Goong Ob Woon Sen (กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น) is a popular Thai dish that includes just a few ingredients. If it’s cooked poorly, meaning the vermicelli noodles and the shrimp are overcooked and mushy, then it’s a terrible dish. But if it’s cooked correctly, like at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ), it’s absolutely outstanding! The best thing about this extremely famous Bangkok street food stall is that they only serve a few dishes. The menu is actually just taped to the tables as soon as you walk up, and there are only about 5 items you can choose from.
The most famous Thai dish is a dish known as Pu Ob Woon Sen (ปูเนื้ออบวุ้นเส้น). The vendor starts by throwing the crab along with some fresh ingredients and herbs like coriander root, and lots of black pepper into the bottom of a single bowl skillet. Expertly, he lights the fire on an intense flame, cooking the ingredients with a scorch. When the crab has finished cooking, the vendor that tosses in a mixture of glass rice vermicelli noodle sand puts the lid on for a few more seconds. Finally some chives are thrown on top to complete the dish and it’s served. But while the Pu Ob Woon Sen (ปูเนื้ออบวุ้นเส้น) at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ) is the most famous, I preferred the Goong Ob Woon Sen (กุ้งอบวุ้นเส้น). It’s essentially the same thing, but instead of crab, jumbo prawns are used.
One thing I love most about Thai Bangkok street food is the vendors that specialized and become extreme experts in cooking just a single or a very few dishes. The cook at Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ) didn’t work all that fast, but he did everything to exact precision, making sure he didn’t overcook anything or make any mistakes. This Thai street food strives for excellence, and though they are extremely popular with local Thais and get plenty of business each evening, they have maintained their standard of high quality!
Here’s all the restaurant street food stall information if you want to visit this awesome place in Bangkok:
Somsak Pu Ob (สมศักดิ์ ปูอบ)
Address: Thanon Charoen Rat Soi 1, Khlong San, Bangkok
Open hours: Monday — Saturday from 5 pm — 10 pm, Sunday from 4 pm — 10 pm (but they often sell out early)
Prices — 300 — 500 THB per person
เจริญรัถ เขตคลองสาน ถ.เจริญรัูถ ซอย1 กรุงเ่ทพ
โทร. 081-823-9706
จันทร์ — เสาร์ เปิด. 17.00 — 22.00
อาทิตย์ เปิด 16.00 — 22.00
The easiest way to get there is to take the BTS Skytrain to Wongwian Yai station, then take Exit 3 towards Sarapai 3, and you’ll eventually come to Charoen Rat. The restaurant is on Soi 1, but again, see this article for more information: http://www.eatingthaifood.com/2013/07/thai-seafood-somsak-pu-ob-bangkok/
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