I am now in back in Bangkok after being on the road for quite a few weeks. Recently I have been going through this Indian or Muslim food phase. It seems that I have been having this craving for Indian or Middle Eastern food. In fact the Muslim community came into Thailand many centuries ago. They came with the Portuguese. The Moors came with the Portuguese merchants and some families with Moorish background became quite prominent citizens in Thailand.

            The Bunnag family has Middle Eastern background. There are many styles of Middle Eastern or Indian style food in Bangkok but one of the oldest Middle Eastern, Muslim restaurants is called Muslim Restaurant situated on the right hand corner, where Charoen Krung road intersects with Silom road. This place has been here for over 50 years. The original building was made of wood. It was part of a row of two story wooden shop houses along Charoen Krung road.

            Around 50 years ago trams were running through this area and it was almost exactly 60 years ago when this Muslim restaurant first opened. Later in the 1960’s that the wooden buildings were torn down and the present concrete row shop houses were built. Not much has changed at this shop when since then. Instead of the marble top tables now we have a lighter and more durable stainless steel and wooden tables.

            There is still no air- conditioning at this place and it is very noisy but people who are in the know still come to this place to eat Muslim food. There are wooden booths on either side of the restaurant with large stainless steel table lined up in the center. The food that you order came on stainless steel plates except for the lamb Biriyani or Kao Mok Pae which is serves with a curried beans and eggplant stew. This stew is slightly sour and compliments the rich and fragrant Kap Mok Pae well.

            When you arrive at this place there are two display cases at the front of the restaurant filled with trays of selection of cooked food. Samosas and grilled marinated chicken and what I really like is the chicken liver and gizzards curry with a little potato added to it. Whenever you eat Kao Mok Pae, you will have to have Thai Muslim Oxtail soup, which is seasoned like a Tom Yum quite sour and delicious. It compliments the Kao Mok Gai Pae very well.

            There are Matabas, which is a fried Muslim pancake filled with curried chicken or sometimes lamb. This is to be eaten with sweet and sour cucumber salsa called Ajard. Their Gang Garee Pae is also very good. This is a lamb curry, sometimes mutton is used. After a good and filling meal at this restaurant you will have to try their homemade yogurt and Muslim tea with goats milk. This will truly complete your Muslim restaurant food experience.

            I suggest that if you were the kind of person that likes to rough it a little and are not too particular about the atmosphere of a restaurant or like to savor the feelings of times gone by, then you should really visit this place. Not only is the food good but this restaurant represents part of Bangkok’s Muslim food history.

            There is no air-conditioning at this place but lots of fans. The place has not been painted for years. It is noisy but boy the food is good. People who serve at this place have been here for over 30 to 40 years. They remember a Bangkok, which was not so hectic. They represent a time when everyone knew everybody.

            Times when Bangkok was smaller and people were kinder and gentler. So don’t expect pretty waitresses and handsome well dressed cooks. They are all about my age, which is around 50 years old, and they look it. But if you have time to chat with them about the old time you will gain so much knowledge about life in Bangkok in the olden days.