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From Nyack to Bangkok: A Day Eating in Ari, Bangkok

by Ben McCarthy

A bowl of Jok, a pork based rice porridge similar to Chinese Congee

A bowl of Jok, a pork based rice porridge similar to Chinese Congee


 
I recently got back from a five week trip to Thailand and Vietnam. It was my second time in Thailand, a country I have come to love. Though we didn’t make it out of Bangkok, we did get to eat some amazing food and see a second side of Thailand’s capital city.
My girlfriend and I stayed in Ari, an area that is hip among younger Thai’s but still remains relatively unvisited by tourists and foreigners. The pace is slower and the food is more reflective of what Bangkok residents eat on an everyday basis. Visit Ari!
Breakfast
Roti with banana and egg, drizzled with condensed milk

Roti with banana and egg, drizzled with condensed milk


 
If you’re in Bangkok and want to experience a true Thai breakfast, do like the Thai’s and wake up early. It shouldn’t be hard if you’ve flown from New York  (as I did) because of the time difference.
Rice porridge is a staple breakfast in Asia. Each country has its own version: Congee for the Chinese, Jok for the Thai’s, and so on. Jok is usually made with pork; most varieties feature pork meatballs (many also include offal).
There is a very good Jok spot on Soi Ari 1 called “?????????? 1,” which roughly translates to “Jok Ari 1” in English, they serve a couple differents versions with the optional addition of an egg. Most traditional restaurants in Thailand are open shop fronts adorned with metal tables that specialize in one or two dishes only. This place is no different and because it does not have a sign in roman lettering (only Thai script) you need to find it by looking for the big cauldrons of bubbling rice porridge out front. Garnished with ginger and spring onions, the bowl is a hearty and filling breakfast that goes easy on a tender stomach.
No morning in Thailand is complete without a Thai style coffee or tea. Grab one from one of the women selling beverages on Soi Ari 1 or  Phahon Yothin 7. The Thai’s like their coffee and tea sweet and most versions are mixed with condensed and evaporated milk, making for a refreshing and sweet morning pick me up. From here you can walk to the end of Soi Ari 1 and turn right or left onto Phahon Yothin 7. If you turn left you’ll be greeted by a couple of vendors selling Muu Ping, pork on sticks grilled over charcoal; this is an essential Thai breakfast snack and shouldn’t be missed. Usually you can grab a couple sticks for five to ten baht a piece. Make sure to also pick up a bag of khao niew (sticky rice) to eat with them.
If you turn left and walk away from Phahonyothin road and the Ari BTS station you will pass many more vendors selling everything from Som Tam (green papaya salad) to fried chicken to roti. While I would urge everyone traveling in Thailand to try both Som Tam and Thai fried chicken, I can understand not wanting to eat either at 8 AM. Roti is a great alternative. It’s a pan-fried bread dish with muslim origins, that is cooked in front of you and often topped with egg or banana. Once cooked it is sliced and drizzled with condensed milk.
Lunch
A bowl of the northern curry noodle dish Khao Soi, the dish is served with pickled mustard greens, shallots, shredded cabbage and bean sprouts to garnish

A bowl of the northern curry noodle dish Khao Soi, the dish is served with pickled mustard greens, shallots, shredded cabbage and bean sprouts to garnish


 
For lunch you must try the Khao Soi vendor off of Soi Ari 1 called Hanh Khao Soi. Khao Soi is a northern Thai curry that hails from Chiang Mai. It is composed of curry paste, rice noodles, coconut milk, usually chicken (sometimes beef) and topped with fried egg noodles, pickled mustard greens and shallots. When done right the herbal complexity of the freshly pounded curry paste is accentuated, not lost, in the coconut milk. The crispy fried egg noodles are a perfect compliment to the fresh rice noodles and spicy, rich broth. The dish is one of my favorites, and is exceptional at Hanh Khao Soi. Unfortunately they are only open for breakfast and lunch.
Dessert
Patongko or fried donuts served with sangkaya, a coconut pandan custard used for dipping

Patongko or fried donuts served with sangkaya, a coconut pandan custard used for dipping


After lunch, cross busy Phahonyothin road and get a bag of Patongko from Ka Nom for dessert.  Patongko are fried donuts, dipped into sangkaya or coconut pandan custard. The shop where we bought Patongko is a bakery not a street stall, but their Patongko are pillowy, crispy and not too sweet.
Bangkok can be overwhelming at first. If you have already seen the main tourist attractions or are ready to get away from the craziness of the central city, head to Ari for a relaxing and delicious day.


Nyack People & Places, a weekly series that features photos and profiles of citizens and scenes near Nyack, NY, is sponsored by Sun River Health.


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