Best Pad Thai is at Benjarong Restaurant Bangkok

I am a die hard Pad Thai fan. Spending a month in Thailand brought me great joy in part because I can go to the source and find the Best Pad Thai in the world. Only a couple hours off the plane in Thailand and my first experience with pad thai from a 3am order left me flabbergasted. The pad thai was beyond mediocre!? How could this be? How could Miami pad thai be so much better than what I just ate? After that I was destined to research and pound pad thai until I found a deliriously delicious one. A quest to find the Best Pad Thai…

It took me over half a dozen attempts and required the assistance of a marvelous and expensive restaurant, but I think I found the best Pad Thai in Bangkok at the Benjarong Bangkok in the Dusit Thani hotel.

Benjarong’s pad thai was creamy, silky, with bold flavors and a peanut punch. A lot of other restaurants shy away from peanuts since some of us American tourists have allergy issues. Chef Oom explains why his pad Thai is so distinct and scrumptious: “The secret sauce is prepared using western techniques. We are using the demi-glaze technique which allows the ingredients to release their flavors in the slow cooking.” One can really taste the difference, as his packs a more potent flavor profile.

Benjarong is a resplendent venue that makes you feel as if you descended from Thai royalty. The ancient columns and old school decor are quite inviting. I had  the pleasure of meeting Chef Oom (pronounced the way they say it while meditating) who actually worked at Db Bistro Moderne in Miami. Chef Oom combines modern traditional Thai flavors enhanced by modern techniques and new world ingredients and his dishes were extraordinary.

Besides the Pad Thai, the Kang Kiew Wan See Krong Neau Toon – 72-Hour Cooked Beef Ribs in Aromatic Curry of Green Herbs and Spices was one of the best I have encountered thus far.

The hot and cold appetizer combo of Tom Yum Soup of Prawn, Galangal, Lemongrass paired against the Yum Pla Duk Foo Deconstructed – Crispy Catfish Salad and Green Mango with Crabmeat and Tom Yum Custard was deliriously tasty.

Finish off with Thai style flavor macarons like lemongrass and Thai tea.

Check out the video review of the exquisite and scrumptious Benjarong Bangkok:

Craving Pad Thai Now? Amazon sells a sauce if you want to try to make some at home:

 

Click here for a review of Asia’s 39th Best Restaurant.