Mom's cooking - Bangkok (Sri Trat)

title_image

Bangkok's food scene is widely known for its cheap, vibrant and extremely scrumptious nature. Especially those made in small makeshift food stalls on the side of the road or in open aired restaurants with tiled walls, Bangkok's notorious for its cuisine. When it comes to tasting homemade local cuisine, these local street food vendors may be adept at bringing out mom's flavors, but the taste never go the full mile. For a truly authentic after taste, Sri Trat, a restaurant serving Eastern Thai cooking using mom's homemade recipe is the place that brings out the true taste of Thai.

Sri Trat

Sri Trat, awarded with a Michelin Guide, is located in Phrom Phong, one of the busiest and popular districts in Bangkok. Deep in the alley among all the massage parlors and busy Italian restaurants, Sri Trat settled down in a traditional Thai home. The glittering whiskey bottles shine through the window in the entrance as you open the heavy wooden door into Sri Trat's azure walls and leather arm chairs in its entrance.

The Vibe

Pass the bar and find yourself in a warm dining area where wooden floors and red brick walls greet you with a spotlight on a mural of a woman on the wall, the owner's mother. These dishes are based on the recipes that mother used to cook in her kitchen. Nothing extravaganza but everything is local and authentic at best.

The owner's mother's face is an emblem of home cooking, placed on the menus as well. Does its job by giving confidence to those dining in Sri Trat for the first time.
Just as you would do your plate settings at home, only the necessities are neatly arranged on the tables. Also, remember those flowery plates that mom used to serve on? Yes, those are used in this restaurant as well, conjuring up old memories from our past.

The Dishes

Fried crunchy peanuts mashed into seafood sauce, served with steamed barracuda and mints on top. This appetizer's initial appearance was definitely not intriguing, but with the sauce poured, mixed and a bite of it in your mouth, that is when you realize why there was a flower of recommendation placed next to the name in the menu. This simple yet uber complicated dish is one of those tastes that you won't forget, and will keep coming back for more.

Thais love their veggies and a dip on the side. Crab meat with coconut sauce served as a dip with various vegetables are a good exploration piece for tourists. Some of these vegetables give a good herbal kick in your mouth, making it such an experiential dish.

The fried soft shelled crab was fried to perfection. It took no effort to split the crab into pieces with your spoon and fork, mixing into the noodle base. Similar to a pad thai, this platter was rather disappointing in taste.