Celebrity culinary adventures: Bangkok’s best restaurants recommended by Class 95 radio DJ Yasminne Cheng

SINGAPORE: If you’re looking for the tastiest local eats in Singapore, Class 95FM’s DJ Yasminne Cheng is definitely the person to ask – she knows all the best spots. Her food hunting skills also apply to other cities as well. Cities like Bangkok, New York City and Peru are some of the places where she found the best food. CNA asked the DJ to narrow down to just one city and eventually she chose Bangkok as her favourite food city as she has gone there too often to count.

Cheng mentioned how convenient it is for Singaporeans to visit Bangkok. Not only the produce is fresh and variety is good, from affordable eats to fine dining and Michelin-starred restaurants. The standard and quality is up to par. Cheng also mentioned that you can get much cheaper food in Bangkok compared to similar dishes in Singapore. What really draws her to any local food scene, she explained, is when the food truly shows you the heart and spirit of the people who make it.

She often gets carried away by how good the food looks and ends up ordering more than she can actually eat. Despite going on a hunt for food no matter where in the world she is, there is one caveat. Cheng is pretty firm about not waiting in long lines for food, no matter how popular it is. In fact, she’s never stood in a queue for more than an hour just to eat. Her colleague from Class 95, Big Mutton, once took things to another level in Bangkok at a place called Here Hai – he actually paid someone to queue for three whole hours so that they could skip the wait!

So, if you’re planning a trip to Thailand and wondering where to eat in Bangkok, you’re in luck! Here are some of the top spots that Cheng personally recommends – straight from someone who knows her way around the local food scene.

HERE HAI

Highly recommended at Here Hai is their famous ‘Insane Crab Fried Rice’.

It may be called crab omelette but it is more like, ordering omelette to go with your crab. Their crab fried rice is delicious with wok hei as well as their amazing crab omelette. It lives up to the hype and it was so good that Cheng took some home for her mother.

AFTER YOU DESSERT CAFE

This famous dessert place cannot be missed. Their Shibuya Toast is described as having that perfect contrast – a lovely crisp outside with a soft, fluffy inside. They suggest drizzling the syrup all over the original flavour. And if you’re looking for something else, the Mango Sticky Rice Bingsu is also highly recommended.

THONG SMITH

This boat noodle spot is one of those places that’s always reliably good. If you’re heading to their Siam Paragon location, a little tip is to get there around 11:30 in the morning to beat the crazy lines. Their wagyu beef noodles are a real treat, but be warned – they do have a bit of a kick! They even have a ‘small spicy’ option that sounds absolutely delicious. Oh, and apparently, adding extra pork lard makes it even better!

GAGGAN X LOUIS VUITTON

Cheng enjoyed this experience of casual fine dining. Licking these vibrant, monogrammed dollops of flavoured mashed potato straight from the plate was actually quite enjoyable and had a playful, quirky vibe There were also many flavour bombs.

POTONG

You absolutely have to check out this place run by Chef Pam – who cooks incredible Thai-Chinese food! It’s not just a fancy meal; it’s a whole experience. Everything, from the delicious dishes to the amazing service, and even the story of where the restaurant is and the inspiration behind each plate, is just fantastic. Plus, you get really generous portions, and it’s actually great value compared to what you’d shell out for a full tasting menu with wine in Singapore.