Bangkok - Best Pad Thai @ Thipsamai, Lamphu House & Khao San Road

Are you shivering in your boots yet? Had that nagging feeling deep in your guts, preparing yourself for the impending doom? Screaming NOT another MOTORMOUTH's NEVERENDING TRAVELLING SAGA?!!! (Newbies beware.... old timers, remember the 13 chapters Hong Kong/Macau extravaganza last year? Or the 10 chapters of Hanoi On A Shoe-string Series?!)

Don't piss your pants. Yet. For this time around, I've decided to show mercy upon all, and shorten my ramblings as much as possible, thus omitting the day by day posts. Saintly, am I?

Unless, of course, you wanted them. Oooh .... sadistic, aren't we? ;)

Frying up a storm! Whipping up plates after plates of delectable, addictive Pad Thai.

Thipsamai (www) is a household name, widely acknowledged in guidebooks and on the web, as THE restaurant that serves the BEST Pad Thai in Bangkok. No joke, this one. To imagine even the locals are willing to pay 60Baht/RM6 for a plate of the undoubtedly Thailand's most famous noodle dish. Put it simply, it's Thailand's answer to Vietnam's Pho Bo, or Malaysian's Char Kuey Teow. Or Laksa. Or Prawn Mee. (Why am I indecisive on this one?!)

The sweet, orange/tangerine juice @ 90baht/RM9 per bot, the Frozen/Iced Coconut Juice @ 15baht/RM1.50, the almost compulsory condiments to go along with one's Pad Thai, and the various certificates/newspaper cuttings on Thipsamai, on the wall

For a brief history on Thipsamai, do visit their website (http://www.thipsamai.com/). Wait, a WEBSITE in English and Thai, set up for a Pad Thai stall?!!! Fear not, for I initially had the same reservations myself, wondering how commercialized this Pad Thai restaurant can be. To be listed on guidebooks, with a website and charging shopping malls' prices for the noodles.

Wedges of lime, and raw vegetables (bean sprouts, spring onions, and banana flowers) to be served at the side, for that extra shot of fibre.

Been in operation since 1966 (yup, 43 years ago!) at a stall on the same road (Mahachai Road - address to come later), Mrs Samai and husband had a grand vision of promoting the simple Thai national dish (aside from the ubiquitous Tom Yum) to the world, and at the same time preserving the original, authentic Thai-style stir-fried noodles. Hence the fruition of Thipsamai Restaurant until this very day.

The original Pad Thai with shrimp edible oil and egg @ 40baht/RM4

If you're not a fan of noodles, or Pad Thai in particular, then Thipsamai offers nothing more for you. They serve ONLY Pad Thai, in various forms (from 40baht to 150baht!). In case you're wondering, the 150baht/RM15 version comes fully-equipped with squids, crab meat, shrimps etc. A poor man's dream, a rich one's delight.

Pad Thai with Shrimps - Thai style fried vermicelli (Chantaburi rice noodles) with shrimps, shrimp edible oil and eggs @ 60baht/RM6

The Pad Thai served at Thipsamai have that extra edge, compared to the ones on the street. For one, it's fried with enough heat (wok hei, or breath of the wok - refer to 1st picture), hence the noodles remain solid, not soggy, but with a smoky aroma imparted from the high heat. The noodles taste a little sweet and spicy, for they add fish sauce, and sugar, as well as red pepper into the dish.

Best comparison? Our very own Char Kuey Teow (fried flat rice noodles with prawns, eggs and cockles).

Superb Pad Thai - Pad Thai wrapped in egg omelette, almost resembling our very own Nasi Pattaya. 60baht/RM6 per plate.

A squeeze of lime juice, a dash of vinegar and fish sauce, some extra red chilli pepper, finely-crushed peanuts, and a pinch of sugar from the condiments tray, and your plate of Pad Thai is good to go. Toss them up real good, and savour the delightful burst of flavours. Had it not for the premium price (in comparison to street fare, of course), I would've ordered seconds.

No signboard in English, therefore memorize this front facade of Thipsamai, or follow the crowd ..... or your foodie instinct!

The freshly-squeezed orange/tangerine juice was concentrated, a little tangy and not artificially sweetened. Best to down all the grease. If citrusy drinks are not your preference, try the frozen coconut juice. A little too sweet, but a perfect complement to the savoury Pad Thai.

Location : Thipsamai Pad Thai Restaurant @ 313, Mahachai Road, Samranrat, Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200. Phone No : (662)-221 6280. Opens from 5.30pm - 2.00am. Here's a MAP to Thipsamai.

After dinner treats - Bubur Cha Cha ala Thai (with a whole poached egg!) @ 25baht/RM2.50 and funky flavours Ice-Cream @ 40baht for two scoops, plus 2 toppings(Sweet Basil Coconut and Thai Tea, anyone?)

In fact, Maha Chai Road was surprisingly vibrant from all the jostling around for food (mostly locals), the road resembling a Food Street (Wai Sek Kai?) to me.

The Bubur Cha Cha is a thick, sweet soup with plentiful of ingredients, such as corn, yam cubes, glutinous rice balls (mini 'tang yuen'), and an optional egg. Really filling, and we were glad we shared. The Ice-Cream came in many different flavours, such as coconut and Thai tea. The sweet basil coconut flavour was good, but the Thai tea was too artificial, like the typical/generic green tea ice-cream.

Lamphu House @ 75-77, Soi Rambuttri, Chakrapong Road, Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. (http://www.lamphuhouse.com/)

For the first two nights, we stayed at the backpackers' heaven (mecca, if you will) of Khao San Road. A legendary road filled with a deep sense of bonding between strangers (mostly foreigners), and wonderful camaraderie every single night. Yup, the street NEVER sleeps, literally.

There are a dime a dozen of budget guesthouses, dorms, boutique hotels, and even REAL hotels around the vicinity of Khao San Road. Recommended to book before arriving, to avoid disappointment come peak travelling period. We were lucky to be able to walk in to Lamphu House, on Soi Rambuttri (Soi means lane in Thai), and booked ourselves the last remaining rooms!

With air-cond, attached bathroom and hot shower. Twin sharing rooms @ 680baht/RM68 per night. Other options include single/double/triple rooms, with fans/air-cond.

The beautiful, clean and cozy environment of Lamphu House had our votes, and kept our $$$ (or baht, to be exact) in tact, for more shopping and eating escapades!

Here's a MAP to Lamphu House. Even if you do not manage to get a room here, don't despair. As there are plenty more hotels/guesthouses around the area. But do remember to PREVIEW YOUR ROOM FIRST, before checking in. They do not mind one bit, just ask. And bargaining IS allowed for certain budget guesthouses/hotels. Especially if you're travelling in a large group.

Khao San Road in broad daylight .......

And Khao San Road at its MOST NOTORIOUS FORM! (just kidding .... the atmosphere is very lively come night time. A definite must-see, for first-timers)

At Khao San Road, you can find almost every single thing Bangkok has to offer. Pubs, cafes, booze, babes, street food (fried insects was strangely NO-SHOW this time around. Not in season?!), 7-11 Convenience Stores (at every nook and corner!), and hundreds and thousands of Westerners.

Democracy Monument, Bangkok - Within walking distance (about 15 mins) from Khao San Road. Feeling lazy? Grab a tuk-tuk and rest those feet. Remember to bargain!

With that I end my first official post. Erm ... not THAT short eh? Sorry, old habits die hard. Any queries about travelling at this time of the hazardous flu season, feedbacks/brickbats, please don't hesitate to forward them to me here.

As I'm rather free now, in the midst of voluntary-home quarantine !!! ;)