Taste of the Sultry South

Some typical Southern dishes served at Khua Kling Pak Sod Restaurant

Isaan food may be the party favorite but Southern Thai dishes are for those with discerning palates. Lookeast heads off to Khua Kling Pak Sod Restaurant in Thonglor for a re-education in Thai food, Southern-style.

by Zipporah Gene.

I’ve been told that Southern Thai food comes with clout. They don’t call it the hottest in Thailand for nothing.

Located on the Malay Peninsula and linked to the north by the Kra Isthmus, southern Thailand borders Myanmar to the west and Malaysia to the south. This melting pot of Indian, Burmese, and of course, Melayu culture has given forth to a distinct and unique blend of dishes worth celebrating, but sadly, due to the many turmoil in the region, is often ignored.

Someone once told me, “you can always tell if a place is good; it’s visited by a lot of locals.” This little nug-get of wisdom has never steered me wrong. As I arrived on Saturday for lunch, I could already see many people filing in at Khua Kling Pak Sod Restaurant (98/1 Thonglor Soi 5, Bangkok // Tel: 02-186-3977 / 086-053-7779 // www.khuaklingpaksod.com)

Khua Kling

It would be a near sacrilege to leave without trying the very dish the restaurant is named after. This is a dry spicy curry made with specially seasoned meat, topped with thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves. A word of cau-tion though, this dish is hot and gives your taste buds a walloping with every bite.

Pla Tod Kamin

I swear I could write a sonnet to this fish. Made from turmeric seasoned fried fish, topped with crispy garlic; it is well and truly a beautifully executed piece of art. There wasn’t a trace of oil in sight and the fish was both crispy and flavorsome.

Sataw Pad Kapi Goong

Sataw, or stink bean, should be the latest wonder veg on everyone’s lips by now. Even though the name and smell does little in the way of making it irresistible, these large pungent beans are in fact a powerhouse of nutrients and make for an absolutely delightful dish.

Nua Pu Pad Kapi

To me, this dish is the mark of just how authentic they are here. While others are content with defrosted crabmeat, it turns out they get theirs from Phuket, almost daily. It’s simple, but distinctive and really does make an impression; this was my favorite dish of the night.

Although small, the restaurant fills up quite easily. For those looking to bravely take that plunge, but still want a certain standard of freshness and quality, then look no further.