4 Restaurants in Bangkok That Make Ordinary “Pad Krapao” Extraordinary
You sometimes know when you go to a restaurant, and you have no idea what to order, or even what you want to eat? That can often happen in Thailand, especially in a foodie’s heaven like Bangkok. Even when you have decided on a place, you will be greeted by a menu that is a mile long, filled with mouth-watering pictures that is all hard to resist. Here’s a tip for you: When in doubt, order Pad Kra Pao!
What is Pad Kra Pao? It is essentially Thai Holy Basil Stir-Fried with your choice of meat. How it is made in each restaurant differs accordingly, but the idea is still the same. Garlic and chilies are stir-fired until aromatic and then the meat of choice is added and cooked until almost done. The dish is then seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar to taste. When the meat is cooked, the Thai holy basil is added and stirred one last time before serving. Pour the Pad Kra Pao over rice then top all that goodness with a fried egg and you have yourself one of the most iconic Thai food that is a favorite for both locals and foreigners.
Although you can find Pad Kra Pao everywhere in Bangkok, only a few places take this classic Thai dish a step further. Here is a list of 4 restaurants in Bangkok, in no particular order, where you can find some extraordinary Pad Kra Pao to satisfy your cravings.
Forget Me Not
This restaurant offers seafood straight from Chantaburi so you can save yourself the travel time. It brings with it fresh quality seafood as well and intense spices from Southeast Thailand at a very affordable price. Maybe that is why the loft-style interior gives off a very cooling feel. One of the most popular dishes here is the “Mantis Shrimp Kra Pao” that uses plus-size mantis shrimps as well as selected quality holy basil and chilies. Have it with a side of rice, and you will find yourself ordering a second one.
Ratcha Bar 32 Bar & Restaurant
This place specializes in Pad Kra Pao, and it is just awesome. You can choose to enjoy your food and drinks from the cozy indoors or the breezy outdoors. The menu will tell you that you can select meats ranging from bacon, seafood, Wagyu beef, to crispy pork belly. You can even have cheese omelet to top it off or have your dish served on a sizzling hot-plate. The best part is that this restaurant delivers and also does catering, so even if you live far away, you won’t miss out on all this Pad Kra Pao madness.
Gold Curry Bangkok
You might’ve heard about this Japanese curry house already. They’ve been everywhere on the news and food review blogs for their eating challenge. If you can down 10kg of curry within the time limit, you can earn up to 40,000 Baht in reward. All that aside, this place serves one of the best Japanese curries in town and have an endless choice of toppings for you to choose from, even Chicken Kra Pao! The sweet and succulent taste of the curry goes surprisingly well with the heat from the Kra Pao. A really must try.
The Terrace Restaurant
This classic restaurant franchise under the Central retail group has been serving Thai people since 1975. Today you can find this restaurant at almost every Central shopping malls and more. The restaurant mainly serves Thai cuisine, but with a little twist. For example, while you can get a classic dish of Pad Kra Pao, you can also opt for fried noodles instead of rice to go with it. Other recommended Kra Pao menus includes Fried Black Tiger Shrimp with Kra Pao Sauce and Crab Paste Fried Rice with Crispy Roasted Duck Kra Pao.