A simple nod to my friend's dinner invitation became a ticket to a captivating gastronomy experience during my trip to Bangkok. If you happen to be in the Land of Smiles and looking for a place for a memorable meal, flag a tuk tuk to Sukhumvit Soi 24. The Seafood Market and Restaurant in Bangkok offers something out of the ordinary sans the fear factor.
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| Seafood Market and Restaurant Bangkok adds no MSG to their food |
The first dish that was served was a dish of confidence! "If It Swims, We Have It!". True enough, there is nothing that swims that is not available- fish, squid, crustaceans. And nothing can get fresher than seeing your dinner swimming before ending up on the table. The restaurant is walled up by aquariums and are the first things customers notice. It is no wonder that no MSG is added. Freshness must have taken over the whole role of flavouring the food.
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| I like the tagline-If It Swims, We Have It |
Although taking pride on its vast array of swimming creatures and freshness, the seafood restaurant still endeavours to impress guests with piquant flowers and enticing fish decoration 'swimming' above diners.
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| The cheerful and uplifting set up of restaurant |
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| Oceanic atmosphere will certainly prep your appetite |
This place requires its guests to contribute a dash of effort by shopping for their food, something which I don't think they mind anyway! There will be a staff assisting with every trolley and in case guests have questions.
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| Personal shopper for you |
My friend, M.C. decided to start with fiber. It is miraculous that marketing does not feel like a chore here.
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| Starting with veges |
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| Mud crabs looks delicious even before cooking |
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| Bound to be dinner |
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| Lobsters |
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| Huge chunks of fish meat |
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| Variety of fish |
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| Maine lobster |
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| Alaska King Crab legs! |
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| Succulent squid |
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| Gargantuan fish tanks for unrivaled freshness |
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| Dinner almost collected |
To those who fancy seafood ala Japanese, there is a counter that proffers ready-to-eat dishes. Understanding that seafood can be better appreciated with wine and spirits, there is a section with racks and racks of alcohol for you to select your drink from.
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| Ready-to-eat Japanese dishes |
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| Wines and spirits to accompany your meal |
After payment, trolley will be pushed to your table for a little discussion on cooking methods. If you are out of ideas or choose not to wear the chef's hat during your holidays, the restaurant staff will feed you with suggestions and ideas before pushing the cart away to the kitchen. However, do be prepared for the cooking charge.
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| Now to discuss the choice of cooking |
Pineapple Fried Rice raised the curtain of the seafood affair with its fragrant wafts of curry. Rice was loose and evenly stirred with cuts of pineapple, squid and prawns. The hints of fresh pineapple added zest to the comforting platter.
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| Thai Pineapple Fried Rice |
The
Tom Yum Talay (Seafood Tom Yum) stole my heart that evening. My heart melted with the balmy soup that inherited enough zing from lime and essence from crabs, prawns and squid.
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| Tom Yum Talay |
The Baked Mud Crab needs no interference from other seasoning. Meaty and juicy, every bite of the flesh is divine. I was speechless savouring the innate flavours of the crab.
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| Baked Meat Crab |
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| Just look at the glorious crab eggs! |
Tiger Prawns were apty barbecued to perfection. The slight char did no harm to the taste and texture of the succulent prawns. Freshness was sealed and so was satisfaction.
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| Barbecued Tiger Prawns |
I would have done my
Calamari in a sourish manner instead of deep frying such freshness. Flour was a little too overpowering masking the sweetness of the squid. The fried batter also took up a lot of stomach space.
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| Calamari |
Becareful when you order
Sweet and Sour Crab in Thailand. It is not doused in thick sweet and sour gravy which you can mop with a man tau like in Malaysia. The crab is first fried and buried under a mix of cut vegetables covered in a thin film of sour sauce. The dish was a disappointment and a waste of quality seafood.
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| Sweet and Sour Crab |
We were then consoled by the unambitiously blanched
cockles that could not go wrong. We allowed its untainted taste to cheer us from the sweet and sour disaster.
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| Blanched cockles |
Stir fried
vegetable was done humbly with garlic. This simple dish was passable but with no outstanding impression.
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| Stir fried vegetable |
We finished our dinner by cleaning our palates with the famous Thai mangoes that were so rich with sweetness. These too were the products from the cart earlier.
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| Cut fruits |
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| Drink list and price |
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| Cooking methods and price |
The Seafood Market and Restaurant in Bangkok indeed got me hooked on its freshness. The immensity of seafood supply is impressive with interesting marketing concept. It gives your itinerary a memorable note. However, be prepared with a bulky wallet before your visit. Many corporate groups were spotted that evening. Methods of cooking is subject to local taste. Therefore, stay with simple cooking methods like steaming, barbecueing and baking to enjoy the best of your chosen seafood. Sawadee kaa!
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| Admiring the view of Bangkok from my hotel room after a hefty meal |
Seafood Market and Restaurant
89, Sukhumvit Soi 24 (Kasame)
Sukhumvit Road,
Klongtoey 10110
Bangkok Thailand
Open daily from 11.30am-11.30pm
Tel: 0-2661-1252-9
seafood@seafood.co.th
