CHAROEN SAENG SILOM (ร้านเจริญแสง สีลม) – BRAISED PORK LEG IN BANGKOK (KHAO KHA MOO ข้าวขาหมู)

I visited this establishment with my colleague David during a firm’s retreat in Bangkok.

It was a very short 5-10 Mins walk from our hotel at Shangri La and in no time, we were in the small Soi where Charoen Saeng Silom, arguably one of the most famous shops offering braised pork leg and other delicacies in Bangkok, was located.

This shop is located down a Soi behind the corner of Silom and Charoen Krung road in Bangrak. Watch out for this white building known as State Tower Building which houses the popular Sirroco restaurant.  The Soi in which the shop is located is right across the road from State Tower Building.

It was trotters galore. We had arrived at Swine Nirvana.

The first thing that I noticed was that there was a huge take away operations going on. And the workers were busily packing throughout our meal.

That augurs well.

That many people can’t be wrong?

Great minds think alike.

But fools seldom differ.

We had a quick look at the menu shown to us and in a moment of epiphany, ordered everything.

Duh – seemed like a good idea at that time. There were two of us after all. If we didn’t order everything they had, what would David eat?

The vinegar, chopped garlic cilantro chilli emulsion was delicious.

Then the food arrived.

This was the masterpiece. A huge slab of soft gelatinous fat and skin coyly hiding meat that was deliciously falling off the bone.

I tasted the sauce or broth that it was nestling in. Besides tenderness, the sauce would make or break this dish for me. I tasted a hint of star anise, maybe cloves, maybe cinnamon. It was well balanced- neither cloying nor overpowering and just there in the background. The vinegar and soy undertones tasted delicious. It was perhaps a tad too sweet for me but it wasn’t unbearably so, and I’m sure this level of sweetness was just right for locals.

I liked the fact that the sauce tasted fresh and was not too thick – the lightness was definitely welcome when the entire dish was so rich and decadent.

Definitely deserving of their Michelin Bib Gourmand mention.

Staying grounded. The parts just above the hooves and feet and below the fetlock.  Called the Pasterns I believe.

This contained far less meat and appealed to me as a fan of skin, gelatin and tendon.

Did I say I like skin? Their skin was incredibly soft and almost melting.

Listen to your heart, breathe deeply and speak softly for words are the window to your soul.

Heart, lungs and tongue were sliced and served with braised mustard green vegetables.

We waited 20 mins for the intestines as they were cooking. We were not disappointed when they arrived. They were nice and glistening, soft and yielding, yet wondrously chewy.

Magical decadence.

Just when we had finished and was about to call for the bill, another partner Kelvin arrived to join us. He had overslept.

Like the nice accommodating god fearing boys that we were, we ordered more of the same, and was compelled to eat more.

Such is life.

This was the aftermath. The gluttony was there for all to see.

Now I know where to get my fix in Bangkok when I crave for my snouted friend.

Charoen Saeng Silom (ร้านเจริญแสง สีลม)

Address: 492/6 Soi Charoen Krung 49, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
Open hours: 8 am – 2 pm daily, but most things will be sold out close to 2pm.

ที่อยู่ 492/6ซ.เจริญกรุง49 ถ.สีลม (ใกล้ร.พ.เลิดสิน) สุริยวงศ์ , บางรัก , กรุงเทพมหานคร 10500
เปิดบริการ ทุกวัน 8.00 – 14.00 น.

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