This humble place isn’t much to look at from the outside, but inside you’ll find throngs of families eating and having fun. Adorned with a few pictures and the daily specials, the interior has no fancy décor, but that’s because they clearly save their attention for the menu, which is comprised of all the usual standards, most done very well. For example, their yam ped yang soeng krueng (spicy roast duck salad, B120) packs no surprises but is executed perfectly. The dressing is simple, both salty and sweet, with a pleasant kick from generous amounts of lime. The gaeng kari (chicken curry) served with roti is mild on the spices, so it won’t please everyone, but we can’t deny that the chicken is cooked wonderfully and melts in your mouth. The roti, too, is soft, buttery and aromatic. We also like the steamed sea bass in tom yam dressing that hits all the right buttons: a super fresh catch and a sauce that’s strong on all the flavor fronts. They handle their neam sen (deep fried sour pork with garlic and crispy rice) expertly as well. The pork is fermented just enough to make it complex, but not so much that it’s full-on sour. The crispy rice—also fermented and then deep-fried to crunchy amazingness—is a nice complement (though we recommend washing this dish down with some beer). There are, of course, a few misfires. The talay chan ron (stir fried seafood with red sauce in hot plate) leaves much to be desired, largely due to the weakest link, the crab meat, which wasn’t very fresh on our last visit. The som tam poo khai (papaya salad with raw crab and crab roe), too, isn’t that impressive, especially considering the pricetag, with its pretty flavorless dressing. Granted, the freshness and amount of roe salvage the dish somewhat. So, all in all, although the place doesn’t stand head and shoulders above other restaurants in its niche, Pakakrong gets most dishes just right.
