A landlocked country, such as the one we find ourselves in, any seafood platter served up to a Nepalese is a new experience in and of itself. While seafood cuisine is rather normalized in most parts of the world, it serves as a luxury to landlocked countries such as ours. Thailand and its cuisine with an ample serving of wondrous seafood delight is second to none when it comes to creating an extraordinary culinary experience. And Krua Thai, one of the foremost Thai Cuisine restaurants in Nepal, emulates this very spirit of championing the rich seafood culture to create an un-paragoned gastronomic experience like no other!
Krua Thai started it’s journey back in 1997, when it was established in Thamel with a primary aim to attract foreign tourists. The restaurant, over it’s 25-year journey, has now shifted to Tangal and is open to everyone - from local Nepali’s wishing to dine out for special occasions to Tourists who seek the authenticity of Thai cuisine given a Nepalese twist to it.
Krua Thai is a family business for us. It was started by my father in the beginning, when we mostly collaborated with other trekking companies. Back then, the tourists were the heart of our business. But after Nepalese tourism in Thailand started flourishing, even the locals started loving Thai cuisine. So, now, we are open to everyone: elaborated Reeya Shrestha the Managing Executive at Krua Thai.
When speaking of what makes them stand out from the crowd, Shrestha says, “We are an authentic Thai restaurant. All our ingredients - from the spices to the seafood - are imported from Thailand itself and this is what brings the distinct flavors that we’re so proud of!”
As one enters Krua Thai, one is simply enamored by this homely cum outdoorsy vibe the restaurant has. From the small fish pond at the entrance to the trees, traditional Thai structures and fountains, the ambience the place generates is one of serenity, beauty and an overall homely-enriching experience.
As we engaged in hearty conversation with Shrestha, the first dish soon rolled around; the Som Tam Thai, a vibrant-fresh salad composed of green papaya, dried shrimp, peanuts and beans. The balance, the crunchiness of the peanuts, the rich papaya and the salad itself served as the perfect-light hors d'oeuvre, a microcosm of the wonderous culinary journey that we were to embark on as the other dishes rolled on.
Personally, never having been a fan of soups in general, the next soup dish the Tom Yam Koong left me reconsidering my outlook on soups itself. This classic Thai soup is an exception to all soups, it is must have for any one who happens to visit this Thai Haven, especially on a chilly winter day. The soup plays out like a well rehearsed orchestra, each element in the dish serving its own purpose, playing its own tune to be brought together to create one harmonious melody of warmth and spiciness that fills you from the very depths of your body. The softness of the mushrooms, the savoriness of the prawns, the sweetness of the beetroots and the freshness of the lemongrass. This soup had a little bit of everything, leaving you clamoring for more. To our delight, the star was yet to perform.
The moment we were served the Pad Thai Koong, the redolence in the noodles alone was enough to get our appetite going again. “This is the most popular dish we have,” says Abin Adhikari, the head chef. “The dish is rice noodles stir-fried with eggs and shrimp, and is good to share between two people.”
Even as we twirled our forks to get a good first bite, we were unable to wipe the grin off our faces left by the awe-striking aroma. And the taste? Even before we could finish what was in our mouth, we wanted another spoonful of it back into our mouths. As the last spoonful of Pad Thai went into us, we experienced a tad bit of gloominess for the first time in the day, not for the food but that this delightful, delicate simply amazing dish was no more on our plates to gorge ourselves on!
To follow that, we had the Kang Phed Koong, a spicy curry of red chilies, shrimps and eggplant cooked in coconut milk. As someone who cannot handle his spice, the sceptic in me wondered if I would be able to experience this dish without crying my eyes out from the spices. However, keeping to the theme of the day, I was simply blown away by how well balanced the flavours were. The perfect symphony that the creaminess of the coconut milk and eggplants provided with the spiciness of the chillies serves as a true testament to the chefs at Krua Thai, who’ve remodeled a usually spicy dish to fit the Nepali Palate while preserving the authenticity in taste.
As cliché as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and our culinary joyride concluded with the Pla Neung Manao, a fish served whole on a bed of Chinese cabbage with a drizzle of chilly and lemon sauce on top. “For this dish, the white snapper fish , which is imported from Thailand, is steamed along with red and green chillies and Chinese cabbage,” explains Adhikari. “After steaming for about half an hour, we lightly cook all the elements together in the lime juice. The dish and the flavor profile is equal to what one can get in Thailand.”
The presentation of the fish, similar to the taste, was simply marvelous, a befitting conclusion to the amazing ride we’d been through. The smiles sprawled across our faces thrice wider than when we arrived; our hearts and bellies extremely content.
Contact details:
Address: Tangal Marg, Kathmandu
Phone No.: 01-4424751
Website: https://thekruathai.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kruathainepal/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kruathai1997/
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