Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ครัวแจ๋ว @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Cuisine: Thai

Map: Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ครัวแจ๋ว @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Charged Price: THB360 per person without alcohol

Visited: 28 October 2015

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 6/10

Services: 4/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Krua Jaew is the one that we often visit in Pran Buri. This seafood restaurant is rather large in size and comfy and is located conveniently along the beach front at Pak Nam Pran (though with division of small road). This place offers enjoyable food at decent price. One little thing to be aware about Krua Jaew is its popularity during public holiday. Make sure about reservation before visiting during public holiday. Otherwise, you should be fine.

Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan

rather large venue at a convenient location

The first dish to arrive was Fried Squid with Salty Egg - ปลาหมึกผัดไข่เค็ม (6/10). Squid with salty egg seems to be my all time favourite dish at any seafood joint whether good, bad, or so-so. For the one Krua Jaew, I would say it was enjoyable, nothing much better than meeting standard expectation. The way sliced chili and spring onion combined well with creaminess and saltiness of salty egg was nice. Only if the blending between squid and salty egg had been more simultaneously, this would be a highlight. Moving on to more spicy dish: Fried Babylon with Chili and Basil - หอยหวานผัดฉ่า (6/10). Babylon is another popular seafood ingredient here. When combining with chili and basil, it turned to be a strong punchy dish. Need a lot of rice to go with this one. Make sure of asking for little chili if you cannot take much hot and spicy.

Fried Squid with Salty Egg - ปลาหมึกผัดไข่เค็ม (THB250)

Fried Babylon with Chili and Basil - หอยหวานผัดฉ่า (THB150)

Omelette with Oyster - ไข่เจียวหอยนางรม (5/10) is another classic dish that is always popular among both kids and adults. The one here was ok. I would prefer it to be fluffier and crispier. Having seafood, it is all about fish for me, not crab or prawn like others would do. Today I had Deep-fried Sea Bass with Sweet and Sour Sauce - ปลากะพงสามรส (6/10) and Boiled Sea Bass with Coconut Milk - เนื้อปลากะพงต้มกะทิ (6/10). The more interesting one was sea bass with coconut milk. It tasted similar to Tom Kha Gai but with fresh sea bass fillet instead of chicken. Weird combination but turned to be nice really. For sea bass with sweet and sour sauce, it was delicious enough to keep the meal going. Crisp texture with yummy sweet and sour sauce.

Omelette with Oyster - ไข่เจียวหอยนางรม (THB120)

Deep-fried Sea Bass with Sweet and Sour Sauce - ปลากะพงสามรส (THB400)

Boiled Sea Bass with Coconut Milk - เนื้อปลากะพงต้มกะทิ (THB150)

During the meal, we also had Chateau le Puy Rose-Marie 2014 to accompany. Its crispiness and fruity character seemed to go rather nice with seafood. In fact, any fruity white wine or off-dry white wine or sparkling wine would be tremendous. But never red wine for strong and spicy Thai food in my opinion. Anyway, Krua Jaew at Pak Nam Pran is a decent one. Not cheap but it at least presents rather good value to money for its location and quality. By the way, just ignore the service here. Staffs seemed like robot. No interaction apart from taking order at all. Bland is the word perhaps.

Chateau le Puy Rose-Marie 2014

another seafood meal

Krua Jaew @ Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - ครัวแจ๋ว @ ปราณบุรี ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

486/9  Moo 2
Pak Nam Pran, Pran Buri
Prachuap Khiri Khan
77220

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 08:00am - 10:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 32 631 302
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ครัวแจ๋ว-ปากน้ำปราณ-203205943047222/

Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - แหลมทองซีฟู๊ด ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Cuisine: Thai

Map: Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - แหลมทองซีฟู๊ด ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Charged Price: THB150 per person without alcohol

Visited: 28 October 2015

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 10/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Usually once a year, we would find our journey to Pran Buri for a short break from Bangkok city and Laem Thong Seafood at Kui Buri is the one destination that we must pay a visit each time. If you are unfamiliar with geography of Thailand, Pran Buri is somewhat two hours and a half South West from Bangkok and Kui Buri is a little further with approx. additional half an hour driving. Laem Thong Seafood is located within Khao Daeng area of Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park. Hence, things there are still fresh and very local.

To arrive at Laem Thong Seafood I would say it is difficult and even more complicated for foreigners. Driving is the only way I would say. Map is provided above and you better follow GPS. However, if you know Pak Nam Pran rather well, driving straight from Pak Nam Pran main road and you will find it on the left hand side which is opposite of Wat Khao Daeng.

Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan

pretty much local and rural atmosphere

fresh air surely

sneaky pussy!!!

Food here is typical local and geared towards Southern style. In case hot and spicy dishes are not friendly to you, just say it out. Otherwise you won't enjoy the meal. The beauty about this place is freshness of ingredients and value for money. One would usually be full within the budget of THB200 a head. Come on, THB200 a head for nice seafood, where else could you find it? I believe each morning the owner will go searching for ingredients with neighbourhood proximity. One of our favourite ingredients that is difficult to find elsewhere is Dumort. For instant, we had Fry Egg with Dumort - ไข่ชุบชะคราม as one of light dishes (7/10). Indeed it is just an ordinary omelette. But the unique flavour of dumort did bring out another dimension.

The other two dishes to begin our meal were Deep-fried Fish Cake - ทอดมันปลา (5/10) and Deep-fried Silver Whiting - ปลาทรายทอดกระเทียม (5/10). Both were not exciting ones but typical enjoyable dishes. The fish cake was not very spicy. The texture was soft but still with chewiness. Silver whiting was fried a little under to my liking. I like the one that the fish is very crisp such that the whole thing can be eaten without worrying much about those tiny bones.

Fry Egg with Dumort - ไข่ชุบชะคราม (THB60)

Deep-fried Fish Cake - ทอดมันปลา (THB70)

Deep-fried Silver Whiting - ปลาทรายทอดกระเทียม (THB100)

Moving on to heavier dishes. Our all time never-miss-to-order dish is Curry of Blue Crab and Dumort - แกงปูชะคราม (8/10). Very aromatic and rich in flavour. Strong abundant but mild to the touch of curry taste. The natural flavour of blue crab and dumort lifted up its sexiness. Godddddd, I barely touched other dishes when this holy thing had arrived. The last two dishes were something most of people will order when having seafood: Tom Yum Silver Perch - ต้มยำปลากะพง (6/10) and Fried Rice with Crab and Prawn - ข้าวผัดปูและกุ้ง (6/10). Nice and decent ones. Thanks to the fresh ingredients.

Well, I personally would say that this little place is an amazing one. I wish it would stay very local atmosphere for years to come. It is so difficult to find good stuff these days. Look at Hua Hin for example. You will find nothing but touristy joints nowadays unless there are secret little places of your own.

Curry of Blue Crab and Dumort - แกงปูชะคราม (THB120)

zooming onto blue crab

Tom Yum Silver Perch - ต้มยำปลากะพง (THB120)

Fried Rice with Crab and Prawn - ข้าวผัดปูและกุ้ง (THB100)

Laem Thong Seafood @ Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan - แหลมทองซีฟู๊ด ประจวบคีรีขันธ์

Rural Road PorKor. 4020
Khao Daeng, Kui Buri
Prachuap Khiri Khan
77150

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 09:00am - 08:00pm

Tel: +66 (0) 89 549 4992

Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga - มันโภชนา @ อำเภอท้ายเหมือง จังหวัดพังงา

Cuisine: Southern Thai

Map: Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga - มันโภชนา @ อำเภอท้ายเหมือง จังหวัดพังงา

Price: THB250 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 19 December 2014

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 8/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Happen to visit or pass by Phang Nga, I swear you should not miss Mon Phochana at Thai Mueang district. This restaurant by Phetkasem Road does not look elegant nor charming at all but the taste of food here is another story. It is just two block of commercial buildings with nothing spectacular that everyone would just drive pass without noticing. That is sure not a surprise at all. I was one of the kind too until a local relative suggested to give it a go. Blessing me, food here was so delicious that I had to return the next day: so rich, so flavourful, spicy but balance, and made with fresh local ingredients. Thank God I found this place.

Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga

just a block of building by the road

When in Phang Nga, the very first thing we have to order is none but หอยชักตีนลวกจิ้ม - boiled wing shell (7/10). Wine shell is rather rare these days. It was locally caught: so fresh and yummy. Simply dip in spicy seafood sauce and that would bring you with finale. Next was ปลาทรายทอดขมิ้น - deep-fried silver whiting with turmeric (8/10). This is one of my all time favourite Souther Thai dish. The aroma of turmeric was fantastic. Silver whiting was fried nicely such that it was cracklingly crispy. I could just eat the whole thing. As for หมูสามชั้นคั่วเกลือ - deep-fried pork with salt (6/10), it was nice but not so impressive. Juicy and crispy, it was. But a little too oily to my liking. Well seasoned though.

หอยชักตีนลวกจิ้ม - boiled wing shell (THB150)

ปลาทรายทอดขมิ้น - deep-fried silver whiting with turmeric (THB140)

หมูสามชั้นคั่วเกลือ - deep-fried pork with salt (THB140)

Moving on to more serious dishes. ผักเหมียงผัดกุ้งเสียบ - stir-fried melinjo with dried shrimp (6/10) is another favourite local dish that many people do have to order. It was nice but lack the magic touch that I could not explain. Then we had ต้มกะทิผักเหมียงกุ้งสด - melinjo and prawn in coconut milk (9/10). This is perhaps the very best dish we had here. Melinjo was fresh as well as the naturally sweet coconut milk. Spices brought up flavour with balance. I just love this dish. Lastly we thought we should not miss out curry, so we had แกงคั่วหอยขมใบชะพลู - river snails curry with piper sarmentosum (7/10). Most people who visit the southern part of Thailand seem to go for crab curry. Personally, I fond for shell based curry more. It contains more flavour and dimension on palate for me. Mon Phochana also did not disappoint me. River snails curry here was fabulously crafted. It can be too hot and spicy to some, hence, be aware.

Well, let me say once again. Mon Phochana is a local restaurant that you should not miss out in Phang Nga. Nice food at reasonable price. Thank god I found this place.

ผักเหมียงผัดกุ้งเสียบ - stir-fried melinjo with dried shrimp (THB100)

ต้มกะทิผักเหมียงกุ้งสด - melinjo and prawn in coconut milk (THB140)

แกงคั่วหอยขมใบชะพลู - river snails curry with piper sarmentosum (THB160)

Mon Phochana @ Thai Mueang, Phang Nga - มันโภชนา @ อำเภอท้ายเหมือง จังหวัดพังงา
46/11-12 Phetkasem Road
Moo 1
Lam Kaen, Thai Mueang
Phang Nga 82210

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 09:00pm - midnight

Tel: +66 (0) 84 626 8991, +66 (0) 76 443 146
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ManPhochnA

The Great Kabab Factory @ Majestic Grande Hotel, Bangkok - เดอะ เกรท คาบับ แฟคทอรี่ @ โรงแรมมาเจสติค แกรนด์ กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: Indian

Map: The Great Kabab Factory @ Majestic Grande Hotel, Bangkok - เดอะ เกรท คาบับ แฟคทอรี่ @ โรงแรมมาเจสติค แกรนด์ กรุงเทพฯ

Price: THB1,500 per person without alcohol (what we expected to pay)

Visited: 15 September 2014

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 7/10

Services: 7/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

It was during early September when we were invited to try an Indian restaurant specialising in kabab (or kebab, whatever you spell it) : The Great Kabab Factory. I promise if Indian food is something you don't dislike, here is another great place for the kind of spiced aromatic food in Bangkok. It is a franchise from India and cooked by Indian as well. The place is situated on the ground floor of Majestic Grande Hotel, which is about 200 meters into Soi Sukhumvit 2 (the same soi as JW Marriott Bangkok).

The ambient of this place is kind of cosy  and unique. I have, personally, been thinking about the way to describe it but still difficult to put in word really. It is somewhat tough as if it is trying to resemble the word factory for its name but still put Indian feeling and tone into it. By the way, as I mentioned the word factory, I just want to say that each chair at The Great Kabab Factory is really metallic heavy, just like factory thing. In addition, lighting here is somewhat in blue tone, so don't be surprise if some photo is blueish. The place is rather spacious with approximately 50 seats.

The Great Kebab Factory @ Majestic Grande Hotel, Bangkok

illuminated entrance

the ambient

Walking into the restaurant, you will notice right away the open kitchen. Here, there are 3 kinds of main cooking tools (if not mistaken): ulta tawa paratha (curved pan), mahi tawa (a large frying pan), and tandoor (for grilling in skewer). It was quite interesting actually, at least for myself, to get an eye on cooking tools in Indian food for the first time. Anyway, before the food arrived, staffs had brought us with dipping sauces to accompany the food. There were 4 types: yoghurt sauce, tomato sauce, mint sauce, and tamarind sauce. If unsure which sauce to go with which dish, ask the staffs. They are pretty lovely and helpful.

ulta tawa paratha

mahi tawa

galouti being cooked in mahi tawa

tandoor

4 kinds of dipping sauce

At The Great Kabab Factory, you don't get to order a la carte menu but only buffet. However, it is more like a la carte buffet, meaning you get the all-you-can-eat style via ordering instead of self service. Menu each day would comprise of 3 sections: 6 choices of starter, 4 choices of main course, and 4 choices of dessert. By the way, there would be 2 kinds of menu: non-vegetarian and vegetarian. The non-vegetarian one would cost THB1,100 and the vegetarian one is THB100 less. In case of going for non-vegetarian choice, you can also try vegetarian ones if you wish.

What I like most here is the starts, especially the kabab. They even claim that there are about 450 recipes of kabab at The Great Kabab Factory so each time you visit, you are likely to see different menu.

For this time, we got a chance to try 6 choices of starter as follows:

Galouti Kabab (9/10) : The first to arrive and the best of the meal. This is minced lamb with Indian spices. The beauty about this one is it just melts in our mouth like o-toro (fatty tuna). It was flavourful and balance. The aroma is also drooling some. Upon spreading the minced lamb over pancake, the spice aroma would hit right on the nose. With a touch of mint sauce and sliced onion, I can just have many more of this kabab.

Achari Murgh Tikka (6/10) : This is basically chicken tikka with pickle flavoured. It possesses strong herbal aroma and paired well with yoghurt sauce. Really tender and juicy. However, it was a little too salty and has to be eaten with salad to compliment.

Macchi Nilgiri (5/10) : It is a fish (Pangasius or Basa Fish, I believe) dish grilled with mint and coriander as the primary spices. Mild and buttery are the characters. To me, this was just so-so but it was better when a refreshing sauce of tomato was added.

Taza Phalo Ke Tinke (6/10) : This one is from the vegetarian range. It is a skewer of chaat masala and honey marinated pineapple, green apple, and bell pepper. It was fresh, spiced, and sweet. Not a bad dish at all for a short break from meaty dishes.

Jheenga Kah Mirch (6/10) : This was an enjoyable prawn dish. However, I felt it was more like an ordinary prawn bbq with peppery note instead of a special Indian dish.

Kashmiri Chooza (7/10) : The last to arrive and it was good. This was a grilled chicken with kashmiri chilli. It was so tender and had strong herbal palate note. Thus, yoghurt sauce did the job well in balancing the flavour.

Galouti Kabab

spreading galouti

roll up galouti

Achari Murgh Tikka

Macchi Nilgiri

Taza Phalo Ke Tinke

a little closer to skewer

Jheenga Kah Mirch

Between starter and main course, there was a refreshing beverage which was made of mango and banana being served (as in intermezzo / sorbet). The purpose of this juice is to wash away remaining flavour in the mouth and it did its job so brilliantly. So much refreshing after a sip. PS. It tasted in overall like guava juice to me.

mango and banana juice

At this point, I have to admit that I was almost full. However, you can see from picture below that the main course is as well heavy. Hence, you better prepare well if you are going to give The Great Kabab Factory a visit.

In my view, the main course was pleasant but not as extraordinary as the starter. What we had comprise the following:

Gosht Biryani (6/10) : This is long grain rice cooked with lamb and Indian spices. It was nice and balance with not too strong spices. A mix of yoghurt sauce also brings up the flavour.

Kadai Murgh (6/10) : Chicken curry cooked in Indian spices that yield tenderness texture and revitalising. I like it but would prefer to have it along with boiled rice.

Dal Factory (6/10) and Dal Nawabi (5/10) : The former one is black lentil cooked with butter and the latter is yellow lentil in red chilli and cumin. The black lentil one was as expected smooth and creamery whilst the yellow lentil was a little stronger in taste and with coarser texture.

Aloo Gobhi Masala (5/10) : An Indian curry with potato and cauliflower as the main ingredient, it is. I suspect that this is a dish that is mild and can be enjoyable with minimum additional bread or rice.

Gosht Biryani and 4 curries

curries being served in style

a little of each to taste

selection of Indian bread

As for desserts, there were a few times in my life that I got chances to taste Indian desserts. Nevertheless, I was not in particular so fond of them. They tend to be starchy and overly sweetened from my point of view. But I have to admit that The Great Kabab Factory did make them better than my previous experiences (still not so in love though).

Gulab Jamun (6/10) was a reduced milk sweet dumplings. It was really sweet indeed but with primary aroma of cinnamon. I would describe it as Indian version of French baba. The next one was Beetroot Halwa (5/10). It was starchy in texture. This was grated beetroot cooked with milk and sugar and, thus, noticeable milk flavour. This was then followed by Pista Badam Kulfi (4/10) which is homemade ice-cream with nutty almond flavour. It was not too sweet and creamy but this was somewhat new to me. As I was tasting this, I did get a scent of something familiar. But I was so sure how to put it into words. The only thing that came up to my mind was the bouquet of Yardley talcum powder. Lastly, we had Rice Kheer (5/10). Again, cooked with milk and sugar and not too sweet. It was like rice pudding in jasmine aroma.

Pista Badam Kulfi

Gulab Jamun

Beetroot Halwa

Rice Kheer

We did also get the chance to try some of the beverage range: Sweet Lassi (7/10) and Salted Lassi (3/10). Sweet lassi was nice as expected but salted one was weird and I don't think it compliments well with dishes though. Perhaps it was too new to me. The last of the meal was Masala Chai (6/10). It was black tea (assam tea perhaps) with herbs, spices, and milk. Good strong tea with spices aroma as the third dimesion. Good experience, it was.

Well, I would say The Great Kabab Factory is a really good place to go for Indian food, especially kabab. Just need to prepare your stomach well for lots of food. At the price of THB1,100 per head, I would say it can be a little too expensive for Bangkokian standard where an average cost for an Indian meal here would be around THB500+ a head. But it is worth a journey to experience a great kabab like Galouti Kabab though.

Lassi (THB140)

saled (above) vs. sweet (below)

Masala Chai (THB90)

The Great Kabab Factory @ Majestic Grande Hotel, Bangkok - เดอะ เกรท คาบับ แฟคทอรี่ @ โรงแรมมาเจสติค แกรนด์ กรุงเทพฯ
Lobby Level, Majestic Grande Hotel
12 Soi Sukhumvit 12
Sukhumvit Road
Khlong Toei
Bangkok 10110

Thailand

Open Hours: 06:00pm - 11:00pm daily

Tel: +66 (0) 2262 2999
Web: http://www.thegreatkababfactory.com/bangkok.html
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TGKFThailand