TongJingKung Ramen @ Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok

Cuisine: Japanese (Ramen)

Map: TongJingKung Ramen @ Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok - ทง จิง กัง @ ซอยสุขุมวิท 24 กรุงเทพ

Price: THB250 per person (what I paid for)

Visited: 23 June 2011

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 4/10

Value for money: 8/10

Services: 4/10

For many years that we have been visiting this ramen restaurant in the town centre of Bangkok, TongJingKung Ramen @ Sukhumvit 24. This may be just a small ramen shop, unlike those huge brand like Ramen Champions that we had mentioned before. It is operated by a Thai local owner. We could really say that everything here are just so good with reasonable price. One evident is that every single time we give this place a visit, there are always many Japanese popping by for ramen and hardly any Thai: this must surely be a good sign for authentic food. Nevertheless, parking here can be trouble as you will have to park your car somewhere in Soi Sukhumvit 24 and walk, else just come by other mean of transport. The nearest public transport is BTS Thonglor or MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. 

TongJingKung Ramen @ Sukhumvit 24

The Menu

We managed to try quite a number of side dishes. Let us begin with Peerang Toufu - เต้าหู้กับไข่เยี่ยวม้าทรงเครื่อง. This definitely is one of the highlight of this place. Firm tofu with soft preserved egg and loads of spring onion to be eaten with soy sauce. This was really something (7/10).

Wakame Salad - ยำสาหร่าย was given to us as a complementary. Well, how much could you go wrong with Wakame Salad as long as it is fresh. Nice but typical (6/10).

Peerang Toufu - เต้าหู้กับไข่เยี่ยวม้าทรงเครื่อง

Wakame Salad - ยำสาหร่าย

Next was Karanegi Chachu - หมูชิ้นกับต้นหอมทรงเครื่อง. This is our most favourite dish of TongJingKung Ramen. Slices of pork belly to be eaten with well flavoured spring onions. This was wow. Really tender and flavourful (8/10).

Karanegi Chachu - หมูชิ้นกับต้นหอมทรงเครื่อง

Gyoza - เกี๊ยวซ่า was also a good dish to order here. Really crisp dough skin and juicy pork stuffing (7/10).

Gyoza - เกี๊ยวซ่า

Karaage Fried Chicken - ไก่ทอดคาราเกะ was also recommended. The dipping sauce was not an ordinary like other places. However, we felt that chicken were not properly fried to give such crispiness, otherwise this would be an enjoyable dish to accompany ramen (5/10).

Karaage Fried Chicken - ไก่ทอดคาราเกะ

Coming to our main dish of the night, Ramen. We did try 3 different ramen this time, one of which was a mini size: Tantan Ramen - บะหมี่ญี่ปุ่นซุปข้นใส่งาบด, Miso Ramen (No Vegetable) - บะหมี่ญี่ปุ่นใส่ซุปมิโซ (ไม่ใส่ผัก), and Mini Tonkotsu Ramen - บะหมี่ญี่ปุ่นซุปข้นใส่ขิงแดงเล็ก. We must say that they all were equally delicious, depending of personal preference. Each ramen, soup, and broth were well prepared with care. Pleasant and delightful (7/10). I would not be saying much and ramen here. All I would say is splendid, come and try yourself is the best way to find your favourite ramen here. Personally, we love the Tantan Ramen.

Tantan Ramen - บะหมี่ญี่ปุ่นซุปข้นใส่งาบด

Miso Ramen (No Vegetable) - บะหมี่ญี่ปุ่นใส่ซุปมิโซ (ไม่ใส่ผัก)

Mini Tonkotsu Ramen - บะหมี่ญี่ปุ่นซุปข้นใส่ขิงแดงเล็ก

TongJingKung Ramen @ Sukhumvit 24, Bangkok

Soi Sukhumvit 24

Khlongton, Khlongtoei

Bangkok 10110

Thailand

ทง จิง กัง @ ซอยสุขุมวิท 24 กรุงเทพ

ซอยสุขุมวิท 24

แขวงคลองตัน เขตคลองเตย

กรุงเทพ 10110

Open Hours: 11:30am - 02:00 pm for lunch and 05:00pm - 11:00pm for dinner, close on Monday

Tel: +66 (0) 86 772 5122

Web: http://www.tongjingkung-ramen.com/

Hanaya Restaurant @ Si Phraya Road, Bangkok

Cuisine: Japanese

Map: Hanaya Restaurant @ Si Phraya Road, Bangkok - ภัตราคารฮานาย่า @ ถนนสี่พระยา กรุงเทพ

Price: THB420 per person without alcohol (what I paid for)

Visited: 26 May 2011

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: /10

Value for money: 8/10

Services: 6/10

This time we had a chance to quickly visit Hanaya Restaurant @ Si Phraya after a long time. As anyone who is familiar with Hanaya, it is the first Japanese restaurant in Thailand which has been around since post second World War and is run by a Japanese family. It is well-known for its traditional and authentic food, including choices of udon and sushi, unlike the quick and ready-to-cook style of Zen and Fuji chains. Some of my favourite dishes here are tamago yaki, tonkatsu, and unagi nigiri. On the other hand, coming here may not be so easy as either BTS and MRT is still a few kilometres away for the nearest station. Hence, driving may be the best choice, otherwise taxi. Once getting here, you may think what kind of place it is. As the main entrance is like a small dark alley which you would know what is going to be ahead. Don't be surprise with it and just go straight ahead, the traditional restaurant in zen interior is right there.

Hanaya Restaurant - ภัตราคารฮานาย่า

The Menu

We started our meal with a few side orders. Wakeme Salad and Potato Salad were rather typical but tasteful, especially Potato Salad which was really smooth (6/10). The other dish was Tamago Yaki or Grilled Omelette. This one was splendid, one of the best in town (7/10).

Wakame Salad - ยำสาหร่าย

Potato Salad - สลัดมันฝรั่ง

Tamago Yaki - ไข่หวานย่าง

Next was Boiled Beef and Potato. I found this dish was interesting. It looked like a simple dish of boiling beef and potato and carrot with soy sauce but it was one of the kind that you cannot put down your chop sticks (6/10). 

Deep-fried Silver Fish is one of my favourite usually. Nevertheless, I was rather disappointed this time as it was not crisp but chewy. Well well, consistency does matter (3/10).

Boiled Beef and Potato - เนื้อต้มมันฝรั่ง

Deep-fried Silver Fish - ปลาเงินทอดกรอบ

On the raw fish side, we managed to have the ordinary Sake Nigiri and Aji Nigiri. Both came with rather larger than normal portion. Taste was as good as ever. While Salmon was a little fatty and sweet (6/10), Aji or Horse Mackerel also contained sweetness and was not fishy at all (7/10). I also ordered a piece of Tamago Nigiri which was, of course, very good.

Sake Nigiri - ข้าวปั้นหน้าปลาแซลมอน

Aji Nigiri - ข้าวปั้นหน้าปลาทู

Tamago Nigiri - ข้าวปั้นหน้าไข่หวาน

Tonkatsu was rather disappointed this time. It usually came in a large portion and crisp. This time was rather small though. Highlight of this tonkatsu was the sauce that came with. It was not like in other places at all, brown-orange in colour with hint of sweetness and refreshing (4/10).

Tonkatsu - หมูชุบแป้งทอด

Next in line was Tofu Steak. Well, it was not one of the best but enjoyable: rich in taste but soft (5/10).

Tofu Steak - สเต็กเต้าหู้

The last to enjoy was Saba Steak. Something you will not be disappointed here. Well grilled and delicious (6/10).

Saba Steak - สเต็กปลาซาบะ

Though I found that some of food here is now below the standard it used to have. I would still recommend anyone to try this out. Pricing is reasonable and well below many Japanese chains in town. All time favourite Japanese restaurant since childhood it is.

Hanaya Restaurant @ Si Phraya Road, Bangkok

683 Si Phraya Road

Si Phraya, Bang Rak

Bangkok 10500

Thailand

ภัตราคารฮานาย่า @ ถนนสี่พระยา กรุงเทพ

683 ถนนสี่พระยา

แขวงสี่พระยา เขตบางรัก

กรุงเทพ 10500

Open Hours: 11:30am - 02:00pm for lunch and 05:30pm - 10:00pm for dinner, close every 2nd and 4th Sunday each month

Tel: +66 (0) 2233 3080, +66 (0) 2234 8095