Adventure #173: Soul Food (Bangkok)

After yesterday's excellent dinner at Bottega di Luca, we tried Soul Food Mahanakorn today.  Although Soul Food is not opened by a Thai but by an American food writer, it serves regional Thai food and has good reviews.

The restaurant is small but has a couple of floors. Decor is warm and cosy. We were seated on the ground floor by the window.

Soul Food is also known for its cocktails. No one on our table was interested but I got a Lycheegrass Collins.

Southern Thai samosas made with minced chicken with a mint and yogurt dip.  Tasty and great as a snack with beer.

Pat see ew, wok-seared rice noodle in soy sauce with smoked pork jowl, crispy kale and fried garlic.  This was delicious.  A bit like our Malaysian fried koey teow and the older one loved it.

Charred pork neck salad with a tamrind and chili dressing wuth fried shallots and herbs. This was a great dish. The tamarind dressing very refreshing and the chopped chili definitely a kick.  Great as a starter.

Gaeng massaman, southern-style Massaman curry with chicken and potatoes. Another delicious dish.   It taste different from the curries we normally have at the Indians in HK or the Indian Muslim joints in Malaysia. 

Sticky tamarind ribs, pork ribs braised in a tamarind barbeque sauce and then grilled, with caramelized pineapple on the side.  Interesting dish but didn't really stand out as much compared to the rest.



Isaan smokey grilled chicken wings with sweet chili sauce and a spicy and sour naam jiim.  This was definitely flavourful and another fantastic snack dish with beer.



Isaan and Chiang Mai sausages with vegetables and grilled chili dip.  This dish was definitely the odd one out.  We couldn't really figure out how the different bits on the plate gelled.  Each bit by themself was a bit bland but different combinations didn't quite do the trick either.  I guess this one's just a little too local for us.

Fish in banana leaf with lemongrass, dill and lime and grilled over coals.  The fish was fresh and succulent and would have been great with plain white rice if we all weren't so stuffed and tired.

One small criticism, the dishes came in a haphazard manner i.e. starters came interpersed with the main dishes. Notwithstanding this, the food was definitely up to local standards (although the menu isn't extensive) and there was no attempt to modify the dishes to cater to farangs in the spiciness and authenticity department.  Compared to the Italian the previous day, the price is also very reasonable.  Would definitely recommend this place to any traveller who wants a more comfortable Thai eatery with an authentic spin to traditional dishes.

Soul Food Mahanakorn
56/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55
Tel: +66-85-904-2691
Daily 6:30pm-1am