(Previous Post City Hopping at Terminal 21: Rome and Tokyo)
Out of all the floors in Terminal 21, 5F has got to be the floor where I have spent most of my time in. It houses "Pier 21", the food court. As I have mentioned on a previous post, I think this food court best or one of the best in Bangkok.
Try to get a table near the big glass wall/window. That area has a nice view of the buildings along Asok.
My meal would start with an order of "Burried Chicken Rice" or Khao Mok Ghai. Sorry my pictures don't do the food justice. The yellow rice is moist and aromatic with a hint of turmeric and other spices. The boiled chicken is juicy and lightly seasoned which perfectly goes well with the rice and dipping sauce. The dipping sauce is refreshingly sweet, sour and salty and has chili for flavor - not spice.
I proceed to slurping seafood spaghetti soup, by far the most satisfying soup I have ever had! This bowl of noodle has mastered the Thai trinity of sweet, sour and salty. It's nutty but not to earthy. It has seafood but it's not fishy. It has Coriander but it's not unpleasantly pungent. It is "UMAMI" incarnate! I'm salivating just thinking of it. I miss this bowl of soup like I miss old friends. A spoonful gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling like when I hug family. Yes it's that perfect for me. It's also the priciest of all the items I have in my "usual Pier 21 meal".
Every time I order the spaghetti seafood soup, I always order a side dish of fried veggies with it. I liken it to healthy bad-ass french fries - an assortment of deep fried okra, deep fried corn, deep fried carrots and a kind of deep fried veggie greens (I don't know what it's called but it's good). Try dunking some of those fried veggies with the seafood soup. It's so good.
For dessert you can't go wrong with coconut ice cream, topped with nuts and served in a coconut shell or if you are feeling adventurous have a scoop of thai beer ice cream at "Tongue Fun". This stall also sells other wonderfully weird flavors such as Redbull vodka and Vodka among others.
"Tongue Fun" (I'm not kidding! that's the name of the store) is beside a stall that sells really good Thai Iced Coffee, which I think is really convenient for that impending food coma!
Let's do a recap of what I ate. Burried yellow chicken rice (35-45baht), seafood soup (55baht), fried veggies (25-35baht), berry banana shake (35-45baht), ice cream (20-25 baht). Happy tummy without a hole in the wallet (priceless!). More or less for 200baht (6-7USD), I had a feast! On a tighter budget? You can have a meal with drink for about 50-70baht.
Some tips:
- Avoid the lunch "rush" hour (11:30-1pm). People from near by offices have their lunch here so the food court would be packed. Have an early lunch or late lunch so that you don't have to worry about getting a table or be harried while ordering.
- Take note of the cost of transportation. Eating at terminal 21 would be a steal when you are near BTS Asok but if you are several train stations away and you are thinking of eating here to save money, it won't be cost effective.
- Eating alone? Sit at a table near the numerous overhead TV screens.
- Expect lots of great, glorious Thai food. If you are craving Western or Japanese (read: not thai food) it's best for you to explore the other numerous (and pricier) dining options on LG, 4F and 5F.
- Bring a friend so that you can sample more of what the food court has to offer such as vegetarian food, boat noodles, thai friend and steamed chicken, pork leg stew, curries, som tam, fried noodles and the list is endless.
- Planning to take food home? "take-away" containers cost extra.
More photos of San Francisco via Terminal 21 on tumblr!
(for more info and for directions)
More of Terminal 21 on my next post.
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