Phat Thai Bai Tong (ผัดไทใบตอง) – A Hidden Pad Thai Haunt that Celebs Love

[BANGKOK, THAILAND] One of the biggest reasons why Pad Thai in Thailand still reigns supreme is because of the use of charcoal fire instead of gas. Since charcoal is hardly used in Singapore these days, I’d say it’s pretty difficult to get a plate of pad Thai here that tastes as good as one that you can find in Thailand.

Our driver and tour guide, Mr. Jarun Boon, recommended a hidden pad Thai eatery where Thai celebs often patronize. Phat Thai Bai Tong (ผัดไทใบตอง) specializes in Phat Thai, and a couple of other dishes that Thai locals and celebs both love and rave about. You’ll notice that the space is pretty small so you should expect a queue if you decide to visit around lunch or dinner time. Phat Thai Bai Tong uses charcoal fire to cook their dishes which, in my opinion, makes the food especially great. The lady boss told us that she makes the pork lard and the sauce for her pad Thai by hand, to ensure their freshness.

Besides their highly acclaimed pad Thai, they also serve fried rice and Kung Pao. Initially, we wanted to try their fried rice but we had a small communication breakdown and they cooked us Kung Pao instead. The fried rice smelled heavenly but we didn’t have the time or space in our stomachs to finish another plate of rice. If we ever visit again, we will definitely get the fried rice that we caught a fleeting glimpse of.

The Kung Pao features a generous serving of salted pork chunks with white rice. The pork chunks were a tad too hard and salty for our liking. We ordered a plate with less spice but I found it a little too spicy still. The spice kicks in slowly so don’t rush through the dish. The kung pao which we accidentally ordered was quickly overshadowed by the pad Thai. So, unless you’re a big fan of kung pao, I would suggest giving it a miss.

The pinnacle of our small meal was definitely the pad Thai. Filling the air with an irresistible aroma, the pad Thai boasts extra-large and fleshy river prawns that lay atop a messy heap of rice noodles and beansprouts. You also have the option to add in more beansprouts and spring onions which are served on a separate plate. Dive straight into the fresh and crunchy river prawns. Whilst there were only 2, I must admit that they were pretty huge. The handmade pork lard was wonderfully crispy and flavourful, albeit very sinful. Coupled with the lady boss’s own sweet sauce recipe, the rice noodles were chewy, moist and sticky. I really liked how the flavor of the noodles complemented the sweetness of the sauce. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Taking into account the short waiting time, and relatively affordable prices, I’ll also highly recommend this place. If you happen to pop by, do try the fried rice and let us know what you think!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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