Monday, October 13, 2008

Kalpapruek Restaurant, Emporium, Bangkok

There were quite many times I went to this place by myself, especially when I didn't feel like squeezing myself in the food court upstairs at Emporium. The good thing for this restaurant is the high ceiling and the bright view to the park and sky train. This restaurant also has other outlets on the top floor of Emporium and ground floor of Siam Paragon but quality-wise this 1st floor shop at Emporium is better. I usually ordered the Chicken and Prawn salad in green mango dressing and a Pad Thai as well as an iced plum juice. Though the Thai ice tea, roti and cakes are said to be the signature dish of this restaurant, my foreign taste just gets me to order my favourite salad and Pad Thai. Their Pad Thai may not be famous but I like the way they pan fried the prawn and the not-too-sweet taste of the noodle. At least it is not that sweet orange color. It hasn't disappointed me so far. However, if you wanna try the local taste of Pad Thai, I can tell you this is not the Pad Thai you may want. So I would rather stick to my foreign taste if I am claimed so.

1/2: don't think there is no customer but just my friends and I went there at 5pm on weekdays.

3: Prawn and Chicken salad in mango dressing. 4. Pad Thai.
5. Fried fish but I didn't try much though, because personally I don't like fried fish much.

6 comments:

Thailand Club said...

the orange color in a pad thai is the tamarind sauce with good hints of some sour to balance the sweet taste

Anonymous said...

I think I will try this one because it's easy to find. Will see the difference of foreign taste and local taste.

Man

in the sea said...

I don't find that sour enough actually for most I have been to. Besides, some shops often fried the noodles a bit not too soft - kind of hard to chew. Also, it's much too wet to me. That's why I like this one by Kalpapruek, especially the prawn is fresher. Those acclaimed famous pad thai just used some "so so" prawn.

Yes, Man you can try this one. Hope you don't mind it's foreign taste.

Anonymous said...

Black cat or white cat it does not matter as long as that cat can catch mouse.
Foreign or local taste, it does not matter, as long as it tastes good and you enjoy.

in the sea said...

Yes, I think there are 2 points here. One is the subjective point of view and the other is how far the shop is good. Somehow when I tried to point out the latter one, it has become I am claimed as having "foreign taste".

Example 1: Pierre at Oriental HK. They over-cooked the cod fish and the sauce didn't take away the fishy smell. Then it is said to be fusion food. When I further claimed on how worse they mix the east/west cuisine, I am told to be with "foreign taste". Don't know where in the world the people like overcooked smelly cod fish.

Example 2: the soy bean drink at Wing Wo (Yung He) town in Taipei. Most people (incl. my local friends) said they are the best. However, I went there several times. The soy bean drink is so so and supposed cold soy bean drink should be chilled enough. If not chilled enough, then don't sell it to customers. Their sticky rice dumpling was even made quite some time ago and the rice roll is too thick. Then I am told be with "no taste". So later on I didn't tell my local friends I wanna get soy bean drink and sticky rice dumpling. The best soy bean drink shop to me is actually on Fu Hsing S. Rd between Shin Yi Rd and He Ping E. Rd. I think I have been to 80% of the soy bean drink shops in Taipei and found that one. They made the sticky rice dumpling on order! The rice roll is thin enough you can chew the crusty Chinese doughnut inside with pickled vegetable. This is the technique! It's not like going to those "acclaimed" best shop and just jump into it and say it's the best. Don't know why people can't tell the difference of cooking technique from "foreign or local taste".

Anonymous said...

Yes, the Wing Wo soy bean is not that good. I went there and disappointed. I will try the one you mentioned on Fu Hsing next time.

Tim