Chote Chitr and an Intimidating Bowl of Soup

146 Prang Pu Thorn, Tanao Rd, Bangkok: If you want to taste some amazing local Thai food, then this is it folks. Chote Chitr is not one of your high end fine dining places; it is more like your local food stall where you stop for idlis, vadas, or in other words, it is lip smacking street food. Run by two sisters, the restuarant is over 90 or 100 years old and is famed for its recipes, believed to have been a part of the Thai Royal Court.

Do not underestimate the quality of their food or the proportions by the ambience - trust me when I say that the food is a real treat! The restuarant has been featured in the NewYork Times too. So think again.

Vegetarians need not be alarmed by the menu. All non-vegetarian portions will be replaced by tofu or some veggie. The stir fried vegetables in soya sauce served with a plate of rice was subtle and tasty. One can never go wrong with the Pappaya salad and the Raw Mango salad. You can happily gorge on them and leave with a wonderful feeling for the reminder of your trip. Another, you-can-never-go-wrong dish is the Thai Green Curry, comprising a strong lemon grass flavour, with tons of half-cooked vegetables, served spicy.

Being a soup lover, I decided to order mixed mushroom vegetable soup. Since no one was splitting it with me, I went ahead and ordered for a whole bowl of soup. I imagined that I will be served mushroom soup in a normal bowl, like the ones we see in restuarants. But I was not prepared for the local presentation and their interpretation for a bowl of soup. What was kept before me was a huge vessel filled with varieties of half-cooked mushroom chunks in a watery gravy, that carried the distinct aroma of lemon grass. That was the most intimidating bowl of soup I have ever seen in my life. It looked so monstrous that I lost my appetite and refused to have the soup.

My mom was aghast. I was wasting food and money at the sametime. My brother was more understanding and tried reasoning it with my mom. I cannot really recall what the outcome was, but I remember how much we all enjoyed the meal and left with full bellies and some warm memories of the place.

Note: Image sourced from the web