What should you do FIRST when visiting a new city?
I knew my first day in Bangkok would inevitably end by exploring the Bangkok street food scene.
But it started with a rooftop swim.
I was up by 6:00am the first morning and threw on a bathing suit and robe and swam laps in the pool all alone. It was pure bliss. Before breakfast and coffee, I watched the city wake up while stretching out from my long travels.
Offering the most delicious tropical fruit, the private Club Lounge breakfast buffet at the Amara Hotel overlooked the unique architecture of the King Power Mahanakan skyscraper.
Lumphini Park
Finally it was time to explore, which meant A LOT of welcomed walking. The day was casual and spent talking a walk through Lumphini Park, basically, the Central Park equivalent in Bangkok.
Its grounds are expansive; perfect for a picnic, jog, bike ride or even a paddle through a pond by Swan boat.
We walked the entire area surrounding the park as well, observing everything about our new home: the traffic, the people, the metro station, the motor scooters zipping by, the demeanor of locals, the fashion…
We walked by numerous temples – speckled about in the frequency of Starbucks in NYC. Then, we landed at the Chamchuri Square Shopping Mall food.
Lunch in Bangkok
I know at first it seems odd to travel so far to eat at a… mall? I don’t even know the last time I went to a mall for something to eat in the USA, never mind traveling to the other side of the globe to eat at one. The thing is, when it comes to food in Thailand, malls are some of the best kept secrets for authentic Thai fare. Malls are also heavily regulated for sanitation making them an incredibly clean spot to eat at. And this mall, minus a few shops, was almost completely centered around food with several floors dedicated to global cuisine. Also, it seemed everyone was a local. The amount of choices were overwhelming so I sheepishly opted for some simple udon noodles.
The evening brought us to our much-anticipated land of street food. It didn’t disappoint either.
The streets were lined with vendors and customers ranged from obvious tourists to locals grabbing something quick on the way home from work.
Bangkok Street Food – Silom District at Night
Papaya Salad
The Papaya Salad – one of the most common dishes in Thailand – was hot. Incredibly hot. A common question is “how hot?” and you need to answer in the form of Thai chili count. Go for zero if you’re not into spice, “1” if you’re daring, “2” if you’re insane and “3” if you’re Thai.
It’s a combination of dried shrimp, spices and sauces melded together with a mortar and pestle then tossed with julienned unripe green papayas, carrots, long green beans, Thai chilies and a variety of other vegetables. It’s typically topped with peanuts and fresh limes. If you can handle the heat – it’s one of my favorite Thai dishes. I love it with a side of plain rice – mostly just to nurse my burning mouth.
This street version was served in a bag with a plastic fork.
Pad Thai
Pad Thai is typically a protein (meat or fish) and/or vegetables with sauces tossed with rice noodles and a fried egg. This is one of the more popular dishes for Americans at Thai places in the US. A true Pad Thai is sweetened with tamarind fruit rather than sugar. It’s a deeper, jammy sweetness that a quick sprinkle of sugar doesn’t provide.
Thai Pancake
This salty and sweet combo is one of my favorites street food finds. Bananas wrapped in a perfectly crisp, flaky pastry and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Chopped into bite sizes, it’s mostly sweet with a hint of savory.
Finally, I found a highly rated craft beer spot, MASH craft brews + bites and decided to give it a go.
A selection of Southeast Asian craft beers were offered alongside some very sought out American and European craft beers in a rotating tap. We ordered a few to enjoy a smattering of different tastes.
Check out my tips to planning your trip to a new city.
After a long day, I needed to get rest before an adventure to the famed Chatuchak Weekend Market.