Day 1 in Bangkok: Hawker at Central Shopping Mall

May and I were in Bangkok for a couple of days to get her Canadian Visa done. For our first dinner we decided to visit a hawker center that was recommended by May’s friend. Conveniently located just outside Central Shopping Center this Hawker was rammed with people even at 9pm! Typical of a successful hawker, the owners did not pay much attention to the decor and had just 4 different food stations with about a hundred foldable tables and stools covering the entire sidewalk of the street.

Despite the crowd our food arrived within minutes of our order. My favourite dish was the salt-baked fish where the sea-bass is encrusted in salt and is slowly baked over the charcoal grill. The salt-crust draws out the natural flavours of the fish while at the same time keeps the flesh moist. This in my mind is one of the best methods of preparing fish.

We also had Moo Lap (Minced Pork Salad). The minced pork is mixed in a fish-sauce based dressing that is a little sweet and sour. The use of grounded uncooked rice adds a crunchy texture to the dish. It goes really well with Thai Sticky Rice.

May also ordered Yam Woon Sen which is glass noodle salad with Thai Pork Sausages that is tossed in a spicier but similar dressing as Moo Lap. Wayne and I had trouble eating this dish because the glass noodles soaked up all the sauce.

Last of the dishes was Moo Chim Chum which is a Thai version of Hot Pot. Served in a mini-claypot our order came with pork and a variety of vegetables that included morning glory, cabbage and string beans. The lemongrass and galangal based soup complemented the meat and vegetables really well.

Everything we ordered that night was fantastic. May, Wayne and I cleaned every single dish including a second helping of salt-baked fish. With all the delicious food we ordered the bill only came to THB 5500 (Approximately RM55). This is a place anyone should try when they are in Bangkok!

Contact Information:

Address: Sidewalk of Central World Shopping Complex (Opposite Gaysorn Shopping Complex)

Telephone: N/A

Reservations: Not accepted

Payment: Cash only