Jay Fai and her signature crab omelette. Marielle Descalsota/Insider In late July, I went to Thailand’s only Michelin-starred street-food stall for dinner. Jay Fai is famous for its crab omelet, which costs 1,200 baht, or $33 a plate.
I was surprised by the long wait time, huge portions, and the chef’s fiery personality. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. It’s one of the world’s top food destinations.
Bangkok, Thailand. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderBangkok has a population of 10. 9 million, making it one of the biggest cities in Southeast Asia.
It’s also one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with almost 26 million visitors in 2019. Bangkok is a food paradise — there were more than 320,000 restaurants in the city in 2019. But only 30 restaurants were awarded Michelin stars in 2022, and less than half of these establishments serve Thai cuisine.
One such establishment is Jay Fai, a roadside restaurant that specializes in Thai food like khai jeaw poo, or crab omelet, a hot and sour soup called tom yum, and pad kee mao, or stir-fried drunken noodles. The dining area of Raan Jay Fai. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderJay Fai, located in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, was founded in the 1980s by Supinya Junsuta.
It was first awarded a one-Michelin star rating in 2018. Junsuta, who is 75 years old, remains the only chef at the restaurant today. The restaurant, which serves street food, is one of the most famous in Bangkok.
It was featured in the 2019 Netflix show “Street Food,” and has dozens of celebrity fans, including Russell Crowe, John Legend, and Martha Stewart. Jay Fai has cultivated a cult following over the years, with diners praising the restaurant’s food as “delicious and unique,” and an “art-like performance. “Jay Fai is one of only two street food vendors in the world that currently holds a Michelin star.
The corner where chef Jay Fai cooks. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderI’ve also eaten at the only other Michelin-starred street food stall, Singapore’s Tai Hwa Pork Noodle. But unlike Tai Hwa, which sells a plate of noodles for 6 Singapore dollars, or $4.
50, the food at Jay Fai is expensive — really expensive. Jay Fai’s dishes cost between 500 and 1,500 Thai baht, or $13. 80 to $41.
One local cab driver, Nakhon Ratchapong, told me the restaurant’s food is “good for tourists” but too expensive for locals. “For foreigners the food is okay,” Ratchapong told me. “There’s cheaper options for locals at Khao San Road or Phetchaburi Road.
” As a street-food enthusiast, I was excited to try out the much-hyped restaurant. I took a 15-minute car ride from my hostel in Chakkrawat and found a line of about 30 people queued up at around 2 p. m.
“No Photo” signs were plastered on barriers that shielded Junsuta from onlookers. Chef Jay Fai. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderDozens of tourists flocked to the front of the restaurant, asking staff how much longer they would have to wait to be seated.
Others gathered right at the corner of the street, trying to peer through makeshift walls for a glimpse of chef Junsuta. I asked a staff member if I could take photos of the chef, who had been cooking since 9 a. m.
She first told me no, and after I explained that I was on an assignment, she conceded and said I could try to take photos but from a distance. Reservations at Jay Fai are usually booked several months out. In the lead-up to my trip, I tried my luck by sending Jay Fai an email and message on Instagram — but it was to no avail.
People waiting for the meals at Raan Jay Fai. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderI decided to walk up and try my luck in person. I had just arrived in the city via sleeper train from Chiang Mai, and I was starving.
Bangkok was hot, and it was scorching in the restaurant. I found a chaotic atmosphere at the restaurant — it was crowded, loud, and the smoke from Junsuta’s wok filled the street. There were around a dozen tables at the restaurant, all served by only one chef.
When I realized it would be hours until I was seated at the restaurant, I decided to walk around. I bought several Thai-style meats and fresh juices from vendors to tide me over. Chef Junsuta has a band of assistants, most of whom are women, to help prepare ingredients.
Staff at Raan Jay Fai. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderThe outdoor kitchen spilled out into alley where the restaurant was located. Around a dozen assistants shelled and prepared ingredients, from eggs to seafood.
After a five-hour wait, I finally got seated inside. I had a front row view of Junsuta, wearing her signature goggles and gloves, preparing dishes over a blazing flame. Chef’s table at Raan Jay Fai — almost.
Marielle Descalsota/InsiderI’ve heard of how high-stress Michelin-starred kitchens can be from various chefs, and Jay Fai was no different. By the time of my meal, she had already been cooking for eight hours, but she still maintained a laser-like focus. I eventually saw a softer side to chef Junsuta, when she broke her own rules to pose for a couple photos.
I ordered the crab omelet, which cost 1,200 Thai baht, or around $33. It was a huge portion that could feed two people. Raan Jay Fai’s famous crab omelette.
Marielle Descalsota/InsiderTwo sauces accompanied the omelet. I right dug in. The dish was light, fluffy, and flavorful, and it paired perfectly with a bowl of rice, which cost 30 baht, or 80 cents.
I could see why the dish was so expensive — the inside of the omelet was filled with big chunks of crab meat. Inside the crab omelette. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderThe crispiness of the outside offered a textural contrast to the tenderness of the crab meat.
I ended up ordering the drunken noodles too to make my long wait worth it. It cost 500 baht, or $13. 80.
My total bill, including tax, was 1,810 baht, or $50, making it the most expensive street food I’ve ever had. Phad kee mao, or drunken noodles by Raan Jay Fai. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderThe noodles were quite sour and a lot less spicy than I expected.
Like the omelet, the pieces of seafood in the noodles were huge. I advise diners to order a variety of dishes and share it with others as the portions are family-sized. Overall, my visit to Jay Fai was a surreal experience.
I’ve eaten at hundreds of street food stalls in my life, and I’ve never been to one like this. Me at Raan Jay Fai. Marielle Descalsota/InsiderFrom the long lines to the elusiveness of chef Junsuta herself, dining at Jay Fai is an experience to remember.
I can’t say that I’ll line up for several hours again to eat her rendition of Thai cuisine, but I’m glad to have tried it once. Having been to Bangkok several times, Jay Fai is now one of my must-visit spots in the city — but only if you have a lot of time to spare and don’t mind a chaotic backdrop to dinner. Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/jay-fai-michelin-star-bangkok-street-food-stall-review-price-2022-8
