FEATURED RESTAURANT
KRUA ROMMAI
A little more than 100 metres inside Soi 36
from Sukhumvit Road, this is an oasis of calm,
set in a lush tropical garden. Here they serve
some of the best authentic traditional Thai
family style dishes drawn from the four corners
of the kingdom. The name translates into
English as under the shade of the tree as it
when it opened some 30 years ago it was just
a Thai garden restaurant with two large tree
that go through the roof that installed to offer
shelter from both the tropical down pours
and searing heat at certain times.
KRUA ROMMAI
16/5 Sukhumvit Soi 36 Bangkok 10110
Tel 0-2661-2340
www.facebook.com/Krua-Rommai Sukhumvit
Opening Hours: Open daily 10:30 am - 10:00 pm
(except for the third Saturday & Sunday of the
month, check their Facebook page for details)
Credit cards: All major credit cards accepted
Price per person without drinks: THB 350
FBP partner since: 2015
The current owner Khun Gunn who comes
from Sisaket in the Northeast of Thailand first
helped out in the restaurant while studying
political science at Ramkhanhaeng University.
After graduation her career took her in various
directions ending up running a small hotel.
Four years ago her old boss, the original
owner out in the restaurant felt it was time
from him to retire from the hospitality business
and wanted to sell the restaurant and asked
if she knowing the restaurant’s heritage
would like to take it over which she did.
“We have a good reputation for serving
Issarn food,” she says, “but we do serve dishes
from the four corners of Thailand. My Thai
chef, Khun Pang previously worked in a local
Japanese restaurant.
Exploring the menu we discover an oven
grilled half free range chicken that was marinated
in a special Issarn sauce of crushed black
pepper corns, fresh garlic and Thai coriander
for a day to allow the flavours to be absorbed
into the meat before cooking. Then there was
local shrimp with a hot herb sauce of crushed
lemongrass, chilli paste and freshly squeezed
lime juice.
Sea Bass is one of the most popular fish in
Thailand. Here they serve it in variety ways.
Steamed with either a fiery Issarn dip or in a
lime, garlic and chilli sauce. Deep fried with
the choice of either a spicy sweet and sour
sauce, mixed Thai herbs or fried garlic.
The combination of Karma Omm mushrooms,
Thai eggplant and the uniquely flavoured
Issarn coriander to make a spicy Lao soup
made with either chicken or pork.
One genuinely authentic Issarn dishes on the
menu is Nam Prik Plara Platoo, that is made
with mackerel that has been ground into a
paste and is eaten with boiled vegetables and
halved boiled eggs. Another a long eggplant
spicy salad served with grilled prawns.
For those looking for something very hot
there is a southern Thai spicy and sour curry,
but do proceed with caution.
All Ingredients used in the restaurant are
bought from Klong Toey market which is not
far from at the far end of Soi 36, located on
the very busy Rama IV Road. Although the
market starts trading at 6am Khun Gunn does
her buying during the second shopping wave,
when the market has been refreshed with
new produce. All dishes can also be served
vegetarian. Due to Khun Gann’s Buddhist
belief and out of respect for the role the
buffalo plays in the harvesting of rice there is
no beef on menu.
For those curious to try ‘back to basics’ real
authentic Thai food as eaten by the local, this
is where you will find what you are looking for.