PMOS
I visited a restaurant called "Bangkok 77," located on the 5th floor of a building along Central Road in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, for the first time during lunchtime in late October. It's situated in the heart of Kabukicho, near the Godzilla head, in a building that looks somewhat suspicious, making it hard to casually walk in without prior information about the place. After taking the elevator up, I was greeted by an extravagant Halloween decoration, which made me hesitate a bit before entering the main dining area. However, once inside, the vibrant bar-like interior opened up before me, and I felt relieved to see that all the other customers were women, giving off a vibe of a regular hangout (^-^; phew~).
The restaurant has a total of 60 seats, including counter and table seating. I was led to a table for four, and the Thai male staff was friendly and made a good impression (^^). You place your order via a tablet on the table, and the lunch menu includes Thai-style curry, noodles, and rice dishes. That day, I ordered the "Thai-style Chicken Noodle Set" (1,320 yen), which came with spring rolls and a drink.
Before long, my ramen arrived. The noodles are white rice noodles, topped with chicken, green onions, bean sprouts, and cilantro. The broth was light and typical of Thai ramen, but since I enjoy spicier flavors, I asked the staff if they had the four usual condiments found in Thai restaurants, known as "Kruang Phun Plun." Upon hearing me mention it in Thai, the staff smiled and brought them to me.
I quickly added a suitable amount of "Prik Pom" (dried chili powder), "Prik Nam Som" (pickled chili), and "Prik Nam Pla" (chili fish sauce), adjusting the flavor to my liking before digging in. The rice noodles had a delightful smooth texture (#^.^#), and the chicken was incredibly tender and packed with flavor, possibly the same kind used in Khao Man Gai. The bean sprouts added a nice crunch to the dish.
I finished the broth to the last drop. Thank you for the meal!