Gedhawa

Bangkok's Thai food scene is a regional melting pot. Spicy larb and som tum papaya salads dominate the menus of the city's countless northeastern Thai (also known as Isan) restaurants, and you'll find plenty of places serving up the seafood-rich curries the southern provinces are famous for. Northern food, however, is far less ubiquitous.

That's what makes Gedhawa, hidden behind a tangle of greenery in a quiet corner of the Phrom Phong district, such a standout. For almost three decades, this unfussy, home-style spot has been championing the bold flavors of Thailand's northern provinces through recipes brought over by its Chiang Mai-born owner. 

On the menu, hand-written on cardboard and fixed with glued-on photographs of each dish, you'll find a wide range of northern staples such as khao soi (a spicy, coconutty curry soup with egg noodles) and “Lanna hors d'oeuvre” platters of northern Thai sai oua sausage, crispy pork cracklings, and blanched vegetables served with pounded nam prik ong and nam prik num chili dips.

The hung lay, a rich northern Thai pork curry with roots in Myanmar, melts in the mouth, and the gaeng hed thob, a soupy red curry with chicken and marble-sized hed thob mushrooms, is a knockout. Order the northern-style larb moo for the tongue-tingling kick of makwaen pepper, and don't miss out on some of the non-northern dishes on the menu, such as the excellent fish sauce-marinated fried chicken wings. 

Purists might quibble that some flavors have been muted for Bangkok palates, but Gedhawa’s charm lies in its warmth and offbeat character. With its friendly service and affordable prices, this low-key institution offers one of the city's most soulful northern Thai meals.