Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla @ Chan Road, Bangkok - เฮียหวาน ข้าวต้มปลา @ ถนนจันทน์ สะพาน 2 กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: Street Food / Soft-boiled Rice / Chinese

Map: Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla @ Chan Road, Bangkok - เฮียหวาน ข้าวต้มปลา @ ถนนจันทน์ สะพาน 2 กรุงเทพฯ

Charged Price: THB200 per person without alcohol

Visited: 4 August 2015

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: n.m. (street food)

Value for money: 9/10

Services & Cleanliness: n.m. (street food)
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

When I first heard about a new khao tom pla (soft-boiled rice with fish or fish gruel) near my place, I was so eager that I headed there to try on the next day. Since I was a little kid, I have been a fan of khao tom pla. Usually I have to take myself all the way to Yaowarat (Bangkok China Town) where the old Siang Ki is located. Indeed Siang Ki has been offering excellent khao tom pla since parent generation. However, the construction work of underground train around Yaowarat has caused chaotic traffic all day all night in the area. But now I have discovered a new place near home: Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla.

If you are familiar with Rama 3 Road area, it wouldn't be difficult at all to get to Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla. It is located right on the main street of Chan Road (the local call the area Saphan 2). If you are coming from Sathon Road, drive into Charoen Rat Road and when you meet Chan Road you turn left. Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla will be within 50 metres on your left. Just find an appropriate parking space along the street if you do drive.

Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla at Chan Road

Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla is right on the main street of Chan Road

store front

The good thing about Hia Wan Khao Tom Pla is it operates its business everyday. The only few times you will find this place closes are probably Chinese New Year, Thai New Year, and Vegetarian Festival in October. You can always check if you are going to visit during that period. The con is it opens from 5pm to 11:30pm only: i.e. dinner only. Also you better come by early if you want to eat something like fish maw. It will sure run out fast. When I say early, I mean something like before 06:30pm. Really early definitely.

The menu here is pretty much similar to other khao tom pla places. You get to choose ranges of seafood: grouper, pomfret, sea bass, prawn, oyster, and squid. With soup or without soup is up to you. If you are low-carbohydrate people, just ask for no rice. In case of bored with traditional khao tom pla, tom yum or spicy and sour mix are interesting choices here too. To me, the fascinating here is the size of seafood and its freshness. Things are really fresh and they do some in large size, especially, prawn.

menu 1 (Thai only)

menu 2 (Thai only)

fresh seafood daily

large and fresh prawns

pot of ba teng

Personally, I prefer to go without rice and with an addition of ba teng. Ba Teng is a kind of sweet and salty pork. Adding it to the soup does bring up the flavour of the soup considerably. It is not the very best here but delicious enough to bring me the finale part. For spicy and sour mix, this is rich on the palate and can be spicy for foreigners. Do not hesitate to ask for mild flavour if you need.

In brief, this is a highly recommended place for khao tom pla in Rama 3 Road area. The pricing, the overall taste, and the size of portion are in valuable range. Not the top top notch one but enjoyable at certain degree. I personally will return to this place from time to time for sure.