Go-Ang Chicken Rice Pratunam is Still Good

Post by Chiefeater Luke Soon

At Kaiton Pratunam Chicken Rice which is also known as Go-Ang Chicken Rice Pratunam. Chicken rice is one of those dishes the Chinese immigrants brought with them in their journey south to Southeast Asia. Specifically the Hainanese clan. And while it a simple dish – my philosophy is that simplicity is elegance. Which is why I love this humble dish. Easy to cook, hard to master.

The Thai Chinese has a flavourful variant of their own- much like other dishes like pork soup, etc . I’ve written about the pork and food that binds us across ASEAN.

I know what you’re thinking – I can cook this at home. But it’s NEVER the same with gaomengai in Bangkok. Just as the chilli sauce (and) defines the dish in Singapore and Malaysia – it’s even more pronounced here.

First the sauce – here they use fermented beans.

And the rice is extra fragrant. Maybe it’s the Thai Hom Mali type rice they use but it’s also very crunchy. (I don’t like soft, wet rice – so that’s just personal).

To be honest, chicken rice is not one of my fav dishes overall – but the Singaporean and Thai (this) versions take the cake. Usual in my Bangkok sojourns, gaomengai is usually a day 3 itinerary for me.

This trip, the ‘home’ of gaomengai ie Pratunam has mushroomed countless other knock offs and challengers.

At Kaiton Pratunam ไก่ตอนประตูนำ้ (โกอ่าง), they serve a big bowl of chicken soup filled with lip licking bones and lightly flavored with salt and pepper. This is the stall we’ve been going to for 3 decades. The queues will snake around a few blocks. Be prepared for that (and to sweatx buckets).

I’d rate this a consistent 7/10 over the years. If you’re having it as late night supper (as I did in the decades of past , after lots of drinks ), it’s a 8/10.

The Thai version is boneless, skinless, somehow a detractor for me. But for breast meat lovers – it’s a boon.

Prices: Plate of chicken rice and soup is just 30 baht (about $1).

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