Silom Village

If you want to sample the scope of fresh seafood available in Bangkok, Silom Village is a great place to do that.  This outdoor eatery, set smack in the middle of a shopping village, is composed of original Thai teak houses, so you’ll get a bit of culture and food in one.  And at night, there’s live music and Thai dancing to accompany your meal, so you might want to visit at dinnertime.  Consider yourself forewarned: There’s no air conditioning, so be prepared to sweat a bit.   Seeing as spicy food cools down the body’s temperature, you’ll want to start with the Hot & Spicy Shrimp Soup better known as  Tom Yum Koong.  Silom Village’s rendition of this classic dish is particularly spicy, so order a Singha beer to chase it down (Thai beer always pairs best with spicy Thai food!)   The prawns are extra plump and juicy, and the broth itself is vibrantly stained by fresh red chilies, and studded with nubs of fresh lemongrass, galangal, and mushrooms.

As for the rest of the menu, it’s very fish-centric and there’s even a series of  large fishtanks so you can window shop for your entree.  Silom Village’s menu is expansive with crab, shrimp and whole fish five different ways (at least!).  Try the Fried Whole Crab with Curry, Fried River Prawns with Black Pepper or do we what we did and order the Mixed Platter of Seafood.  What comes out of the kitchen is a humongous platter piled with Fresh Head On Prawns, Mussels, Clams, Calamari and Bass.  For dessert, there’s a heart-shaped Sticky Rice Topped with Mango, which you’ll quickly learn is the best way to end any meal in Thailand.