The Best MICHELIN Star Street Food in Bangkok
Address: 327 Maha Chai Rd, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand
Cost: ฿฿
Opening times:
Mon – Tue; Closed
Wed – Sun; 10am-10pm
Must try dish: Crab omelette
Is a visit to Raan Jay Fai worth it?
Raan Jay Fai, the first street food vendor in Bangkok to receive a MICHELIN Star, is now internationally famous and a star in her own right. Easily recognizable with her trade-mark goggles and black beanie hat. She does all the cooking herself. That’s right, every dish served at her street side eatery is cooked in full view on the stove at the front by the lady herself. That’s why the wait for a table can be long. Reservation requests can be made by email three months in advance. Without a reservation, you can turn up on the day and put your name on a list. It can be a few hours before your name is called though.
Crab Omelette (Kai-Jeaw Poo)
What food is on offer? Traditional Thai curries, soups and stir-frys. The show-stopper though and her signature dish is the Crab Omelette (Kai-Jeaw Poo), pictured above and below.
So, let’s start with that show-stopper. It’s about 25 euros, so not a cheap omelette, but the freshness of the crab pieces and the amount of them. It’s packed full of juicy crab meat. Cut the omelette in two and see how fresh it looks. You get a spicy dipping sauce with it too. It’s definitely filling, if you have more food coming, which you should do, then sharing one between two of you is a good call. But then again, it’s so good, you might not want to share.
The famous Drunken Noodles
Next up, the Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao). A spicy Thai noodle dish. Another famous dish and must try. It’s made up of flat rice noodles, basil leaves, fresh chilli, huge prawns and all cooked in a spicy and sticky sauce. It’s got a kick to it, but not too crazy. It’s a big dish, again very filling, the ingredients used are of the highest quality. And the prawns are so succulent.
A classic... Beef in Oyster Sauce
Last up, the Beef in Oyster Sauce with boiled rice. A classic. I’ve had it numerous times over the years. In fact, it was the first Thai dish I ever tried. Raan Jay Fai’s version is simply perfection on a plate. Out of all the times I’ve ever tried this dish, this one topped them all.
In conclusion, a visit to Raan Jay Fai IS worth it! The quality and freshness of the ingredients. The relief at finally getting a table. The theatre of watching Raa Jay Fai cooking away with love and passion. The food alone would make it worth it. It’s a once in a life time opportunity. Although, I hope not…I want to go back again and try the things I was too full to order the first time.
See my other best restaurants in Bangkok here.