Ratchapreuk dam

The wonderful thing about road tripping is seeing the countryside.

Whoever wrote that probably has a fear of flying.

The endless hours of driving alongside trucks, buses, pickups, vans, motorcycles has taught me but one thing: NEVER DRIVE ON ONE LANE ROADS IN THAILAND. Unless of course, you have a low value for your life.

If you do insist on road tripping still, it would be better if you get a driver! That way, your viewjoyment won't be ruined by swerving left and right to avoid overzealous truck and bus drivers.

Road tripping however does have its benefits... you get to enjoy out of the way restaurants!

We took a turn off the main highway to Ratchapreuk Dam. It's a beautiful place, you could even think you were in another country with fjords and what not. It is a great fresh water reservoir. Funnily when we were there, there were some Thai school on a field trip there singing songs from Oasis. Watch the view, and live entertainment from a class full of kids going, "Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you..."

The cool thing of the dam is that on the drive up, the nice windy roads and reaching the part where I cross the dam, I could even feel that I was doing a CRV commercial, but that is another point altogether.

Because after that stop off, I was hungry. And a hungry man is an angry man.

Logic thus told me to drive towards the direction of the Ratchapreuk golf course (where I was bound to get food) rather than the road. The road to the golf course however led me to a restaurant whose name I cannot remember, and didn't write.

And that is exactly what is wonderful about blogs, you're not liable; you can miss a few things and it doesn't matter... especially in a blog that is probably hardly even read by anyone....

I miss eating fish curry; the kind to eat with roti pratha (south Indian/ Singaporean/ Malay style). This restaurant without a name also had a fish curry, I think it was called "Kaeng Phrik" which literally means "Chilli Curry". The curry is made using some mud-fish or "Pla Krabok" or some name like that. The curry was mad mad spicy, so as an accompainiment I ordered Khai Jeow Moo sab (Pork Omelet) as well as bai kra phow gai. Everything was spicy... but yummy.

The food gets high marks because they warn you of their spiciness, and I took it as a challenge, and boy was I challenged...

Food: 45/50

For a place with no customer, they could've at least smiled, said hello, or commented when I told them how beautiful I found the dam. They just seemed bored with life, get some vibrancy people!

Service: 24/30

At least they have the basics, so the atmosphere is not bad, just not any good either.

Atomsphere: 14/20

Total: 83/100

Good value for money. Good luck finding the place!!!

My Choice Restaurant review on Sukhumvit 36

Ok, Bkkeater has been slow updating his site, but we make up with the difference today.

Since the last post, Bkkeater has been to 3 restaurants (with photos only at 1 of them) to enjoy a meal and review the food for the rest of you palate-adventurous in Bangkok.

The first of these was "MY CHOICE" restaurant on Sukhumvit soi 36. The restaurant is situated on the left side approximately 60meters into the soi. There is a sign outside in Thai writing some of their 'specialties', a very intriguing menu with a dish called 'Sator' on it that captured my attention.

For those who don't know what Sator is in English, I'm sorry, I won't be able to help with a direct translation. For my best knowledge, Sator is a vegetable (considered by some to be smelly, but i strongly oppose that viewpoint) that is grown and eaten by many Thai Southerners.

Anyways, the menu being interesting, I decided to stop by there for a meal, and was more than satisfied with the outcome.

This is not some michelin 2 or 3 star restaurant with fancy decor, artistic presentation, and food so incredibly flavorful and pleasant that you'll be dying for the next bite. This is more simply food fair that is just wonderful for the mouth and stomache because it is not commonplace to find a good Southern Style Thai food in Bangkok.

The first dish that came my way was baked duck (Ped Ob Liab). Granted this is probably more Chinese does not belie the taste. The duck was really flavorful. You see, the duck is not baked the Chinese way, I won't be able to describe the difference but its full flavored, and the meet literally flakes off.

The next round for me was Serpent hesh fish filet in yellow curry (Kaeng Leaung Pla), Sator and white rice. The Sator was a great combination of the Sator bitterweet flavor, and the sweet cheweyness from the diced shrimp. The soup had a citrusy-spicy-tangy flavor mellowed out by the taste of the curry, and cucumbers! Yes, CUCUMBERS in the yellow curry. I've never imagined such a combo, and must say that the cucumbers keeps your stomach cool from all the hot spices. In all, the sator and yellow curry combination with rice was superb. The best combo-palate I can think of is like eating bai kraphow kai with tom yum soup. Full flavors just bring alive your tongue.

Didn't have dessert, was too full to even look at the menu.

I ate everything with a Singha beer, and the food and beer really went well together.

Food: 47/50


The place was middle sized, mabye 20+ tables, but only 3 tables were full, Bkkeater was 2, another table of 2 and 1 big party of 12. For this there was 3 servers, and at times you had trouble finding them. Shouldn't happen in a small place. However, the staff was very helpful and knowledgeable about the food.

Service: 25/30


Like sitting in your Thai upper-middleclass Grandma and Grandpa's house with oddly decided paintings, color patterns, and curtains. Yes, those floral curtains that you don't see anywhere. Its a riot, and even though I graded it low, somehow it just worked and created its own charm.

Atmosphere: 15/20

Total: 87/100

Value for Money:

food for 2, one beer, fish, shrimp, and duck for 500++ baht. Very good I'd say.