Delicious starter into the Thai food experience: Restaurant Nara Erawan Bangkok (26. December 2018)
First time in Bangkok and after 15 hours on the road you just feel like eating something local. I was sent to the Nara Erawan close to my hotel and was a bit skeptical at first as they had recommended me a place in a mall. Usually, I would not think much of a place located in a mall but I was taught better. The Nara Erawan seemed to be full of locals and they offer quite a few dishes which seem also digestible to foreigners. As a starter, I went for the “Crispy Fried Chicken and Thai Herbs” (175 BHT) which was a lot of crispy, not so much chicken and quite some spicy sauce.
Secondly, I went for “Larb Tord (Northeastern spicy fried pork balls)” (195 BHT). They were rather big and frankly they were also rather spicy. Definitely something within the limits of acceptable but frankly rather at the upper end of the bearable in terms of spiciness but definitely delicious!
The “tapioca balls” I went next for are somehow – although I keep trying them – not really my favourite. They are somewhat chewy and therefore not really my cup of tea.
The “Nuea Phad Prik Thai Dam (stir-fried beef in black pepper sauce)” (310 BHT) with “sticky rice” (50 BHT) on the other hand was very much my thing. Admittedly, again it was rather spicy for my rather European palate but it was great in terms of taste and flavors! Definitely something I can recommend!
To drink, I went for the “blended watermelon” (120 BHT) which was good but definitely way too sweet for my personal gusto. However, the “Butterfly Pea” (100 BHT) was not entirely to my liking – although it was not sweetened and is – according to the massage studio I visited later – helping to detox.
The decoration of the place is rather simple but effective – as in, it works. Definitely not the fanciest of all places but a great bargain in terms of price performance!
The service is very friendly and attentive and they bring your beverages within a minute – when that wasn’t the case when I ordered my second Butterfly Pea, they apologized and then brought two at the same time. Well, a bit of a fail but they were friendly and helpful throughout the whole evening. Therefore, if you want and easy arrival to Thailand, the Nara isn’t a bad way to start.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Nara Erawan Bangkok
Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
ถนน พระราม 1 Khwaeng Lumphini
เขต ลุมพินี Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
10330 Bangkok (TH)
Tel.: +66 22 50 77 07
Cell: +669 22 48 14 82
E-Mail: naraerawan@naracuisine.com
Homepage: http://www.naracuisine.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
