Take Me To The River

Thanks to a visit from our good friend William, we've revisited some of our favourite Bangkok haunts in recent days - especially places near the Chao Phraya River.

If you have time, a Chao Phraya water taxi (early morning or late afternoon) ride is recommended. A river trip provides an unfiltered snapshot of the city passing glitzy 5-star hotels, neighbouring slums, historic temples, a cathedral, the Grand Palace, local markets, schools, multi-million dollar penthouses, unfinished apartments (leftovers from the Asian financial crisis) and more. At just 25 baht or less, a water taxi ride is a terrific cheap thrill attraction.

Our recent river trip during Makha Bucha day (a buddhist festival) began with a late afternoon drink at Amorosa bar - four floors up from the popular Deck restaurant and Arun Residence boutique hotel (about a 10-minute walk from Tha Tien pier).

Since our last visit to Amorosa in 2007, the owners have extended the back bar and built a new staircase. The old staircase - while rickety (treacherous actually) and steep - added to the charm and fun.

Wish you were here.. 

But the bar's absolute best attribute is its location and the stupendous view it offers of the Chao Phraya and the magnificent Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn). It's hard to think of a better venue and setting in Bangkok, or the rest of Thailand, to to sip a cold drink at sunset.

After drinks and many, many photos we walked to Tha Tien pier to catch a ferry across the river to Wat  Arun. Being Makha Bucha day there were thousands of people and many monks paying respect and participating in prayers at the temple.

With a burning candle, incense and lotus flower in hand we joined the crowd, and as is the custom, walked around the temple three times. At night, the fully-lit Wat Arun looked sensational - the dark sky and bright back lights accentuated the height of the temple towers (prang) and the colours of the porcelain tiles.

We stood in awe and mentally applauded the smarts, effort, innovation, devotion and bravery of the architects, builders and workers who built the temple - it was a privilege to be there.

The walking exploration of Wat Arun made us hungry and thirsty and we crossed back to Phra Athit Road for dinner.

Sitting near the river, behind Khao San Road (backpacker capital of the world) and close to Thammasat University, Phra Athit is a little enclave of small bars, eateries, music venues popular with students, office workers and travellers alike. 

We settled into a window side table at Good Story, a Thai eatery designed (decor wise) like a cross between an Irish pub and Parisian cafe. It's a cosy, charming place and besides a menu of Thai dinner and snack staples the bar owners have assembled a superb range of Belgian and international beers at affordable prices (between 170-190 baht) - it may offer the best beer selection in town.

Spoilt for choice - Good Story's super selection of Belgian and international beers.

To walk off dinner we strolled through Soi Rambuttri and Khao San which I always enjoy. Whenever we visit we try to identify as many of the languages heard as we can - I think we listed 10 that night.

Backpackers get a hard time from many local expats and snooty travel writers - a little unfairly in my opinion. I was also a wide eyed know-it-all when I travelled in my early 20s. However, those adventures sparked a passion for travel that remains. The journeys also helped make me the still wide eyed, and slightly more informed know-it-all that I am today.

Hong Seng Pak Kret

Welcome to the Hong Seng restaurant.

It was coincidence, not divine intervention, that led me to enjoy a piscatorial Friday last week.

In return for an editing favour, my good buddy Awi treated me to lunch at another of his Nonthaburi hangouts.

On the banks of the Chao Phraya river is Hong Seng restaurant in Pak Kret, an old style, open air family-run eatery where little has changed since it first opened - if ain't broke etc....

As well as Hong Seng's awesome river views and relaxed, rustic atmosphere, the other main attraction is goong maenam pao - "shrimp on the barbie thai style."

Koh Kret is just up the river and round the bend.

Quickly cooked over a charcoal grill, these sweet, juicy, meaty, fresh water river prawns are served with a dipping sauce packing as much spice as the current Leveson enquiry. They are more mini-lobsters than shrimps (up to 500gm) and thanks to the mild smoky charcoal flavour, they are highly recommended (and I'm not even a prawn fan).

River prawns - no need to drive to Ayutthaya to enjoy these.

If you're not on cholesterol watch, the yellow prawn roe goes real well with steamed rice. In addition, we ordered steamed and deep fried fish dishes and both were excellent.

Keeping it rustic and relaxed - can you feel the river breeze?

The restaurant's menu is extensive and Hong Seng is a good spot to eat at before, or after, a boat trip to Koh Kret island - the restaurant is right by the dock so you can't miss it.

Pla Luak - blanched fish slices and dipping sauce. 

Other attractions in the area include a busy, bustling food market. You can also enjoy a Pak Kret style picnic in the late afternoon when boat vendors selling a host of culinary treats congregate near the dock to set up a small floating market.

It's plenty popular with locals and visitors who buy loads of food (especially noodles) from the vendors and then find a spot on the riverside steps to picnic with friends and family.

How to go to Hong Seng? Here's another blog article with address details for the restaurant.

Later that night we nipped out for a Friday night family treat to Snapper, a recently opened New Zealand (NZ) themed fish and chip restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 11.

Friday night at the Fish Supper Club. 

Being a bit of a fish and chip connoisseur, I think Snapper is good, very, very good, producing the best f&c that I've ever eaten in Bangkok. The fish batter is thin and crispy, while the chips are on the large side and very filling. Their homemade tomato sauce was another winning touch.

Full selection of condiments. They even serve mushy peas.  

The only gripe was reserved for the breadcrumbed scallops order. The scallops were so small we had to send a search party to find them. Shouldn't grumble too much as we were offered two complimentary glasses of bubbly - Snapper's NZ wine list was mighty impressive as well - another night, another night.