I had a good sleep and woke up at around 9 PM. Of course, I was hungry.
I stepped out of the hostel and explored the city at night. Just a few meters away, I found a small Thai eatery. I was starving, so I didn’t think twice about going inside.
I ordered rice porridge with vegetables and some Chinese sausages. Nothing on the menu looked particularly exciting, so I settled for what felt like a merienda-style meal.
The food was okay, although the soup was a little strange. The rice wasn’t cooked together with the broth. It seemed like they placed cooked rice in a bowl, poured soup over it, and added some meat. I wasn’t complaining, though. I was hungry, so I just ate it. – CHECK THE BEST HOTELS IN BANGKOK HERE
It was obvious that I wasn’t completely satisfied, so I walked around the area and looked for more food. Luckily, I stumbled upon a small Pad Thai restaurant and decided to give it a try.
This time, I was genuinely happy with my meal. The Pad Thai was delicious.
I even had a short conversation with the person working there. I wasn’t sure whether he was just a staff member or the owner, but I remember him saying that his Pad Thai was authentic and that he only used the freshest ingredients. It definitely showed in the food. The meal was satisfying.
What else could a sleep-deprived traveler do after eating two dinners? I went back to the hostel and slept again. I needed more energy because I planned to explore more of the city and make the most of the following day.
The next day, I was pumped up and ready to explore more of Bangkok.
I had already visited Thailand before and explored many of its popular attractions, including the temples and the river. I had even ridden a tuk-tuk. This time, I decided that my solo trip to Thailand would be more relaxed. I wanted to take things slowly, enjoy the moment, and explore at my own pace.
That morning, I decided to visit Mark Wiens’ restaurant, Phed Mark, and try its signature dish: pad kaprao.
Pad kaprao is a stir-fried dish made with chilies, garlic, meat, and holy basil, which is called kaprao in Thai. It is usually served with rice and topped with a fried egg.
Pareng Mark—pare talaga?—was one of my favorite YouTubers during the pandemic. I binge-watched his food videos during that time, and I told myself that when I returned to Bangkok, I would definitely visit his restaurant.
I booked a Grab, which is Southeast Asia’s version of Uber, to get to the restaurant. More specifically, I booked a GrabBike, which was much faster than taking a GrabCar, especially considering Bangkok’s traffic. After just a few minutes, I arrived at my destination. – CHECK THE BEST HOTELS IN BANGKOK HERE
Luckily, there were only a few diners inside the small restaurant, so I didn’t have to wait in line for long.
At Phed Mark, you can choose the spice level of your pad kaprao. I chose Level 2 because I already knew how incredibly spicy Thai food could be. Even when you ask for food to be made less spicy, it can still be very spicy.
Thai people definitely have a higher tolerance for spicy food than most Filipinos, so keep that in mind when ordering.
Finally, my food was served.
Well, it was good—really good!
Pad kaprao is a very popular dish among Thai locals, and I was glad that I finally had the chance to try it. The experience became even more special because I ate it at Pareng Mark’s restaurant. Haha!
His food videos gave me so much joy and inspiration during the pandemic, and visiting his restaurant felt like my little way of showing my appreciation and support.
After eating, I went back to the hostel, stayed in the lounge area, and chatted with some fellow travelers.
It was a pretty chill day, right? But honestly, this was exactly the kind of travel experience I wanted. I didn’t have a packed itinerary. I was simply enjoying the moment, the food, and the place.
Stay tuned for my next post because later that night, I met up with an old traveler friend who is now based in Thailand—and, of course, we went on another food trip.
Watch out for the next installment of The Weekly: The Thailand Series.
*A new The Weekly story is published every Thursday at 7:00 AM Philippine time.
