Bangkok: Our Epic Back Street Food Tour of Yaowarat
- Ava Lyn
- May 30
- 5 min read
This food tour is epic, so get ready, because our journey spans over 4 hours with over 16 dishes.
Our first stop is Kanom Gui Chai or thai style fried chive pancakes. I've never had anything like this, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside pancakes that are filled with chinese chives. Together with the thick tangy and spicy soy dipping sauce, it was such a wonderful combination. One of those dishes which feels so comforting and a shop I would definitely visit again.
We went to the braised pork trotters restaurant just a few doors down where the owners very kindly allowed us to have the Chinese Chive Dumplings too. This pork trotter place is a must visit. Open 24 hours a day, they have been serving these tender delicious morsels since the 1960s and the meat here is melt in your mouth deliciousness, and it packs a punch especially when served its some chilli sauce on the side.
We then made our way through a series of street stands, including a healthdrink that is made of Pennyworth, Bai Bua Bok and Centella Asiatica which is meant to improve skin health, treat stomach pain and improve blood flow. Very green tasting indeed. We also got to try some Satay which is endorsed by the Thai Royal family as well as get a bowl of comforting noodles in the middles of a bustling street.
We then made our way deep into the alleys of Yaowarat to find ourselves at Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded Jok One Table, where we had the famed shrimp dumplings. This is a legendary Thai Chinese dining spot, which began as a humble single table restaurant. They serve up an intimate dinner experience of omakase style Thai Chinese, which means, whatever is in season and whatever the chef feels like is most appropriate for the day. The place is in high demand so reservations for dinner is essential. We got a chance to try the shrimp dumplings, which were were like Har Gaos but drenched in fish sauce and crispy garlic. The shrimps are large and sweet and the skin is nice and thin and so comforting and delicious. I would have another bowl, thank you very much.
We moved next into the night market of Yaowarat and there we had some proteins of the future together with some herbal Black Tiger Liquor which is believed to support circulation, energy and vitality. A very interesting concoction with an earthy and warming mouth feel. It is not going to be a permanent feature on our alcohol cabinet, but certainly worth a try.
By now we are getting, full, but main course are only starting to get served! We went to a Guay Jub store on the main strip of Yaowarat. It was extremely busy but thank goodness for our runner who secured seats for us to just stroll up and immediately get served a bowl of this deliciousness. Thai Guay Jub is like Singaporean Bak Kut Teh on steroids. Think clear, intense peppery Bak Kut Teh soup base, together with soft chewy guay jub and crispy pork belly. So hearty, so delicious. I wished we had this back home too. This place was recognised for its Michelin Bib Gourmand award and is definitely busy amongst tourists and locals alike.
After our very delicious bowl of Guay Jub, we make it to an unassuming grocery store selling Thai sauces by Deksomboon or Healthy Boy Brand. Yes, the soy sauce with the boy on the label. We were brought to the soft serve machine, where we were given soft serve, and then a squeeze of soy sauce. What? Yes, we thought that sounded strange too. But surprisingly, it was rather pleasant! The soy sauce had a nice subtle umami flavour, and almost caramel like depth when paired with softserve. Very unconventional but definitely worth trying.
At this point, you must be thinking we have entered dessert territory. But, think again!
Next up, dinner. We went to one of the most iconic street-side seafood restaurants in Yaowarat and made our way up 4 flights of extremely narrow stairs to the top of the restaurant. This journey itself was already quite an experience. In any other country, this would be a health and safety alert, no handrails, uneven steps and ultra narrow stairways, but here, it is just part of the experience. We indulged Zi Char style, plenty of seafood dishes shared communal style.
Done with dinner? Let's get ourselves some desserts. Absolutely stuffed at this point, we moved very slowly towards our next street stall, one that serves chinese fritters with pandan kaya custard.
This street food stall is really famous in Yaowarat, earning a Michelin guide for its quality and affordability. It has been serving up these delightful deep fried treats for over 40 years. We are very familiar with these chinese dough sticks and typically have them either with congee or soy milk. It was the first having them as desserts with pandan kaya custard. There are other dipping sauces to choose from including sweetened condense milk, chocolate and strawberry jam but pandan kaya custard is the OG.
Right next door, we end with Mango Sticky Rice. They serve these ripe, sweet mangoes with purple and white sticky rice and our guide tells us this is one of her favourite places to get mango sticky rice. We were absolutely stuffed at this point but still found room to fit this dessert in. It was the perfect way to end our very epic food tour around Yaowarat.
Overall
I thought I knew Thai food, then I went on this tour and realised I have only touched the tip of the iceberg. This food tour is predominantly focused within the Yaowarat area, which means Thai-Chinese food. We meander through back streets and arrive at places we would probably never have thought about trying. The food was authentic and local, delicious and affordable.
We have now been on both the Chef's Tour series in Bangkok and both have been fantastic. Our preference is still the Old Siam tour which we felt brought us through the every day lives of locals. However, this Yaowarat tour also brought us to places we never thought we would try. If you are a beginner in navigating Bangkok, I think this Yaowarat tour is an excellent starting point. If you have been to Bangkok several times, then the Old Siam tour might be a better option.
Would We Recommend?
Yes! This was an excellent showcase of Thai-Chinese cuisine. We got to experience alot of these places we would have never otherwise gone to, including places where the Thai Royal family frequents as well as those with the legendary Green Bowl Awards. This tour was genuine and really aimed at those who want to understand the roots of the city. Our guides were so friendly and always made sure we were well taken care of and definitely very well fed.
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