Located near Khlong Prapa, this 30-year-old Thai restaurant offers homey dishes in an old house tucked down a deep soi. The quirkily decorated place has been made to resemble a European cottage, the walls decorated with old clocks, kerosene lamps, even a lute. There are also press clippings praising their highlight dishes like the kai jiew poo (Thai omelet with crabmeat).
Another classic, the khiew wan pad haeng (stir-fried green curry with fishballs, B140), offers nice chewy fishballs, but the flavor is too light and, frankly, a bit bland due to a need for more seasoning. The tua wan pad poo (stir-fried snap peas with crab meat, B140), on the other hand, comes with fresh, crisp and naturally sweet peas; it’s just a shame the crabmeat is not the freshest.
Some dishes are definitely more successful, like the delicious pla duk grob pad prik sod (B140), a type of deep-fried catfish meat almost like pla duk foo (fluffy deep-fried catfish flakes) which is stir-fried with other condiments. Thanks to a liberal sprinkling of garlic, the dish has a strong, enticing aroma, while the flavor is the perfect blend of spicy, salty and sweet.
The poh pia cheese (B100) is a comforting cheesy dish, just the thing you would have loved as a kid. The rolls are deep-fried to a brownish color and offer a good crunch. The gaeng som prik sod pla hed kone (spicy and sour soup with Thai silver sihama fish and basil, B140), too, is a nicely seasoned bowl. It’s like a cross between gaeng som and gaeng pa (jungle curry), meaning it’s a bit acidic, rather pungent but, thankfully, also very tasty. The fish is very fresh, too.
Dining here you’re likely to have a pleasant experience, as most of the dishes taste very homemade, while the venue offers a mellow escape from the city’s chaos. Garlic is a solid neighborhood restaurant; not all the food hits particularly high notes, but most dishes and the vibe are certainly very comforting.
