Old Town Bangkok: The Muslim Restaurant


Sunday is our day.  On Sundays (when we have time) we like to go explore Bangkok, there is so much to see, so much that is yet to be discovered in this City of Angels.  Today, we started our journey on Bangkok's oldest road: Charoen Krung Road.  Built in 1861, this road runs through the major sites of Old Bangkok and still retains the charm of old Bangkok.  Our main destination though was the Muslim Restaurant near to Charoen Krung Soi 42 and by the intersection of Silom Road and Charoen Krung Road.

Now I've been on this road many times before, but usually it was on a car passing by on my way to the hotels that sit along the Chaophraya River.  Walking, however, gives you a whole different perspective on things.  You get to see and explore what previously you would have missed.  Going carless, you get the freedom of walking wherever you so desire and ending up in unexpected places.   A little Bangkok adventure.  We love it.

And so we went to the "Muslim Restaurant."  It was unexpectedly near to modern Bangkok and its skytrains.  Just a hop away and walking distance from the skytrain this Muslim restaurant looks like it belongs from another period.  I am surprised first at how spacious it is and secondly at how simplistic it is.  In this day and age where billboards and advertisements fill up every available space, this restaurant has nothing but a single sign overhead and a glass cabinet where certain foods are put on display.  The name itself is simple and self-explanatory.  You know what food you will get to eat here.



The clientele that eat here all seemed to be regulars and perhaps lived in the neighbourhood.  There were so many seats, you could just sit here and have a nice quiet lunch.  Here you could eat slowly, chat and just enjoy the Sunday.  It's quiet and there is no noise pollution here.  I like it.  The decor takes me back in time without the time machine.

We ordered "Khao Mok Kai" (Spiced Chicken Rice- Biryani) and "Khao Mok Phae" (Mutton Rice), Beef Mataba and Beef Curry.  It's a lot of food I know, but we wanted to try them all and we had a lot of walking ahead of us. 

I  have to tell you, it was one of the best ones I've had yet in Bangkok. I'm not exaggerating and I do like to eat this dish.  The rice was soft and flavorful.  It had a lot of spices and they just tickled your tongue, especially if you add the accompanying sauce.  The mutton was falling off the bones and the chicken tender.  I loved it.  The Mataba (roti-with beef filing) was not oily and went well with its cucumber sauce.  The beef curry was not too heavy and the beef in small slices.

I polished my plate clean.

I also loved when the bill came.  It was definitely very reasonable.  The total came to around 240 Baht ($8).  The chicken biryani was 55baht ($1.8), and the mutton rice 95baht ($3.2).  Such a wonderful meal it was.  Authentic, clean, and delicious.


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