Location : Ratchadapisek Road (Thailand Cultural Center MRT Station)
Significance : Opened in 1992, the park is intended to celebrate the Queen's 60th birthday.
Highlight : in this park located the biggest lake in Bangkok. The place is spectacular and is suitable for many activities, such as biking, jogging, working out, or kayaking. You will feel comfortable and relaxed with the cool breeze and the green trees around you.
Open : Daily, from 05.00-20.00
Location : Sukhumvit Road (Prompong BTS Station)
Significance : Opened in 1992, the park is intended to celebrate the Queen's 60th birthday.
Highlight : Apart from being a beautiful park in the center of the city, this park is a place where the exercise lovers of all age gather together to work out everyday. The trees and plants in the park are not overcrowded. The park is rather open and spacious. Also, there will be daily show of the music-fountain and sculptures from famous artists : Misiam, Yib in soy, and Khian Yimsiri.
Open : Daily, from 05.00-21.00
Location : Between Kampaengpetch 2 and 3 Road, near the Jatujak Park (Mochit BTS Station and Jatujak MRT Station)
Significance : To celebrate the Queen's 60th Birthday in 1992.
Highlight : With about 200 Rai space, this park is perfect in its arrangement, especially those with implying meaning. For example, the pool is decorated with the "ส" letter in Thai and "S" in English, as the Queen's initial. Also, the plants in the park are given names by the King or Queen: Luangpritiyathorn and Kanun Pisarntaksin. Other plants are the ones with good meanings, such as lotus, banana, Chinese rose, Leelawadee. There is also Yan Da-Oh, the rare plant with golden leaves and found only in Naratiwas.
Open : Daily, from 05.00-18.30
Rose La Moon has been serving Hong Kong-style food for 30 years. Regulars swear by the Hong Kong-style pigeon (B260), roasted salted chicken (B275) and steamed goby in soy sauce (B900/kilo). Prices start from B200. 165/5-6 Soi Asoke, 02-258-3406-7.
Open : daily 11am-2pm, 6-11pm.
Our grandparents love lamb, and Tae Po Huad has been the place for Chinese style stewed lamb with herbs (B150) for 50 years. As lamb makes your body "hot," here it's served with a cooling galangal sauce—an ancient yin/yang formula that's good for your health, divinely tender and without a hint of gaminess, Besides lamb, there are other dishes, many made with traditional herbs, such as stir-fried crocodile meat with black pepper and stewed ostrich tendon with Chinese herbs. Phadungdao Road (Soi Texas), opposite Family Mart, 02-221-6588.
Open : daily 9 am-9pm.
There's more to Silom Soi 4 than gay bars and blaring hip-hop and house music, Before the nightcrawlers arrive to party, nostalgic diners can head to Lert Ros Restaurant, located at the mouth of the soi across from Tapas. With its pale yellow wallpaper and '60s-style navy blue booths, the place just brims with old school ambiance. For half a century, Lert Ros has been dishing up plates of delectable roast meat with rice and steamed vegetables on the side. Try the roast chicken (B55), roast pork (B55) or the roast beef (B60). 74-74/1 Silom Rd. 02-234-3754.
Open : Mon-Sat 10am-9pm.
During the era of Elvis, the Carlton was the place for fine dining. It was the only restaurant in the area that served western food, the de'cor was simple yet sophisticated and a band performed tunes by the king of rock 'n' roll and his contemporaries. Fast-forward 40 years, and the Carlton has retained the same classic atmosphere with white tablecloths, booths, a continental menu and live music (oldies, of course). Signature dishes include onion soup (B70), lobster thermidor (B330) and Kobe steak (B320). 283 Silom Rd., 02-234-7793.
Open : daily 11am-2pm, 6-11pm.
Famed for its fragrant, sweet sticky rice, Kor Panich has been making khao niew mamuang-lovers smile for 70 years. Just as it was during the reign of King Rama VIII, the rice here is freshly steamed and the coconut milk is mad following a special recipe. The rice is not only great with mangoes, it also goes well with sangkaya (egg custard) and durian. B100 per kilogram with coconut milk. 431-433 Tanao Rd., 02-221-3554.
Open : daily 7:30am-7:30pm.
Phodsapakarn has been around for 80 years, but the restaurant has been refurbished a time or two so it doesn't look that old. The taste is truly Thai, and the folks at Shell Shaun Chim agree. Try kang liang (clear vegetable soup), crispy noodles and shrimp with chili paste. Prices range from B80-170 per dish. 443 Tanoa Rd., 02-222-2686.
Open : daily 10am-9:30pm.
Samong Moo Kon Thai really does serve Thai-style pig brains (B50), and it's been doing it for 60 years, earning two esteemed Shell Shaun Chim awards in the process. The dish is served kao lao-style with tofu, meatballs and crispy fried fish skin (B50). Right next door you can get pig brains cooked in the Chinese style of your choice. 28/1 Prengphuthorn Rd., 02-221-7612.
Open : Mon-Sat 7am-2pm.
Named after owner Ko Yuan, Mitr Ko Yuan has been welcoming friends and visitors for 60 years. Grandma recommends stewed ox tongue cooked Hainan style, crispy noodle and tom yum kung. Prices range from B50-200 per dish. 186 Dinsaw Rd., 02-224-1194.
Open : Mon-Fri noon-10pm, Sat-Sun 4-10pm.
Chotivijitr Phodchana has been famous for medicinal rice whisky since the end of the Rama V era. Formula#1 will keep you young. Formula#11 will stimulate your sex drive. And formula#12 is good for brain function (B100). Chotivijitr also serves tasty ancient Thai cuisine such as crispy noodles (B60), yum tua plu (B60) and tom yum (B65). 146 Praengphuthorn Rd., 02-221-4082.
Open : Mon-Sat 10am-9pm.
In the old-school dining area of Ratchawat is Sawasdee, a 40-year-old restaurant famous for its pad thai and hoi tod (fried mussels). The old folks praise it for the reasonable price (B25) and remarkable taste. Other choices are khanom pak gad and gui chai. 955/11 Ratchawat market, Nakornchaisri Road, near Siam City Bank, 02-241-2096.
Open : daily 9:30am-5pm.
Pua Ki has been around for 60 years, and it has the atmosphere, furniture and knickknacks to prove it. After you're done admiring the vintage train benches, wooden shelves, wall clocks and fans, try the tamarind chili paste with gourami (B35), mango chili paste with sweetened pork (B35) and watermelon served with sun-dried fish (B25). 28-30 Prasumen Rd., 02-281-4673.
Open : Mon-Sat 8:30am-5pm.
Hugely popular with Thammasat University students and alumni, Roti Mataba Tha Prachan has been going strong for 70 years. There are five types of mataba here: crab, fish, squid, shrimp and chicken (from B25). The sweet roti are B5 each and served with condensed milk and sugar. Other recommended dishes are deep-fried por pia and fried mussels. 65/67 Prachan Rd., 02-221-4306.
Open : Mon 10am-2pm, Tue-Sun 10am-10:30pm.
Seventy years old now, the '50s style café On Lok Yun is still busy serving cups of old-fashioned coffee (B17) and western-style breakfast (B67)—fried egg, ham, sausages, toast and hot coffee or cocoa. Best of all, breakfast is served all day long. 72 Charoenkrung Rd., 02-223-9621.
Open : daily 5:30am-6pm.
Famous for its Taechew-style kuay tiew rad na (B30), Tong Hau Heng has been in business for nearly seven decades. The noodles are stir-fried quickly to keep grease to a minimum, and the rich gravy is made with marinated pork, stock and fresh vegetables. 469 Plubplachai Rd., 02-221-1532.
Open : daily 10am-9pm.
For a sublime plate of chicken with rice, grandpa sends us to Poon Lert Room. In the good 'ol days, he says, their khao na kai was 10 satang. Today it's B25. One thing that hasn't changed, though, is the spectacular taste of the tender diced chicken in a rich gravy. You can have it with rice, noodles or even sticky rice. Ha Yaek Plapachai, Luang Rd., Yaowaraj, 02-221-7105.
Open : Mon 10am-2pm, Tue-Sun 10am-6pm.
One of the first restaurants in Wang Burapa, Sor Bor Lor Restaurant (the initials stand for "Som Boon Larb") is a 50-year-old Chinese eatery with a touch of classic Chinese glamour. Recommended dishes include dim sum (dumplings, spring rolls and kuay tiew lord), shark fin soup and stir-fried shrimp with tao see. Prices start from B150. 710-714 Mahachai Rd., 02-225-9079, 02-221-4749.
Open : daily 8am-10pm.
The birthplace of "lod chong Singapore" in Bangkok, this establishment was known as "the lod chong place in fron of the Singapore Theater (a.k.a. Chalermburi Theater)" until hip teenagers in the '60s gave it the nickname "Lod Chong Singapore." Now in its 60th year, this shop's dessert is still a big favorite with its fragrant and tender grass-colored lod chong noodles and slivers of jackfruit immersed in fresh coconut milk (B12 per glass). 680-682 Charoenkrung intersection, opposite Asia Bank, 02-221-5794.
Open : Fri-Wed 11am-10pm.
An authentic old-time stall, Kuay Tiew Luk Chin Neua Texas once sold a bowl of noodles for three satang. Now it's B25. Over some 30 years, they've perfected the recipe for superb, chewy meatballs made with high-quality beef from the back and haunches only. Have a bowl of kao lao luk chin (soup with meatballs, B25) accompanied by pounded chilis in vinegar. 36 Sai Alley, Phadungdao Road (Sai Texas), 02-225-3203.
Open : daily 11am-11pm.
The oldest café in the Chinese district of Yaowaraj, Le Sas has been around for 78 years and is still growing, with 15 outlets in malls and food courts around the country. The original shop maintains its classic look with black wooden tables and chairs, oil paintings depicting the Yaowaraj of days gone by and tables occupied by excitable old-timers discussing politics, traffic and food. On a hot day, you can't go wrong with iced coffee (B15), old-fashioned green milk, red milk or lemonade. Soak up the liquid with a side of toast. Padsai Road, 02-221-0549, 02-622-4080
Open : daily 5am-10pm.
This is the 61st year that Silom Restaurant has been in business. Originally created by a farang chef, the menu featured fusion dishes long before the term was invented. Now there are Thai items, as well, in addition to the Chinese-style western dishes. The four must-order dishes here are oxtail stew (B90), shrimp salad (B120), pork chop (B90) and stir-fried fish maw (B180). 793 Silom Soi 15, next to Wat Kaek, 02-236-4442-3
Open : daily 10:30am-9pm.
