Culture

Khaosan road is a place to live for various foreigners because there are important places around such as the temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Pra Kaeow, Wat Arun. In addition, there are many guess houses and accommodation on this street. Most stores on this road will be Asian’s local accessories store. Furthermore, Khaosan road is also the center of people whenever there are festivals or ceremonies such as Songkran splendors and New years.

Transportation

Parking space in Khaosan road is scarce. The best way to reach there is by the public transport.

By Bus: Ordinary bus no. 2, 15, 39, 42, 44, 47, 59, 60, 68, 79

Air-conditioned bus no. 3, 9, 11, 39, 44

Kinds of food

It can be classified into

1. Thai & Chinese food

2. Israeli & Middle-Eastern food

3. Japanese food

4. Indian & Other food

-Thai & Chinese food

Silk Bar Yet another big and bold place on Khao San... More a restaurant than a bar, Silk Bar has an inside place to sit as well as an outside area - both give you a good view of Khao San Road, so if you want people watching while you are eating, this is the place. Owned by the same people who own Sawasdee Hotel and Woraburi Khaosan Inn, this is a nice place and a further kick upmarket for the street. Walk up Khao San from the police station and its on your left. A range of breakfasts come in around 80 Baht, later in the day there's Thai and

International cuisine. Great Thai salads at around 50 Baht - they still have a touch of spice even though they are designed for foreign tastes. Impressive whiskey and cocktail menu. Pretty waitresses in yellow uniforms - very much 'new school' Khao San! Get used to it!

Tom Yum Gung Restaurant

Khao San Road has always been regarded as the last place in Bangkok to get decent Thai food. But with the arrival of Tom Yum Gung, all that changed. This place is excellent! Go in the evening and the first thing you notice is that it's full. The second thing is that 80% of

customers are Thai - a genuine novelty for Khao San Road's food places! The food's just like Somchai's mum used to make! Obviously, Tom Yum Kung is the restaurant's namesake and you should therefore try it. It's the real deal. It's hot. Take-the-roof-of- your-mouth-off hot, so watch it! Other favorites are Yam Bra Bradu-fu (a type of catfish fried until it's dry and then wetted up again with a 'salad' of mango, garlic and other ingredients in a spicy juice), Gy Pat Mit Mung Muang (chicken and cashew nuts) and Gung Gurry Nua (green beef curry). Costs are moderate: Banana Milk Shake - 50 Baht, small Carlsberg - 65 Baht, large Carlsberg - 100 Baht, large Chang - 85 Baht. Small Tom Yum Kung - 100 Baht, large one - 150 Baht. Chicken and Cashews - 70 Baht. Rice - 40 Baht. Give yourself a treat - check this one out. Give yourself a bit of time next morning though... all those spices will give you a dodgy belly! You don't need a map - there's a massive neon right outside it!

Thai Garden Restaurant and 'Pub'
The food was superb, offering a range of cuisine styles, western for the nonadventurous (or those suffering gut rot), a selection of Thai dishes and grilled fresh seafood and fish. The ingredients where fresh and the service second to none. Many a night was spent with the staff taking the piss out of the farangs who where smashed on the beer and getting acquainted with the squat toilet!
Price wise we are talking affordable, even to those claiming dole money back in blighty can afford to much out here at least once! My advice try a set of Sam Song (30cl bottle of Sam Song 80% proof, soda, red bull and coke) all for 150 Baht a nice way to sup the evening away and still remain clear at the end of it, better than I have to say the gut rotting Chang beer at 40 Baht for a large one with a small bottle thrown in free. Take it easy and keep on munching!

Buddy Lodge Buddy Lodge has accommodation, European and Thai food, as well as shopping and a host of other things
Sidewalk Cafe The ornate entrance leading into Sidewalk Cafe is one of the main features on Khao San. 24-hour service. 30 tables - this is a big outdoor restaurant with a wide variety of Thai and Western food, fresh coffee, and alcoholic beverages that include beer, spirits and cocktails. Specialty of the house - steamed fish with lemon grass and 'Dom Yum'.
	Khao Sarn Center Probably the biggest restaurant on Khao San Road, this one could probably fit in a number of categories! A spacious 60-table place, Khao Sarn Center offers Thai and European food with Dom Yum Gung the specialty of the house (145 Baht). Very much an extremely well stocked bar as well! Beer, cocktails - the Full Monty! In addition to all of this, Khao Sarn Center has pool - win six games in a row and get a free drink from the bar! Get fed up with that and you can go shopping at the numerous little outlets attached to the center. Khun Takorn is the owner.
	Sweetness About 6-12 months ago there was a craze for milk bars in Thailand. They died a sudden death but there seems to have been a resurrection on Khao San Road. These are not the same milk bards you read about in Clockwork Orange. Almost everything served is sickly sweet - try the tea made out of milk and half a kilo of sugar. Makes a change though. Sweetness is a nice place to hang out - air-conditioning, not too expensive, and (at the moment) pretty quiet. Nice young lady serves the drinks, etc. Behind 'Austin Pub'.
	Banana Leaf We don't know much about this place other than we like it! Take one look at the place and you just think - "nice!". Outdoor bar selling food with a library of books for sale indoors. This is just a standard house that has been converted and the effect is very homely whilst being bohemian at the same time. Beautifully decorated 2nd floor. We'd like to know more so if anyone has any comments we'll appreciate them. Down an alley diagonally opposite the police station.

-Israeli & Middle-Eastern Food

Zula A bit difficult to classify this one, as this is much more than just a restaurant. Yes, there's great Israeli food (BBQ chicken, kebabs, falafel, humus, pitta, etc.) at a decent price - meat and two side dishes (french fries, etc.) for 90 Baht - but there's also Israeli satellite TV, a Hebrew and English language library, Internet telephone, and a full fledged travel agency providing plane, train and bus tickets alongside visas and day trips. That might be enough for most places, but Zula goes one step beyond... Literally meaning 'chill out' in Hebrew, the second floor of Zula offers a pretty unique experience around Khao San. The only seating available is the floor! Triangular cushions are littered around the place so people can crash out and listen to the music. As if that's not enough, the 'chill' room houses three computers with Internet access. If you eat and drink at Zula, the Internet is FREE!!! That's the first time we have come across that around Khao San! What more could you ask? Believe it or not Zula offers scented tobaccos smoked through 'Shish' water pipes ... Yes, real water pipes. This all adds up to a unique experience...

Mama Sandwich Right next to the Police Station, Mama Sandwich offers baguettes, falafel, pita bread with humus and salad. A schnitzel, cheese, tuna, or egg sandwich costs 50 Baht. Baguettes cost 60 Baht. Drinks available include banana, watermelon or guava fruit shakes. Mixed fruit salad also available

Chabad House

A bit difficult to know where to put this one... Yes, Chabad House is a fine restaurant, but it's also much more. Chabad House is an international Hasidic movement with over 2,000 branches around the world. The purpose of the movement is to provide help and assistance for Jewish travellers and tourists abroad. With over 100,000 Jews coming to Thailand every year, Chabad House near Khao San Road is a hive of activity. Aside from genuine Kosher food, the building houses a synagogue and a full-time Rabbi (Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm). Synagogue services are held daily at 10.00, with Friday evening services so popular that they are held in a local hotel.

-Japanese Food

Taketei Japanese Resturant Owner Mr. Hashimoto assures us Taketei is the only Japanese restaurant on Khao San Road. One thing we can assure you - Taketei is a very good Japanese restaurant! Open from 11:30-01:00, an ample SUSHI SET will set you back only 160 Baht, and a STEAK SET only 140 Baht. Air-conditioned, with a very relaxing atmosphere.

-Indian & Other Food

Namastee Internet Cafe A curious mixture of high technology and Indian cuisine! Namastee (run by Khun Princy) combines first-class Internet access with world-class Indian food. Seven computers offer Internet connection while you eat Namastee's Punjabi and Pakistani dishes (see 'Internet Cafes').

Royal India Restaurant Owner Mr. Rasi has a fine establishment here - good Indian food coupled with up-to-the-second Hollywood movies! Specialties include Punjabi food alongside Mexican, Thai, and Italian. Chicken Tika Masala with rice will set you back 100 Baht. A non-vegetarian Thali costs 180 Baht.

Himalayan Kitchen
Himalayan Kitchen is a breath of fresh air - no videos, no music, just a nice quiet restaurant! When everything else fails, have a change here! Indian, Nepalese, and Tibetan food alongside a few continental dishes - a lot of choice. Vegetable Thali costs 150 Baht and meat Thali 180 Baht (both including naan and salad). Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks available - 100 Baht for a large beer, 60 baht for a small beer. A good view of the street. Run by Kapli Gurung - a young Nepali lady with the most amazing 'posh' British accent you'll ever hear! Well worth a vist!