Northeast – a Bustling Bangkok Haunt Serving Up a Killer Crab Curry

Located across the street from the south center of Lumpini Park (and a 3-minute walk from the Silom MRT), where monitor lizards roam freely and cats sleep in the middle of the road with zero cares in the world, sits ‘Northeast’, a no-nonsense, bustling, Thai restaurant serving up familiar (and unfamiliar) ‘Northern-style’ dishes including – a killer soft-shell crab curry. 

As I’ve mentioned in several other posts, Bangkok makes a more than formidable bid as the gastronomic capital of Asia (at least in my books), and ‘Northeast’ is the staccato on the end note of this culinary symphony. 

Let’s take a look at what makes this popular haunt for locals and tourists alike a must-go when you are in Bangkok and the feast that single-handedly forced me into bed by 8 PM. 

The Heart & Soul of Bangkok Personified

Website, Address, & Details: Northeast Facebook Page

• Hours: Monday – Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM
• Address: 1010, 12-15 Rama IV Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand

I was an avid Lumpini Park nightwalker (that makes it sound much more sinister than it was) as I walked almost everywhere during my one-month stay in Bangkok, Thailand. 

What initially caught my eye about Northeast, other than the Ninja Turtle green siding and illuminated sign out front, was the open-air kitchen, giant blue washing basins, and army of staff in yellow shirts, hosing down the walkway every night at 9 PM. 

Something about the diligence, liveliness, efficiency, and normality of it all drew me to this restaurant. I wanted to step into their lives, even just for a moment. When you step into ‘Northeast’, you step into what feels like the tightest run, family operation in all of food and beverage (granted they are not one giant family in the genetic sense). 

For me, Northeast embodies the heart, soul, and ethos of Bangkok. Controlled chaos with a smile – something that is oddly comforting. 

Now, onto the food.  

Flyin’ High on Some Northeast Thai

You really can’t go wrong with whatever you order at Northeast Thai – however, these are some of my favorites and absolute staples that I’d defend to my death.

Pad Thai: Fresh, Simple Ingredients, Complex Flavor

Yes, that’s pad thai and I know what you may be thinking ‘how cliche’. Well, if that’s what you think then you may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed and I’m sorry that I didn’t think outside of the box. I guess I’ve opened a can of worms of sorts. Whoops, I did it again. Pad thai just hits differently in Thailand. And, the two Norwegians sitting adjacent looked like they were having a great time with their pad thai so I didn’t want to miss out. 

Fresh, large, slightly sweet and salty prawns scattered across a bed of stir-fried noodles and beansprouts and dusted with a sprinkle of peanuts, Northeast’s Pad Thai can arguably make a case as one of the “perfect bites” that we all strive for. 

This pad thai is the “end boss” of pad thai dinners, balancing a delicate and surprisingly light mix of ingredients – you gotta make sure to squeeze that lime over it baybayyyy (I don’t know why I am typing like that). Something about the citrus draws out the tenderness of the shrimp (I think there is some sort of scientific reaction with it breaking down fibers?) and provides a great contrast to the slightly sweet rice noodles (typically coated with a mixture of tamarind sauce, fish sauce, and plum sugar).

For spice lovers, you can definitely ratchet it up so make sure to just ask them!

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you are in the market for some 50-year old beef broth that will knock your socks off, make sure to check out my article explaining why ‘Wattana Panich’ is my new standard for beef noodle soup. 

The IHOP-Unfriendly Pancake

Oysters? Awesome. Pancakes? Fantastic. Oyster pancakes? Exceptional. I should put a disclaimer that it isn’t actually a breakfast pancake filled with oysters. Imagine, going to IHOP and receiving a giant omelet packed to the brim with little salty mollusks after thinking you are going to get the ‘Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity’. I wouldn’t be disappointed, I’ll tell you that – not if it was this oyster pancake below.

An oyster pancake should be more appropriately labeled as an oyster omelet, as it consists of a rich, fluffy egg batter filled with small oysters. Typically, a mildly sweet potato starch is mixed into the egg batter leading to its more ‘pancake-like’ shape and delivering the quintessential slightly sweet and salty knockout combo you crave.

Toss it in some of the sweet Thai chili sauce with garlic and you have a briny, velvety smooth interior and slightly sweet crunchy outside that will make all your problems go away (at least for the ten seconds it takes you to chew).

Now, onto the main show…this is what you all came here for.

Stir-Fried Soft-Shell Crab Curry: Draining Gastronomical 3-Pointers Left & Right

I’m not even a basketball fan but it felt like a Steph Curry reference was appropriate here since he seems to indisputably be the best three-point shooter that has walked this earth. A case could be made for Northeast’s soft-shell crab yellow curry being the G.O.A.T. of all crab curries. 

Look, I know the above image doesn’t look the most appetizing. It’s somewhat of an amorphous, yellow blow with no discerning features. Some say I’m an amorphous blob with no discerning features. This stir-fried soft-shell crab yellow curry is next-level. 

There is a delicate sweetness to soft-shell crab which I think attracts a lot of us to it. This serves as the perfect base to be coated in a mildly spicy, creamy, rich curry (with slightly earthy tones from what I am guessing is turmeric). This yellow curry was both smooth in consistency, thanks to the supporting coconut milk, and textured at the same time, thanks to the cast of vegetable characters and mammoth chunks of soft-shell crab. 

Every bite yielded a salty, crunchy, silky smooth serving of balance – no one ingredient overpowered the other. And, to ensure none of it went to waste, I ladled the remaining sauce and vegetables over a bed of rice. 

Don’t worry, based on the picture below, you might be thinking to yourself, “Did this guy even finish it?” Of course, I did. I finished everything. 

I was so criminally full that it actually brought about some creative and business-savvy enlightenment, as I came up with the idea of ‘Wheelbarrow’ – an app similar to Uber, where a portly man with a wheelbarrow picks you up from whatever restaurant you are at and takes you home while you sleep in the bed of it.

Pale Ale Travel Tip: If you still have any room left in you and you want a drink or some sweets, make sure to head on over to the ‘theCommons Saladaeng’ – a hip, urban lifestyle plaza with a wide range of restaurants, bars, and snack stalls (Crackhouse is my favorite). This was one of my favorite spots to head after a meal to grab a beer, post up at one of the communal tables, and listen to some live music. 

Bangkok Eating is Just Too Good

I thought I was going to gain way more weight than I actually did in Bangkok. It had to be walking everywhere that offset my average of three dishes per meal. Of the four to five crab curry spots I ate at during my month-long stint in Bangkok, Northeast definitely reigned supreme. Keep in mind too that their menu is about 30 times larger than just these three dishes and serves palates, cravings, and Thai-food enthusiasts (experts and beginners alike) of all types.  

If you made it to Northeast during your time in Bangkok or another crab curry haunt (or any restaurant for that matter), I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments or by email (info@palealetravel.com). 

Eat well,

Big Body