It’s time to give this eatery, which serves Chinatown’s best Teochew food, the recognition they deserve.
Bangkok’s Chinatown is difficult to define. It is the only location that emanates cultural value that evolves through time, it is vibrant, it is obsolete yet modern, and, most importantly, there is plenty of food. However, regardless of how many food parlors there are, whether donuts, butter pancakes, or even an ice cream parlor that serves rich, creamy homemade ice cream on top of freshly baked waffles may sound appealing to most visitors, make no mistake that you will always find something similar elsewhere.
Despite the fact that these are not the best examples of the attractive traits that distinguish this city district. Here’s a thought for you: “What makes Chinatown, Chinatown?”
And after walking along Soi Texas, we found something resembling an explanation when we entered “Tae Por Huad,” a small family-run eatery in Yaowarat, Chinatown.
When you first arrive, there isn’t much to speak of in terms of decoration and design. It is well-kept, tidy, has no extravagant decorations, and the Chinese-related motif is extremely minimal to none, but somehow, that is what exudes mystery. As we sat, the aunty who allegedly operates the restaurant greeted us in the most casual and respectful manner.
The friendly aunty who hosted our table informed us that the restaurant has been open since 1954, serving a variety of Teochew delicacies that are difficult to find elsewhere in terms of taste, such as smoky crab fried rice, Chinese-style fried noodles, soft and aromatic goat stew, braised pork knuckle, fish maw soup, and some other exotic dish worth trying.
To keep the message succinct due to space constraints, we’ll just add without hesitation that every single dish we had was absolutely exquisite, and perhaps this is the result of the chef mastering the same dishes on the menu over many decades. Furthermore, practically every meal has a distinct characteristic dipping sauce that complements the dish perfectly, such as galangal dipping sauce to pair with the goat stew, vinegar for the Chinese fried noodles, and spicy vinegar sauce for the braised pig knuckle, and so on. The majority of the dishes will be served in a traditional clay pot, providing an iconic look and flavor that is hard to come by in this modern times.
The drinks are just as good as the cuisine, with a range of classic options to select from, but the most classic of all has to be a hot chrysantimum drink, which appears to help make the meal even more gratifying.
As we were eating and chatting with the auntie who was looking after us Two elderly customers came over to say goodbye to her. When they realized we were interested in the restaurant’s history, they began telling us about their experiences there: “We’re from Krabi province, and whenever we visit Bangkok, we had to eat at this restaurant. The food is divine, and the flavor will remain the same no matter how many times we visit, or how long it has been since the last time.” The consumer related their experience. “It’s as though the chef was never replaced.”
Getting to “Tae Por Huad” couldn’t be easier; simply take any MRT to Wat Mangkon Station, take the first exit (Exit No.1), and then walk two blocks to Phadung Dao Rd. The restaurant will be located on the opposite side of a busy tofu pudding shop called “Ba Hao Tian Mi” (which we also recommend)
Opening time: Every day from 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/PddaHsPBFyhE665U6
