Here’s Where I Share One of My Favorite Neighborhoods in Bangkok for Delicious Food!
One of my favorite neighborhoods in Bangkok is an area called Huai Khwang. It’s not far at all from main tourist areas such as Sukhumvit. Just hop on the MRT subway at Sukhumvit station and in four short stops you’ll hit Huai Khwang MRT station.
I know a lot of people like to stay in this area because it’s close to Sukhumvit via MRT subway plus there are many budget hotels in the area like Hip Hotel, Park Residence, and CMYK that are about 5 5-minute walk to the station.
Even though Bangkok has plenty of restaurants where you can get a noodle or rice dish for a little over $1 USD, Huay Khwang is the place I highly recommend you go for cheap and tasty rice dishes and bowls of noodles with generous portions.
Huai Kwang is Mainly A Residential Area in Bangkok
So what else is so great about Huai Khwang? It’s a food mecca especially for the late-night owls looking for good food or for those that have a bit of extra cash to spend for shopping. There are a lot of very good budget and pricey restaurants in Huai Khwang.
Huai Kwang has long been a popular section of Bangkok for the working class…
But I’ll tell you where you can find some really good Khao Man Gai (chicken and rice) and other popular Thai dishes that are tasty and cheap too!
A simple shop with 4 carts serving popular Thai rice and noodle dishes…
The Restaurant Name Sounds Weird But Trust Me the Food is Good and Cheap!
Okay, so the name of this restaurant I recommend is called สี่จ่า loosely translated as “Four Sergeant”. It’s an open-air restaurant just 30 meters down Soi Pracha Songhkhao 36. It’s very easy to find and locals know this place well. So even if you’re bad with directions you can show them this post and they’ll point you in the right direction.
I’m quite confident that this is the first time this restaurant has been mentioned anywhere else on the blogosphere. It’s not exactly on the tourists’ path. But as I mentioned the locals know this place very well. And when you find Four Sergeants you will be glad you did. And you might as well pat yourself on the back for being a foodie adventurous!
This is the corner of Soi Pracha Songkhao 36 and Huai Kwang. When you see this turn left…
Whenever I feel like I want a quick, cheap, and tasty plate of Khao Man Gai (ข้าวมันไก่) orchicken and rice that’s where I go. Doesn’t matter what time of night it is. Not only are they well known for their succulent chicken and awesome rice, but สี่จ่า is also very popular because of their noodles with sliced duck which my wife loves.
Sliced duck with rice noodles in a rich herb broth…Yong Tau Fu in a sweet and sour chicken broth with fish balls, fish cake and cuttle fish…
But I like their Yong Tau Fu which is an assortment of fish balls, fish cake, a fish dumpling, and cuttlefish bits. I typically choose either the flat rice noodles or egg noodles depending on my mood. With the noodle dishes, you can choose 4 types: egg noodles, broad flat rice noodles, thin rice noodles, and glass rice noodles.
A variety of noodles with soup to choose from…You can pick from 4 types of noodles…A selection of rice dishes…
Not Exactly Char Siu but it’s Still All Good
I also enjoy their Khao Moo Daeng (ข้าวหมูแดง), rice with red pork. It’s not the Char Siu or red roasted pork I love so much and can find in typical Chinese restaurants. Even the restaurants in Bangkok’s Chinatown don’t make the Char Siu which is a total bummer.
Thai-style red pork is different than the traditional Char Siu done in Hong Kong style. It’s gently grilled so you can barely see any grill marks. Thai red pork is also not marinated or covered in honey and other spices while on the grill. To me, Thai red pork is a bit dry because they use leaner cuts of pork. However, whenever you order a plate of Khao Moo Daeng the plate is liberally doused with brown gravy.
As a guy who grew up on typical Hong Kong-style roast pork, it was a bit odd for me. But, the sauce grew on me. And Four Sergeants makes one damn good gravy.
Khao Moo Deng – Rice with red pork, another popular rice dish in Thailand…
The Best Khao Man Gai You’ll Find in Bangkok in My Book
Khao Man Gai hawker stands are all over Thailand. In Bangkok, chicken and rice shops are as ubiquitous as pizza shops in NYC. And if you poll a group of Bangkokians on which shop has the best chicken and rice you’ll get pulled in all different directions with no clear winner.
To me, Four Sergeants has the best Khao Man Gai. Their slices of chicken are tender and moist. The rice is of good quality and not heavily soaked in artery-clogging chicken fat. Too many places emphasize greasy oily rice. Four Sergeants makes their rice just right, a perfect combination with their succulent chicken.
All rice dishes come with a small bowl of chicken soup. There’s some MSG in it but not so much that your lips will be smacking for some water.
The classic Khao Man Gai, chicken and rice…
What does it All Cost?
Everything you find at Four Sergeants costs about 40THB or around $1.20 USD. A small bottle of water costs 10THB and they do sell bottled soda and beers. There is a 7-Eleven right next to the restaurant and the staff don’t care if you buy drinks from there and have them on their tables.
Duck simmered in an herbal broth…Tender chickens waiting to be sliced up…
Their food is not expensive at all. I often order a rice dish followed by a bowl of noodles. One time after a late night of drinking I remember putting down 4 plates of Khao Man Gai.
Four Sergeants closes late, around 4am. But they open around 6pm daily. So they get quite packed as the night gets later because local Thais living in the area often finish work late.
Customers just find a table with an open seat and sit down…
There’s a food court atmosphere at Four Sergeants restaurant. Just pick a seat at an empty table. They do have menus but not a lot. Just say “Kor Doo Menoo Noy” ขอดูเมนู that’s how you ask for a menu in Thai. The menu has photos so you can just point and pick.
This is one of the few restaurants I frequent often. They don’t have a lot of choices. But they have just the right amount. The atmosphere is great if you want to feel like you’re one with the locals. And the food is consistently good.
FourSergeants has been around in the same location for at least a decade. And they’ve got a strong following of locals. Today, Huai Kwang is rapidly changing. Every time I’m there, I’ll often hear Cantonese or Mandarin spoken at a nearby table. And that’s why the menu has Chinese written on it.
There are many cheap Thai restaurants in the Huai Kwang area, even the seafood restaurants where you can find fresh sea snails, giant grilled prawns, fresh grilled fish, and crabs all for a reasonable price.
However, the cheapest meals are of course the single rice dishes and bowls of noodles, such as the ones found in Four Sergeants.
How to Get There
Four Sergeants isn’t widely shared on inter web. But it’s practically an institution in Bangkok. Four Sergeants has been in the same location for nearly a decade.
Huai Kwang Night Market, keep walking down and you’ll find Soi Pracha Songkhao 36…
It’s not difficult to walk there at all. If you’re coming from the Huai Kwang MRT subway station use Exit #3.
Make your way to Huai Kwang Market and when you reach the first intersection which is Soi Pracha Songkhao 36 make a left. It’ll be about a 10 minute walk.
Hope you find this place. The food is good and I’m sure the experience of finding this restaurant will be fun. And be sure to check out the Huai Khwang night market while you’re there, open from 8pm to 2am!
So I have here a Google map that can help you out a bit. I placed a star on the restaurant’s location:
Or Tor Kor Market (ตลาด อ.ต.ก.) – A Durian Aficionado’s Heaven
I’m going to put it out there right now that I’m not a huge fan of Durian, the so called “King” of all fruits. I’ll eat it a little of it just to satisfy my wife’s fruitless attempts to convert me to a durian lover. I don’t go bananas over it like most durian fanatics do. You’re probably wondering why you should go on reading this?
Because I know there are a lot of people who love this fragrant pungent fruit. So I’ve asked friends, friends of friends and associates where they go for the finest most rank smelling durian in Bangkok, regardless of season.
And the majority tell me they head to Or Tor Gor, a popular farmers market where Thais with cash go to get their durian fix. It won’t be cheap. But if you love durian more than I love a juicy ribeye steak than something tells me you won’t mind spending some cold hard Baht.
Aor Tor Kor Market next to Kamphaeng Phet MRT station exit #3
Or Tor Gor is a popular and easy to reach market that is still off the tourists’ grid even though it’s a measly 200 meters from the southern entrance of Chatuchak Weekend Market. And JJ Mall is about 400 meters away near the western entrance of Chatuchak. So there are quite a few spots to visit in a day if you’re in the area.
#3 Station entrance/exit nearest Aor Tor Gow Market. Notice the no durian allowed sign?
This wet/dry/food market is well known to Thais with cash and can buy the best and freshest fruits year round. But there’s more to this place than high quality fruit including the best durian found in Bangkok. Aor Tor Kor has a food court with a wide variety of familiar Thai favorites and classics such as som tom, grilled giant prawns and many other prepared foods you can take back to your hotel room.
In Thailand, it could be a lot cheaper to buy food and take home than cooking…
But do remember that hotels don’t allow guests to bring in durian. Even BTS and MRT stations have a strict no stinky fruit policy. If they see you carrying a fresh bag of durian they will deny you entrance. And the guards do check, particularly at the Kamphaeng Phet MRT station near the market.
Forget the potato chips and junk food, plenty of healthy nuts can be purchased at Or Tor Gor…
It’s all about the Durian Baby
There are at least 6 or 8 shops that sell durian year round inside the market. However, the best time to indulge and buy with decent prices is around the months of July and August. Although the official season for durian in Thailand runs from late months of April through September.
Durian farmers will tell you quality durian is a fickle fruit to grow and harvest. The weather and time including a host of other factors play a major role on taste and quality. And Or Tor Kor market vendors only select the best or have connections with farmers that keep their special stock because they know they can sell their higher quality durian at a higher than normal market rate price.
Normally at Or Tor Kor When the Fruit is in Season You Can Find Two Popular Varieties of Durian:
Monthong and Kanyao durian varieties are very popular now…
1. Monthong (หมอนทอง)
In Thai this variety of durian is translated as “Golden Pillow” because it’s quite big and fluffy. The outer husk is huge with spikes so big you can use it to do some serious damage when used in a bar fight. The Monthong name is known as the largest producer of durian with many of its prized fruits coming from prime farming real estate south of Thailand close to Malaysia. Which is another Southeast Asian nation famous for its durian production.
2. Kanyao (ก้านยาว)
Kanyao is a smaller variety of durian with smaller spikes but you’d still better be cautious when handling it. Its name translates to “Long Stem” in Thai though by the time it reaches the vendors in Or Tor Kor the stem is trimmed down for easier handling. Though you will see many vendors leave the stems on just for show and decoration.
If you stick a gun to my head and forced me to choose one of the two kinds of durian I would prefer Kanyao. It’s sweeter, kind of like pineapple but without the sour acidic taste. Some would say it taste like super ripe mangosteen. But even then I still limit myself a small piece just to appease my wonderful wife.
Vendors won’t hesitate to give prospecting customers a taste of their durian. So don’t hesitate to ask for a piece they are very willing to oblige.
As of writing, a durian vendor that we always go to charged 240THB for 80 grams, about 3 pieces of Kanyao durian. I can’t remember off hand how much the Monthong variety cost but I believe it was a bit more expensive because the pieces were larger. Prices fluctuate due to availability and season. Off season you can expect to pay 25% to 40% higher.
Wife buying some Kanyao durian. You can see the long stemmed durian in the background…
Or Tor Kor is open everyday from around 6am to 7pm. Though some shops close earlier. It all depends how much stock they have left. They carry a lot of seasonal items that normally don’t grow in Thailand such as cherry or strawberries from the USA to prized and super expensive cantaloupe imported from Japan and Korea.
Or Tor Gor vendors take great care in cleaning and presenting their goods to customers…
Ever buy a bag of mangosteens and rambutan and find it with a nest of ants? Or Tor Gor vendors know their customers have discerning taste. So not only do they carry fruits from the finest farms they also pretty it up and by that I mean they try to get rid of pests that could cause an insect infestation at a customers’ home.
If you’re reading this and it’s still July then this is the prime time to stuff your gut on durian in Bangkok, and Or Tor Kor is the best place to buy it. You can also find high quality durian at the Emporium Supermarket inside Siam Paragon Mall, but they charge much more. Also, while at Or Tor Kor, don’t forget to check out their rockin’ food court!
After getting off our ferry boat on Ban Phe pier from our recent trip to Koh Samet my wife and I got a bit hungry. It was time for afternoon lunch. But we didn’t know where to go eat. And we were hunkering for seafood too. We wanted fresh crabs but for some reason the restaurants we went to on Koh Samet had none available.
So we asked around the locals working inside a market. Who else would know better than the locals right? And one of them pointed at a restaurant right across the street from us. Its name is Beach Cafe Seafood Ban Phe. It was only about 80 meters away from the entrance of Ban Phe Municipality Pier and across from Ban Phe Tourists Market.
Nice iced cafe latte, not too sweet as ordered, about 50THB…
My wife and I were a bit dubious. We were expecting a place with good seafood would probably be right on a beach or perhaps on a pier overlooking the ferry boats. But we were hungry. And we also wanted coffee. We figured worst comes to worst if the place didn’t look copacetic we’ll just get a couple of iced lattes to go.
They had a espresso machine and grounded the beans fresh for our order. Well that’s a good sign. So while we waited for our lattes we asked to take a look at their menu. There’s the usual Thai food but we wanted to know if they had any crabs available.
Usually on a weekday we know restaurants don’t stock a lot of live seafood. They usually do on weekends when they know there will be more customers. Luckily they had crabs available. But were they fresh??
Yes! They’ve got fresh crabs, this is chili style…
They charge 700THB per kilogram of crabs. Not a bad price at all. And they’ll cook it to whatever style you like. Steamed, curried, chili, salt and pepper you name it – they did it and price was included. We ordered one kilogram – half steamed and half chili style.
Fresh steamed crabs… on the small side but were still good…
We also ordered some shrimp fritters and rice. We were hungry but we also didn’t want to over order because we just weren’t sure if this restaurant had good food. They did have some other customers at another table but not a lot.
Fried shrimp fritters (Tod Mun Gung ทอดมันกุ้ง)… so yummy…
The chili crabs came out first and we dug in. It looked good and it really smelled good. And it was fresh. The crab meat was sweet and with the chili sauce it was a pleasant combination. The steamed crabs came out a few minutes later. They were on the small side so had no crab roe which I love. But I think it wasn’t the right season for crabs so that’s not the fault of the restaurant. The plate of steam crabs was also very good and so fresh. Crab meat was really tender.
Overall we really enjoyed our meal. If I can remember correctly I think the total bill came out to about 950THB. And that’s not a bad price at all for fresh crabs.
But what we really like was the friendly service from the restaurant staff. They pretty much cleaned up our table when ever we made a mess. Alright, whenever I made a mess. Hey – it’s crab with yummy chili sauce. Hands will get dirty. Still not sure how my wife eats crabs with fork and spoon.
