Bangkok’s Historical Restaurants — In Search of the Flavors of the City’s Time-Honored Eateries

Bangkok’s Historical Restaurants — In Search of the Flavors of Bangkok’s Time-Honored Eateries

From Mee Krob Jeen Lee, which has kept its 130-year tradition of mee krob alive, to Kor Panich, famous for mango sticky rice made from a royal recipe, to Mit Ko Yuan, which has upheld its reputation for tom yum kung for more than half a century. Here are three of Bangkok’s time-honored restaurants, living pieces of the city’s history, and their signature dishes.

Words Pitch by Pitch
Illustration Kim Eunbin
In collaboration with *ASEAN-Korea Centre
*The ASEAN-Korea Centre is an international organization that promotes economic and sociocultural cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the ten ASEAN member states. It was established on March 13, 2009, to expand exchange and cooperation between Korea and the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

A Restaurant with 130 Years of History: Mee Krob Jeen Lee

Mee Krob Jeen Lee is a long-established restaurant in Talat Phlu, in Bangkok’s Thonburi district. It has been in business for about 130 years and specializes in Thai-Chinese cuisine. It was founded in the late 19th century by a Chinese immigrant named Jeen Lee, and the restaurant is also known as “Tek Heng.” According to one story, King Rama V once followed an enticing aroma drifting from a canal near the royal palace, tasted the mee krob served here, and was greatly impressed. Today the restaurant is run by the fourth generation of the founder’s family, and photographs of the Thai royal family hang inside.
The restaurant’s signature dish, mee krob, is crispy fried rice noodles coated in a sweet-and-sour sauce. Thin rice noodles are deep-fried, then tossed in a sauce made from palm sugar and tamarind. The strands stick together, yet the dish is crisp and chewy at once. Shrimp, garlic, bean sprouts, scallions, chili peppers, and orange peel add depth of flavor. With the first bite, the crisp, sticky noodles and the sweet-salty taste, lightly perfumed with orange, win over just about everyone. Made according to the original recipe, the mee krob has been awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide Bangkok and has been described as “a dish you must try at least once.”
As befits its long history, the menu is filled with traditional dishes. Uncommon items such as stir-fried fish balls, fried dried fish, and beef tom yum slow-simmered in a pot make it a hidden treasure trove for Bangkok’s food lovers. Prices are reasonable, so you can enjoy the traditional flavors that once charmed royalty in a modest, local-style restaurant without a second thought.

Established: Late 19th century

Address: 326-330, Talat Phlu, Thon Buri, Bangkok 10600

A Legend of Sticky Rice Desserts: Kor Panich

Kor Panich is a mango sticky rice dessert shop in Phra Nakhon, in Bangkok’s old town. Since opening in 1932, it has maintained its reputation for more than 90 years. It is known as one of the first places in Bangkok to serve khao niew mamuang (mango sticky rice). A married couple started the shop together, and the wife is said to have learned how to make sticky rice desserts from her mother, who had worked in the royal palace kitchen as a young woman. Made from this royal recipe, Kor Panich’s mango sticky rice spread by word of mouth and became one of Bangkok’s legendary desserts. It has been named a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, and the family business is now in its third generation.
The dessert is made by pouring sweet coconut milk over freshly steamed sticky rice while it is still hot, then serving it with slices of ripe yellow mango. The rich flavor of the coconut milk soaks into the rice, giving it a nutty, gently sweet taste. To keep the thickness and sweetness of the coconut cream used for the rice consistent, the shop still sticks to the traditional method of stirring the cream with a wooden spatula.
It is so popular that not only travelers but also locals make a special trip to Kor Panich to take away mango sticky rice. During mango season in April and May, the mangoes sell out quickly, so we recommend going early. You can also sit at a table in the shop and have it freshly made. With the first bite of mango-scented sticky rice, you will be making a sweet memory of Bangkok.

Established: 1932

Address: 431 433, Thanon Tanao, Khwaeng Sao Chingcha, Khet Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

Bangkok’s Best Tom Yum Kung: Mit Ko Yuan

Mit Ko Yuan is a long-established restaurant on Dinso Road in Bangkok’s old town. It was opened in 1966 by its Thai-Chinese founder, Ko Yuan, and has been in operation for more than 60 years. Before opening it, Ko Yuan lived in Ayutthaya, where he had the chance to learn Western cooking. That influence led him to develop dishes that blend Chinese and Western techniques with Thai cuisine. Indeed, the main dishes at Mit Ko Yuan include Thai and Chinese fare as well as French-style dishes such as ox tongue stew.
The most popular dish at Mit Ko Yuan is, of course, tom yum kung. Settle into the long, narrow dining room, and when a bowl of tom yum arrives, the first thing you notice is the milky color of the broth. Unlike the tom yum at ordinary street stalls, which is thickened with condensed milk, this is an orange-tinged, creamy broth made from stock drawn from the heads of fresh freshwater prawns, along with their oil. The red oil floating on top carries the shrimp’s rich flavor, and plenty of mushrooms and aromatic herbs add fragrance. The deep, clean sourness characteristic of tom yum kung, combined with a sharp chili kick, makes for a soup that is as refreshing as a hangover cure yet full of depth. Above all, the texture of the shrimp is striking. The prawns are cooked so perfectly that they burst with juice. Regulars praise it as “a taste that makes you smile the moment it hits your mouth” and rank it among the best tom yum kung in Bangkok.
Besides the tom yum kung, the French-style ox tongue stew is a specialty: the tongue is slow-braised with spices, much like braised short ribs, and the tender meat pairs wonderfully with the rich sauce. Razor clam pad cha (stir-fried razor clams) is another popular dish, in which fresh razor clams are stir-fried over high heat with garlic, pepper, and fingerroot, so that smoky wok aromas mingle with the spices. If you avoid the lunch hour, when local office workers and tourists crowd in, you can enjoy a leisurely meal in a space that preserves the atmosphere of an old establishment.

Established: 1962

Address: 186 Dinso Rd, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200