Krua Dok Mai Khao

On jammed Bumrungmuang Rd., Krua Dok Mai Khao offers a delicious escape from the frantic street. From the outside, the restaurant appears simple and unassuming, but inside, the two-story establishment is more spacious and stylish than one might expect—think cafeteria meets homey industrial. Warmly lit with suspended light bulbs, the bare high loft ceiling reveals wires and pipes, and the brick walls are adorned with paintings. If they are unoccupied, lounge on the chunky comfy couches. The atmosphere is lively as diners scatter around the roomy dining space and a buzz of conversation and easy listening tunes fill the air. The counter in the middle offers a nice assortment of drinks, juices, smoothies and toasted sandwiches for those who want a light bite. You'll also find lots of magazines to browse, but you won’t get too far in your article since the food comes fast. The kitchen boasts almost 200 Thai and Western dishes, as well as a range of vegetarian offerings. There are fairly typical options for restaurants of this ilk such as chicken with cashew nuts, tom yam, lasagna and Caesar salad. A few dishes barely pass muster, though. We can’t recommend the greasy fried rice with deep-fried minced catfish and chili paste, which was so salty that even an accompanying clear soup couldn’t help dilute the sodium level. However, there are more delights than disappointments. Best-sellers like spinach lasagna sometimes run out early in the night before the kitchen closes. Drunken spaghetti with Italian sausage, while a bit soupy, came with generous portions of al dente noodles and succulent sausages. Cheesy baked penne with Italian sausage was also delicious, but it required a 20-minute wait. The fragrant, mellow mushroom soup was served with a soft bun and croutons. Thai cuisine is also done nicely. The steamed squid in spicy lime soup was fresh and firm, while the tom klong muu (spicy herbal soup with pork) arrived hot and spicy in a brass hot pot. The homemade cakes in the display look tempting, but both the chocolate fudge and orange were too dense. Even with some misfires, though, Krua Dok Mai Khao is somewhere you can count on getting a good meal with a nice ambiance without breaking your bank.