Sure, you can have hi-so somtam at trendy spots in Thonglor or K.Village, but past 10pm, or when you want air-con without the B1,000 bill per person, you need Kai-Yang-Si-Phra-Ya’s homey atmosphere. Added benefit: no one will care when you tuck into their signature BBQ chicken with your fingers. Run by a diminutive auntie, the restaurant stretches diner-style along a road off the bottom of Surawong, complete with banquet seats and an atmospheric open kitchen at one end. It gets busy in the evenings, with locals seeking out its affordable, comforting fare—but don’t expect fireworks. The aforementioned kai yang (B150) comes whole, spread out over a plate and brimming with heady turmeric notes. Despite the full flavor, the texture is a bit dry and we’d appreciate the option to order a half plate. Spice things up with som tam poo khai (papaya salad and horse crab with its eggs, B150): the fresh, mid-sized critter is full of orange eggs to match the tart dressing and crunchy papaya. Another tasty combination comes in the shape of the beans, peanuts and shrimps in the yam tua ploo (wing bean salad, B80). We could do with more lime but the combination of fried shallots and coconut milk still just about works. Go off the beaten path with yentafo mor fai (yentafo hot pot, B150) which is good to feed the famished: its big hotpot offers quantity and quality but no thrills. The por pia pra chan (moon spring roll, B150) is a tad more unusual at first glance, with its flat triangles, but just as familiar once you bite into them. Our favorite, though, would have to be the pla kapong tod nam pla (deep fried seabass with fish sauce, B280) which combines a fresh, fluffy flesh and a crispy outside that goes great with its mango and peanut salad. Open late, inexpensive, comforting and comfortable, this restaurant doesn’t need culinary highlights to be a winner.
