such as lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, fish sauce, spring onion, red chili, and more! The classic flavors of Thailand's famous tom yum soup infuse into the crispy Chinese-style wontons to create an incredible blend of flavors.
Talad Noi literally means "little market". Back in the 18th century, this area was home to Bangkok's early Chinatown and foreign districts. Today, you can still find lots of embassies in this area, as well as a vibrant Chinese-Thai culture.
As the sun began sinking below the horizon, the Chaophraya River began sparkling with the golden glow of sunset. We walked on towards the riverside to enjoy a few Chang Beers purchased from a local 7-Eleven convenience store and to watch the boats and barges chug their way along the River of Kings.
We walked through the market, stopping along the way to sample the offerings.
Leaving the market, we walked on through a dark, narrow alley. This was a very local neighborhood, and it was interesting to see how the residents went about their lives. Although it was getting late, the soi was lively, and many people were walking around doing their shopping.
The first dish we tried was som tam, or papaya salad. This iconic Issan Thai dish is a spicy fruit salad made from shredded young papaya, tomatoes, green beans, dried shrimp, and roasted peanuts, tossed in a tangy dressing of lime juice, fish sauce, and chilies.
Cheng Sim Ei is an old-fashioned Thai dessert shop in Bangkok's old town that serves shaved ice with various Thai sweets in the traditional bowl of sweet coconut milk. You can order from their menu or choose your own selection of ingredients to be served in a bowl of shaved ice and sweet coconut milk.
 |
| Trok Rong Moo Noodle, Bangkok, Thailand (Chinatown) |
I've never had anything like this before! The dish begins with a serving of crispy deep-fried wontons stuffed with pork and lots of herbs and flavorings. They are served in a dish and loaded up with ground pork, roasted peanuts, and lots and lots of tom yum spices, such as lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, fish sauce, spring onion, red chili, and more! The classic flavors of Thailand's famous tom yum soup infuse into the crispy Chinese-style wontons to create an incredible blend of flavors.
 |
| Thai-Chinese fusion tom yum fried wontons in Bangkok |
Thailand's cuisine, particularly in Bangkok and in the deep south, have a heavy influence from China. Merchants from the south of China traded and settled in Thailand for hundreds of years, bringing in an influx of culture and cuisine. In fact, some 12-14% of Thailand's population claim some Chinese ancestry - including the Thai royal family!
 |
| wontons frying in a hot wok |
It's no wonder that these sorts of fusion dishes sprang up in Thailand, especially near Yaowarat Road, the world's oldest Chinatown neighborhood.
 |
| crispy fried Chinese wontons with Thai tom yum minced pork and spices |
I also got to try a bowl of old-fashioned tom yum noodle soup served with slices of tender pork, minced pork, and pieces of crispy tofu. The noodles soaked up all of the flavorful broth, and the crispy tofu added a complex texture to the delicious dish.
Although tom yum has a lot of spices, the dish wasn't overpoweringly spicy. Instead, it was an explosion of flavors and a really hearty and comforting dish with which to start a walking tour!
 |
| a bowl of old-fashioned tom yum noodles with crispy tofu and sliced pork |
Talad Noi literally means "little market". Back in the 18th century, this area was home to Bangkok's early Chinatown and foreign districts. Today, you can still find lots of embassies in this area, as well as a vibrant Chinese-Thai culture.
 |
| the street art of Talad Noi neighborhood |
Next, we came to the headquarters of the Siam Commercial Bank, which is built in a beautiful colonial-style building along the banks of the Chaophraya River.
Siam Commercial Bank was founded by Prince Jayanta Mongkon, a brother of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1904. The bank was established as an experimental organization to see if having its
own banking system rather than relying on foreign banks could boost Siam’s economy.
 |
| the original branch of the Siam Commercial Bank |
Originally called the “Book Club” in order to keep the project a secret, the experiment was seen as a success, and the bank was granted a commercial license under royal approval in 1907. The headquarters in Talad Noi were opened in 1910, and King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) granted SCB approval to display a royal Garuda as a symbol of its royal warrant in 1911.
The streets in the Talad Noi area are filled with small cafes built in historic homes and winding streets painted with colorful murals. It's one of the oldest parts of the city, but Talad Noi remains mostly unknown to tourists.
 |
| colorful murals in Talad Noi, Bangkok |
The area's history as Bangkok's original Chinatown neighborhood is still clearly evident in the Chinese-style shophouses, temples, and shrines - each of which was originally built to accommodate the social and spiritual needs of different communities of Chinese merchants, traders, and diplomats who set up shop along the banks of the Chaophraya.
The bright red Hong Wong Kung Shrine is located in a large courtyard on the banks of the
Chaophraya River. The shrine is a testament to the Hakka architectural style. In the interior house
you can find the statue of Hong Wong Kung, the first emperor of the Han dynasty of China (206 BC-220 AD).
 |
| an old Chinese shrine along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok |
As the sun began sinking below the horizon, the Chaophraya River began sparkling with the golden glow of sunset. We walked on towards the riverside to enjoy a few Chang Beers purchased from a local 7-Eleven convenience store and to watch the boats and barges chug their way along the River of Kings.
 |
| sunset over the Chaophraya River in Bangkok |
As dusk fell, we squeezed ourselves back into the tuk-tuk and moved on through the traffic of Chinatown towards the Pattana Property Market.
This old market caters to locals by selling fresh produce and cheap meals to go.
 |
| the Pattana Property Market, an old-fashioned local market in Bangkok's old town |
We walked through the market, stopping along the way to sample the offerings.
One of my favorite things about living in Thailand is all of the incredible fresh fruit! We stopped to try ngaw, or rambutan, which is a sweet grapelike fruit wrapped around a thick and woody seed. Rambutan fruits are surrounded by a thick red skin covered in green spikes, making it one of the most exotic fruits I've ever encountered in my travels and still to this day one of my favorites. It looks very alien.
 |
| ngaw, or rambutan, a popular Thai fruit |
Next we tried my very favorite Thai fruit: mangosteen. These little purple balls have a thick rind that covers the soft, sweet, juicy fruit inside. The sweet white flesh of the mangosteen is divided into segments, kind of like an orange, and offers a very delicate and refreshing taste.
In Thailand, the mangosteen is referred to as the "queen of fruits".
 |
| mangosteen, the "Queen of Fruit" in Thailand |
We walked through the market exploring all of the stalls. Along the way we tasted moo ping (marinated and grilled pork), fried sesame balls, banana fritters, and more traditional Thai snack foods.
 |
| moo ping, or grilled pork skewers in Bangkok |
Leaving the market, we walked on through a dark, narrow alley. This was a very local neighborhood, and it was interesting to see how the residents went about their lives. Although it was getting late, the soi was lively, and many people were walking around doing their shopping.
I enjoyed seeing the local cat who was relaxing amongst the produce of his shop.
 |
| a cat relaxing at a local market in Bangkok |
We ended up arriving just outside the Loha Prasat, or the "Iron Castle".
This temple structure is the only one remaining of three Loha Prasats in the world! The other two, which have since disappeared, were located in India and Sri Lanka.
The Loha Prasat was one of the first places that I ever visited in Bangkok, although back then the temple was black instead of gold.
 |
| the Loha Prasat, or "Iron Castle" at Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan in Bangkok, Thailand |
The Loha Prasat is a meditation center. People from across Bangkok come here to sit in the small quiet alcoves to meditate and study Buddhist scripture.
It's one of the less popular sites with tourists and is always a quiet and peaceful place to visit. It's also home to one of Bangkok's foremost amulet markets.
 |
| night at a Buddhist Temple in Bangkok |
It was a quiet night when we visited, and the temple grounds were nearly deserted. After walking around and taking a few photos, it was time to continue the adventure.
We loaded back into the tuk-tuk and drove on to our next stop: Gai Yang Boran.
This Issan restaurant serves some of Bangkok's most authentic northeastern Thai cuisine, and we tried several amazing dishes.
 |
| Gai Yang Boran, an Issan restaurant in Bangkok's old town neighborhood |
The first dish we tried was som tam, or papaya salad. This iconic Issan Thai dish is a spicy fruit salad made from shredded young papaya, tomatoes, green beans, dried shrimp, and roasted peanuts, tossed in a tangy dressing of lime juice, fish sauce, and chilies.
The combination of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors creates a refreshing and addictive dish that perfectly balances the heat of the chilies with the crispness of the papaya. It's an explosion of flavors and is typically served with a side of sticky rice to soak up all of the delicious dressing.
 |
| som tam, or spicy papaya salad in Bangkok, Thailand |
The combination of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors creates a refreshing and addictive dish that perfectly balances the heat of the chilies with the crispness of the papaya. It's an explosion of flavors and is typically served with a side of sticky rice to soak up all of the delicious dressing.
Next up was laab moo, or spicy minced pork salad. This Thai minced meat salad is rich, savory, and spicy. This dish is made with a base of minced pork cooked with toasted rice, green onions, chilies, purple onions, fish sauce, lime juice, and lots of fresh herbs.
Although considered to be one of the national dishes of neighboring Laos, laab is a very popular northeastern Thai dish, and is one of the iconic dishes of the Issan region.
 |
| larb moo, or spicy Issan-style Thai minced pork salad |
Finally, we tasted spicy laab meatballs. The deep-fried balls of laab meat have a crispy exterior and are bursting with flavor. The meatballs are served with fried kaffir lime leaves and fried crispy chili peppers.
 |
| fried larb moo meatballs in Bangkok, Thailand |
Cheng Sim Ei is an old-fashioned Thai dessert shop in Bangkok's old town that serves shaved ice with various Thai sweets in the traditional bowl of sweet coconut milk. You can order from their menu or choose your own selection of ingredients to be served in a bowl of shaved ice and sweet coconut milk.
 |
| an old-fashioned Thai dessert shop |
I ordered a bowl of shaved ice in coconut milk with pandan noodles, sweet corn, toddy palm, pandan jelly, and slivers of coconut meat in a bowl of cold sweet coconut milk.
There's nothing better than coconut milk and shaved ice on a hot tropical day. It's one of the best ways to refresh yourself on a long day of exploring Bangkok.
 |
| Thai shaved ice dessert in Bangkok |
The tour was coming to an end, and Golf invited me out for a beer at a local rooftop bar. We sat down to chat about our travels as we watched night fall over Bangkok. From the rooftop hotel bar, we could look out to see the Golden Mount, the Loha Prasat, and more of the old town's most iconic sights.
It was a nice way to end the evening.
 |
| Bangkok, Thailand at night (Loha Prasat on the left and the Golden Mount on the right) |
As the tour came to an end, I bade my guide and my fellow tour members farewell and set off towards the nearest MRT station.
There's something to be said for being a tourist in your own town. Even though I've lived in Bangkok for more than a decade, I still visited lots of new places that I've never been before, and the experience of taking the food tour with Lost Plate was a really wonderful way to see the city with a new perspective.
 |
| night in Bangkok's historic old town |
Visit https://lostplate.com/ for more information, and don't forget to use my code theworldofstreetfood for a discount on your food tour!
Comments
Post a Comment