Pad Thai is great, and green curry will keep you coming back for more, but a whole fried fish with one of Bangkok’s signature sauces is the way to go. Sabai-jai near our Hotel located at 65 Sukhumvit Soi 63 Ekamai is on another level. But you have to be in the know.
With all the spiritually uplifting sites and glorious street food in basically every district or khet, it’s easy to miss the foodie gems that are a hop away from where you are staying. After many a expat and local recommendations, it was a Russian self described socialite that made us open our eyes to Sabai-Jai Gai.
During our month stay in Bangkok, we became all too familiar with the busy traffic of Sukhumvit, but missed passing by Sabai-Jai Gai by pure happenstance (the walk to our hotel was on the other side of the street.) Trust me though, once we walked through the slightly dated entrance, we knew that we were in for something a little different.
Making a choice on a menu whose English is less than perfect and has roughly 150 items requires a tall beer to start. I don’t know if it was the beer, or the 5 miles we walked that day, but the sight of “Hot & Sour Deep Fried Fluffy Cat Salad with Mango Sauce,” was the most perfectly hysterical amuse bouche one could ask for. <No we didn’t order it, but I have to admit I was curious.>
We decided to order…
A simply prepared, scored, seasoned, and deep fried, Sea Bass and Tim Tub (aka Tilapia). These fish are simply prepared and meant to retain the simplicity and authenticity of the flavor of meat itself. These perfectly fried fish stand on their own, but when you drizzle a little sweet and sour soy ginger chili sauce, it is a whole other level. The Tim Tub came with a side of Nam Pla Phrik. The flavors of Thailand are literally drizzled on top of our magical feast of fish. The pleasantly potent fish sauce underlines the sauce with a hint of heat imbued by the razor thin slices of Thai chilis. The Nam Pla Prink sauce is then kissed with a gentle touch of oyster sauce, and livened up with the singing acid of lime. Drizzle this flavor bomb on a perfectly fried whole fish, and you will be this much closer to nirvana.
Bangkok is the city to go to for corner hawker culinary delights, temples that will amaze even the most seasoned traveler, and a vibrance which enlightens your sixth and possible your seventh sense. But, what I’ve learned is that, a local hangout that is literally across the street from your usual walk from the hotel to the BTS may go unnoticed unless you talk to people. Sharing is after all caring; and sharing a whole deep fried fish at Sabai-Jai Gai is truly a memorable experience.