Lueng Pha Pad Thai, next to Thipsamai along Maha Chai Road @ Bangkok [Thailand]

Bad luck persisted on day three of our Bangkok trip after the two eateries we wanted to try were either closed for the day or had yet to open. We walked all the way to Thipsamai and despite a sign stating operating hours from noon; the employee told us it would only be open in the evening. 

There's no way I am leaving the area without any food! A search on Google Maps resulted in the above; Lueng Pha Pad Thai. I knew of this eatery which is literally two doors away from the famous pad thai restaurant.

With green walls adorned with random pictures and newspaper clippings, there was never a queue and I always assumed it would be just one of the few eateries along the street, with Thipsamai and Jay Fai being the popular ones. 

Similar to Thipsamai, there was this charcoal stove at the front of store where the chefs would work their magic and deliver you the delicious food; a literal open kitchen concept. 

Items on the table where you can add to your food based on your personal preference. I would usually ignore although in this case, the additional crushed peanuts shall add on to the texture and bite.

Coke - came in glass bottle and only cost 13 baht! There is something mystical about drinking iced coke on a hot day and in the Singaporean's context; it just felt so thirst quenching and shiok! 

Pad Thai with Prawns - at 120 baht, the pricing might seem expensive but compared to Thipsamai, which priced a similar plate at 200 baht, this would appear to be heavily discounted.

However, portion was smaller and honestly, it could have been a result of the recent spike in global inflation. I couldn't be too sure as the queue at its neighbor could be insanely long and people who didn't want to wait wouldn't mind trying a lesser known pad thai at reduced pricing, and without nicer plating. 

Taste wise, it bore resemblance to the unique shrimp oil based pad thai from Thipsamai but less intense and without the sweetness that's either a boom / bane depending on your personal preference. While prawns were plump, I took issue more with the frying as the noodle was dry with strands of them clumped up. 

Nevertheless, we still cleaned up the plate. As it was our first time trying, we decided to order one plate for sharing. My honest opinion is that Lueng Pha Pad Thai is not bad for shrimp oil pad thai but given how precious calories intake is; I would definitely still prefer the more expensive Thipsamai, if it is open for business. If you have limited time, maybe you can consider Lueng Pha Pad Thai.

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Address

315/1 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, 

Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Map

As above.

Menu

As above. I just realized egg wrapped pad thai is same pricing as the one that's unwrapped. Not much of a difference for me as I prefer the unwrapped version even though wrapped one looks better on photos. 

Pricing

Coke - 13 Baht

Pad Thai with Prawns - 120 Baht 

Additional Information

There's also a satay stall next door that's likely open at night when the street comes more alive. I think you can order and eat at Lueng Pha Pad Thai given the menu of the pork satay (and some desserts) pasted on the walls.

Click here for my 7 Days 6 Nights Papazao Itinerary to Bangkok