Monday, December 31, 2012

Bangkok Food Courts (Central World, Central Chitlom, MBK)

Central World food court on the top floor of Central World in Bangkok is one of my favorite food courts in the city. Unlike back home in Canada, food courts in Thailand are filled with an variety of local and regional foods and designed in a very practical and effective manner.

At Central World and LOFT at Central Chitlom you receive a pass when you enter that acts like a credit card. When you order your food from whichever stall they charge the pass and when you leave the food court you pay whats charged on the pass. This eliminates the lines and stress of paying at each of the food stalls. At MBK you pre purchase coupons at a booth which you use to pay for your food with and any left over coupons can be traded back for cash. At Siam Paragon you pre pay for a pass and the vendors deduct the food cost. You then return the pass and they return any money still left on the card.

While most people may not understand the appeal at eating at a food court when your in Thailand since there are so many other options available, I personally think its the best way to get an idea and taste of all the different Thai foods available. Perhaps you have to see one to understand what I'm talking about (I'll post a picture later). But if you find yourself in Bangkok for the first time hit up one of the food courts at any one of the large malls and you'll find stalls after stalls of tasty food from all over Thailand. Don't forget the Thai dessert stalls!

Tom Yam soup, pork omelet over rice

Omelet over rice with chicken karage and curry sauce

Popular Thai dish: fried oyster omelet





Spring roll with shredded egg and tamarind sauce

Noodles with bbq pork from MBK food court

Shrimp sui mai and bbq steam buns from MBK

Ice dessert with coconut milk from MBK