A tired, white concrete box of a room, glaring energy-saving lightbulbs, a sad, dark aquarium—Krapao Krob’s ambience is not redeemed by its at best average food, but at least its friendly prices make it more appetizing. For the locals, that’s reason enough to pull up a stool and enjoy the air-con before ordering from a menu of over two hundred dishes, all nicely categorized and accurately illustrated. Gab glaam dishes include somtam and yum varieties. We like the kor moo yang, a sizable serving of grilled fat-laced pork served with jaew dipping sauce which, while a tad too sweet, goes surprisingly well with the tender stripes of meat. The same can’t be said for the yam pladuk fuu (deep-fried minced catfish with spicy sauce) which is overcooked and dry despite the accompanying sauce. We would also have wanted our plaa koong, spicy shrimp salad with sliced lemongrass and chili paste, a little less on the runny side, but the dish still manages to pull it off with uncompromising flavor and fresh seafood. The braised chicken with crispy kale is impressive with its well-cooked chicken breasts bathed in a subtle sweet-tasting sauce and crunchy slices of kale. The massaman gai is equally solid with generous pieces of chicken. There’s also a selection of localized Western dishes like salad and spaghetti. A set menu, made up of tofu and minced pork soup, stirred fry chicken with basil leaves and rice, is also on offer, and it comes in handy when you get a bit lost in their extensive menu. The service is also commendable. You know you’re in for decent service when, as soon as you’re sat down, the menus are swiftly dispensed—and dishes then arrive just as fast. Eating at Kraprao Krob is a step-up from roadside stalls in the area but the food is far too common and unimaginative (despite the namesake scatterings of deep-fried basil leaves on some dishes): if you happen to be in the neighborhood, go for it, if not, you won’t be missing too much if you don’t make the trek. No corkage.
